Ray Bundle Box Intersection Using Silhouette Edge Tests
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ray tracing systems face significant computational challenges in performing intersection tests, particularly when rendering complex 3D scenes in real-time, due to the vast number of rays that need to be tested for intersection with scene objects, which can overwhelm resources like supercomputers and mobile devices in terms of performance, power consumption, and silicon area.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a ray tracing system that utilizes a tester module to perform bundle intersection tests, including an AllHit test to determine if all rays intersect a box and an AnyHit test to determine if any ray misses the box, allowing for parallel processing and reducing the number of individual ray tests by grouping rays into bundles and using vector-based silhouette edge tests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If individual ray intersection tests are performed for each ray in a bundle, then intersection testing accuracy is maintained, but computational load and processing time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual ray intersection tests into a single bundle-level intersection test. Instead of testing each ray separately, the system creates a bounding volume for the bundle of rays and performs one intersection test against the acceleration structure. This merging approach maintains accuracy by ensuring all rays in the bundle are tested together while dramatically reducing computational load from O(n) individual tests to O(1) bundle test.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the bundle of rays into a unified testing unit with a bounding volume that encapsulates all rays. This segmentation allows the system to treat the entire bundle as a single testable entity rather than processing each ray independently, enabling parallel processing and reducing overall computational complexity.
2Speed
If bundle intersection tests are performed to reduce computational load, then processing speed improves, but the complexity of the testing algorithm increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-computing the bounding volume for the bundle of rays before performing the intersection test. The bounding volume is calculated from the ray origins and directions in advance, allowing the actual intersection testing to proceed quickly without complex calculations during the test itself. This preliminary preparation simplifies the main testing operation while maintaining speed benefits.
3Productivity
If acceleration structures with hierarchical nodes are used, then the number of intersection tests is reduced, but memory bandwidth requirements and data fetching complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple ray tests into a single bundle test that queries the acceleration structure once. Instead of fetching and testing acceleration structure nodes for each ray individually (which would consume O(n) memory bandwidth), the bundle approach fetches node data once and applies it to all rays in the bundle, reducing memory bandwidth consumption from O(n) to O(1).
Data Source
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AI summary
Ray tracing systems and computer-implemented methods are described for performing intersection testing on a bundle of rays with respect to a box. Silhouette edges of the box are identified from the perspective of the bundle of rays. For each of the identified silhouette edges, components of a vector providing a bound to the bundle of rays are obtained and it is determined whether the vector passes inside or outside of the silhouette edge. Results of determining, for each of the identified silhouette edges, whether the vector passes inside or outside of the silhouette edge, are used to determine an intersection testing result for the bundle of rays with respect to the box.