Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for image rendering with per-frame buffer scene segmentation. A user specifies how geometric objects, light sources, and various types of rendering operations in a graphics scene are associated. A segmentation API translates scene data into specific instructions used by a rendering engine that cause the rendering engine to generate a set of scene segments within a set of user specified frame buffers. The scene segments may be composited together using a variable contribution value for each scene segment to generate a final image.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique rendering an image pixel within a graphics image with multiple shaders in a single rendering phase using a modular shader architecture. A user specifies how geometric objects, light sources, and various types of rendering operations in a graphics scene are associated. A rendering application provides computational infrastructure for rendering operations that includes finding an intersected object for each pixel of a target graphics image. The modular shader architecture includes a means for efficiently developing and incorporating custom shader modules for use by the rendering application.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique rendering an image pixel within a graphics image with multiple shaders in a single rendering phase using a modular shader architecture. A user specifies how geometric objects, light sources, and various types of rendering operations in a graphics scene are associated. A rendering application provides computational infrastructure for rendering operations that includes finding an intersected object for each pixel of a target graphics image. The modular shader architecture includes a means for efficiently developing and incorporating custom shader modules for use by the rendering application.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for rendering a plurality of images from a graphics scene in one rendering pass. Each image from the plurality of images may include or preclude certain scene objects and shading effects associated with the scene objects, as specified by a set of rules associated with a corresponding frame buffer that is configured to store the image. During the rendering pass, a ray-tracing application performs at least one complete ray casting operation, which is concluded according to the set of rules. At each stage in the ray casting operation, individual rules for each frame buffer determine whether results from that stage should be saved in the frame buffer. The plurality of images may represent different segments of a final rendered image, and may be combined arbitrarily in a compositing phase to generate the final rendered image.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for rendering a plurality of images from a graphics scene in one rendering pass. Each image from the plurality of images may include or preclude certain scene objects and shading effects associated with the scene objects, as specified by a set of rules associated with a corresponding frame buffer that is configured to store the image. During the rendering pass, a ray-tracing application performs at least one complete ray casting operation, which is concluded according to the set of rules. At each stage in the ray casting operation, individual rules for each frame buffer determine whether results from that stage should be saved in the frame buffer. The plurality of images may represent different segments of a final rendered image, and may be combined arbitrarily in a compositing phase to generate the final rendered image.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique rendering an image pixel within a graphics image with multiple shaders in a single rendering phase using a modular shader architecture. A user specifies how geometric objects, light sources, and various types of rendering operations in a graphics scene are associated. A rendering application provides computational infrastructure for rendering operations that includes finding an intersected object for each pixel of a target graphics image. The modular shader architecture includes a means for efficiently developing and incorporating custom shader modules for use by the rendering application.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique rendering an image pixel within a graphics image with multiple shaders in a single rendering phase using a modular shader architecture. A user specifies how geometric objects, light sources, and various types of rendering operations in a graphics scene are associated. A rendering application provides computational infrastructure for rendering operations that includes finding an intersected object for each pixel of a target graphics image. The modular shader architecture includes a means for efficiently developing and incorporating custom shader modules for use by the rendering application.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for image rendering with per-frame buffer scene segmentation. A user specifies how geometric objects, light sources, and various types of rendering operations in a graphics scene are associated. A segmentation API translates scene data into specific instructions used by a rendering engine that cause the rendering engine to generate a set of scene segments within a set of user specified frame buffers. The scene segments may be composited together using a variable contribution value for each scene segment to generate a final image.