Hierarchical visibility culling with occlusion trees

Abstract

In the scope of rendering complex models with high depth complexity, it is of great importance to design output-sensitive algorithms, i.e., algorithms with the time complexity proportional to the number of visible graphic primitives in the resulting image. In this paper an algorithm allowing efficient culling of the invisible portion of the rendered model is presented. Our approach uses a spatial hierarchy to represent the topology of the model. For a current viewpoint a set of polygonal occluders is determined that are used to build the occlusion tree. In the occlusion tree occlusion volumes of the selected occluders are merged. Visibility from the viewpoint is determined by processing the spatial hierarchy and classifying the visibility of its regions. In this process the occlusion tree is used to determine the viewpoint-to-region visibility efficiently. The algorithm is well-suited for complex models where large occluders are present.