Systems and methods for a ray tracing shader API
US8482561B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 21, 2009 |
| Grant date | Jul 9, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 9, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T15/80
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Aspects include API interfaces for interfacing shaders with other components and/or code modules that provide ray tracing functionality. For example, API calls may allow direct contribution of light energy to a buffer for an identified pixel, and allow emission of new rays for intersection testing alone or in bundles. The API also can provide a mechanism for associating arbitrary data with ray definition data defining a ray to be tested through a shader using the emit ray call. The arbitrary data is provided to a shader associated with an object that is identified subsequently as having been intersected by the ray. The data can include code, or a pointer to code, that can be used by or run after the shader. The data also can be propagated through a series of shaders, and associated with rays instantiated in each shader.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.