US 8,711,145 B2Granted

Representing polarized light in computer models

AssigneeUniversity of Utah Research Foundation

InventorsPeter Schuyler Shirley, Solomon Boulos, Jared Moroni Johnson, Austin Huff Robison

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Abstract

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for representing polarized light in computer models. A rendering pipeline receives three dimensional modeling data (e.g., geometric primitives) for rendering a two dimensional image are received. The modeling data includes data representing a light source The light energy from the simulated transmission of particles at each pixel of the two dimensional image is calculated for any particles transmitted in an adjoint direction from a specified view point back to the light source. The light energies from each pixel are summed to calculate the total light energy present at the specified view point. The total light energy can be forwarded to other modules in rendering pipeline to more accurately render the two dimensional image, such as, for example, representing polarized light in the two dimensional image.

Claims19

Dependent claims

At a computer system, the computer system including a rendering pipeline configured to represent polarized light in rendered images that include a plurality of pixels, the rendered images including at least one light source emitting light energy into other portions of the image, a method for calculating the light energy present at a specified view point within a renderable image, the method comprising:

an act of accessing geometric primitive data representing a three-dimensional model, one or more first portions of the geometric primitive data representing a light source emitting light energy into the three-dimensional model and one or more second portions of the geometric primitive data representing surfaces within the three-dimensional model having polarizing effects on the light energy traveling within the three-dimensional model;
an act of designating a specified view point within the renderable image where light energy is to be calculated;
an act of simulating a plurality of photon packets that are to be transmitted in the adjoint direction from the specified view point back to the light source, each photon packet having a corresponding different particular orientation;
for each pixel of the renderable image, calculating the resulting energy from the light source present at the specified view point, the resulting energy calculated from determining the light energy corresponding to each particle in each of the plurality of photon packets, including:
for each particle:
an act of simulating transmission of the particle from the specified view point back to the light source;
and
for each surface the particle intersects:
calculating a probability of the particle continuing to travel towards the light source after being incident upon the surface, based on the corresponding particular orientation of the particle and based on the polarizing effect of the surface;
randomly determining whether or not to propagate or terminate the particle, based on the calculated probability;
and
when it is determined to propagate the particle, updating the corresponding particular orientation of the particle in accordance with the polarizing effect of the surface;
and
an act of adding the light energy corresponding to the particle when it reaches the light source to the total energy present at the specified view point for the pixel, for any particle that reaches the light source;
and
an act of adding the resulting light energy calculated for each pixel for particles that reached the light source together to calculate the total light energy present at the specific view point.

13 more elements

A computer program product for use at a computer system, the computer system including a rendering pipeline configured to represent polarized light in rendered images that include a plurality of pixels, the rendered images including at least one light source emitting light energy into other portions of the image, the computer-program product for implementing a method for calculating the light energy present at a specified view point within a renderable image, the computer program product comprising one or more non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause the computer system to perform the method, including the following:

accessing geometric primitive data representing a three-dimensional model, one or more first portions of the geometric primitive data representing a light source emitting light energy into the three-dimensional model and one or more second portions of the geometric primitive data representing surfaces within the three-dimensional model having polarizing effects on the light energy traveling within the three-dimensional model;
designating a specified view point within the renderable image where light energy is to be calculated;
simulating a plurality of photon packets that are to be transmitted in the adjoint direction from the specified view point back to the light source, each photon packet having a corresponding different particular orientation;
for each pixel of the renderable image:
calculating the resulting energy from the light source present at the specified view point, the resulting energy calculated from determining the light energy corresponding to each particle in each of the plurality of photon packets, including:
for each particle:
simulating transmission of the particle from the specified view point back to the light source;
and
for each surface the particle intersects:
calculating a probability of the particle continuing to travel towards the light source after being incident upon the surface, based on the corresponding particular orientation of the particle and based on the polarizing effect of the surface;
randomly determining whether or not to propagate or terminate the particle, based on the calculated probability;
and
updating the corresponding particular orientation of the particle in accordance with the polarizing effect of the surface when it is determined to propagate the particle;
and
adding the light energy corresponding to the particle when it reaches the light source to the total energy present at the specified view point for the pixel, for any particle that reaches the light source;
and
adding the resulting light energy calculated for each pixel for particles that reached the light source together to calculate the total light energy present at the specific view point.

14 more elements

A computer system, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors;
system memory;
and
one or more computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions representing a rendering pipeline, the rendering pipeline configured to:
access geometric primitive data representing a three-dimensional model, one or more first portions of the geometric primitive data representing a light source emitting light energy into the three-dimensional model and one or more second portions of the geometric primitive data representing surfaces within the three-dimensional model having polarizing effects on the light energy traveling within the three-dimensional model;
designate a specified view point within the renderable image where light energy is to be calculated;
simulate a plurality of photon packets that are to be transmitted in the adjoint direction from the specified view point back to the light source, each photon packet having a corresponding different particular orientation;
for each pixel of the renderable image:
calculate the resulting energy from the light source present at the specified view point, the resulting energy calculated from determining the light energy corresponding to each particle in each of the plurality of photon packets, including:
for each particle:
simulate transmission of the particle from the specified view point back to the light source;
and
for each surface the particle intersects:
calculate a probability of the particle continuing to travel towards the light source after being incident upon the surface, based on the corresponding particular orientation of the particle and based on the polarizing effect of the surface;
randomly determine whether or not to propagate or terminate the particle based on the calculated probability;
and
update the corresponding particular orientation of the particle in accordance with the polarizing effect of the surface when it is determined to propagate the particle;
and
add the light energy corresponding to the particle when it reaches the light source to the total energy present at the specified view point for the pixel, for any particle that reaches the light source;
and
add the resulting light energy calculated for each pixel for particles that reached the light source together to calculate the total light energy present at the specific view point.

18 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.