Abstract: A method for reducing the number of samples tested for rendering a screen space region of an image includes constructing a trajectory of a primitive extending in an image which is to be rendered. A bounding volume is constructed for a screen space region of the image, the bounding volume characterized as having a bound in a non-screen space dimension which is defined as a function of the primitive's trajectory. The bounding volume is further characterized as overlapping a portion of the screen space region which is to be rendered. One or more sample points which are located within the screen space region, and which are not overlapped by the bounding volume are excluded from testing.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for reducing noise in an image using depth-based on sweeping over image samples. In use, each noisy pixel of an image having noise is identified. Additionally, for each noisy pixel, at least one sample included in each of a plurality of neighboring pixels to the noisy pixel is identified. Furthermore, the samples are swept over at least partially in a depth-based order to identify a value for the noisy pixel that reduces the noise.

Abstract: A method for estimating signal-dependent noise includes defining a plurality of pixel groups from among the image pixels. The method further includes computing, for one or more signal levels of the image, a difference value between two pixel groups, whereby a respective one or more difference values are computed collectively. The method determines an estimated noise response of the image as a function of the one or more computed difference values.

Abstract: A method for performing node traversal operations of a treelet-composed hierarchical structure includes allocating a queue for each of the plurality of treelets, each queue operable to store ray-states entering a respective one of the treelets. The method additionally includes determining that a ray-state exits a first treelet of the hierarchical structure and enters a second treelet of the hierarchical structure. The method further includes forwarding the ray-state entering the second treelet to a processing element for processing therein, wherein the queue allocated to store ray-states entering the second treelet is bypassed.

Abstract: A method for constructing a motion-compensated composite image of a scene includes acquiring a plurality of images of a scene over time, the plurality of images including an earlier-acquired image of the scene and a later-acquired image scene. The relative motion between the earlier and later acquired images are estimated, and an exposure parameter is computed based upon the estimated relative motion occurring between the earlier and later acquired images. A new image of the scene is acquired using the computed exposure parameter, and the earlier, later, and newly acquired images are combined to produce a motion-compensated composite image of the scene.

Abstract: A method for identifying entry points of a hierarchical structure having a plurality of nodes includes the operations selecting a node of a hierarchical structure and testing it for identification as an entry point. The node is identified as an entry point, and the selection, testing, and identification operations are repeated for at least one additional node of the hierarchical structure to identify at least a second node as a respective second entry point for the hierarchical structure.

Abstract: A method for reducing execution divergence among a plurality of threads executable within a parallel processing architecture includes an operation of determining, among a plurality of data sets that function as operands for a plurality of different execution commands, a preferred execution type for the collective plurality of data sets. A data set is assigned from a data set pool to a thread which is to be executed by the parallel processing architecture, the assigned data set being of the preferred execution type, whereby the parallel processing architecture is operable to concurrently execute a plurality of threads, the plurality of concurrently executable threads including the thread having the assigned data set. An execution command for which the assigned data functions as an operand is applied to each of the plurality of threads.

Abstract: A processor for image processing in accordance with shadow polygons defining together a current shadow volume is configured to determine a set of tiles, each tile being formed of a set of pixels and having a respective tile volume defined by the set of pixels and depth values relating to the set of pixels. The processor is further configured to determine whether a tile is a potential boundary tile or a non-boundary tile, a potential boundary tile having a tile volume intersected by at least one of the shadow polygons. A method and device for image processing are also discussed.

Abstract: Present invention teaches a method and a system for enhanced visibility test in three-dimensional computer graphics. In the invention two separate visibility tests (22, 25) are applied. The visibility tests harness a Z-buffer (21). First test (22) is applied directly after geometry processing (20). After first test the occlusion information of the primitives is computed and stored to an occlusion buffer (24). The occlusion cache (24) may be compressed. The second visibility test (25) is applied for buffered primitives. Visible primitives are rasterized and moved to the frame buffer. The content of the frame buffer is displayed on the screen.