Persistent Particle Trails Rendering for Dynamic Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rendering particles with particle trails on a graphical user interface is computationally expensive, leading to noticeable pauses and interruptions when the user zooms or pans the view, as existing methods rely on screen space buffers that become obsolete with changes in viewpoint or zoom level.
Innovation Solution
Storing particle positions and trails in a buffer using absolute coordinates, allowing continuous rendering by projecting these into screen space as needed, and reusing memory for particles that become invisible to maintain a smooth display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If screen space buffer is used to store particle positions and trails, then rendering can be performed for a particular viewpoint, but the buffer becomes obsolete when viewpoint or zoom level changes, causing display clearing and noticeable pauses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from storing particle data in screen space coordinates (2D display space) to world space coordinates (3D scene space). This dimensional change allows particle trails to be stored in an absolute coordinate system that remains valid across different viewpoints and zoom levels, eliminating the need to clear and re-render trails when the camera moves.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the coordinate system parameter from screen space (relative to display) to world space (absolute). By storing particle positions and trails in world coordinates and performing the coordinate transformation during rendering rather than during particle updates, the system maintains trail continuity across viewpoint changes without computational overhead during particle simulation.
2Manufacturing precision
If particles and trails are re-calculated for new viewpoint or zoom level, then accurate representation is achieved, but user perceives clearing and pause before rendering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by storing particle positions and trails in world space coordinates before viewpoint changes occur. This pre-computation in an absolute coordinate system ensures that when viewpoint changes happen, the particle data is already prepared and can be transformed to the new viewpoint without clearing or pausing, maintaining both accuracy and smooth transitions.
3Reliability
If absolute coordinate system is used for particle positions, then continuous rendering during zooming and panning is enabled, but additional coordinate transformation computation is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional approach of updating particle positions in screen space with each viewpoint change (mechanical re-computation) with a coordinate transformation system. By storing particles in world space and using transformation matrices to project them to screen space only during rendering, the system eliminates the need for continuous re-computation and achieves continuous rendering with acceptable computational overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
A method including defining, in a buffer, particles having initial positions in an absolute coordinate system independent of a graphical user interface (GUI) in which the particles are renderable. The method also includes assigning memory ranges within the buffer to corresponding ones of the particles. The method also includes generating, in the memory ranges, updated positions for the particles. The method also includes determining, in the memory ranges and from a combination of the initial positions and the updated positions, corresponding vertices for each of the particles. The method also includes creating, from the corresponding vertices, corresponding particle trails for the particles. The method also includes storing the corresponding particle trails in the memory ranges associated with the particles.