US Patent 7499052 Z-jittering of particles in image rendering

A method of rendering an image having a plurality of objects. The method comprises: generating an adjusted z-position by randomly adjusting the original z-position of an object over a series of samples; sorting the plurality of objects in a sample based on the adjusted z-position of each object of the plurality of objects; and rendering the plurality of objects in a sample based on the sorted order for the sample using the adjusted z-position but at the original z-position to generate a resulting image.