Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for parallel ray tracing traversal and intersection utilizing a single instruction multiple data (SIMD) processing architecture. In operation, a ray tracing traversal operation is performed utilizing one or more processing elements of the SIMD architecture. Additionally, a ray tracing intersection operation is performed in parallel with the ray tracing traversal operation, utilizing the same one or more processing elements. Furthermore, at least a portion of code utilized for performing the ray tracing traversal operation is the same as at least a portion of code utilized for performing the ray tracing intersection operation.

Abstract: A method for reducing execution divergence among a plurality of threads executable within a parallel processing architecture includes an operation of determining, among a plurality of data sets that function as operands for a plurality of different execution commands, a preferred execution type for the collective plurality of data sets. A data set is assigned from a data set pool to a thread which is to be executed by the parallel processing architecture, the assigned data set being of the preferred execution type, whereby the parallel processing architecture is operable to concurrently execute a plurality of threads, the plurality of concurrently executable threads including the thread having the assigned data set. An execution command for which the assigned data functions as an operand is applied to each of the plurality of threads.