Web-based graphics rendering system
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that renders graphics in a computing system that includes a plugin associated with a web browser in the computing system and a web application configured to execute in the web browser. During operation, the web application specifies a graphics model and provides the graphics model to the plugin. Next, the plugin generates a graphics-processing unit (GPU) command stream from the graphics model. Finally, the plugin sends the GPU command stream to a GPU of the computing system, which renders an image corresponding to the graphics model.
1. A system for rendering graphics in a computing system, comprising:
a plugin associated with a web browser in the computing system;
a web application configured to execute in the web browser, wherein the web application is configured to:
specify a graphics model; and
provide the graphics model to the plugin; and
wherein the plugin is configured to:
generate a graphics-processing unit (GPU) command stream from the graphics model; and
send the GPU command stream to a GPU of the computing system, wherein an image corresponding to the graphics model is rendered by the GPU.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plugin comprises:
an editing thread configured to:
load the graphics model into a scene graph; and
create a render graph for the graphics model from the scene graph; and
a render thread configured to render the image using the render graph.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein pipelining is implemented using the editing thread and the render thread.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plugin comprises:
a rendering engine configured to communicate with the GPU using the GPU command stream.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the plugin further comprises:
a software renderer configured to render the image using a central processing unit (CPU) of the computing system.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the graphics model is specified using at least one of an input file and a method call from the web application to the plugin.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the input file is obtained from a server associated with the web application.
8. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a plugin interface configured to process the method call from the web application to the plugin.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plugin interface is generated based on an interface description language (IDL) description.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image is rendered within a plugin window associated with the web browser.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the web application and the plugin are platform independent.
12. A method for rendering graphics in a computing system, comprising:
loading a web application within a web browser;
specifying a graphics model using the web application;
providing the graphics model to a plugin associated with the web browser;
generating a graphics processing unit (GPU) command stream from the graphics model using the plugin; and
rendering an image corresponding to the graphics model by sending the GPU command stream to a GPU of the computing system.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein generating the GPU command stream involves:
loading the graphics model into a scene graph;
creating a render graph for the graphics model from the scene graph; and
rendering the image using the render graph.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plugin comprises:
a rendering engine configured to communicate with the GPU using the GPU command stream.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the plugin further comprises:
a software renderer configured to render the image using a central processing unit (CPU) of the computing system.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the graphics model is specified using at least one of an input file and a method call from the web application to the plugin.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the method call from the web application to the plugin is processed using a plugin interface.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the plugin interface is generated based on an interface description language (IDL) description.
19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for rendering graphics in a computing system, comprising:
loading a web application within a web browser;
specifying a graphics model using the web application;
providing the graphics model to a plugin associated with the web browser;
generating a graphics processing unit (GPU) command stream from the graphics model using the plugin; and
rendering an image corresponding to the graphics model by sending the GPU command stream to a GPU of the computing system.
20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein generating the GPU command stream involves:
loading the graphics model into a scene graph;
creating a render graph for the graphics model from the scene graph; and
rendering the image using the render graph.