Abstract: A method for rendering a computer image includes, for each pixel of a plurality of N×M pixels forming a tile, determining a plurality of masks for the pixel, wherein N and M denote integers larger than 1, and wherein each mask identifies a respective subset of the pixels that are equidistant from the pixel and located at a respective distance from the pixel. The method further includes: determining an active mask for the tile, the active mask identifying active pixels of the pixels, each of the active pixels being determined as having color information; based on the active mask, identifying an empty pixel of the pixels, the empty pixel lacking color information; and determining at least a first nearest active pixel that is nearest to the empty pixel. The determining includes comparing the active mask with at least one mask of the masks for the empty pixel.

Abstract: A method of transmitting rendering data of a computer image to a client terminal via a communication channel includes: receiving rendering results of the computer image from at least one computer of a plurality of computers; identifying a partial region of the computer image based on transmission information; processing a subset of the rendering results, the subset corresponding to the identified partial region of the computer image; and transmitting, at a particular time, the processed subset of the rendering results to the client terminal via the communication channel.

Abstract: Systems and processes providing a tool for visualizing parallel dependency graph evaluation in computer animation are provided. Runtime evaluation data of a parallel dependency graph may be collected, including the start time and stop time for each node in the graph. The visualization tool may process the data to generate performance visualizations as well as other analysis features. Performance visualizations may illustrate the level of concurrency over time during parallel dependency graph evaluation. Performance visualizations may be generated by graphing node blocks according to node start time and stop time as well as the level of concurrency at a given time to illustrate parallelism. Performance visualizations may enable character technical directors, character riggers, programmers, and other users to evaluate how well parallelism is expressed in parallel dependency graphs in computer animation.

Abstract: A method for composing a scene using a data module includes: receiving, from a user, an instruction to instantiate the data module to produce at least a first instance of the data module in a second data module; receiving, from the user, a first override for modifying the first instance of the data module; receiving, from the user, a second override for modifying the data module; identifying a conflict introduced by the first override or the second override; configuring a display interface to display an indication informing the user of the identified conflict; configuring the display interface to display one or more options for resolving the identified conflict; receiving, from the user, a selection of an option of the one or more options; and in response to the selection of the option, resolving the identified conflict by deleting the first override or the second override.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating an animation rig using scripted reference modules are disclosed. An embodiment includes obtaining a first reference module for generating a first node of a dependency graph, where the first reference module is a precomputed rig module corresponding to the first node, obtaining a second reference module for generating a second node of the dependency graph, where the second reference module is scripting language data executed for generating the second node, generating an association between the first node and the second node in response to an input defining the association, generating the animation rig using the first node and the second node, and providing the generated animation rig to a rig interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods deforming a mesh of a target object in real-time in response to a collision with a collision object are disclosed. An embodiment includes determining an inwardly deformed position of a first vertex of the mesh based on an intersection point of a boundary associated with the collision object with a ray, the ray connecting a point of an internal element of the target object with a reference position of the first vertex, wherein the inwardly deformed position of the first vertex corresponds to a first deformation magnitude of the first vertex from the reference position to the inwardly deformed position.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating an animation rig using scripted reference modules are disclosed. An embodiment includes obtaining a first reference module for generating a first node of a dependency graph, where the first reference module is a precomputed rig module corresponding to the first node, obtaining a second reference module for generating a second node of the dependency graph, where the second reference module is scripting language data executed for generating the second node, generating an association between the first node and the second node in response to an input defining the association, generating the animation rig using the first node and the second node, and providing the generated animation rig to a rig interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a command stack for an application are disclosed and an embodiment includes receiving an input for executing a first command of the application, initiating execution of the first command, executing one or more second commands which are set to execute based on execution of the first command, completing execution of the first command, and including the first command in the command stack such that an association is defined between the first command and the one or more second commands. In one embodiment, defining the association in the command stack between the first command the one or more second commands may include generating a first nested command stack associated with the first command, including the one or more second commands in the first nested command stack, and including the first command and the first nested command stack in the command stack.

Abstract: A virtual reality system includes a platform, a headset, a mount, and a control unit. The headset includes a motion-sensing unit and a display unit configured to display a video of a virtual environment. The mount is positioned on the platform and configured to releasably engage the headset. While the headset is engaged with the mount, the headset is positioned in a first position. While the headset is disengaged from the mount, the headset is positioned in a second position. The control unit is connected to the headset and configured to receive first data representing the first position and associate the first position with a predetermined first perspective of the virtual environment. The control unit is also configured to receive second data representing the second position, determine a second perspective of the virtual environment corresponding to the second position, and provide video of the virtual environment from the second perspective.

Abstract: A method for determining whether a pixel of a computer-rendered image is a firefly includes: dividing a plurality of samples originating from the pixel, into first and second subsets; identifying whether the pixel is an outlier based on variance data of the first subset; identifying whether the pixel is an outlier based on variance data of the second subset. The pixel is determined as not a firefly in response to both the pixel being identified as an outlier based on the variance data of the first subset, and the pixel being identified as an outlier based on the variance data of the second subset. The pixel is determined as a firefly in response to the pixel being not identified as an outlier based on the variance data of the first (second) subset and being identified as an outlier based on the variance data of the second (first) subset.

