3D Scene Rendering Using Lightmap-Selected Scene Wavelengths

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ray-traced spectral rendering is computationally intensive due to tracing each ray at multiple wavelengths, leading to significant processing power requirements, which existing methods have not effectively addressed, necessitating a need for a method to reduce computational intensity while maintaining quality.

Innovation Solution

A method for rendering graphics data of a 3D scene on a video gaming system comprising: obtaining lightmap data, identifying a plurality of scene wavelengths based on the lightmap data, and rendering the scene using the plurality of scene wavelengths.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If ray-traced spectral rendering traces each ray at multiple wavelengths, then rendering quality and realism are improved, but computational intensity and processing power requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverendering qualityVSAvoidcomputational intensity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and processes spectral information in advance during lightmap generation, separating the spectral computation from real-time rendering. By pre-calculating wavelength-specific lighting data and storing it in lightmap structures, the system removes the burden of complex spectral calculations from the rendering pipeline, maintaining high rendering quality while reducing real-time computational intensity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs spectral analysis and wavelength identification before rendering occurs. During the lightmap generation phase, it pre-identifies scene-relevant wavelengths and pre-processes spectral data, so that during actual rendering, the system only needs to retrieve and apply pre-computed spectral information rather than performing full spectral ray-tracing calculations in real-time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If ray-traced spectral rendering simulates interaction of a spectrum of wavelengths with materials, then realism of rendering effects is improved, but processing power requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverealism of rendering effectsVSAvoidprocessing power
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts spectral interaction data during lightmap generation and stores it in optimized data structures. By separating spectral computation from rendering execution, the system maintains realistic material interactions (dispersion, subsurface scattering, spectral reflection) while moving the computational burden to a pre-processing phase where processing power is less constrained.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent pre-computes spectral interaction properties of materials and stores them in lightmap data structures. During rendering, the system retrieves pre-calculated spectral behavior data rather than performing complex spectral simulations, thereby maintaining realistic rendering effects while significantly reducing real-time processing power requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If wavelength multiplexing techniques are used to trace multiple wavelengths per ray, then spectral rendering efficiency is improved, but computational expense remains high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectral rendering efficiencyVSAvoidcomputational expense
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and stores wavelength-specific lighting information in lightmap data structures during pre-processing. By separating spectral data preparation from rendering execution, the system achieves spectral rendering efficiency without the computational expense of real-time multiplexed wavelength tracing, as the spectral information is already organized and ready for efficient retrieval during rendering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4664409A1System and method for rendering graphics data
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP4664409A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4664409A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4664409A1 patent drawing

AI summary

A computer implemented method for rendering graphics data of a 3D scene on a video gaming system comprising a GPU, the method comprising: obtaining lightmap data of the 3D scene; identifying a plurality of scene wavelengths based on the lightmap data, wherein the plurality of scene wavelengths are wavelengths that meet a threshold contribution to the 3D scene; and rendering the scene based on the plurality of scene wavelengths.