Virtual Object Illumination via Light Map Pre-calculation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile devices and general PCs face challenges in representing complex visual effects, especially in augmented and virtual reality applications, due to limitations in software standards like DirectX and OpenGL, which struggle to create realistic light effects and influence surroundings with objects having bright characteristics in real-time.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for displaying an object with a light source in a virtual environment, where the light source is set with specific positions, orientations, cut-off angles, and intensity attenuations, and its color is extracted and applied to create a realistic illumination effect, allowing control over the level and size of the illuminated area, even in mobile devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If complex physical operations are used to create realistic light effects, then the visual effect quality is improved, but the device complexity and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The light source is divided into multiple light rays that are traced separately through the virtual environment. Each light ray is processed independently to determine its interaction with objects, allowing complex illumination to be broken down into manageable computational segments that can be processed in real-time on mobile devices
Solution Approach 2:
A light map data structure is introduced as an intermediary to store pre-calculated lighting information. This light map acts as a mediator between the complex physical light operations and the final rendering process, allowing realistic illumination effects to be achieved without performing complex calculations during real-time rendering
2Productivity
If real-time illumination is implemented in mobile devices, then the productivity and user experience are improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Lighting information is pre-calculated and stored in light maps before the actual rendering process. By performing the computationally intensive light tracing operations in advance and storing the results, the system can achieve real-time illumination during rendering without consuming excessive energy during the critical real-time phase
Solution Approach 2:
The light map data structure automatically manages and updates lighting information as objects or light sources move in the virtual environment. The system self-adapts to changes in the scene by updating only the affected portions of the light map, reducing the overall computational energy required compared to recalculating all lighting from scratch
Data Source
AI summary
A display method includes displaying, in a virtual environment, an object to which a light source is set. The method further includes illuminating an area around the object based on the light source.