Patent ID: 8773434
Filing Date: 2014-07-08
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented method for conducting global illumination, comprising: (a) obtaining a three-dimensional (3D) model of a scene in a computer graphics application; (b) identifying a camera location in the scene; (c) tracing one or more paths emitted from the camera location into the scene, wherein the tracing comprises recording one or more hit points along the one or more paths; (d) filtering the one or more paths by selecting one or more of the one or more paths that can receive light from a light source, wherein the selecting comprises selecting the one or more hit points whose next path segment hits the light source; (e) identifying one or more targets based on the selected one or more hit points whose next path segment hits the light source; (f) generating one or more photons from the light source, wherein each photon follows a corresponding photon path; (g) evaluating each photon path to determine if the evaluated photon path intersects with one or more of the targets; (h) recording only those one or more of the one or more photons whose corresponding photon path intersects with one or more of the targets; and (i) rendering, on a display device, a view of the scene based on the one or more recorded photons.