Stepped Rotation for 3D Building Rendering
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for rendering three-dimensional building spaces on two-dimensional displays often fail to accurately depict object locations and relationships, especially during rotation, due to computational demands and issues with transparency and depth rendering, leading to user disorientation and inefficiencies in polygon sorting.
Innovation Solution
A method employing stepped rotation of building images about their axis, eliminating the need for continuous animation, with user orientation maintained through fixed step rotations and orientation indicators, allowing for simultaneous accurate rendering of transparency and depth without polygon sorting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If continuous rotation animation is used to change viewing perspective, then the user can view the building from multiple angles, but the computational load increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by using stepped rotation instead of continuous rotation. The building model rotates in discrete steps (e.g., 15-degree increments) rather than continuously, which significantly reduces the computational load while still allowing the user to view the building from multiple angles. This is implemented through a rotation mechanism that updates the viewing angle at predetermined intervals rather than continuously rendering every frame of rotation.
2Manufacturing precision
If polygon sorting is used to render transparency and depth accurately, then rendering quality improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the polygon sorting process from the rendering pipeline. Instead of sorting polygons by depth to handle transparency and depth accurately, the system uses a different approach where polygons are rendered in a fixed sequence (back walls first, then objects, then front walls) with transparency handled through alpha blending. This removes the time-consuming sorting operation while maintaining acceptable rendering quality.
3Loss of information
If 360 degree rotation is implemented, then spatial awareness improves, but user disorientation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the 360-degree rotation into discrete, predetermined steps (e.g., 15-degree increments) rather than allowing continuous rotation. This segmented approach provides enough perspective change to maintain spatial awareness while creating distinct, manageable viewing positions that reduce user disorientation. The rotation is segmented into clear steps with defined orientations.
4Manufacturing precision
If back-to-front rendering order is used, then transparency and depth are rendered accurately, but performance penalties occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the rendering sequence parameters. Instead of rendering back walls first then objects then front walls (traditional back-to-front order), the system uses a customized sequence that renders transparent objects first, then opaque objects, and finally background elements. This parameter change in the rendering order allows for accurate transparency and depth rendering while improving performance by avoiding unnecessary sorting operations and optimizing the draw call sequence.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system of rendering buildings in three-dimensional space first renders a respective floor, then adds objects and finally walls to bound each of the floors. The result, a three-dimensional rendering of a building illustrates the position of objects within the building in addition to presenting the overall shape of the building. The rendering can be discontinuously rotated, about an axis, in response to user inputs.