Deferred vector map visualization

Abstract

Interactive rendering of large scale vector maps is a key challenge for high-quality geographic visualization software systems. In this paper we present a novel approach for the visualization of large scale vector maps over detailed height-field terrains. Our method uses a deferred line shading approach to render large scale vector maps directly in a screen-space shading stage over a terrain visualization. The fact that there is no traditional geometric polygonal rendering involved allows our algorithm to outperform conventional vector map rendering algorithms for geographic information systems. Our flexible clustered deferred line rendering approach allows a user to interactively customize and apply advanced vector styling methods, as well as the integration into a vector map level-of-detail system. AbstractInteractive rendering of large scale vector maps is a key challenge for high-quality geographic visualization software systems. In this paper we present a novel approach for the visualization of large scale vector maps over detailed height-field terrains. Our method uses a deferred line shading approach to render large scale vector maps directly in a screen-space shading stage over a terrain visualization. The fact that there is no traditional geometric polygonal rendering involved allows our algorithm to outperform conventional vector map rendering algorithms for geographic information systems. Our flexible clustered deferred line rendering approach allows a user to interactively customize and apply advanced vector styling methods, as well as the integration into a vector map levelof-detail system.

Large‐Scale Pixel‐Precise Deferred Vector Maps

“…In comparison to our first implementation in [TBP16], we could achieve a significant performance gain due to a re‐implementation of the deferred line shading stage. Significant increases in performance (approximately speedup, w.r.t.…”

“…Significant increases in performance (approximately speedup, w.r.t. Table and [TBP16]) could be demonstrated by carefully identifying parts where double precision is needed and where single precision is sufficient to display the data without any precision artefacts. Double precision is only required for the distance calculation and the view transformation.…”

“…This requires a flexible line rendering method capable of extending the geometric line rendering to include line styling capabilities. In this paper, we present an extended description of our approach [TBP16], including newly added functionality on coveragebased line anti-aliasing as well as slope distortion-corrected line rendering. In particular, we describe our deferred rendering approach which exploits a clustered line buffer structure to interactively visualize large-scale vector maps with many millions of line features in a pixel-precise manner, and we report new GPU-optimized rendering performance results.…”

LOCALIS: Locally‐adaptive Line Simplification for GPU‐based Geographic Vector Data Visualization

“…We based our approach on the deferred vector map rendering [TBP16,TBP18,FEP18]. In this technique, the vector line data is maintained on the GPU in a data structure that allows fast screenspace (pixel) to object-space (line) search and mapping.…”

“…Moreover, we consider line features to be displayed not only in 2D but in an interactive 3D geographic visualization. Following recent achievements for fast vector map rendering in 3D [TBP16,TBP18,FEP18], we propose a novel algorithm, locally-adaptive line simplification (LOCALIS), for GPUbased geographic polyline data visualization. Our main contributions are (1) a GPU-based view-dependent Douglas-Peucker style polyline simplification approach, that exploits (2) a novel LOD line-segments data structure, and (3) an efficient GPU-based deferred line rendering algorithm.…”