Method and apparatus for rendering shadows

A method for generating a shadow map, the method comprising:

• receiving information associated with a first light source;
• generating at least a first ray and a second ray from the first light source;
• determining a first ray transmittance function associated with the first ray;
• determining a second ray transmittance function associated with the second ray;
• processing information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• determining a first visibility function based on at least information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• wherein the determining a first ray transmittance function includes:
• determining a first geometric element intersecting the first ray;
• processing information associated with the first geometric element;
• determining a first geometric transmittance function based on at least information associated with the first geometric element;
• processing information associated with first geometric transmittance function;
• determining the first ray transmittance function based on at least information associated with first geometric transmittance function.

A method for generating a shadow map, the method comprising:

• receiving information associated with a first light source;
• generating at least a first ray and a second ray from the first light source;
• determining a first ray transmittance function associated with the first ray;
• determining a second ray transmittance function associated with the second ray;
• processing information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• determining a first visibility function based on at least information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• wherein the first visibility function is capable of being equal to any value smaller than or equal to a first value and larger than or equal to a second value, the first value associated with being fully lit by the first light source, and the second value associated with being completely unlit by the first light source.

A method for rendering an object, the method comprising:

• receiving information associated with a first shadow map related to a first light source, the first shadow map including a first visibility function with respect to a first three-dimensional coordinate system;
• receiving information associated with a first surface;
• determining a first location associated with the first surface with respect to the first three-dimensional coordinate system;
• processing information associated with the first location and the first shadow map;
• determining a first visibility value associated with the first location based on at least information associated with the first shadow map and the first location;
• wherein the first visibility value is capable of being equal to any value smaller than or equal to a first value and larger than or equal to a second value, the first value being associated with being fully lit by the first light source, and second value being associated with being completely unlit by the first light source.

A method for rendering an object, the method comprising:

• receiving information associated with a first shadow map related to a first light source, the first shadow map including a first visibility function with respect to a first three-dimensional coordinate system;
• receiving information associated with a first surface;
• determining a first location associated with the first surface with respect to the first three-dimensional coordinate system;
• processing information associated with the first location and the first shadow map;
• determining a first visibility value associated with the first location based on at least information associated with the first shadow map and the first location;
• wherein the first visibility value is associated with at least a first geometric transmittance function.

A computer program product including a computer-readable medium including instructions for generating a shadow map, the computer-readable medium comprising:

• one or more instructions for receiving information associated with a first light source;
• one or more instructions for generating at least a first ray and a second ray from the first light source;
• one or more instructions for determining a first ray transmittance function associated with the first ray;
• one or more instructions for determining a second ray transmittance function associated with the second ray;
• one or more instructions for processing information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• one or more instructions for determining a first visibility function based on at least information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• wherein the one or more instructions for determining a first ray transmittance function includes:
• one or more instructions for processing information associated with the first ray;
• one or more instructions for determining at least a first surface transmittance function based on at least information associated with the first ray;
• one or more instructions for determining at least a first volume transmittance function based on at least information associated with the first ray;
• one or more instructions for processing information associated with the first surface transmittance function and the first volume transmittance function;
• one or more instructions for determining the first ray transmittance function based on at least information associated with the first surface transmittance function and the first volume transmittance function.

A computer program product including a computer-readable medium including instructions for generating a shadow map, the computer-readable medium comprising:

• one or more instructions for receiving information associated with a first light source;
• one or more instructions for generating at least a first ray and a second ray from the first light source;
• one or more instructions for determining a first ray transmittance function associated with the first ray;
• one or more instructions for determining a second ray transmittance function associated with the second ray;
• one or more instructions for processing information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• one or more instructions for determining a first visibility function based on at least information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• wherein the one or more instructions for determining a first ray transmittance function includes:
• one or more instructions for determining a first geometric element intersecting the first ray;
• one or more instructions for processing information associated with the first geometric element;
• one or more instructions for determining a first geometric transmittance function based on at least information associated with the first geometric element;
• one or more instructions for processing information associated with first geometric transmittance function;
• one or more instructions for determining the first ray transmittance function based on at least information associated with first geometric transmittance function.

A computer program product including a computer-readable medium including instructions for generating a shadow map, the computer-readable medium comprising:

• one or more instructions for receiving information associated with a first light source;
• one or more instructions for generating at least a first ray and a second ray from the first light source;
• one or more instructions for determining a first ray transmittance function associated with the first ray;
• one or more instructions for determining a second ray transmittance function associated with the second ray;
• one or more instructions for processing information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• one or more instructions for determining a first visibility function based on at least information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• wherein the first visibility function is capable of being equal to any value smaller than or equal to a first value and larger than or equal to a second value, the first value associated with being fully lit by the first light source, and the second value associated with being completely unlit by the first light source.

