Abstract: A method of rendering an image includes generating a virtual scene comprising a set of virtual resources, the virtual resources being virtual objects and/or virtual light sources; pre-processing the virtual scene by ray-tracing with respect to a virtual camera position to detect one or more virtual resources not required for ray-tracing rendering of at least an aspect of rendering the image; and rendering the image by a ray-tracing process from the virtual camera position, the ray-tracing process being configured to omit ray-tracing for at least a given aspect of the image, with respect to the one or more virtual resources not required for ray-tracing rendering of at least the given aspect of the image.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes rendering circuitry to render an image frame by plural successive rendering stages, each rendering stage having a respective initial rendering stage time allocation, prediction circuitry to predict, in dependence upon rendering of at least one rendering stage of the plural successive rendering stages of a given image frame by the rendering circuitry, whether a total time period for rendering the given image frame by the rendering circuitry will exceed an associated image frame rendering time allocation for the given image frame, and allocation circuitry to vary the respective initial rendering stage time allocation for one or more rendering stages which are not yet completed in respect of the given image frame responsive to the prediction circuitry, so as to shorten the total time period for rendering the given image frame by the rendering circuitry.

Abstract: A system for rasterizing an image of a virtual environment, the system comprising a bounding volume hierarchy, BVH, obtaining unit operable to obtain a BVH representing one or more objects in the virtual environment, wherein each node of the BVH is associated with geometry information for the one or more objects at least partially contained within a bounding volume represented by that node, a frustum identification unit operable to identify a viewing frustum associated with a virtual camera defining a viewpoint within the virtual environment, a BVH identification unit operable to identify a BVH node associated with at least one bounding volume that is intersected by the frustum and a rasterization unit operable to rasterize an image of the virtual environment using the geometry information associated with the identified BVH node.

Abstract: An image generation system comprising a bounding volume hierarchy, BVH, storage unit operable to store a BVH comprising a hierarchical structure of a plurality of triangles describing a virtual scene, a BVH position buffer operable to store data for identifying the location of one or more triangles within the BVH, and a fetch shader operable to identify vertex indices for use in rendering images, to obtain one or more triangles within the BVH corresponding to those vertex indices, and to provide vertex data corresponding to those triangles to a vertex shader operable to perform a vertex shading process.

Abstract: A head-mountable display device includes: a display element observable by a user; an image generator operable to generate an image for display by the display element; a plurality of ultrasound transducers, the ultrasound transducers being operable and arranged to emit ultrasound signals towards at least a first eye of the user when the head-mountable display is being worn by the user; one or more sensors operable and arranged to detect reflections of the emitted ultrasound signals; an eye imaging unit operable to generate a representation of the user's eye based on the ultrasound signals received at the one or more sensors; and an eye position detector configured to detect the position of the eye relative to the position of the head-mountable display device based on the representation, the eye position detector being configured to detect whether the position of the eye is offset from a desired position.

Abstract: A method of rendering an image includes generating a virtual scene comprising a set of virtual resources, the virtual resources being virtual objects and/or virtual light sources; pre-processing the virtual scene by ray-tracing with respect to a virtual camera position to detect one or more virtual resources not required for ray-tracing rendering of at least an aspect of rendering the image; and rendering the image by a ray-tracing process from the virtual camera position, the ray-tracing process being configured to omit ray-tracing for at least a given aspect of the image, with respect to the one or more virtual resources not required for ray-tracing rendering of at least the given aspect of the image.

Abstract: A system for rasterizing an image of a virtual environment, the system comprising a bounding volume hierarchy, BVH, obtaining unit operable to obtain a BVH representing one or more objects in the virtual environment, wherein each node of the BVH is associated with geometry information for the one or more objects at least partially contained within a bounding volume represented by that node, a frustum identification unit operable to identify a viewing frustum associated with a virtual camera defining a viewpoint within the virtual environment, a BVH identification unit operable to identify a BVH node associated with at least one bounding volume that is intersected by the frustum and a rasterization unit operable to rasterize an image of the virtual environment using the geometry information associated with the identified BVH node.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes rendering circuitry to render an image frame by plural successive rendering stages, each rendering stage having a respective initial rendering stage time allocation, prediction circuitry to predict, in dependence upon rendering of at least one rendering stage of the plural successive rendering stages of a given image frame by the rendering circuitry, whether a total time period for rendering the given image frame by the rendering circuitry will exceed an associated image frame rendering time allocation for the given image frame, and allocation circuitry to vary the respective initial rendering stage time allocation for one or more rendering stages which are not yet completed in respect of the given image frame responsive to the prediction circuitry, so as to shorten the total time period for rendering the given image frame by the rendering circuitry.

Abstract: An image generation system comprising a bounding volume hierarchy, BVH, storage unit operable to store a BVH comprising a hierarchical structure of a plurality of triangles describing a virtual scene, a BVH position buffer operable to store data for identifying the location of one or more triangles within the BVH, and a fetch shader operable to identify vertex indices for use in rendering images, to obtain one or more triangles within the BVH corresponding to those vertex indices, and to provide vertex data corresponding to those triangles to a vertex shader operable to perform a vertex shading process.

