Abstract: Methods and systems are described in some examples for changing the traversal of an acceleration data structure in a highly dynamic query-specific manner, with each query specifying test parameters, a test opcode and a mapping of test results to actions. In an example ray tracing implementation, traversal of a bounding volume hierarchy by a ray is performed with the default behavior of the traversal being changed in accordance with results of a test performed using the test opcode and test parameters specified in the ray data structure and another test parameter specified in a node of the bounding volume hierarchy. In an example implementation a traversal coprocessor is configured to perform the traversal of the bounding volume hierarchy.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described in some examples for changing the traversal of an acceleration data structure in a highly dynamic query-specific manner, with each query specifying test parameters, a test opcode and a mapping of test results to actions. In an example ray tracing implementation, traversal of a bounding volume hierarchy by a ray is performed with the default behavior of the traversal being changed in accordance with results of a test performed using the test opcode and test parameters specified in the ray data structure and another test parameter specified in a node of the bounding volume hierarchy. In an example implementation a traversal coprocessor is configured to perform the traversal of the bounding volume hierarchy.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described in some examples for changing the traversal of an acceleration data structure in a highly dynamic query-specific manner, with each query specifying test parameters, a test opcode and a mapping of test results to actions. In an example ray tracing implementation, traversal of a bounding volume hierarchy by a ray is performed with the default behavior of the traversal being changed in accordance with results of a test performed using the test opcode and test parameters specified in the ray data structure and another test parameter specified in a node of the bounding volume hierarchy. In an example implementation a traversal coprocessor is configured to perform the traversal of the bounding volume hierarchy.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described in some examples for changing the traversal of an acceleration data structure in a highly dynamic query-specific manner, with each query specifying test parameters, a test opcode and a mapping of test results to actions. In an example ray tracing implementation, traversal of a bounding volume hierarchy by a ray is performed with the default behavior of the traversal being changed in accordance with results of a test performed using the test opcode and test parameters specified in the ray data structure and another test parameter specified in a node of the bounding volume hierarchy. In an example implementation a traversal coprocessor is configured to perform the traversal of the bounding volume hierarchy.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described in some examples for changing the traversal of an acceleration data structure in a highly dynamic query-specific manner, with each query specifying test parameters, a test opcode and a mapping of test results to actions. In an example ray tracing implementation, traversal of a bounding volume hierarchy by a ray is performed with the default behavior of the traversal being changed in accordance with results of a test performed using the test opcode and test parameters specified in the ray data structure and another test parameter specified in a node of the bounding volume hierarchy. In an example implementation a traversal coprocessor is configured to perform the traversal of the bounding volume hierarchy.

Abstract: An invention is provided for rendering using an omnidirectional light. A shadow cube texture map having six cube faces centered by a light source is generated. Each cube face comprises a shadow texture having depth data from a perspective of the light source. In addition, each cube face is associated with an axis of a three-dimensional coordinate system. For each object fragment rendered from the camera's perspective a light-to-surface vector is defined from the light source to the object fragment, and particular texels within particular cube faces are selected based on the light-to-surface vector. The texel values are tested against a depth value computed from the light to surface vector. The object fragment is textured as in light or shadow according to the outcome of the test.

Abstract: An invention is provided for rendering using an omnidirectional light. A shadow cube texture map having six cube faces centered by a light source is generated. Each cube face comprises a shadow texture having depth data from a perspective of the light source. In addition, each cube face is associated with an axis of a three-dimensional coordinate system. For each object fragment rendered from the camera's perspective a light-to-surface vector is defined from the light source to the object fragment, and particular texels within particular cube faces are selected based on the light-to-surface vector. The texel values are tested against a depth value computed from the light to surface vector. The object fragment is textured as in light or shadow according to the outcome of the test.

Abstract: Systems and methods for modifying the number of texture samples used to produce an anisotropically filtered texture mapped pixel may improve texture mapping performance. When the number of texture samples is reduced, fewer texels are read and fewer filtering computations are needed to produce a texture value for an anisotropic footprint. The number of texture samples is reduced based on the mip map level weight. The number of texture samples may also be modified using specific parameters for the coarse and/or fine mip map levels. The spacing between the texture samples along the major axis of anisotropy may be modified to improve image quality or texture cache performance.

Abstract: A multi-threaded graphics processor is configured to use to extrapolate low resolution mipmaps stored in physical memory to produce extrapolated texture values while high resolution nonresident mipmaps are retrieved from a high latency storage resource and converted into resident mipmaps. The extrapolated texture values provide an improved image that appears sharper compared with using the low resolution mipmap level texture data in place of the temporarily unavailable high resolution mipmap level texture data. An extrapolation threshold LOD is used to determine when extrapolated magnification or minification texture filtering is used. The extrapolation threshold LOD may be used to smoothly transition from using extrapolated filtering to using interpolated filtering when a nonresident mipmap is converted to a resident mipmap.

