Panoramic Image Rendering via Precomputed Viewport Transformations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for rendering panoramic images are CPU-intensive, particularly in browser-based applications, as they require frequent updates and recomputation of mesh points and texture mapping when the user changes the point of view.
Innovation Solution
Precomputing transformations from a viewport to a surface and vice versa allows for efficient rendering by applying precomputed transformations to the intersecting image portion, reducing computational load and enabling quick rendering of changes in viewpoint orientation, especially for cylindrical projections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If existing viewers use CPU-intensive mesh updates and texture mapping recomputation for each viewpoint change, then rendering accuracy is maintained, but rendering speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precomputes and stores transformation matrices for mapping between viewport coordinates and cylindrical surface coordinates during an offline setup phase. These precomputed transformation data are then reused during runtime rendering without requiring real-time recalculation when viewpoint changes occur, significantly reducing computational complexity while maintaining rendering accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified 2D representation of the cylindrical panoramic image by applying precomputed transformations to map 3D cylindrical coordinates to 2D viewport coordinates. This copied 2D representation can be rendered efficiently using standard 2D graphics operations instead of complex 3D mesh transformations, improving rendering speed while preserving visual fidelity
2Productivity
If existing viewers recompute texture mapping for each polygon of the mesh on every viewpoint change, then image accuracy is maintained, but CPU usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precomputes transformation matrices that map viewport coordinates to cylindrical surface coordinates during an offline setup phase. These precomputed transformations are stored and reused during runtime, eliminating the need for real-time recalculation of texture mappings when viewpoint changes occur, thereby reducing CPU usage while maintaining rendering efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the computationally intensive texture mapping and coordinate transformation operations from the real-time rendering pipeline and moves them to an offline precomputation phase. By separating these operations temporally, the runtime system only needs to perform simple coordinate lookups and 2D rendering operations, significantly improving rendering efficiency and reducing CPU consumption
3Loss of time
If existing viewers update mesh points and recalculate visible portions for each viewpoint change, then rendering precision is maintained, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent precomputes transformation matrices that define the precise mapping between viewport coordinates and cylindrical surface coordinates during an offline setup phase. These precomputed transformations ensure rendering precision is maintained while eliminating the need for real-time recalculation of mesh point positions and visible portion calculations, thereby reducing processing time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a 2D copied representation of the panoramic image by applying precomputed transformations to map cylindrical coordinates to viewport coordinates. This copied representation can be rendered efficiently without requiring real-time updates of 3D mesh structures, maintaining visual precision while significantly reducing processing time for viewpoint changes
Data Source
AI summary
A fast renderer for panoramic images is herein disclosed. In an embodiment, a precomputation is made of (a) a region on a surface defined by a first transformation from a viewport to the surface and (b) a second transformation that maps from the precomputed region to the viewport. In order to render the surface on the viewport, the renderer determines what portion of the image intersects with the precomputed region and proceeds to apply the precomputed second transformation to the portion of the image, thereby resulting in a transformed image which can be rendered in the viewport for display.