Abstract: Approaches presented herein provide for the reduction in artifacts in image data rendered using ray or path tracing, such as may be due to self-intersections with scene geometry. In at least one embodiment, an appropriate offset value is automatically determined that is to be applied to the spawn point of a secondary ray to be traced, such as may correspond to a hit point of an incoming ray on scene geometry. In at least one embodiment, a single offset value can be calculated that accounts for all sources of numerical error in both construction of the spawn point and during ray traversal, including sources of error in both object space and world space. Once calculated, this single offset can be applied along a normal of a scene geometry, so that any ray traced from a shifted spawn point will not self-intersect the triangle, even for edge or corner cases.

Abstract: In photorealistic image synthesis by light transport simulation, the colors of each pixel are an integral of a high-dimensional function. However, the functions to integrate contain discontinuities that cannot be predicted efficiently. In practice, the pixel colors are estimated by using Monte Carlo and quasi-Monte Carlo methods to sample light transport paths that connect light sources and cameras and summing up the contributions to evaluate an integral. Because of the sampling, images appear noisy when the number of samples is insufficient. A rank-1 lattice sequence provides sample locations and these sample locations can be enumerated (assigned or distributed to pixels) according to a space-filling curve superimposed on a pixel grid. Combinations of space-filling curves and rank-1 lattice sequences reduce correlations, are deterministic, and may be executed for each pixel in parallel.

Abstract: In photorealistic image synthesis by light transport simulation, the colors of each pixel are an integral of a high-dimensional function. However, the functions to integrate contain discontinuities that cannot be predicted efficiently. In practice, the pixel colors are estimated by using Monte Carlo and quasi-Monte Carlo methods to sample light transport paths that connect light sources and cameras and summing up the contributions to evaluate an integral. Because of the sampling, images appear noisy when the number of samples is insufficient. A low discrepancy sequence provides sample locations and these sample locations can be enumerated (assigned or distributed to pixels) according to a space-filling curve superimposed on a pixel grid. Correlations of such combinations of space-filling curves and low discrepancy sequences are analyzed, and the presented algorithms reduce correlations, are deterministic, and may be executed for each pixel in parallel.

Abstract: Approaches presented herein reduce the presence of temporary artifacts such, as flickering, when using spatial hashing with simulation. Flickering can be avoided, at least in part, by ensuring that the same simulation points are utilized in separate executions of an algorithm, even where the execution order can vary. This can involve selecting a single representative point for each hash cell of a spatial hash map, where simulation for that hash cell will be performed for that representative point location, regardless of execution order. Both a location index and a selector value are stored for this hash map entry in a single value, where lower bits store the location index and higher bits represent the selector value. Storing the selector value in the higher-weight bits ensures an atomic maximum operation will primarily consider the selector value, and resort to the location index only in the event of equal selector values.

Abstract: An apparatus, computer readable medium, and method are disclosed for decompressing compressed geometric data stored in a lossless compression format. The compressed geometric data resides within a compression block sized according to a system cache line. An indirection technique maps a global identifier value in a linear identifier space to corresponding variable rate compressed data. The apparatus may include decompression circuitry within a graphics processing unit configured to perform ray-tracing.