Abstract: A head-mountable display device includes: a display element observable by a user; an image generator operable to generate an image for display by the display element; a plurality of ultrasound transducers, the ultrasound transducers being operable and arranged to emit ultrasound signals towards at least a first eye of the user when the head-mountable display is being worn by the user; one or more sensors operable and arranged to detect reflections of the emitted ultrasound signals; an eye imaging unit operable to generate a representation of the user's eye based on the ultrasound signals received at the one or more sensors; and an eye position detector configured to detect the position of the eye relative to the position of the head-mountable display device based on the representation, the eye position detector being configured to detect whether the position of the eye is offset from a desired position.

Abstract: A method of texture encoding is provided. The method includes obtaining a plurality of textures, assembling a sequence of textures by selecting a first texture of the sequence of textures and then, one or more times, adding to the sequence of textures a texture from the plurality of textures that is calculated to be the one most similar to the current last texture in the sequence of textures. The method then encodes the assembled sequence of textures using a motion vector based video encoding scheme. Meanwhile, a method of texture decoding includes receiving a data file encoded using a motion vector based video encoding scheme, decoding the data file using a corresponding motion vector based video decoding scheme, and obtaining from the decoding scheme a sequence of textures arranged in an order of mutual similarity.

Abstract: A display is disclosed that comprises an array of display pixels, in which light sensing pixels are interspersed with the display pixels substantially across the area of the display. At least one color display sub-pixel is arranged to be switched off when the corresponding color light sensor pixel closest to that display sub-pixel is detecting light to generate an image. A portable electronic device is disclosed which comprises the display. The display is then operable to capture an image from the light sensing pixels, so that for example it can then operate as one or more of a digital mirror, scanner, biometric lock or touch panel. When a user looks at the display for a video call, the captured image of the user appears to look directly the other party.

Abstract: A method of texture encoding is provided. The method includes obtaining a plurality of textures, assembling a sequence of textures by selecting a first texture of the sequence of textures and then, one or more times, adding to the sequence of textures a texture from the plurality of textures that is calculated to be the one most similar to the current last texture in the sequence of textures. The method then encodes the assembled sequence of textures using a motion vector based video encoding scheme. Meanwhile, a method of texture decoding includes receiving a data file encoded using a motion vector based video encoding scheme, decoding the data file using a corresponding motion vector based video decoding scheme, and obtaining from the decoding scheme a sequence of textures arranged in an order of mutual similarity.

Abstract: A display is disclosed that comprises an array of display pixels, in which light sensing pixels are interspersed with the display pixels substantially across the area of the display. At least one colour display sub-pixel is arranged to be switched off when the corresponding colour light sensor pixel closest to that display sub-pixel is detecting light to generate an image. A portable electronic device is disclosed which comprises the display. The display is then operable to capture an image from the light sensing pixels, so that for example it can then operate as one or more of a digital mirror, scanner, biometric lock or touch panel. When a user looks at the display for a video call, the captured image of the user appears to look directly the other party.

Abstract: Data decompression apparatus is disclosed which is arranged to act on compressed data comprising: an ordered stream of references to groups of previously decoded data items; an ordered stream of direct representations of data items to be decoded; and an ordered stream of flags indicating whether each successive decompression operation should act on a reference or a direct representation. The apparatus comprises an output memory area; a detector to detect the number n of consecutive flags indicating that a decompression operation should act on a direct representation; and a data copier for copying to the output memory area either a next referenced group of previously decoded data or a group of n consecutive direct representations from the ordered stream of direct representations.

Abstract: A method of interaction with a data processor such as a games machine comprises the steps of capturing a wide angle image of an environment, obtaining image features from the wide angle image, and then interpreting these image features as inputs to software running on the games machine. The step of obtaining image features from the wide angle image further comprises the step of mapping one or more regions of the wide-angle image to corresponding one or more flat image planes, and obtaining image features from one or more of said planes of the mapped wide-angle image. Advantageously, the planes can be arranged to reflect the topology of a room or the positioning of players, and allow a consistent representation of image features and consequently of input motion to a process such as a game, without position dependent distortions of the features inherent in the wide angle image.

Abstract: Data decompression apparatus is disclosed which is arranged to act on compressed data comprising: an ordered stream of references to groups of previously decoded data items; an ordered stream of direct representations of data items to be decoded; and an ordered stream of flags indicating whether each successive decompression operation should act on a reference or a direct representation. The apparatus comprises an output memory area; a detector to detect the number n of consecutive flags indicating that a decompression operation should act on a direct representation; and a data copier for copying to the output memory area either a next referenced group of previously decoded data or a group of n consecutive direct representations from the ordered stream of direct representations.

Abstract: A method of interaction with a data processor such as a games machine comprises the steps of capturing a wide angle image of an environment, obtaining image features from the wide angle image, and then interpreting these image features as inputs to software running on the games machine. The step of obtaining image features from the wide angle image further comprises the step of mapping one or more regions of the wide-angle image to corresponding one or more flat image planes, and obtaining image features from one or more of said planes of the mapped wide-angle image. Advantageously, the planes can be arranged to reflect the topology of a room or the positioning of players, and allow a consistent representation of image features and consequently of input motion to a process such as a game, without position dependent distortions of the features inherent in the wide angle image.

Abstract: A vibration device comprises a motor having a stator and a rotor each having one or more magnetic elements. A magnetic element on at least one of the rotor and the stator comprises an electromagnet which can be supplied with an electric current so as to interact with a magnetic element on the other of the rotor and the stator to cause rotation of the rotor with respect to the stator; and the one or more magnetic elements of the rotor, considered together, have a center of mass which is offset from the axis of rotation of the rotor. The rotor and the stator are arranged in, or together form, a cavity containing a liquid.