3D Volumetric Image Upscaling for Coherent Low-Cost Rendering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rendering volumetric effects in video graphics applications, such as video games and movies, is computationally expensive and often results in low-quality, temporally incoherent effects due to low sampling resolution, leading to blockiness and flickering.
Innovation Solution
An image processing method that samples volumetric data using a 3D grid at a first resolution and upscales the results through bicubic interpolation to achieve a higher sampling resolution, improving spatial and temporal coherence with minimal computational overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If volumetric effects are rendered at high resolution, then spatial quality is improved, but computational cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs volumetric sampling at lower resolution in advance (pre-computation), stores the results, and then reconstructs high-resolution images on-demand using pre-computed transfer functions and ray marching. This separates the computationally expensive sampling phase from the rendering phase, allowing high spatial quality without proportional computational cost during runtime.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension by pre-computing and caching volumetric samples, then reconstructing high-resolution images by combining temporal coherence with spatial interpolation. This transforms the problem from a purely spatial high-resolution rendering challenge into a spatiotemporal reconstruction problem that is computationally more efficient.
2Productivity
If volumetric effects are rendered at low resolution to reduce computational cost, then processing time is reduced, but spatial quality deteriorates with blockiness
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-computes volumetric samples at lower resolution and stores them for reuse across multiple frames. This preliminary action allows the system to avoid repeated high-cost high-resolution sampling while maintaining the ability to reconstruct high-quality images through temporal and spatial interpolation techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates multiple copies of the base volumetric data at different resolutions and uses appropriate copies based on requirements. Lower-resolution pre-computed samples are copied and reused across frames, while high-resolution reconstruction is performed only when needed, reducing overall computational burden.
3Productivity
If low-resolution sampling is used, then computational overhead is reduced, but temporal coherence deteriorates causing flickering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-computes transfer functions and stores them for reuse across frames. This preliminary action ensures temporal coherence by maintaining consistent material properties and lighting conditions across frames, eliminating flickering while keeping computational overhead low during runtime rendering.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous temporal coherence by reusing pre-computed transfer functions across multiple frames and only updating them when necessary. This continuous reuse of validated data ensures stable, flicker-free rendering while minimizing computational overhead compared to recalculating everything each frame.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method enhances the quality of volumetric effects by reducing intra-frame blockiness and flickering while maintaining efficiency, allowing for high-quality rendering with reduced computational costs.
Implementation Method 1
upscales the results by performing bicubic interpolation between samples of the at least part of the first set of sampling results, to obtain a second set of sampling results having a second, higher, sampling resolution
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an image processing method for generating images including a volumetric effect. The method comprises: sampling, using a three-dimensional grid, computer-generated volumetric effect data for a virtual scene at a first sampling resolution, to obtain a first set of sampling results; upscaling at least part of the first set of sampling results by interpolating between samples of the at least part of the first set of sampling results, to obtain a second set of sampling results having a second, higher, sampling resolution; and generating one or more display images for the virtual scene at least partly in dependence on the second set of sampling results.