Method and apparatus for rendering of complex translucent objects using multiple volumetric grids

A computer system for rendering an object comprises:

• a memory configured to store a specification of an object, including a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is associated with a first plurality of surface points, and wherein the second portion is associated with a second plurality of surface points, wherein the memory is configured to store a first plurality of illumination values associated with the first plurality of surface points, and configured to store a second plurality of illumination values associated with the second plurality of surface points;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to associate a first three-dimensional grid including a first plurality of vertices and a first plurality of voxels with the first plurality of surface points on the first component, wherein the processor is configured to associate a second three-dimensional grid including a second plurality of vertices and a second plurality of voxels with the second plurality of surface points on the second component, wherein the processor is configured to determine first illumination values for the first plurality of vertices in response to the first plurality of illumination values associated with the first plurality of surface points, wherein the processor is configured to determine second illumination values for the second plurality of vertices in response to the second plurality of illumination values associated with the second plurality of surface points;
• wherein the processor is configured to perform one or more low pass filter operations on the first illumination values to determine first subsurface values associated with the first plurality of vertices, wherein the processor is configured to perform one or more low pass filter operations on the second illumination values to determine second subsurface values associated with the second plurality of vertices, wherein the processor is also configured to determine a first plurality of subsurface values associated with the first plurality of surface points in response to the first subsurface values, and wherein the processor is also configured to determine a second plurality of subsurface values associated with the second plurality of surface points in response to the second subsurface values.

A computer program product for comprises a tangible medium storing computer executable code for a computer system including a processor comprises:

• code that directs the processor to receive a specification of an object, including a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is associated with a first plurality of surface points, and wherein the second portion is associated with a second plurality of surface points, wherein the a first plurality of illumination values is associated with the first plurality of surface points, and wherein a second plurality of illumination values is associated with the second plurality of surface points;
• code that directs the processor to associate a first volumetric grid with the first plurality of surface points on the first component;
• code that directs the processor to associate a second volumetric grid with the second plurality of surface points on the second component,
• code that directs the processor to determine first illumination values for the first volumetric grid in response to the first plurality of illumination values;
• code that directs the processor to determine second illumination values for the first volumetric grid in response to the second plurality of illumination values;
• code that directs the processor to perform low pass filtering on the first illumination values for the first volumetric grid to determine first scattering values for the first volumetric grid;
• code that directs the processor to perform low pass filtering on the second illumination values for the second volumetric grid to determine second scattering values for the second volumetric grid;
• code that directs the processor to determine first scattering values for the first plurality of surface points in response to the first scattering values for the first volumetric grid;
• and
• code that directs the processor to determine second scattering values for the second plurality of surface points in response to the second scattering values for the second volumetric grid;
• wherein the codes reside on a tangible media.