18669959. ADAPTIVE RAY TRACING SUITABLE FOR SHADOW RENDERING simplified abstract (NVIDIA CORPORATION)

ADAPTIVE RAY TRACING SUITABLE FOR SHADOW RENDERING

Organization Name

NVIDIA CORPORATION

Inventor(s)

Jonathan Paul Story of Grafrath (DE)

ADAPTIVE RAY TRACING SUITABLE FOR SHADOW RENDERING - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18669959 titled 'ADAPTIVE RAY TRACING SUITABLE FOR SHADOW RENDERING

The abstract describes a method for adapting the number of rays used to sample lighting conditions in a virtual environment based on specific locations to reduce visual artifacts in rendered images.

• The innovation involves determining whether to cast additional rays to a light source based on variables such as visibilities and hit distances of ray-traced samples.
• Analysis of related locations in the virtual environment is conducted to assess factors like variability in visibilities and hit distances, differences relative to the location, and magnitudes of hit distances.

Potential Applications:

• This technology can be applied in the development of realistic virtual environments for gaming, simulations, and architectural visualization.
• It can enhance the visual quality of rendered images in virtual reality applications and computer-generated imagery in movies and animations.

Problems Solved:

• Addressing visual artifacts such as noise and pixelation in rendered images.
• Improving the accuracy and realism of lighting simulations in virtual environments.

Benefits:

• Enhanced visual quality and realism in virtual environments.
• Reduction of visual artifacts leading to a more immersive user experience.

Commercial Applications:

• This technology can be utilized by game developers, architects, filmmakers, and designers to create visually stunning and realistic virtual environments for various applications.

Questions about the Technology: 1. How does this technology improve the visual quality of rendered images in virtual environments? 2. What are the key factors considered when determining whether to cast additional rays to a light source in a virtual environment?

Original Abstract Submitted

In examples, the number of rays used to sample lighting conditions of a light source in a virtual environment with respect to particular locations in the virtual environment may be adapted to scene conditions. An additional ray(s) may be used for locations that tend to be associated with visual artifacts in rendered images. A determination may be made on whether to cast an additional ray(s) to a light source for a location and/or a quantity of rays to cast. To make the determination variables such as visibilities and/or hit distances of ray-traced samples of the light source may be analyzed for related locations in the virtual environment, such as those in a region around the location (e.g., within an N-by-N kernel centered at the location). Factors may include variability in visibilities and/or hit distances, differences between visibilities and/or hit distances relative to the location, and magnitudes of hit distances.