Unified Light and Sound Rendering in Simulated 3D Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern simulated 3D environments excel in photorealistic graphics but lag in lifelike acoustic simulations, resulting in immersive experiences that are not as engaging due to rudimentary audio rendering.
Innovation Solution
A unified rendering system that models light and sound as energy interacting with environments using similar techniques, such as generalized spherical harmonics, allowing for parallel processing and storage of light and audio datasets within a voxel-based data structure, enabling location-dependent and immersive audiovisual experiences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If advanced lighting effects and shading techniques are used to achieve photorealistic graphics, then visual realism is improved, but audio realism remains primitive and rudimentary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges light and sound rendering into a unified acoustic-optical rendering system that processes both types of energy simultaneously. By combining previously separate rendering pipelines into one unified system using similar mathematical techniques (spherical harmonics), the patent enables audio realism to reach comparable levels to visual realism while sharing computational resources and data structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies universal rendering techniques that work for both light and sound waves. By using generalized spherical harmonics and unified data structures (voxels) that can represent both optical and acoustic energy, the system creates a multi-functional rendering engine that handles diverse energy types with the same mathematical framework, improving audio realism without requiring entirely separate processing systems.
2Power
If separate processing systems are used for audio and visual rendering, then processing requirements increase, but unified processing reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate audio and visual processing systems into a unified acoustic-optical rendering pipeline. By combining previously independent rendering operations into a single unified system that processes both light and sound through the same mathematical framework (spherical harmonics) and data structures (voxels), the patent reduces overall processing requirements while maintaining or improving rendering efficiency through shared computations.
3Device complexity
If audio is mixed in rudimentary ways with simple volume adjustments, then processing complexity is reduced, but spatial audio realism and immersiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms audio rendering from simple volume adjustments to a comprehensive physical simulation that models acoustic energy propagation. By changing the parameters from basic gain control to full acoustic wave equations using spherical harmonics, the system achieves lifelike spatial audio realism with accurate sound propagation, reflection, and absorption while maintaining computational efficiency through the unified mathematical framework.
Data Source
AI summary
An illustrative audiovisual content rendering system generates a light dataset configured to model light energy at a particular location within a simulated 3D environment for a video frame time. The audiovisual content rendering system also generates an audio dataset configured to model acoustic energy at the particular location within the simulated 3D environment for an audio frame time concurrent with the video frame time. The audiovisual content rendering system stores the light dataset and the audio dataset together within a voxel-based data structure. More particularly, the light dataset and the audio dataset are stored together within a particular voxel of the voxel-based data structure that corresponds to the particular location within the simulated 3D environment. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.