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Method of providing a PC-based computing system with parallel graphics processing capabilities

  • US 20080165198A1
  • Filed: 10/23/2007
  • Published: 07/10/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2003
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of providing a PC-based computing system with parallel graphics processing capabilities, wherein said PC-based computing system includes (i) system memory for storing software graphics applications, software drivers and graphics libraries, (ii) an operating system (OS), stored in said system memory, (iii) one or more graphics applications, stored in said system memory, for generating a stream of geometrical data and graphics commands supporting the representation of one or more 3D objects in a scene having 3D geometrical characteristics and the viewing of images of said one or more 3D objects in said scene during an interactive process carried out between said PC-based computing system and a user of said PC-based computing system, (iv) one or more graphic libraries, stored in said system memory, for storing data used to implement said stream of geometrical data and graphics commands, (v) a central processing unit (CPU) for executing said OS, said graphics applications, said drivers and said graphics libraries, (vi) an CPU interface module for interfacing with said CPU, (vii) a PC bus, and (viii) a display surface for displaying images of said 3D objects, said method comprising the steps of:

  • (a) interfacing a hardware hub having a hub router, with said CPU interface module using said PC bus;

    (b) interfacing said hardware hub with a plurality of graphic processing units (GPUs), using said PC bus, wherein said GPUs are arranged in a parallel architecture and operating according to a parallelization mode of operation so that said GPUs support multiple graphics pipelines and process data in a parallel manner, and wherein each said GPU has a corresponding frame buffer for storing a fragment or frame of pixel data generated by said GPU;

    (c) installing one or more GPU drivers, in said system memory, for allowing said GPUs to interact with said graphic libraries,(d) installing one or more software hub drivers within the system memory of said PC-based computing system, for performing the following functions;

    (i) controlling said hardware hub, (ii) interacting with said OS and said graphic libraries, and (iii) forwarding said graphic commands and said geometrical data stream or a portion thereof to each GPU; and

    (e) for each image of said 3D object to be generated and displayed, (i) said hardware hub distributing said graphic commands and said stream of geometrical data or a portion thereof, between said GPUs, and (ii) one or more of said GPUs processing the stream of geometrical data and graphical commands, or portion thereof, during the generation of each said frame, while operating in said parallelization mode, and compositing a pixel data output for display as an image of said 3D object(s) on said display surface.

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