Intel has been granted a patent for a graphics processing apparatus that utilizes bounding volume hierarchy (BVH) construction circuitry to analyze input primitives and generate a BVH with spatial, temporal, and spatial-temporal components. The processor, comprising multiple cores, accelerates ray tracing operations by performing interpolation based on movement detection and determining intersections between rays and input primitives. GlobalData’s report on Intel gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.

According to GlobalData’s company profile on Intel, Device power optimization was a key innovation area identified from patents. Intel's grant share as of September 2023 was 58%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.

Graphics processing apparatus with accelerated ray tracing operations

Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Credit: Intel Corp

A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11776196B2) describes a processor with multiple cores that can execute graphics commands and render images using ray tracing techniques. The processor utilizes a bounding volume hierarchy, which is a hierarchical arrangement of nodes constructed based on input primitives such as triangles. Each node in the hierarchy includes multi-dimensional spatial components and temporal components.

One of the cores in the processor is specifically designed to accelerate ray tracing operations. This acceleration involves performing an interpolation based on the detected movement of an input primitive within the spatial and temporal components of a node. The processor then traverses a ray through the bounding volume hierarchy and determines the intersection between the ray and the input primitive using the interpolation and a timestamp associated with the ray.

The temporal components of the nodes are indicated by a first timestamp and a second timestamp, which define temporal bounds. The ray is only tested for intersection with the input primitive if the timestamp associated with the ray falls within these bounds.

The interpolation used in the acceleration process is described as a linear interpolation. Each ray in the plurality of rays is associated with a timestamp, and there can also be groups of rays where a timestamp is associated with all rays in the group.

The spatial components of the bounding volume hierarchy include spatial nodes with children. These spatial nodes bound their children using spatial components, allowing for efficient traversal and intersection calculations.

In addition to the processor, the patent also covers a method and a non-transitory machine-readable medium with program code that can execute the same operations described above.

Overall, this patent describes a processor architecture and associated methods for accelerating ray tracing operations in graphics rendering. By utilizing a bounding volume hierarchy with multi-dimensional spatial and temporal components, the processor can efficiently determine ray-primitive intersections and render high-quality images.

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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.