Nvidia patents graphics trick that reuses light data from similar surfaces
This patent describes a method for rendering computer-generated images by reusing lighting calculations between different parts of a virtual scene. The system identifies surfaces that look similar and combines their stored lighting data to calculate how light hits a specific pixel, which helps speed up the rendering process.
In the filing’s own words
Devices, systems, and techniques to incorporate lighting effects into computer-generated graphics. In at least one embodiment, a graphical frame depicting a virtual scene comprising is rendered by generating a record indicative of one or more lights in the virtual scene, and using the record to render a pixel. A second record, indicative of other lights in the virtual scene, is selected to combine with the first record, based at least in part on similarity between surfaces associated with the respective records. The combined record is used to render a pixel in a second graphical frame.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A system, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory comprising instructions that, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the system to at least: for a first surface in a virtual scene, select a second surface in the virtual scene based, at least in part, similarity between the first surface and the second surface; and render a particular pixel of the virtual scene using a combination of a first reservoir of lighting information and a second reservoir of lighting information, the first reservoir associated with a first pixel representative of at least a portion of the first surface, and the second reservoir associated with a second pixel representative of at least a portion of the second surface.
Facts
- Company
- Nvidia (NVIDIA Corporation)
- Official title
- Light-resampling with surface similarity test
- Patent number
- US12743823B2
- Application number
- 18732464
- Filed
- Jun 3, 2024
- Granted
- Sep 22, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06T 11/10 Physics & computingMore from Nvidia in AI & software
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.