Abstract: Shadow is computed in a lighted 3D scene, based on a depth map. For each depth map element, following geometric information is stored: depth value, coordinates of vertices and local depth variation of a surface element. Also, ray intersection is tested for a pixel with the surface element having depth computed from the depth and local depth variation, taking into account the coordinates of vertices. A minimum depth associated with the surface element is further computed from the geometric information, with which the depth of a pixel is compared. The pixel is classified as lit if the depth is lower than the minimum depth, and as shadowed if the depth is greater and if a ray intersection is found for the pixel with the surface element from the ray intersection testing. The invention can provide a fast solution for high-quality shadow.

Abstract: Shadow is computed in a lighted 3D scene, based on a depth map. For each depth map element, following geometric information is stored: depth value, coordinates of vertices and local depth variation of a surface element. Also, ray intersection is tested for a pixel with the surface element having depth computed from the depth and local depth variation, taking into account the coordinates of vertices. A minimum depth associated with the surface element is further computed from the geometric information, with which the depth of a pixel is compared. The pixel is classified as lit if the depth is lower than the minimum depth, and as shadowed if the depth is greater and if a ray intersection is found for the pixel with the surface element from the ray intersection testing. The invention can provide a fast solution for high-quality shadow.

Abstract: A glossy part of a radiation coming from a surface illuminated by area light source(s) (21) having source surface(s) (A) bounded by edge curves (210) is estimated, by determining one or more 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 at least one ellipsoid-based-peak-shape function(s) having a null first derivative at integration domain bounds, and the glossy part is computed from one or more analytical expression associated with integrations of the ellipsoid-based-peak-shape function(s) along the edge curves.

Abstract: A 3D scene illuminated by light sources is rendered on an image grid by path tracing. At least one ray originating from each grid pixel is traced in the 3D scene until it meets an object at a crossing point, that ray is bounced towards one of the light sources, a visibility test is made for that ray between the crossing point and that light source, and a contribution of that light ray is added at the crossing point in carrying out the rendering at the concerned pixel. The visibility tests are carried out over the pixels in a clustered way according to the light sources, the visibility tests being clustered in terms of computations and/or of memory storage in function of the light sources respectively associated with the visibility tests.

Abstract: An Apparatus for use in producing lighting effects comprising a plurality of graphic processing units, each graphic processing unit for jittering a first ray, having a direction, to result in a second ray, the second ray having a direction not the same as the first ray; and each graphic processing unit having a plurality of threads for processing rays for computing lighting effects such that the first ray is processed by a first thread and the second ray is processed in a thread adjacent to the first thread; and a memory for providing data for use in computing the lighting effects for the first ray and the second ray.

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.