On demand geometry and acceleration structure creation with tile object lists
Systems and methods of geometry processing, for rasterization and ray tracing processes provide for pre-processing of source geometry, such as by tessellating or other procedural modification of source geometry, to produce final geometry on which a rendering will be based. An acceleration structure (or portion thereof) for use during ray tracing is defined based on the final geometry. Only coarse-grained elements of the acceleration structure may be produced or retained, and a fine-grained structure within a particular coarse-grained element may be Produced in response to a collection of rays being ready for traversal within the coarse grained element. Final geometry can be recreated in response to demand from a rasterization engine, and from ray intersection units that require such geometry for intersection testing with primitives. Geometry at different resolutions can be generated to respond to demands from different rendering components.
1. A method of 3-D geometry processing for graphics rendering, the method comprising:
producing final geometry from 3-D source geometry by applying one or more geometry modification processes to the 3-D source geometry, the production of the final geometry being limited to a subset of final geometry located in a 3-D scene from which a 2-D rendering is being made, wherein the produced final geometry is 3-D geometry; and
controlling caching of particular portions of the produced final geometry, based on demand indicated for the particular portions of the produced final geometry.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the said demand is by one or more consumers.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising generating an acceleration structure for ray tracing; the acceleration structure associated with the final geometry.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising generating a portion of an acceleration structure for ray tracing; the portion of the acceleration structure associated with the final geometry.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the geometry modification process comprises tessellation of a patch.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the demand is associated with an executed element of code.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the demand comprises a request associated with geometry resolution.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising producing final geometry for an object at a first resolution and at a second resolution.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising subdividing the 3-D scene into different portions, for the purpose of on-demand creation of final geometry of those different portions.
10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising checking for the presence of final geometry in a cache; and, where such final geometry is not cached, creating the final geometry from the 3-D source geometry.
11. A computer system for processing of 3-D geometry for graphics rendering, the computer system configured to:
produce final geometry from 3-D source geometry by applying one or more geometry modification processes to the 3-D source geometry, the production of the final geometry limited to a subset of final geometry located in a 3-D scene from which a 2-D rendering is being made, wherein the produced final geometry is 3-D geometry; and,
control caching of particular portions of the produced final geometry, based on demand indicated for the particular portions of the produced final geometry.
12. The computer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the said demand is by one or more consumers.
13. The computer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the computer system is further configured to generate an acceleration structure for ray tracing; the acceleration structure associated with the final geometry.
14. The computer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the computer system is further configured to generate a portion of an acceleration structure for ray tracing; the portion of the acceleration structure associated with the final geometry.
15. The computer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the geometry modification process comprises tessellation of a patch.
16. The computer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the demand is associated with an executed element of code.
17. The computer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the demand comprises a request associated with geometry resolution.
18. The computer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the computer system is further configured to produce final geometry for an object at a first resolution and at a second resolution.
19. The computer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the computer system is further configured to subdivide the 3-D scene into different portions, for the purpose of on-demand creation of final geometry of those different portions.
20. The computer system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the computer system is further configured to check for the presence of final geometry in a cache; and, where such final geometry is not cached, create the final geometry from the 3-D source geometry.