J. Edward Swan II

A Hybrid LOD-Sprite Technique for Interactive Rendering of Large Datasets

Baoquan Chen, J. Edward Swan II, and Arie Kaufman. A Hybrid LOD-Sprite Technique for Interactive Rendering of Large Datasets. Center for Visual Computing Technical Report TR981028, State University of Stony Brook, 1998.

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Abstract

We present a new rendering technique, termed LOD-sprite rendering, which uses a combination of a level-of-detail (LOD) representation of the scene together with reusing image sprites (previously rendered images). Our primary application is an acceleration technique for virtual environment navigation. The LOD-sprite technique renders an initial frame using a full-resolution model of the scene geometry. It renders subsequent frames with a much lower-resolution model of the scene geometry and texture-maps each polygon with the image sprite from the initial full-resolution frame. As it renders these subsequent frames the technique measures the error associated with each low-resolution polygon, and uses this to decide when to re-render the scene using the full-resolution model. The LOD-sprite technique can be efficiently implemented in texture-mapping graphics hardware. The LOD-sprite technique is thus a combination of two currently very active thrusts in computer graphics: level-of-detail representations and image-based modeling and rendering (IBMR) techniques. The LOD-sprite technique is different from most previous IBMR techniques in that they typically model the texture-map as a quadrilateral, as opposed to a lower-resolution scene model. This scene model, even if only composed of a few polygons, greatly increases the range of novel views that can be interpolated before unacceptable distortions arise. Also unlike previous LOD techniques, the LOD-sprite algorithm dynamically updates the image sprite every several frames. The LOD-sprite technique can be implemented with any LOD decomposition.

BibTeX

@TechReport{TR98-lods, 
  author =      {Baoquan Chen and J. Edward {Swan~II} and Arie Kaufman}, 
  title =       {A Hybrid LOD-Sprite Technique for Interactive Rendering 
                 of Large Datasets}, 
  type =        {Center for Visual Computing Technical Report}, 
  number =      {TR981028}, 
  institution = {State University of Stony Brook}, 
  month =       {October}, 
  year =        1998, 
  abstract =    { 
We present a new rendering technique, termed <em>LOD-sprite</em> rendering, 
which uses a combination of a level-of-detail (LOD) representation of the scene 
together with reusing image sprites (previously rendered images).  Our primary 
application is an acceleration technique for virtual environment navigation. 
The LOD-sprite technique renders an initial frame using a full-resolution model 
of the scene geometry.  It renders subsequent frames with a much 
lower-resolution model of the scene geometry and texture-maps each polygon with 
the image sprite from the initial full-resolution frame.  As it renders these 
subsequent frames the technique measures the error associated with each 
low-resolution polygon, and uses this to decide when to re-render the scene 
using the full-resolution model. The LOD-sprite technique can be efficiently 
implemented in texture-mapping graphics hardware. 
The LOD-sprite technique is thus a combination of two currently very active 
thrusts in computer graphics: level-of-detail representations and image-based 
modeling and rendering (IBMR) techniques.  The LOD-sprite technique is different 
from most previous IBMR techniques in that they typically model the texture-map 
as a quadrilateral, as opposed to a lower-resolution scene model.  This scene 
model, even if only composed of a few polygons, greatly increases the range of 
novel views that can be interpolated before unacceptable distortions arise. 
Also unlike previous LOD techniques, the LOD-sprite algorithm dynamically 
updates the image sprite every several frames.  The LOD-sprite technique can be 
implemented with any LOD decomposition. 
}, 
}