Patent · US Expired

System and process for image-based relativistic rendering

US6757446B1 · kind B1 · utility

149Cited by
0References
39Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 27, 2000
Grant dateJun 29, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 10, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06T3/18
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention involves a new system and process for image-based relativistic rendering of one or more single or sequential images of a scene. Such images may be produced by any conventional method, and include, for example, photographs, panoramas, motion video or film, or any other type of image captured by a camera or other image capture device. Relativistic rendering in accordance with the present invention transforms one or more initial images to produce photo-realistic images that accurately simulate how the scene would be viewed by an observer that is traveling at any desired velocity up to the speed of light. These rendered images are equal in resolution and quality to the initial images. Such relativistic simulation is based on Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity. Further, unlike previous techniques, relativistic rendering in accordance with the present invention does not depend upon artificial or synthetic models, or upon ray-tracing methods. Consequently, the computer power required for relativistic rendering in accordance with the present invention is considerably less than that required for the previous techniques that rely on such methods.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.