Abstract: A method and apparatus for rendering a graphics image having a plurality of pixels is described. The method having and the apparatus being configured to perform the following operations: generating a first sequence of first samples, the first sequence being identical for each pixel of a set of pixels of said graphics image; calculating an interval as a function of a parameter representative of discrepancy of the first sequence; for each pixel, applying a shift to the first samples to obtain a second sequence of second samples, the shift being selected in the interval, the shift being different for at least a part of the pixels of the set; rendering the graphics image by using the second samples.

Abstract: The invention is related to a method for processing a computer-animated scene, the computer-animated scene being represented with at least an animation graph, at least an animation graph comprising a plurality of nodes connected by paths, the paths being representative of dependencies between the nodes, at least an event being associated with each node, a first information representative of the type of each event being associated with each node. As to optimize the parallelization of the nodes, the method comprises a step of classifying the nodes in at least a first batch and at least a second batch according to the first information associated with each node, at least a first batch comprising nodes to be evaluated in parallel and at least a second batch comprising nodes to be evaluated sequentially.

Abstract: A method and device for rendering a participating media delimited by a bounding box and rendered from a viewpoint, the media being at a determined distance from the viewpoint according to a viewing direction.

Abstract: A method and device for rendering a synthesis image comprising generating a plurality of elementary geometries (201 . . . 2i2) from an input geometry, a plurality of vertices being associated with each elementary geometry, each vertex being defined with coordinates; assigning an index value (0, 1 . . . 6, 7) to each elementary geometry of at least a part of the elementary geometries (201 . . . 2i2), the index value being estimated from the coordinates associated with at least one vertex of the elementary geometry, and rendering the synthesis image by using the indexed elementary geometries.

Abstract: A particular implementation selects two or more fiducial markers to be embedded into a video to convey information. Specifically, the translation, scaling and rotation between a reference marker and a secondary marker can be used to transmit information. When more information needs to be embedded, more secondary markers can be used. The transformation between the fiducial markers can also evolve over time as the information to be embedded evolves over time. At the receiving side, a reader device captures a video including multiple fiducial markers and determines the translation, scaling and rotation between the fiducial markers. Based on the transformation of the fiducial markers, the reader device can retrieve the information embedded in the captured video by the fiducial markers.

Abstract: As to generate shadows in an image, the method comprises the steps of: Computing a depth-map that comprises an array of pixels, wherein pixels in the depth-map are associated to a single value corresponding to depth value that indicates a depth from a light source to a portion of nearest occluding object visible through the pixel, projecting a point visible through a pixel of said image into a light space, the result of said projection being a pixel of said depth-map, calculating a distance between the said visible point and the light source, fetching the depth value associated to said pixel of depth-map, computing, for said pixel of said image, an adaptive bias as a function of a predetermined base bias and a relationship between the normal of a surface on which the said visible point is located and incident light direction at said visible point, comparing for said pixel in the image, the distance between said visible point and the light source with the sum of the corresponding depth map value and said ad

Abstract: A method and device for estimating the opacity at a point of a scene lit by an area light source and comprising an object defined by a mesh and occluding some of the emitted light. In order to optimize the calculations for live estimation of the opacity, the method comprises sampling said area light source in a plurality of samples, for at least one sample of the plurality of samples and for at least one first mesh element of the occluding object visible from the at least one sample, generating one shadow plane per edge of the at least one first mesh element, estimating a opacity level depending on coefficients of projection in a function base from values representative of the opacity for a set of intersection points between at least one ray having for origin a viewpoint of the scene and shadow planes crossed by said at least one ray, depending on an angle formed by the normal associated with each shadow plane crossed and by said at least one ray.

Abstract: An environment map representative of lighting information of a real environment. As to enhance the impression of immersion into a virtual environment, the method comprises the steps of acquisition at real time of an image representative of a partial lighting information of said real environment from a digital optical acquisition device, said image comprising a plurality of pixels; and estimation of said environment map by extrapolation of at least a part of said pixels of said image, the extrapolation comprising the application of a first value corresponding to the mean value of the pixels of said image to at least a first part of the environment map.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a glossy part of radiation is estimated coming from a surface illuminated by area light source(s) having source surface(s) (A) bounded by edge curves, by determining integrand function(s) representative of that glossy part. The latter corresponding to an integration of the integrand function along the edge curves. In this respect, the integrand function(s) is/are approximated by means of peak-shape function(s) having a known antiderivative over the edge curves, and the glossy part is computed from analytical expressions associated with integrations of the peak-shape function(s) along the edge curves. Such invention can offer efficient and accurate computation for specular part of reflection as well as glossy transmission, and is notably relevant to real-time rendering.

