Consistent sampling for spatial hashing

Abstract

Approaches presented herein reduce the presence of temporary artifacts such, as flickering, when using spatial hashing with simulation. Flickering can be avoided, at least in part, by ensuring that the same simulation points are utilized in separate executions of an algorithm, even where the execution order can vary. This can involve selecting a single representative point for each hash cell of a spatial hash map, where simulation for that hash cell will be performed for that representative point location, regardless of execution order. Both a location index and a selector value are stored for this hash map entry in a single value, where lower bits store the location index and higher bits represent the selector value. Storing the selector value in the higher-weight bits ensures an atomic maximum operation will primarily consider the selector value, and resort to the location index only in the event of equal selector values.