Ray tracing system architectures and methods

摘要

Aspects comprise systems implementing 3-D graphics processing functionality in a multiprocessing system. Control flow structures are used in scheduling instances of computation in the multiprocessing system, where different points in the control flow structure serve as points where deferral of some instances of computation can be performed in favor of scheduling other instances of computation. In some examples, the control flow structure identifies particular tasks, such as intersection testing of a particular portion of an acceleration structure, and a particular element of shading code. In some examples, the aspects are used in 3-D graphics processing systems that can perform ray tracing based rendering.

主权项

1. A system for 3-D graphics processing using ray tracing, comprising:
a plurality of computation units, collectively capable of performing a sequence of ray tracing operations using a set of data elements, the ray tracing operations comprising operations to be performed during one or more of acceleration structure traversal and primitive intersection testing; an input buffer; a controller, for the plurality of computation units, coupled to the input buffer, the controller operably configured to determine a sequence of sets of data elements to be inputted to the plurality of computation units, wherein
each set of input data elements is selected from data elements received at the input buffer,the input buffer operates asynchronously from the plurality of computation units for receiving groupings of data elements to be processed by the plurality of computation units,the groupings potentially having different numbers of data elements, andthe controller is operably configured to aggregate data elements from groupings received at different times respectively into one of the sets of data elements to be provided to the plurality of computation units, wherein the plurality of computation units are operable to output results of acceleration structure traversal and to use the results to determine further ray tracing operations to be performed with the data elements.