Patent ID: 8217949

Claim:
A method of rendering an image including motion blur, the method comprising: setting a shutter time period for an image; determining at least one shutter opening time and at least one shutter closing time for the image; selecting a geometric element from three-dimensional scene data, wherein the geometric element moves relative to a camera viewpoint between the shutter opening time and the shutter closing time; determining a space-time projection of a geometric element, wherein the space-time projection geometrically represents three-dimensional space traversed by the geometric element relative to the camera viewpoint between the shutter opening time and the shutter closing time; selecting an image sample in the image, wherein the image sample is associated with a sample ray; determining a time interval within the shutter time period during which the sample ray intersects the space-time projection of the geometric element; determining an attribute value of the selected attribute; modifying the attribute value of the selected attribute of the geometric element based on the time interval; and determining a rendered image including the image sample, wherein the image sample includes an attribute value based at least in part on the modified attribute value of the geometric element; wherein determining the space-time projection of the geometric element comprises: determining a first position of a first edge at the shutter opening time; determining a second position of the first edge at the shutter closing time; and defining a first surface bounded by the first edge at the first and second positions.