Patent ID: 8411082

Claim:
A computer implemented ray tracing method for use in rendering an image of a scene that includes a plurality of objects, the method comprises: for each of at least a first object and a second object, determining a lower bound along a primary direction; ordering the objects based on their lower bounds to form an ordered object list; determining an origin for each of a plurality of rays along the primary direction; ordering the rays based on their origins to form an ordered ray list; performing a ray tracing operation based on the order of the rays and objects in the ordered object list and the ordered ray list; and rendering the image using the results of the ray tracing operation; wherein performing a ray tracing operation includes: comparing the first entry in the ordered object list with the first entry in the ordered ray list; if the origin of the first entry in the ordered ray list is less than the lower bound of the first entry in the ordered object list, then adding the ray corresponding to the first entry in the ordered ray list to an active ray list, and tracing that ray against objects in an active object list; and if the origin of the first entry in the ordered ray list is greater than the lower bound of the first entry in the ordered object list, then adding the object corresponding to the first entry in the ordered object list to an active object list, and tracing rays in the active ray list against that object.