Linear color representations for efficient image synthesis

✍ Scribed by Mark S. Peercy; Daniel R. Baum; Benjamin M. Zhu

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 1011 KB
• Volume: 21
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0361-2317
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1520-6378(199604)21:2<129::aid-col7>3.0.co;2-w

✦ Synopsis

We present linear color representations for eficient color computation during image synthesis. The representations jollow from describing the spectral power distributions of all light sources in a scene as sums over sets of fixed basis functions. Suvface and volume scattering elements are given by matrices obtained by reprojecting every scatlered spectral power distribution into a user-defined sirbspace of the wavelength domain. This approach is a generalization of previous linear representations, such as point sampling and other matrix methods. However, because both the basis and reprojection functions can be chosen for each rendering situation, the representations provide increased accuracy and flexibility for a variety of applications. Notably, the representations can provide particularly eficient descriptions of lights and objects in local illumination renderers. Con.requent1.y. they are a promising candidate for use in hardware-accelerated rendering systems. W e review current hardware architecture commonly used for color-image synthesis and describe the extensions required to employ the linear color representations. W e then discuss and show examplesfrom a prototype system that provides interactive rendering rates with accurate color computations. 0 I996 John Wiiey di Sons, Inc.