A computer program product including a computer-readable medium including instructions for rendering an object, the computer-readable medium comprising:

• one or more instructions for receiving information associated with a first shadow map related to a first light source, the first shadow map including a first visibility function with respect to a first three-dimensional coordinate system;
• one or more instructions for receiving information associated with a first surface;
• one or more instructions for determining a first location associated with the first surface with respect to the first three-dimensional coordinate system;
• one or more instructions for processing information associated with the first location and the first shadow map;
• one or more instructions for determining a first visibility value associated with the first location based on at least information associated with the first shadow map and the first location;
• wherein the first visibility value is capable of being equal to any value smaller than or equal to a first value and larger than or equal to a second value, the first value being associated with being fully lit by the first light source, and second value being associated with being completely unlit by the first light source.

A computer program product including a computer-readable medium including instructions for rendering an object, the computer-readable medium comprising:

• one or more instructions for receiving information associated with a first shadow map related to a first light source, the first shadow map including a first visibility function with respect to a first three-dimensional coordinate system;
• one or more instructions for receiving information associated with a first surface;
• one or more instructions for determining a first location associated with the first surface with respect to the first three-dimensional coordinate system;
• one or more instructions for processing information associated with the first location and the first shadow map;
• one or more instructions for determining a first visibility value associated with the first location based on at least information associated with the first shadow map and the first location;
• wherein the first visibility value is associated with at least a first geometric transmittance function.

A system for generating a shadow map, the system comprising:

• a processing system configured to:
• receive information associated with a first light source;
• generate at least a first ray and a second ray from the first light source;
• determine a first ray transmittance function associated with the first ray;
• determine a second ray transmittance function associated with the second ray;
• process information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• determine a first visibility function based on at least information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• wherein the determine a first ray transmittance function includes:
• process information associated with the first ray;
• determine at least a first surface transmittance function based on at least information associated with the first ray;
• determine at least a first volume transmittance function based on at least information associated with the first ray;
• process information associated with the first surface transmittance function and the first volume transmittance function;
• determine the first ray transmittance function based on at least information associated with the first surface transmittance function and the first volume transmittance function.

A system for generating a shadow map, the system comprising:

• a processing system configured to:
• receive information associated with a first light source;
• generate at least a first ray and a second ray from the first light source;
• determine a first ray transmittance function associated with the first ray;
• determine a second ray transmittance function associated with the second ray;
• process information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• determine a first visibility function based on at least information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• wherein the determine a first ray transmittance function includes:
• determine a first geometric element intersecting the first ray;
• process information associated with the first geometric element;
• determine a first geometric transmittance function based on at least information associated with the first geometric element;
• process information associated with first geometric transmittance function;
• determine the first ray transmittance function based on at least information associated with first geometric transmittance function.

A system for generating a shadow map, the system comprising:

• a processing system configured to:
• receive information associated with a first light source;
• generate at least a first ray and a second ray from the first light source;
• determine a first ray transmittance function associated with the first ray;
• determine a second ray transmittance function associated with the second ray;
• process information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• determine a first visibility function based on at least information associated with the first ray transmittance function and the second ray transmittance function;
• wherein the first visibility function is capable of being equal to any value smaller than or equal to a first value and larger than or equal to a second value, the first value associated with being fully lit by the first light source, and the second value associated with being completely unlit by the first light source.

A system for rendering an object, the system comprising:

• a processing system configured to:
• receive information associated with a first shadow map related to a first light source, the first shadow map including a first visibility function with respect to a first three-dimensional coordinate system;
• receive information associated with a first surface;
• determine a first location associated with the first surface with respect to the first three-dimensional coordinate system;
• process information associated with the first location and the first shadow map;
• determine a first visibility value associated with the first location based on at least information associated with the first shadow map and the first location;
• wherein the first visibility value is capable of being equal to any value smaller than or equal to a first value and larger than or equal to a second value, the first value being associated with being fully lit by the first light source, and second value being associated with being completely unlit by the first light source.

A system for rendering an object, the system comprising:

• a processing system configured to:
• receive information associated with a first shadow map related to a first light source, the first shadow map including a first visibility function with respect to a first three-dimensional coordinate system;
• receive information associated with a first surface;
• determine a first location associated with the first surface with respect to the first three-dimensional coordinate system;
• process information associated with the first location and the first shadow map;
• determine a first visibility value associated with the first location based on at least information associated with the first shadow map and the first location;
• wherein the first visibility value is associated with at least a first geometric transmittance function.