SMOOTH B-SPLINE ILLUMINATION MAPS FOR BIDIRECTIONAL RAY-TRACING

In this paper we introduce B-spline illumination maps and their genera lizations and extensions for use in realistic image generation algorit hms. The B-spline lighting functions (i.e., illumination maps) are def ined as weighted probability density functions. The lighting functions can be estimated from random data and may be used in bidirectional di stributed ray tracing programs as well as radiosity oriented algorithm s. The use of these lighting functions in a bidirectional ray tracing system that can handle dispersion as well as the focusing of light thr ough lenses is presented.