Patent Document ID: 8139060
Application ID: 11563978
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A computer implemented method of performing ray tracing, wherein steps of the computer implemented method are performed by a microprocessor, the computer implemented method comprising: issuing a ray into a three-dimensional scene; with a first processing element: tracing, iteratively, the ray through a spatial index having nodes representing bounding volumes within the three-dimensional scene by taking branches to nodes defining bounding volumes intersected by the ray until a first leaf node is reached, wherein the spatial index partitions the three-dimentional scene into smaller volumes through a use of splitting planes which are parallel to a selected axis; and sending information defining the ray and the first leaf node to a second processing element, wherein the information defining the ray is sent to the second processing element irrespective of a processing of any previously processed leaf node, and the first processing element begins tracing a subsequent ray upon sending the information; with the second processing element: performing ray-primitive intersection tests to determine if the ray intersects a primitive contained within a bounding volume defined by the first leaf node; generating at least one secondary ray, the secondary ray includes a shadow ray; and sending the secondary ray to the first processing element, wherein the first processing element and the second processing element are configured to be controlled by the microprocessor.