Patent ID: 8159490
Filing Date: 2012-04-17
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for determining the illumination of a pixel representing part of a translucent object within an image, the image representing a virtual scene, the method comprising: providing a first light source in the virtual scene, the first light source having a first initial illumination value associated therewith; generating, using a processor, a depth map for the first light source, wherein the depth map includes a first distance from the first light source to the translucent object; determining, using the processor, whether the pixel is within a field of the first light source; in response to the pixel being inside of the field of the first light source, determining, using the processor, whether the pixel is directly illuminated based on the depth map; in response to the pixel being directly illuminated, calculating, using the processor, an illumination value for the pixel based on standard direct illumination shading, wherein the standard direct illumination shading is the only shading contribution from the first light source being applied to the pixel; in response to the pixel not being directly illuminated, determining, using the processor, whether the pixel is part of a translucent object; and in response to the pixel being part of a translucent object: determining, using the processor, a first transmittance distance based on the depth map and a second distance between the pixel and the first light source, the first transmittance distance indicating the distance that light from the first light source travels through the translucent object; and calculating, using the processor, a decayed illumination shading using a first decayed illumination value based on the first initial illumination value, a decay function, and the first transmittance distance, wherein the decayed illumination shading is the only shading contribution from the first light source being applied to the pixel.