Ray-mediated illumination control

Number: 10789757
Published: 2020-09-29
Filed: 2014-03-19
Assignee: Disney Enterprises Inc.
Inventors: Burley; Brent, Eisenacher; Christian, Jenkins; Sean, Nichols; Gregory, Selle; Andrew, Tappan; Charles, Driskill; Henry A., Achorn; Brett W.
CPC: G06T15/06; G06T15/506
Verdict: Low Notable software
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Ray-mediated illumination control rendering technique.

Abstract

There is provided a method for ray-mediated illumination control. The method includes identifying a first activation region corresponding to one of an origin and a destination of a ray, where the ray is described by a ray data associated with the ray. The method further includes identifying a second activation region corresponding to the other one of the origin and the destination of the ray, interpreting an illumination rule for the ray based on at least one of the first activation region and the second activation region, and modifying an illumination in one of the first activation region and the second activation region based on the illumination rule and the ray data.

Background

BACKGROUND(1) Computer rendered graphics play an increasingly important role in the production of entertainment content. Although once utilized primarily for animation, the growing use of computer graphics in feature films, as well as the ever greater realism with which animated images are rendered, make computer rendered graphics relevant across a broad spectrum of entertainment content types.(2) As reliance on computer graphic continues to grow, artistic control of illumination, whether for the purpose of enhancing realism, or to creatively alter reality for artistic effect, becomes more important than ever before. A conventional approach to providing illumination for computer rendered graphics utilizes a global illumination model, which is an algorithmic approach that attempts to accounts for the illumination produced by reflections from objects within a scene, as well as for the illumination provided by the light directly emitted from a light source. Such a conventional approach to illumination, although capable of producing convincing reflections and shadows, as well as of providing the requisite visual detail demanded by feature length animated films, presents significant challenges to artists seeking to exercise local control of illumination within a scene.SUMMARY(3) There are provided methods and systems for providing ray-mediated illumination control, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, and as set forth more comp

Claims

1. A method for use by a system including a hardware processor and a memory storing an activation regions map, the method comprising: identifying, by the processor and using the activation regions map, a first activation region corresponding to at least a first portion of a first object at one of an origin or a destination of a ray; identifying, by the processor aid using the activation regions map, a second activation region corresponding to at least a second portion of a second object at the other one of the origin or the destination of the ray, the ray described by a ray data including a first to uniquely identifying at least the first portion of the first object corresponding to the first activation region, a second tag uniquely identifying at least the second portion of the second object corresponding to the second activation region, the depth of the ray and a time stamp assigned to the ray; interpreting, by the processor, illumination rules for the ray based on the first activation region, the second activation region and the ray data including the depth of the ray and the time stamp assigned to the ray, wherein interpreting the illumination rules includes determining a hierarchical order in which the illumination rules are applied; and modifying, by the processor, an illumination in on of the first activation region or the second activation region based on the interpreted illumination rules. 9. A system comprising: a hardware processor; and a memory having an illumination rendering engine and an activation regions map stored therein; the hardware processor configured to execute the illumination rendering engine to: identify, using the activation regions map, a first activation region corresponding to at least a first portion of a first object at one of an origin or a destination of a ray; identify, using the activation regions map, a second activation region corresponding to at least a second portion of a second object at the other one of the origin or the destination of the ray, the ray described by a ray data including a first tag uniquely identifying at least the first portion of the first object corresponding to the first activation region, a second tag uniquely identifying at least the second portion of the second object corresponding to the second activation region, the depth of the ray and a time stamp assigned to the ray; interpret illumination rules for the ray based on the first activation region, the second activation region and the ray data including the depth of the ray and the time stamp assigned to the ray, wherein interpreting the illumination rules includes determining a hierarchical order in which the illumination rules are applied; and modify an illumination in one of the first activation region or the second activation region based on the interpreted illumination rules.