Ray-Tracing Object Intersection API for Direct Hardware Access

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Performing operations using rays is time-consuming and resource-intensive, particularly in parallel computing platforms.

Innovation Solution

An application programming interface (API) is utilized to directly access ray tracing hardware for object intersection operations, enabling faster and more efficient use of ray tracing hardware resources by integrating it directly into computing processes without the need for separate pipelines or kernels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If ray tracing operations are performed using traditional separate pipelines or kernels, then hardware resource isolation and stability are improved, but computational time and resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehardware resource isolationVSAvoidcomputational time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the ray tracing hardware access into the computing process by providing an API that allows direct access to ray tracing hardware from computing kernels. This integration eliminates the need for separate pipelines while maintaining hardware resource isolation through controlled API interfaces and hardware management mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If direct API access to ray tracing hardware is implemented, then productivity and resource utilization are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The API serves as an intermediary layer between computing processes and ray tracing hardware. It provides a standardized interface that simplifies access to hardware resources while the underlying hardware management mechanisms handle the complexity of resource allocation, isolation, and coordination, thereby improving productivity without exposing system complexity to users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If separate pipelines are used for ray tracing operations, then hardware resource isolation is improved, but device complexity and resource overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehardware resource isolationVSAvoidpipeline structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines ray tracing operations with general computing operations by allowing direct API access from computing kernels to ray tracing hardware. This merging eliminates the need for separate pipeline structures while maintaining hardware resource isolation through controlled access mechanisms and hardware management, thereby reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4645075A1Application programming interface to indicate object intersected by ray
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 NVIDIA CORP
  • EP4645075A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4645075A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4645075A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Apparatuses, systems, and techniques to indicate one or more objects intersected by one or more rays. In at least one embodiment, one or more circuits are to perform an application programming interface (API) to cause one or mor objects intersected by one or more rays to be indicated to a user.