Abstract: A method for estimating occlusion in a virtual environment comprising at least two objects and observed from a viewpoint. Thereafter, a second item of information representative of the distance separating a second fragment of a second object from the viewpoint according to an observation direction is computed; the second item of information is compared with a first item of information representative of the distance separating a first fragment of a first object from the viewpoint according to the observation direction and is stored in a first buffer memory. If the second item of information is less than the first item of information, then a third item of information representative of attributes associated with the second fragment is estimated, the second item of information is stored in a second buffer memory and the third item of information is stored in a third buffer memory.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for estimating information representative of a pixel of a virtual object. In order to improve the rendering while minimizing the required calculation time, the method comprises defining a first surface element associated with the pixel according to a direction of observation of the virtual object, the first surface element belonging to a representation of the virtual object according to a first level of detail; associating a second surface element with the first surface element, the second surface element being determined by intersection between the direction of observation and a first parametric surface representing the virtual object according to a second level of detail; estimating the information representative of the pixel according to the second surface element and information associated with the second surface element enabling the virtual object to be represented according to a third level of detail.

Abstract: A method for estimating the quantity of light received by a point M of a heterogeneous participating media, the light being emitted by a light environment. Thereafter, the method comprises estimating, for each point of a first set of points, first values representative of the light attenuation between the considered point and a first surface bounding the media along a plurality of particular directions of light emission, estimating first coefficients of projection by projection of the first values of reduction of light intensity in an orthonormal basis of spherical functions, estimating second values representative of the light attenuation between the point and a second surface along directions, the second surface comprising some of the points of the neighborhood of the point, and estimating the quantity of light received by the point using first coefficients of projection and second values of reduction of light intensity.

Abstract: A method and device for enriching the content associated with a first element of a depth map, the depth map being associated with a scene according to a point of view. Thereafter, at least a first information representative of a variation of depth in the first element in the space of the depth map is stored into the depth map.

Abstract: A method and device for establishing a frontier between a first object and at least a second object of a scene in the space of a depth map, at least a part of the first object and at least a part of the at least a second object being visible from the point of view associated with the depth map through a set (3) of elements of the depth map.

Abstract: Method and device for processing a geometry image generated from a mesh associated with a 3D scene and comprising a plurality of charts that each represents a part of the 3D scene, the method comprising computing a reference direction from mesh coordinates associated with a current pixel and mesh coordinates associated with a first pixel the first pixel corresponding to a pixel of the border of the first chart located along a determined direction having as origin the current pixel; comparing the reference direction with a set of candidate directions being each computed from the mesh coordinates associated with the at least one current pixel and indirection mesh coordinates associated with one pixel of the neighbourhood of the first pixel the indirection mesh coordinates corresponding to mesh coordinates of a pixel of the border a second chart corresponding to the pixel of the neighbourhood of the first pixel; and selecting a pixel of the border of the second chart according to the comparison result.

Abstract: A method for estimation of the quantity of light received at a point P of a virtual environment that comprises several first points lit by a light source, these first points forming a plurality of groups each comprising at least one first point is disclosed. In order to improve the display while minimizing the required calculation time, the method estimates the quantity of incident light received at point P by estimating a surface including point P grouping at least some of the points of the virtual environment, estimating a first group of points contributing to the lighting of point P by reflection of the incident light received from the light source based on occlusion information associated with the surface including point P and estimating the quantity of incident light received by the first group of point based on reflectance information associated with such group.

Abstract: A method for real time construction of a video sequence comprising a modelled 3D object is provided. The method comprises pre-calculating data representative of a first image of a three-dimensional environment and a first associated depth information. A live calculating of data representative of a second image representing the modelled object on which is mapped a current image of a live video stream, and a second depth information associated with the second image is performed. The sequence is composed by combining the first image and the second image according to the first and second depth information.

Abstract: A method and device for rendering a synthesis image comprising generating a plurality of elementary geometries (201 . . . 2i2) from an input geometry, a plurality of vertices being associated with each elementary geometry, each vertex being defined with coordinates; assigning an index value (0, 1 . . . 6, 7) to each elementary geometry of at least a part of the elementary geometries (201 . . . 2i2), the index value being estimated from the coordinates associated with at least one vertex of the elementary geometry, and rendering the synthesis image by using the indexed elementary geometries.

Abstract: A method and device for rendering a participating media delimited by a bounding box and rendered from a viewpoint, the media being at a determined distance from the viewpoint according to a viewing direction.

Abstract: A method and device for estimating the opacity at a point of a scene lit by an area light source and comprising an object defined by a mesh and occluding some of the emitted light. In order to optimize the calculations for live estimation of the opacity, the method comprises sampling said area light source in a plurality of samples, for at least one sample of the plurality of samples and for at least one first mesh element of the occluding object visible from the at least one sample, generating one shadow plane per edge of the at least one first mesh element, estimating a opacity level depending on coefficients of projection in a function base from values representative of the opacity for a set of intersection points between at least one ray having for origin a viewpoint of the scene and shadow planes crossed by said at least one ray, depending on an angle formed by the normal associated with each shadow plane crossed and by said at least one ray.