IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,132,831
Granted Patent B1
US 11,132,831 · App. 16/806,774 · Granted Sep 28, 2021

Methods and apparatus for efficient multi-view rasterization

Inventors: Dieter Schmalstieg (Graz, AT); Bernhard Kerbl (Graz, AT); Philip Voglreiter (Graz, AT)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
G06T15/20G06T15/80G06T2210/21
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,132,831
App. No.
16/806,774
Granted
Sep 28, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for graphics processing. Aspects of the present disclosure can determine at least one scene including one or more viewpoints. Also, aspects of the present disclosure can divide the at least one scene into a plurality of zones based on each of the one or more viewpoints. Further, aspects of the present disclosure can determine whether a zone based on one viewpoint of the one or more viewpoints is substantially similar to a zone based on another viewpoint of the one or more viewpoints. Aspects of the present disclosure can also generate a geometry buffer for each of the plurality of zones based on the one or more viewpoints. Moreover, aspects of the present disclosure can combine the geometry buffers for each of the plurality of zones based on the one or more viewpoints.

Claims (82)

1. A method of graphics processing, comprising:

determining at least one scene including a plurality of viewpoints;

dividing the at least one scene into a plurality of zones based on each of the plurality of viewpoints;

determining whether a zone based on one viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints is substantially similar to a zone based on another viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints; and

generating a geometry buffer for each of the plurality of zones based on the plurality of viewpoints.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

combining the geometry buffers for each of the plurality of zones based on the plurality of viewpoints.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the combined geometry buffers correspond to a potentially visible set of primitives.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

determining shading information for at least some of the potentially visible set of primitives.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

storing at least some of the potentially visible set of primitives.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geometry buffer for each of the plurality of zones includes an identification buffer and a depth buffer.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the identification buffer corresponds to a visible set of primitives.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one scene is divided into the plurality of zones based on one or more dividing criteria.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more dividing criteria includes at least one of a distance to each of the plurality of viewpoints or an angle of an optical axis of each of the plurality of viewpoints.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the zone based on the one viewpoint is determined to be substantially similar to the zone based on the another viewpoint based on the one or more dividing criteria.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

rendering at least one image based on the geometry buffer for each of the plurality of zones of the plurality of viewpoints.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one image is rendered based on shading information for a potentially visible set of primitives.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one image includes a plurality of pixels, wherein each of the plurality of pixels of the at least one image is rendered based on an intersection of a viewing ray and the pixel.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the viewing ray traverses each of the plurality of zones.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the at least one scene including a plurality of viewpoints comprises:

generating the at least one scene including a plurality of viewpoints.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination whether a zone based on one viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints is substantially similar to a zone based on another viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints is performed by a graphics processing unit (GPU) or a central processing unit (CPU).

17. An apparatus for graphics processing, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:

determine at least one scene including a plurality of viewpoints;

divide the at least one scene into a plurality of zones based on each of the plurality of viewpoints;

determine whether a zone based on one viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints is substantially similar to a zone based on another viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints; and

generate a geometry buffer for each of the plurality of zones based on the plurality of viewpoints.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

combine the geometry buffers for each of the plurality of zones based on the plurality of viewpoints.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the combined geometry buffers correspond to a potentially visible set of primitives.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

determine shading information for at least some of the potentially visible set of primitives.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

store at least some of the potentially visible set of primitives.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the geometry buffer for each of the plurality of zones includes an identification buffer and a depth buffer.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the identification buffer corresponds to a visible set of primitives.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the at least one scene is divided into the plurality of zones based on one or more dividing criteria.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the one or more dividing criteria includes at least one of a distance to each of the plurality of viewpoints or an angle of an optical axis of each of the plurality of viewpoints.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the zone based on the one viewpoint is determined to be substantially similar to the zone based on the another viewpoint based on the one or more dividing criteria.

27. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

render at least one image based on the geometry buffer for each of the plurality of zones of the plurality of viewpoints.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the at least one image is rendered based on shading information for a potentially visible set of primitives.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the at least one image includes a plurality of pixels, wherein each of the plurality of pixels of the at least one image is rendered based on an intersection of a viewing ray and the pixel.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the viewing ray traverses each of the plurality of zones.

31. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein to determine the at least one scene including a plurality of viewpoints comprises the at least one processor is further configured to:

generate the at least one scene including a plurality of viewpoints.

32. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the determination whether a zone based on one viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints is substantially similar to a zone based on another viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints is performed by a graphics processing unit (GPU) or a central processing unit (CPU).

33. An apparatus for graphics processing, comprising:

means for determining at least one scene including a plurality of viewpoints;

means for dividing the at least one scene into a plurality of zones based on each of the plurality of viewpoints;

means for determining whether a zone based on one viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints is substantially similar to a zone based on another viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints; and

means for generating a geometry buffer for each of the plurality of zones based on the plurality of viewpoints.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 , further comprising:

means for combining the geometry buffers for each of the plurality of zones based on the plurality of viewpoints.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the combined geometry buffers correspond to a potentially visible set of primitives.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 , further comprising:

means for determining shading information for at least some of the potentially visible set of primitives.

37. The apparatus of claim 35 , further comprising:

means for storing at least some of the potentially visible set of primitives.

38. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the geometry buffer for each of the plurality of zones includes an identification buffer and a depth buffer.

39. The apparatus of claim 38 , wherein the identification buffer corresponds to a visible set of primitives.

40. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the at least one scene is divided into the plurality of zones based on one or more dividing criteria.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 , wherein the one or more dividing criteria includes at least one of a distance to each of the plurality of viewpoints or an angle of an optical axis of each of the plurality of viewpoints.

42. The apparatus of claim 40 , wherein the zone based on the one viewpoint is determined to be substantially similar to the zone based on the another viewpoint based on the one or more dividing criteria.

43. The apparatus of claim 33 , further comprising:

means for rendering at least one image based on the geometry buffer for each of the plurality of zones of the plurality of viewpoints.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 , wherein the at least one image is rendered based on shading information for a potentially visible set of primitives.

45. The apparatus of claim 43 , wherein the at least one image includes a plurality of pixels, wherein each of the plurality of pixels of the at least one image is rendered based on an intersection of a viewing ray and the pixel.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 , wherein the viewing ray traverses each of the plurality of zones.

47. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the means for determining at least one scene including a plurality of viewpoints is configured to:

generate the at least one scene including the plurality of viewpoints.

48. The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the determination whether a zone based on one viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints is substantially similar to a zone based on another viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints is performed by a graphics processing unit (GPU) or a central processing unit (CPU).

49. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for graphics processing, comprising code to:

determine at least one scene including a plurality of viewpoints;

divide the at least one scene into a plurality of zones based on each of the plurality of viewpoints;

determine whether a zone based on one viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints is substantially similar to a zone based on another viewpoint of the plurality of viewpoints; and

generate a geometry buffer for each of the plurality of zones based on the plurality of viewpoints.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 24, 2021
From: QUALCOMM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 055397/0832 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 22, 2021
From: SCHMALSTIEG, DIETER; KERBL, BERNHARD; VOGLREITER, PHILIP
To: TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITÄT GRAZ (TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF GRAZ)
Reel/Frame 055361/0272 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 22, 2021
From: TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITÄT GRAZ (TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF GRAZ)
To: QUALCOMM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 055361/0336 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 22, 2021
From: QUALCOMM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 055361/0386 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 6, 2020
From: SCHMALSTIEG, DIETER; KERBL, BERNHARD; VOGLREITER, PHILIP
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 052591/0955 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,211,141