摘要:
Graphics window systems which utilize graphics pipelines and graphics pipeline bypass buses. Hardware solutions for window relative rendering of graphics primitives, block moving of graphics primitives, transfer of large data blocks, and elimination of pipeline flushing are disclosed. The hardware implementations provided in accordance with the invention are interfaced along the pipeline bypass bus, thereby eliminating gross overhead processor time for the graphics pipeline and reducing pipeline latency. Methods and apparatus provided in accordance with the invention exhibit significant pipeline efficiency and reductions in time to render graphics primitives to the screen system.
摘要:
Methods and apparatus for rendering graphics primitives to display devices in a computer graphics frame buffer system are disclosed. The methods provide an array of addressable video random access memory (VRAM) chips associated to form the graphics frame buffer. The VRAMs in the frame buffer are addressed with coordinate pixel locations on the display device corresponding to locations of the graphics primitives on the display device. The frame buffer is accessed with a graphics rendered according to arbitrarily shaped tiles containing pixels such that the pixels within the tiles have potentially different VRAM addresses.
摘要:
Graphics window systems which utilize graphics pipelines and graphics pipeline bypass buses. Hardware solutions for window relative rendering of graphics primitives, block moving of graphics primitives, transfer of large data blocks, and elimination of pipeline flushing are disclosed. The hardware implementations provided in accordance with the invention are interfaced along the pipeline bypass bus, thereby eliminating gross overhead processor time for the graphics pipeline and reducing pipeline latency. Methods and apparatus provided in accordance with the invention exhibit significant pipeline efficiency and reductions in time to render graphics primitives to the screen system.
摘要:
A system and method communicate information from a single-threaded application over multiple I/O busses to a computing subsystem for processing. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided that partitions state-sequenced information for communication to a computer subsystem, communicates the partitioned information to the subsystem over a plurality of input/output busses, and separately processes the information received over each of the plurality of input/output busses, without first se-sequencing the information.
摘要:
Graphics window systems which utilize graphics pipelines and graphics pipeline bypass buses. Hardware solutions for window relative rendering of graphics primitives, block moving of graphics primitives, transfer of large data blocks, and elimination of pipeline flushing are disclosed. The hardware implementations provided in accordance with the invention are interfaced along the pipeline bypass bus, thereby eliminating gross overhead processor time for the graphics pipeline and reducing pipeline latency. Methods and apparatus provided in accordance with the invention exhibit significant pipeline efficiency and reductions in time to render graphics primitives to the screen system.
摘要:
Graphics window systems which utilize graphics pipelines and graphics pipeline bypass buses. Hardware solutions for window relative rendering of graphics primitives, block moving of graphics primitives, transfer of large data blocks, and elimination of pipeline flushing are disclosed. The hardware implementations provided in accordance with the invention are interfaced along the pipeline bypass bus, thereby eliminating gross overhead processor time for the graphics pipeline and reducing pipeline latency. Methods and apparatus provided in accordance with the invention exhibit significant pipeline efficiency and reductions in time to render graphics primitives to the screen system.
摘要:
Systems and methods are provided for performing a BLT (BLock Transfer). In accordance with one embodiment, a method uses a texture-mapping subsystem to perform the BLT by configuring the texture-mapping subsystem with coordinate values corresponding to a block of pixels to be transferred. In accordance with another embodiment, an apparatus comprises logic for defining a texture map from a source segment of memory corresponding to a frame buffer, logic for configuring a texture-mapping subsystem with coordinate values corresponding to a first block of pixels on a display, logic for using a texture-mapping subsystem to apply the texture map defined by the configured coordinate values to a destination segment of memory corresponding to a second block of pixels on the graphic display, wherein the application of the texture map effects a BLT of the data from the first block of pixels to the second block of pixels.
摘要:
A multi-function unit for occlusion testing primitives being processed in a graphics system and for updating a Z pyramid data structure used for occlusion testing. The Z pyramid data structure is updated on the fly, i.e., as primitives are being occlusion tested. The apparatus comprises multi-function unit is configured to create the Z pyramid data structure and to perform occlusion testing. The Z pyramid data structure comprises a plurality of levels, each of which comprises a plurality of regions. Each region comprises a plurality of subregions, each of which corresponds to a single Z value. Each region corresponds to a plurality of Z values and has a maximum region Z value, which corresponds to the largest Z value of the region. The multi-function unit compares the minimum Z value of each primitive with the maximum Z value of a region associated with the tested primitive to determine whether or not the tested primitive is fully occluded. Coverage masks are maintained by the multi-function unit for the different levels of the Z pyramid data structure to enable the Z pyramid data structure to be updated on the fly. When certain bits in the coverage masks are set, the multi-function unit causes the Z pyramid data structure to be updated.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for performing scan conversion in a computer graphics display system to determine pixel locations in screen space which correspond to a primitive being scan converted. The apparatus of the present invention comprises logic configured to convert a primitive into pixel locations in screen space. The logic, which is referred to hereinafter as the hierarchical tiler, subdivides the screen space into a plurality of regions, each of which comprises a plurality of pixel locations in screen space. The hierarchical tiler then determines whether a particular one of the regions is entirely outside of the primitive, entirely inside of the primitive, or partially inside of the primitive. If the hierarchical tiler determines that a particular region is entirely inside of the primitive, it converts the particular region into pixel locations in screen space. If the hierarchical tiler determines that the particular region is partially inside of the primitive, it further subdivides the particular region into a plurality of sub-regions. The hierarchical tiler then determines whether a particular one of the plurality of sub-regions is entirely outside of the primitive, entirely inside of the primitive, or partially inside of the primitive. If the hierarchical tiler determines that a particular sub-region is entirely inside of the primitive, it converts the particular sub-region into pixel locations in screen space. This process of subdividing the screen space into smaller regions continues until either a region is found to be contained within a primitive and is converted into pixels, or until screen space has been subdivided all of the way down to the pixel level.
摘要:
In one embodiment, selecting a screen region on a screen of a monitor of a computer graphics display system to activate in rendering a straight line segment. Steps of aligning a rectangular grid to screen region boundaries, wherein the screen includes a screen space divided into at least one screen region, locating a first and second endpoints of the straight line segment on the screen space, defining a rectangular bounding box in the screen space having vertices at the first and second endpoints, identifying each screen region that at least partially overlaps the bounding box, and selecting each identified screen region through which the straight line segment passes to activate for rendering the straight line segment on the screen are disclosed.