Sony Corporation

Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc.

Chris Allen

Jonathan Cohen

A method for use in computer graphics includes receiving data representative of a plurality of particles. For each particle, the method further includes calculating a time at which a collision will occur based on a current trajectory of the particle. For pairs of particles that will collide with each other, another operation includes changing a direction of the particles to avoid a collision, wherein the changed directions approximate directions that would result from the collision. For particles in static contact, another operation includes allowing particles to push each other without bouncing. For particles in static contact that were previously moved by being pushed, the method also does not allow the particles to move during future collisions occurring during a time step.

Method for simulating large numbers of spherical bodies interacting

A method for use in rendering includes receiving an input particle system, an instancing program, and a number indicating a maximum number of particles to be stored in memory, providing an input particle count representative of at least a portion of the input particle system to at least one operator for the instancing program, running the at least one operator in a prediction mode to generate an output particle count, comparing the output particle count to the number indicating a maximum number of particles to be stored in memory, and spatially splitting a bounding box representative of the input particle count in response to the output particle count being greater than the number indicating a maximum number of particles to be stored in memory.

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Los Angeles, CA, United States of America

Chris Allen