Dynamic Object-Space Grid for Shading Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing graphics processing techniques face challenges in maintaining high frame rates for high-resolution displays due to temporal instability in low-rate screen-space shading, coupling of shading and visibility rates in upscaling methods, and inconsistent performance in multi-rate screen-space shading.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic object-space grid system is implemented, where an object-space shading grid is defined based on triangle primitives in 3D space, allowing for variable shading rates decoupled from visibility rates, with mipmapped levels computed dynamically to reduce shimmering effects and improve image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If low-rate screen-space shading is used to reduce shading workload, then productivity is improved, but temporal instability and shimmering artifacts occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from static screen-space aligned shading to dynamic object-space shading. The shading grid is defined in object-space coordinates and dynamically adjusted based on object motion and camera movement, allowing the shading rate to adapt to actual object changes rather than being fixed to screen pixels. This dynamic approach maintains temporal stability while enabling lower shading rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the coordinate system parameter from screen-space to object-space, fundamentally altering how shading rates are applied. By defining shading grids in object-space coordinates and using object-motion-compensated interpolation, the system achieves temporal stability at lower shading rates. The parameter change enables decoupling shading rate from visibility rate, allowing independent optimization of each.
2Measurement precision
If upscaling low-resolution images is used to maintain geometric detail, then measurement precision is improved, but shading rate must be coupled with visibility rate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the shading and visibility processing into independent stages. Visibility testing operates at full screen rate while shading operates at a separate, independently controlled rate in object-space. This segmentation decouples the two operations, allowing visibility to be computed at full resolution while shading can be performed at lower rates without losing geometric detail, due to object-motion-compensated interpolation.
3Productivity
If multi-rate screen-space shading is used to reduce shading workload, then productivity is improved, but frame rate consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal object-space shading grid system that can operate at any shading rate while maintaining frame rate consistency. The object-motion-compensated interpolation mechanism provides a unified approach that works across different shading rates, eliminating the need for multiple specialized algorithms. This multi-functional system maintains consistent frame rates regardless of the chosen shading rate, resolving the inconsistency problem.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for shading using a dynamic object-space grid. An object defined by triangle primitives in a three-dimensional (3D) space that is specific to the object is received and an object-space shading grid is defined for a first triangle primitive of the triangle primitives based on coordinates of the first triangle primitive in the 3D space. A shader program is executed by a processing pipeline to compute a shaded value at a point on the object-space shading grid for the first triangle primitive.