Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatus to reduce the number of intersection tests required to determine if an object moving within a three-dimensional scene collides with any other objects. According to one embodiment of the invention, a physics engine may cast a velocity box into the scene and traverse the velocity box through an integrated acceleration data structure. By traversing the velocity box through an integrated acceleration data structure, a physics engine may determine which objects are in the same area of the scene and are likely intersect the velocity box. The physics engine may use the objects when performing intersection tests to reduce the number of intersection tests which are necessary to determine which objects intersect the velocity box. A reduction in the number of intersection tests may reduce the amount of time necessary to determine if a moving object collides with any other objects.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention create links or branches from a static spatial index which partitions a three-dimensional scene based on the position of static objects to a dynamic object spatial index which partitions a three-dimensional scene based on the position of dynamic objects in a three-dimensional scene. By branching from the static spatial index to the dynamic object spatial index, the image processing system may create a single combined spatial index or a combined acceleration data structure. The combined spatial index may contain information which partitions the three-dimensional scene with respect to both static objects and dynamic objects within the three-dimensional scene. When performing ray tracing, the image processing system may only need to traverse rays issued into the three-dimensional scene through the combined spatial index to determine if the ray intersects either static objects or dynamic objects within the three-dimensional scene.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for dynamically varying a physics workload by scaling the classification of objects within a three-dimensional scene. According to embodiments of the invention, a physics engine may classify a plurality of objects within a three-dimensional scene as either static objects or as dynamic objects. The physics engine may then perform physics operations with the objects, and may monitor the workload experienced by processing elements within a system which includes the physics engine. Based on the workload experienced by the processing elements within the system, the physics engine may vary the number of objects which are classified as dynamic and vary the number of objects which are classified as static. By varying the classification of the objects, the physics engine may vary the workload experienced by the physics engine.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention may update an ADS (e.g., spatial index) when an object moves into an empty bounding volume by partitioning the empty bounding volume and adding corresponding nodes to an ADS. The added nodes may be branched to from an empty leaf node which corresponds to the empty bounding volume. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may update an ADS when an object moves out of the empty bounding volume by removing the nodes which were added when the object moved into the empty bounding volume. In order to locate the nodes which were added, embodiments of the invention may assert a bit in a data structure associated with the empty leaf node when the nodes are added to the ADS.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention create links or branches from a static spatial index which partitions a three-dimensional scene based on the position of static objects to a dynamic object spatial index which partitions a three-dimensional scene based on the position of dynamic objects in a three-dimensional scene. By branching from the static spatial index to the dynamic object spatial index, the image processing system may create a single combined spatial index or a combined acceleration data structure. The combined spatial index may contain information which partitions the three-dimensional scene with respect to both static objects and dynamic objects within the three-dimensional scene. When performing ray tracing, the image processing system may only need to traverse rays issued into the three-dimensional scene through the combined spatial index to determine if the ray intersects either static objects or dynamic objects within the three-dimensional scene.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for dynamically varying a physics workload by scaling the classification of objects within a three-dimensional scene. According to embodiments of the invention, a physics engine may classify a plurality of objects within a three-dimensional scene as either static objects or as dynamic objects. The physics engine may then perform physics operations with the objects, and may monitor the workload experienced by processing elements within a system which includes the physics engine. Based on the workload experienced by the processing elements within the system, the physics engine may vary the number of objects which are classified as dynamic and vary the number of objects which are classified as static. By varying the classification of the objects, the physics engine may vary the workload experienced by the physics engine.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatus to reduce the number of intersection tests required to determine if an object moving within a three-dimensional scene collides with any other objects. According to one embodiment of the invention, a physics engine may cast a velocity box into the scene and traverse the velocity box through an integrated acceleration data structure. By traversing the velocity box through an integrated acceleration data structure, a physics engine may determine which objects are in the same area of the scene and are likely intersect the velocity box. The physics engine may use the objects when performing intersection tests to reduce the number of intersection tests which are necessary to determine which objects intersect the velocity box. A reduction in the number of intersection tests may reduce the amount of time necessary to determine if a moving object collides with any other objects.