Methods and apparatuses for coalescing function calls for ray-tracing

An apparatus for thread execution, comprising:

• a graphics processing unit (GPU) configured to:
• process a set of threads belonging to a thread-group to collect, for each thread, a respective set of function call indicators over a respective number of call instances;
• reorder the function call indicators across all threads and all call instances, to coalesce identical function call indicators to a common call instance, and wherein non-identical function call indicators are reordered to different call instances;
• and
• execute function calls across the threads of the thread-group, according to the reordered and coalesced function call indicators.

A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a graphics processing unit (GPU), cause the GPU to:

• process a set of threads belonging to a thread-group to collect, for each thread, a respective set of function call indicators over a respective number of call instances;
• reorder the function call indicators across all threads and all call instances, to coalesce identical function call indicators to a common call instance, and wherein non-identical function call indicators are reordered to different call instances;
• and
• execute function calls across the threads of the thread-group, according to the reordered and coalesced function call indicators.