摘要:
A configurable graphics pipeline has more than one possible process flow of pixel packets through elements of the graphics pipeline. In one embodiment, a data packet triggers an element of the graphics pipeline to discover an identifier.
摘要:
A graphics processor has elements of a graphics pipeline coupled by distributors. The distributors permit the process flow of pixel packets through the pipeline to be reconfigured in response to a command from a host.
摘要:
A graphics processor includes a graphics pipeline having a set of tap points. A configurable test point selector monitors a selected subset of tap points and counts statistics for at least one condition associated with each tap point of the subset of tap points.
摘要:
A graphics processor includes an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) stage for processing pixel packets. Pixels are assigned as either even pixels or odd pixels. The pixel packets of odd and even pixels are interleaved to account for ALU latency.
摘要:
A present invention pixel processing system and method permit complicated three dimensional images to be rendered with shallow graphics pipelines including reduced gate counts and facilitates power conservation by utilizing a single unified data fetch stage (e.g., unified data fetch module) that retrieves a variety of different pixel surface attribute values for different attribute types (e.g., depth, color, and/or texture values) in a single stage. Different types of pixel surface attribute data (e.g., depth, color, texture) associated with multiple graphics processing functions (e.g., color blending, texture mapping, etc.) are retrieved in the single unified data fetch graphics pipeline stage. The pixel packet rows including the pixel surface attribute values are forwarded to other graphics pipeline stages for single thread processing (e.g. to a universal arithmetic logic unit capable of performing multiple graphics functions on the pixel surface attribute values).
摘要:
Embodiments of the present invention include an arithmetic logic unit for use in a graphics pipeline. The arithmetic logic unit comprising a plurality of scalar arithmetic logic subunits wherein each subunit performs a resultant arithmetic logic operation in the form of [a*b “op” c*d] on a set of input operands a, b, c and d. The arithmetic logic unit also for produces a result based thereon wherein “op” represents a programmable operation and wherein further the resultant arithmetic logic operation is software programmable to implement a plurality of different graphics functions.
摘要:
A graphics processor includes programmable arithmetic logic units (ALUs) for performing scalar arithmetic operations on pixel packets. For a selected scalar arithmetic operation, operands in pixel packets may be formatted in a S1.8 format to improve dynamic range. For at least one other scalar arithmetic operation, the pixel packets may be formatted in a different data format.