Abstract: An apparatus, computer readable medium, and method are disclosed for decompressing compressed geometric data stored in a lossless compression format. The compressed geometric data resides within a compression block sized according to a system cache line. An indirection technique maps a global identifier value in a linear identifier space to corresponding variable rate compressed data. The apparatus may include decompression circuitry within a graphics processing unit configured to perform ray-tracing.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for performing a lighting simulation are disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving a three-dimensional (3D) model, receiving a set of probes, where each probe specifies a location within the 3D model and an orientation of the probe, and performing, via a processor, a lighting simulation based on the 3D model, the set of probes, and one or more light path expressions. The light path expressions are regular expressions that represent a series of events, each event representing an interaction of a ray at a location in the 3D model.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for performing a lighting simulation are disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving a three-dimensional (3D) model, receiving a set of probes, where each probe specifies a location within the 3D model and an orientation of the probe, and performing, via a processor, a lighting simulation based on the 3D model, the set of probes, and one or more light path expressions. The light path expressions are regular expressions that represent a series of events, each event representing an interaction of a ray at a location in the 3D model.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for performing a lighting simulation are disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving a three-dimensional (3D) model, receiving a set of probes, where each probe specifies a location within the 3D model and an orientation of the probe, and performing, via a processor, a lighting simulation based on the 3D model, the set of probes, and one or more light path expressions. The light path expressions are regular expressions that represent a series of events, each event representing an interaction of a ray at a location in the 3D model.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for determining a quantity of light received by an element of a scene. In use, a quantity of light received by a first element of the scene is determined by averaging a quantity of light received by elements of the scene that are associated with a selected set of light paths.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for computing values for pixels in an image plane. In use, a low discrepancy sequence associated with an image plane is identified. Additionally, a function with the set of pixels of the image plane as a domain is determined. Further, a value is computed for each pixel in the image plane, utilizing the low discrepancy sequence and the function with the set of pixels of the image plane as a domain.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for processing or editing media contents. The media system comprises a transcoding apparatus which preferably receives high-resolution media data and converts them into a media stream with low resolution and a media stream with high resolution and provides them with an identical media stream identifier. The images of the media data in the two media streams are provided with identical identification codes by the transcoding apparatus. A logging apparatus receives the media stream with low resolution and displays the media data to a user. The logging apparatus provides the media data as a whole, individual image sequences or images therefrom with metadata. The individual metadata are allocated to individual image sequences or images of the media stream with low resolution using the identification codes and are logically combined with the media data using the media stream identifier.

Abstract: An apparatus, computer readable medium, and method are disclosed for decompressing compressed geometric data stored in a lossless compression format. The compressed geometric data resides within a compression block sized according to a system cache line. An indirection technique maps a global identifier value in a linear identifier space to corresponding variable rate compressed data. The apparatus may include decompression circuitry within a graphics processing unit configured to perform ray-tracing.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for performing a lighting simulation are disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving a three-dimensional (3D) model, receiving a set of probes, where each probe specifies a location within the 3D model and an orientation of the probe, and performing, via a processor, a lighting simulation based on the 3D model, the set of probes, and one or more light path expressions. The light path expressions are regular expressions that represent a series of events, each event representing an interaction of a ray at a location in the 3D model.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for determining a quantity of light received by an element of a scene. In use, a quantity of light received by a first element of the scene is determined by averaging a quantity of light received by elements of the scene that are associated with a selected set of light paths.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for processing or editing media contents. The media system comprises a transcoding apparatus which preferably receives high-resolution media data and converts them into a media stream with low resolution and a media stream with high resolution and provides them with an identical media stream identifier. The images of the media data in the two media streams are provided with identical identification codes by the transcoding apparatus. A logging apparatus receives the media stream with low resolution and displays the media data to a user. The logging apparatus provides the media data as a whole, individual image sequences or images therefrom with metadata. The individual metadata are allocated to individual image sequences or images of the media stream with low resolution using the identification codes and are logically combined with the media data using the media stream identifier.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for computing values for pixels in an image plane. In use, a low discrepancy sequence associated with an image plane is identified. Additionally, a function with the set of pixels of the image plane as a domain is determined. Further, a value is computed for each pixel in the image plane, utilizing the low discrepancy sequence and the function with the set of pixels of the image plane as a domain.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for performing ray tracing. In use, ray tracing is performed utilizing a divide and conquer method, where the divide and conquer method is associated with a cache.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for performing path tracing. In use, one or more matte objects are identified in a scene. Additionally, one or more synthetic objects are identified in the scene. Further, path tracing is performed within the scene, where the path tracing accounts for interactions between one or more of the matte objects and one or more of the synthetic objects.