System and Method For Identifying Entry Points of a Hierarchical Structure
AssigneeNVIDIA Corporation
InventorsTimo AILA, Samuli Laine
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for identifying entry points of a hierarchical structure having a plurality of nodes includes the operations selecting a node of a hierarchical structure and testing it for identification as an entry point. The node is identified as an entry point, and the selection, testing, and identification operations are repeated for at least one additional node of the hierarchical structure to identify at least a second node as a respective second entry point for the hierarchical structure.
Claims23
A method for identifying a plurality of entry points of a hierarchical structure having a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:
- (i) selecting a first node of a hierarchical structure;
- (ii) testing the first node;
- (iii) identifying the first node as a first entry point;
- and
- (iv) repeating (i), (ii), and (ii) for at least one additional node of the hierarchical structure to identify at least a second node as a respective second entry point of the hierarchical structure.
A method of traversing a hierarchical structure having a plurality of nodes, the method comprising:
- identifying a plurality of entry points of a hierarchical structure having a plurality of nodes, comprising:
- (i) selecting a first node of a hierarchical structure;
- (ii) testing the first node;
- (iii) identifying the first node as a first entry point;
- and
- (iv) repeating (i), (ii), and (ii) for at least one additional node of the hierarchical structure to identify at least a second node as a respective second entry point of the hierarchical structure;
- and
- initiating a hierarchical operation at each of the first and second entry points.
A computer program product, resident on a computer readable medium, for identifying a plurality of entry points of a hierarchical structure having a plurality of nodes, the computer program product comprising instruction code to:
- (i) select a first node of a hierarchical structure;
- (ii) test a first node;
- (iii) identify the first node as a first entry point;
- and
- (iv) repeat (i), (ii), and (ii) for at least one additional node of the hierarchical structure to identify at least a second node as a respective second entry point of the hierarchical structure.
The computer program product of 15, further comprising instruction code to repeat (i) and (ii) for a third node of the hierarchical structure, wherein said instruction code to repeat (ii) for the third node comprises instruction code to:
- determine that a probe ray intersects the third node;
- and
- determine that the third node does not includes an object,
- wherein the third node is excluded as an entry point.
A parallel processing architecture configured for identifying a plurality of entry points of a hierarchical structure having a plurality of nodes, the parallel processing architecture including processing circuitry operable to:
- (i) select a first node of a hierarchical structure;
- (ii) test the first node;
- (iii) identify the first node as a first entry point;
- and
- (iv) repeat (i), (ii), and (ii) for at least one additional node of the hierarchical structure to identify at least a second node as a respective second entry point of the hierarchical structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.