Ray Tracing Memory Allocation for Shader Recursion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ray tracing systems face challenges in efficiently managing memory allocation for recursive processing, leading to inefficient use of memory resources and increased latency due to sparse memory allocation.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves allocating memory on a per-task basis in a ray tracing system, where intermediate data for multiple instances of a shader program are stored in a contiguous block of memory, reducing the need for frequent memory allocations and improving memory efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If memory is allocated on a per-instance basis for shader recursion, then each instance can have its own intermediate data storage, but memory resources are wasted due to sparse allocation and increased latency occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges intermediate data storage for multiple shader instances into a single shared memory buffer instead of allocating separate memory for each instance. This consolidation eliminates wasted memory space and reduces the overhead of managing multiple allocations, directly resolving the contradiction between reliable data storage and memory efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared memory buffer serves multiple shader instances simultaneously, making it a universal storage resource. This multi-functional approach allows the same memory region to be reused across different instances and recursion levels, improving memory utilization without compromising the ability to store intermediate data for any given instance.
2Loss of information
If memory is allocated on a per-instance basis, then individual intermediate data can be stored, but the total memory required increases and memory bandwidth utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By combining intermediate data from multiple instances into a single shared buffer, the patent reduces the total memory quantity required. The merging process allows efficient packing of data and eliminates redundant allocations, preserving all necessary intermediate information while using less total memory.
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers and reuses memory space by allowing different shader instances to share the same buffer. When one instance finishes using its intermediate data, that space becomes available for reuse by other instances, effectively recovering memory resources that would otherwise remain allocated and wasted.
3Adaptability or versatility
If frequent memory allocations are performed for recursive shader processing, then each recursive call can have dedicated storage, but latency increases due to allocation overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-allocating a single shared memory buffer before shader recursion begins, rather than performing allocations during each recursive call. This eliminates the time-consuming allocation overhead during recursion while still providing dedicated storage capacity for intermediate data through the shared buffer mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically manages the shared memory buffer to serve different shader instances as needed during recursion. The buffer allocation and data placement are dynamically adjusted based on which instance is currently executing, providing adaptability for recursive processing without the static overhead of pre-allocating separate memory for each potential instance.
4Reliability
If memory is sparsely allocated for shader instances, then individual instance requirements are met, but memory bandwidth utilization is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Merging intermediate data into a shared buffer creates dense, contiguous memory usage patterns that maximize memory bandwidth utilization. This combining approach maintains data integrity for each instance while eliminating the sparse allocation pattern that wastes bandwidth, as all instances access memory from a single consolidated region.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by organizing the shared buffer to provide instance-specific access patterns while maintaining overall density. Each instance accesses its relevant data region within the shared buffer with optimized locality, preserving data integrity while the consolidated structure enables efficient bulk memory operations and high bandwidth utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of processing rays in a ray tracing system allocates a block of memory for a task on a per-task basis. Processing rays in the task causes at least one child ray to be emitted such that intermediate data for the task is written to the block of memory, the intermediate data being written to and read from the block of memory in one or more finite-sized data bursts. Processing of the task is suspended, and when the task is ready to resume, the intermediate data or updated intermediate data for the task is read from the block of memory, and the processing of the task is resumed.