Hierarchical Map Rendering for Low-Latency Ray Tracing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image processing technologies face challenges in efficiently rendering and displaying high-quality three-dimensional objects with flexibility in viewpoint and line of sight, leading to delays due to increased computational load.
Innovation Solution
An image processing device and method that utilize hierarchical data structures, including color maps and height maps, to determine pixel values through ray tracing, allowing for efficient rendering and display of three-dimensional objects with low delay and high quality by pre-loading maps representing color and height distributions over the object's surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If high-resolution rendering and complicated calculations are performed to display high-quality images, then image quality is improved, but image processing load increases leading to display delay
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-calculates and stores color map data and height map data for three-dimensional objects in advance. When rendering is needed, the system retrieves pre-computed data from storage rather than performing complex real-time calculations, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining high image quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides complex object data into separate color map data and height map data components. This segmentation allows the system to process and retrieve only the necessary data elements independently, improving rendering efficiency and reducing overall processing load
2Manufacturing precision
If detailed color map and height map data are stored for high-quality rendering, then image quality is improved, but storage capacity requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates object representation into distinct color map data and height map data structures. This segmentation enables efficient storage by allowing the system to store only the essential geometric and color information needed for rendering, reducing redundant data while maintaining image quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses simplified data representations (color maps and height maps) that capture the essential visual properties of three-dimensional objects without storing complete geometric models. These copied representations consume less storage space while sufficient for high-quality rendering
Data Source
AI summary
In a storage device are stored, as reference maps, a background map, a color map of an object, and a height map of the object as hierarchical data having a plurality of resolutions. An image processing device loads, when necessary, portions thereof which are required for rendering into a main memory 26-according to movement of a viewpoint, etc., decodes and decompresses portions thereof, and develops the resulting pieces of data in a memory inside a GPU. The GPU refers to these pieces of data to render a display image through ray tracing.