Distributed light transport simulation with efficient ray forwarding

Abstract

A compute node performing a distributed light transport simulation operation on a scene may select another compute node(s) for forwarding of a ray based on determining graphical data assigned to the other compute node(s) has already been intersection-tested using the ray. Thus, the compute node can avoid forwarding the ray when the graphical data has already been processed using the ray, while providing flexibility in the partition strategy used to partition the scene amongst the compute nodes. The compute node may receive and/or determine traversal information indicating compute nodes that have already intersection-tested the ray and/or have not yet intersection-tested the ray. The traversal information may include a list of compute nodes that have or have not yet intersection-tested the ray. In some examples, the compute node replays the traversal logic used by the compute nodes to generate one or more portions of the list.