Point and click lighting for image based lighting surfaces

Abstract

A computer implemented method of interacting with a three dimensional image based lighting surface in order to adjust the lighting properties of the surface. The method comprises: defining an image plane and a user viewpoint for the lighting surface; rendering and displaying on a display of a computer a scene containing an object in situ within the lighting surface taking into account said image plane and said user viewpoint; by way of a user interaction with the displayed scene, receiving an identification of a point on the image plane; tracing a ray from the user viewpoint through the identified point on the image plane and either, determining a surface intersection point of the ray with said surface or determining an object intersection point of the ray with said object and tracing a further ray either being a reflection of the ray from the object or being normal to the surface of the object at said object intersection point, and determining a surface intersection point of the further ray with said surface, and adjusting the lighting properties of the surface at or in the region of the surface intersection point.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a raytracing application configured to display a three-dimensional model using a processor, the three-dimensional model illuminated by an image having image-based lighting;   an editing application configured to edit the image using the processor, wherein the editing application comprises pin control, wherein the pin control comprises one or more pins configured to adjust less than the entire image; and   a connection configured to connect the raytracing application to the editing application, wherein the connection is configured to transfer information from the raytracing application to the editing application using the processor.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the editing application places the one or more pins, wherein the pins identify a region of the image where a color is added. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the editing application places the one or more pins that identify a region where a hue, a contrast, or a brightness is changed in the image. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more pins are moved around in the image after being placed. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more pins are toggled on and off to evaluate the lighting of the 3D model. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the image is deformed to simulate a rotation of the lighting. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein location of the one or more pins is computed in the ray tracing application based on a specified location on the  3 d model and the pin locations are then transferred to the editing application. 
     
     
         28 . A system comprising:
 a raytracing application configured to display a three-dimensional model using a processor, the three-dimensional model illuminated by an image having image-based lighting;   an editing application configured to edit the image, wherein the editing application comprises pin control, wherein the pin control comprises one or more pins configured to adjust less than the entire image, wherein location of the one or more pins is computed in the ray tracing application based on a specified location on the  3 d model and the pin locations are then transferred to the editing application; and   a connection configured to connect the raytracing application to the editing application, wherein the connection is configured to transfer information from the raytracing application to the editing application using the processor.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the editing application places the one or more pins, wherein the pins identify a region of the image where a color is added. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the editing application places the one or more pins that identify a region where a hue, a contrast, or a brightness is changed in the image. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the one or more pins are moved around in the image after being placed. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the one or more pins are toggled on and off to evaluate the lighting of the 3D model. 
     
     
         33 . A system comprising:
 a raytracing application configured to display a three-dimensional model using a processor, the three-dimensional model illuminated by an image having image-based lighting;   an editing application configured to edit the image, wherein the editing application comprises pin control, wherein the pin control comprises one or more pins configured to adjust less than the entire image, wherein the editing application places the one or more pins, wherein the pins identify a region of the image where a color is added; and   a connection configured to connect the raytracing application to the editing application, wherein the connection is configured to transfer information from the raytracing application to the editing application using the processor.   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the editing application places the one or more pins that identify a region where a hue, a contrast, or a brightness is changed in the image.