Hybrid Raytracing Rasterization Rendering Pipeline

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current rendering techniques, such as rasterization and raytracing, face challenges in efficiently rendering complex scenes within target render times while maintaining visual quality, often requiring significant processing time or compromising on detail and complexity, especially in applications like VR, AR, and MR, where failure to meet render times results in unfavorable user experiences.

Innovation Solution

A method that combines raytracing and rasterization by generating raytracing acceleration structures to improve operational efficiency, utilizing occlusion culling and meshlet segmentation to optimize rendering, allowing for faster rendering of scene objects while maintaining visual quality, and leveraging cloud-based renderers to determine optimal rendering techniques.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If raytracing is used for rendering complex scenes, then visual quality is improved, but rendering time increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual qualityVSAvoidrendering time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the rendering process into two distinct passes: a raytracing pass that generates acceleration structures and determines occlusion relationships, and a rasterization pass that performs the actual rendering. This segmentation allows each technique to be applied only where it provides the most benefit, reducing overall rendering time while maintaining visual quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary raytracing to generate acceleration structures and determine occlusion relationships before the main rendering pass. This preliminary action prepares data that accelerates the subsequent rasterization process, allowing for faster rendering without sacrificing the accuracy benefits of raytracing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If rasterization is used for rendering, then rendering speed is improved, but visual quality and handling of complex lighting effects deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverendering speedVSAvoidvisual quality
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the rendering workload between raytracing and rasterization techniques. Raytracing is used for the acceleration structure generation and occlusion determination, while rasterization handles the main rendering pass. This segmentation allows the system to leverage the speed of rasterization while still obtaining the accuracy benefits of raytracing for critical computations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses raytracing-generated acceleration structures as an intermediary that bridges the two rendering techniques. These structures serve as a mediator that provides accurate occlusion and lighting information to the rasterization process, enabling fast rendering while maintaining visual quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple rendering algorithms are supported, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverendering technique selectionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges raytracing and rasterization techniques into a unified rendering pipeline that operates seamlessly. By combining these techniques in a multi-pass approach, the system achieves adaptability to different rendering requirements while presenting a unified interface that manages the underlying complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal rendering system that can handle both raytracing and rasterization techniques through a single integrated pipeline. This multi-functional approach allows the same system to adapt to different rendering algorithms and requirements without requiring separate dedicated systems for each technique.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11468630B2Rendering scenes using a combination of raytracing and rasterization
Publication Date: 2022.10.11 NVIDIA CORP
  • US11468630B2 patent drawing
  • US11468630B2 patent drawing
  • US11468630B2 patent drawing

AI summary

The disclosure provides a cloud-based renderer and methods of rendering a scene on a computing system using a combination of raytracing and rasterization. In one example, a method of rendering a scene includes: (1) generating at least one raytracing acceleration structure from scene data of the scene, (2) selecting raytracing and rasterization algorithms for rendering the scene based on the scene data, and (3) rendering the scene utilizing a combination of the raytracing algorithms and the rasterization algorithms, wherein the rasterization algorithms utilize primitive cluster data from the raytracing acceleration structures.