Patent ID: 7518608
Filing Date: 2009-04-14
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of rendering a first image having a plurality of particles, comprising: receiving a z-depth image that provides a z-value for each pixel in a background image; generating in the same space as said plurality of particles a single pixel particle of an opaque transparency for each pixel in said z-depth image positioned at the same x-y position as said each pixel in said z-depth image and at a z-position indicated by said z-value; generating an adjusted z-position by randomly adjusting the z-position of each particle in each temporal sample of a series of samples, wherein the adjustments corresponding to each temporal sample are independent of the adjustments corresponding to the other samples in the series of samples; for each temporal sample: rendering said sorted plurality of particles and single pixel particles based on the sorted order of the particles in the sample.