Systems and methods of defining rays for ray tracing rendering

摘要

Some aspects pertain to ray data storage for ray tracing rendering. Attribute data for a first ray can be stored. To define a second ray, data defining such can comprise a reference to the first ray (in one example) and attribute source information indicative of shared attributes between the first and second rays. The attribute source information can be shared among many rays, and can be selected based on ray type. Definition data for unshared attributes can be explicit with the second ray. A plurality of rays can reference one ray for shared attribute data. Referencing rays can be counted and decremented as referencing rays complete. Shared attributes can be indicated with masks. Interface modules can service ray data read and write requests made by shaders, and shaders can explicitly reference attributes of rays, without using such interfacing modules. Data structures can be used as attribute sources without being associated with particular rays, and can be defined and selected as attribute data sources based on ray type.

主权项

1. A method for processing rays in a ray tracing renderer, comprising:
storing attribute data for a first ray in a location of a memory; identifying a shader module to execute in response to an intersection testing result for the first ray in a 3-D scene; providing for execution of the shader module in a processor, wherein the execution results in a second ray for intersection testing; storing data for the second ray comprising a reference to the location of the memory storing attribute data for the first ray and data explicitly defining one or more attributes of the second ray; accessing attribute source information indicating which second ray attributes are to be obtained from the location of the memory storing attribute data for the first ray and which second ray attributes are explicitly defined by the data stored for the second ray; and sourcing, from the location of the memory storing attribute data for the first ray, the attributes indicated to be obtained from the location of the memory storing attribute data for the first ray by the attribute source information, for use in shading an intersection involving the second ray.