Abstract: A multi-threaded graphics processor is configured to use to extrapolate low resolution mipmaps stored in physical memory to produce extrapolated texture values while high resolution mipmaps are retrieved from a high latency storage resource. The extrapolated texture values provide an improved image that appears sharper compared with using the low resolution mipmap level texture data in place of the temporarily unavailable high resolution mipmap level texture data.

Abstract: A method and system for performing a texture operation with user-specified offset positions are disclosed. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method, which includes the steps of deriving a first destined texel position based on an original sample position associated with a pixel projected in a texture map and a first offset position specified by a user and fetching texel attributes at the first destined texel position for the texture operation.

Abstract: A method for implementing LOD (level of detail) filtering in a cube mapping application. The method includes accessing a first sample and a second sample for a cube map. A cube map path is computed between the first sample and the second sample. A distance is computed between the first sample and the second sample, wherein the distance is measured using the cube map path. LOD filtering is then implemented by using the distance between the first sample and the second sample.

Abstract: A method for optimizing the number of bilinear samples includes the steps of computing a desired bilerp count for a pixel footprint in a mipmap, where a fractional distance represents the distance between the desired bilerp count and a first available bilerp count relative to the distance between a second available bilerp count and the first available bilerp count, determining a modified bilerp count based on the desired bilerp count, and computing a modified fractional distance based on the modified bilerp count, where the modified fractional distance is zero if the fractional distance is between zero and a first-non-zero value, but is between zero and one if the fractional distance is within a transition band. Texture values for the bilerps in the first available count and one or more additional bilerps are average to generate a pixel texture value, where the modified fractional distance determines the weights applied.

Abstract: Ripmapping and footprint assembly are used to anisotropically filter texture maps. A subset of the set of ripmaps associated with a base texture is created and stored. The subset includes ripmaps selected to maximize anisotropic texture sampling performance and to minimize the texture memory requirements. For pixel footprints not aligned with the anisotropy of ripmaps or requiring a ripmap outside of the subset, footprint assembly is used to perform anisotropic filtering by taking multiple isotropic probes from a mipmap. For texture samples aligned within a tolerance range of the anisotropy of a ripmap, footprint assembly constructs an anisotropic texture sample from one or more samples of a ripmap. Ripmap statistics are collected during texture mapping to dynamically determine an optimal subset of ripmaps, and additional ripmaps can be added to the subset on demand if warranted. A graphics driver can analyze ripmap statistics to determine the subset of ripmaps.

Abstract: A multi-threaded graphics processor is configured to use to extrapolate low resolution mipmaps stored in physical memory to produce extrapolated texture values while high resolution nonresident mipmaps are retrieved from a high latency storage resource and converted into resident mipmaps. The extrapolated texture values provide an improved image that appears sharper compared with using the low resolution mipmap level texture data in place of the temporarily unavailable high resolution mipmap level texture data. An extrapolation threshold LOD is used to determine when extrapolated magnification or minification texture filtering is used. The extrapolation threshold LOD may be used to smoothly transition from using extrapolated filtering to using interpolated filtering when a nonresident mipmap is converted to a resident mipmap.

Abstract: A method and system for performing a texture operation with user-specified offset positions are disclosed. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method, which includes the steps of deriving a first destined texel position based on an original sample position associated with a pixel projected in a texture map and a first offset position specified by a user and fetching texel attributes at the first destined texel position for the texture operation.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for processing one or more fragment data. In one embodiment, the method includes processing one or more fragment data to generate one or more texture map addresses for one or more texels, determining relevance information that correspond to the texture map addresses, and translating the relevance information into a rendering constraint data structure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for modifying the number of texture samples used to produce an anisotropically filtered texture mapped pixel may improve texture mapping performance. When the number of texture samples is reduced, fewer texels are read and fewer filtering computations are needed to produce a texture value for an anisotropic footprint. The number of texture samples is reduced based on the mip map level weight. The number of texture samples may also be modified using specific parameters for the coarse and/or fine mip map levels. The spacing between the texture samples along the major axis of anisotropy may be modified to improve image quality or texture cache performance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for modifying the number of texture samples used to produce an anisotropically filtered texture mapped pixel may improve texture mapping performance. When the number of texture samples is reduced, fewer texels are read and fewer filtering computations are needed to produce a texture value for an anisotropic footprint. The number of texture samples is reduced based on the mip map level weight. The number of texture samples may also be modified using specific parameters for the coarse and/or fine mip map levels. The spacing between the texture samples along the major axis of anisotropy may be modified to improve image quality or texture cache performance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining the number of texture samples used to produce an anisotropically filtered texture mapped pixel may improve texture mapping performance or image quality. The number of texture samples may be increased or decreased based on texture state variables that may be specific to each texture map. Furthermore, the texture samples may be positioned along an axis of anisotropy to approximate an elliptical footprint, ensuring that the texture samples span the entire axis of anisotropy. A graphics driver may load the texture state variables and configure a system to modify the number of texture samples and/or position the texture samples used to produce the anisotropically filtered texture mapped pixel.