Fast raycasting using a compound deep image for virtual point light range determination

The concept of using multiple deep images, under a variety of different names, has been explored as a possible acceleration approach for finding ray-geometry intersections. We leverage recent advances in deep image processing from order independent transparency for fast building of a compound deep image (CDI) using a coherent memory format well suited for raycasting. We explore the use of a CDI and raycasting for the problem of determining distance between virtual point lights (VPLs) and geometry for indirect lighting, with the key raycasting step being a small fraction of total frametime.