Abstract: Systems and methods for traversal selection of components of a geometric model are disclosed. An embodiment includes displaying a plurality of components corresponding to a geometric model, selecting a first component, receiving a first input indicating a first direction for selecting a next component, wherein the next component is connected to the first component by an edge, identifying one or more candidate edges connected to the first component for selecting the next component, determining an angle between an indicated direction vector corresponding to the indicated first direction and each of the one or more candidate edges, and selecting a second component as the next component, wherein the second component is connected to the first component via a particular candidate edge forming a smallest angle with the indicated direction vector.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamic contour volume deformation are disclosed. An embodiment includes applying a deformation to a point of a volumetric mesh, wherein a plurality of tessellations of the volumetric mesh are identified and wherein each tessellation is a tetrahedral mesh, identifying a deformation point associated with a first polyhedron of the volumetric mesh, determining a barycentric coordinate representation of the deformation point with respect to each tetrahedron of the plurality of tessellations, determining, for each tessellation of the first polyhedron, weight values with respect to the deformation point for vertices of each tetrahedron which correspond to natural vertices of each tetrahedron, and determining, based on the determined weight values, a new position of the identified deformation point represented as a weighted sum determined from the barycentric coordinate representations.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable medium for approximating mesh deformations for character rigs are disclosed. An embodiment includes applying a first deformation function to one or more mesh elements to determine an intermediate position based on a transform to a first structural element, wherein the one or more mesh elements are assigned to the first structural element, generating an offset based on a second deformation function for the one or more mesh elements using a deformation function approximation model, wherein the offset is a positional offset of the one or more mesh elements from the intermediate position to a target position corresponding to the transform applied to the first structural element, and generating a combined mesh deformation for the one or more mesh elements by combining the intermediate position and the offset.

Abstract: A method for determining whether a pixel of a computer-rendered image is a firefly includes: dividing a plurality of samples originating from the pixel, into first and second subsets; identifying whether the pixel is an outlier based on variance data of the first subset; identifying whether the pixel is an outlier based on variance data of the second subset. The pixel is determined as not a firefly in response to both the pixel being identified as an outlier based on the variance data of the first subset, and the pixel being identified as an outlier based on the variance data of the second subset. The pixel is determined as a firefly in response to the pixel being not identified as an outlier based on the variance data of the first (second) subset and being identified as an outlier based on the variance data of the second (first) subset.

Abstract: Systems and methods deforming a mesh of a target object in real-time in response to a collision with a collision object are disclosed. An embodiment includes determining an inwardly deformed position of a first vertex of the mesh based on an intersection point of a boundary associated with the collision object with a ray, the ray connecting a point of an internal element of the target object with a reference position of the first vertex, wherein the inwardly deformed position of the first vertex corresponds to a first deformation magnitude of the first vertex from the reference position to the inwardly deformed position.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamic contour volume deformation are disclosed. An embodiment includes applying a deformation to a point of a volumetric mesh, wherein a plurality of tessellations of the volumetric mesh are identified and wherein each tessellation is a tetrahedral mesh, identifying a deformation point associated with a first polyhedron of the volumetric mesh, determining a barycentric coordinate representation of the deformation point with respect to each tetrahedron of the plurality of tessellations, determining, for each tessellation of the first polyhedron, weight values with respect to the deformation point for vertices of each tetrahedron which correspond to natural vertices of each tetrahedron, and determining, based on the determined weight values, a new position of the identified deformation point represented as a weighted sum determined from the barycentric coordinate representations.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable medium for approximating mesh deformations for character rigs are disclosed. An embodiment includes applying a first deformation function to one or more mesh elements to determine an intermediate position based on a transform to a first structural element, wherein the one or more mesh elements are assigned to the first structural element, generating an offset based on a second deformation function for the one or more mesh elements using a deformation function approximation model, wherein the offset is a positional offset of the one or more mesh elements from the intermediate position to a target position corresponding to the transform applied to the first structural element, and generating a combined mesh deformation for the one or more mesh elements by combining the intermediate position and the offset.

Abstract: Systems and methods for traversal selection of components of a geometric model are disclosed. An embodiment includes displaying a plurality of components corresponding to a geometric model, selecting a first component, receiving a first input indicating a first direction for selecting a next component, wherein the next component is connected to the first component by an edge, identifying one or more candidate edges connected to the first component for selecting the next component, determining an angle between an indicated direction vector corresponding to the indicated first direction and each of the one or more candidate edges, and selecting a second component as the next component, wherein the second component is connected to the first component via a particular candidate edge forming a smallest angle with the indicated direction vector.

Abstract: A method of scheduling and performing computations for generating an interactive computer-generated animation on behalf of a client device to achieve a desired quality of service includes generating a computational configuration of computations that, when performed, produce the computer-generated animation with the desired quality of service. The configuration includes an identification of a first computation that outputs first data, a first start time for the first computation, and a first end time, where the first computation is to end before the first end time. The configuration also includes an identification of a second computation that depends on the first data, and a second start time for the second computation. The first computation is performed in response to an occurrence of the first start time and the second computation is performed in response to an occurrence of the second start time.

Abstract: Using curves to emulate soft body deformation in a computer-generated character is disclosed. A method can include accessing a reference model mapped to one or more deformation curves for the character. The reference model can include a mesh of vertices representing a soft body layer of the character. The deformation curve can include multiple sample points selected for mapping. Each mesh vertex on the model can be mapped to each sample point on the curve to establish a relationship between them for deformation. The method can also include receiving a movement of one or more sample points on the curve to a desired deformation position. The method can further include calculating primary and secondary movements of the mesh vertices on the model based on the movements of sample points. The method can move the mesh vertices as calculated to a desired deformation position and output the reference model with the moved vertices for rendering to emulate the soft body deformation of the character.