Reservoir-based spatiotemporal importance resampling utilizing a global illumination data structure

Abstract

A global illumination data structure (e.g., a data structure created to store global illumination information for geometry within a scene to be rendered) is computed for the scene. Additionally, reservoir-based spatiotemporal importance resampling (RESTIR) is used to perform illumination gathering, utilizing the global illumination data structure. The illumination gathering includes identifying light values for points within the scene, where one or more points are selected within the scene based on the light values in order to perform ray tracing during the rendering of the scene.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 at a device:   determining a first lighting contribution for each light source point of one or more light source points within a scene;   determining a second lighting contribution for each geometry point of one or more geometry points within the scene;   selecting a point within the scene from among the one or more light source points and the one or more geometry points, wherein the selecting is a function of the first lighting contribution determined for each light source point of the one or more light source points and the second lighting contribution determined for each geometry point of the one or more geometry points; and   performing a shading operation using the selected point.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more light source points within the scene are included in a random set of light source points within the scene. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more light source points include one or more points on one or more light sources within the scene. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first lighting contribution for each light source point of the one or more light source points is determined utilizing a predetermined lighting equation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined lighting equation is included in an implementation of a reservoir-based spatiotemporal importance resampling function. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more geometry points within the scene are included in a random set of geometry points within the scene. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more geometry points within the scene include one or more points on one or more instances of geometry within the scene. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second lighting contribution for each geometry point of the one or more geometry points is determined by performing a data lookup within a global illumination data structure. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first lighting contribution for each light source point of the one or more light source points is determined by performing a data lookup within the global illumination data structure. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selecting is the function of the first lighting contribution determined for each light source point of the one or more light source points and the second lighting contribution determined for each geometry point of the one or more geometry points such that a probability of selection of each point from among the one or more light source points and the one or more geometry points is proportional to a lighting contribution determined for that point. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein performing the shading operation using the selected point includes:
 casting a shadow ray from another point being shaded in the scene to the selected point.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selecting is the function of the first lighting contribution determined for each light source point of the one or more light source points and the second lighting contribution determined for each geometry point of the one or more geometry points such that both light sources within the scene and instances of geometry within the scene are considered as sources of illumination in association with performing the shading operation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the light sources provide direct illumination and wherein the instances of geometry provide indirect illumination. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first lighting contribution for each light source point of the one or more light source points and the second lighting contribution for each geometry point of the one or more geometry points are both computed remotely and stored in a data structure, and wherein the data structure is provided to the device for use in determining the first lighting contribution for each light source point of the one or more light source points and the second lighting contribution for each geometry point of the one or more geometry points. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first lighting contribution for each light source point of the one or more light source points and the second lighting contribution for each geometry point of the one or more geometry points are both computed locally at the device that also performs the selecting of the point within the scene and the performing of the shading operation. 
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 a non-transitory memory storage comprising instructions; and   one or more processors in communication with the memory, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to:   determine a first lighting contribution for each light source point of one or more light source points within a scene;   determine a second lighting contribution for each geometry point of one or more geometry points within the scene;   select a point within the scene from among the one or more light source points and the one or more geometry points, wherein the selecting is a function of the first lighting contribution determined for each light source point of the one or more light source points and the second lighting contribution determined for each geometry point of the one or more geometry points; and   perform a shading operation using the selected point.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first lighting contribution for each light source point of the one or more light source points is determined utilizing a predetermined lighting equation. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the predetermined lighting equation is included in an implementation of a reservoir-based spatiotemporal importance resampling function. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the second lighting contribution for each geometry point of the one or more geometry points is determined by performing a data lookup within a global illumination data structure. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the first lighting contribution for each light source point of the one or more light source points is determined by performing a data lookup within the global illumination data structure. 
     
     
         21 . A non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer instructions which when executed by one or more processors of a device cause the device to:
 determine a first lighting contribution for each light source point of one or more light source points within a scene;   determine a second lighting contribution for each geometry point of one or more geometry points within the scene;   select a point within the scene from among the one or more light source points and the one or more geometry points, wherein the selecting is a function of the first lighting contribution determined for each light source point of the one or more light source points and the second lighting contribution determined for each geometry point of the one or more geometry points; and   perform a shading operation using the selected point.