Rendering architecture with selectable processing of multi-pixel spans
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A rendering system, comprising:
- an external data input connection;
a rasterizer connected to receive and process 2D and 3D primitives from said external data input connections, and accordingly to decompose said primitives into fragments;
wherein in an externally selected first mode of operation of said rasterizer, said rasterizer decomposes at least some of the 2D primitives into multi-pixel fragments which each include multiple pixels; and
wherein in an externally selected second mode of operation of said rasterizer, multi-pixel fragment processing is disabled; and
rendering hardware connected to receive said fragments from said rasterizer, and to render said fragments;
whereby the rendering system provides accelerated performance of 2D rendering tasks.
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Abstract
A rendering system with multi-pixel span processing capability. When 3D graphics processes are not required, 2D data is processed in multi-pixel span fragments. Span fragments permit parallel processing of multiple pixels in a serial architecture, and permit VRAM block fills for accelerated processing under optimal conditions.
175 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A rendering system, comprising:
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an external data input connection; a rasterizer connected to receive and process 2D and 3D primitives from said external data input connections, and accordingly to decompose said primitives into fragments;
wherein in an externally selected first mode of operation of said rasterizer, said rasterizer decomposes at least some of the 2D primitives into multi-pixel fragments which each include multiple pixels; and
wherein in an externally selected second mode of operation of said rasterizer, multi-pixel fragment processing is disabled; andrendering hardware connected to receive said fragments from said rasterizer, and to render said fragments; whereby the rendering system provides accelerated performance of 2D rendering tasks. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A rendering system, comprising:
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an external data input connection; a rasterizer connected to receive and process 2D and 3D primitives from said external data input connections, and accordingly to decompose said primitives into fragments;
wherein in an externally selected first mode of operation of said rasterizer, said rasterizer decomposes at least some of the 2D primitives into multi-pixel fragments which each include multiple pixels; andrendering hardware connected to receive said fragments from said rasterizer, and to render said fragments; whereby the rendering system provides accelerated performance of 2D rendering tasks; wherein when said fragments are passed between said rasterizer and said rendering hardware, less total data is required to be passed when using said multi-pixel fragments than when using a corresponding set of single-pixel fragments. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A rendering system, comprising:
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an external data input connection; a rasterizer connected to receive and process 2D and 3D primitives from said external data input connections, and accordingly to decompose said primitives into fragments;
wherein in an externally selected first mode of operation of said rasterizer, said rasterizer decomposes at least some of the 2D primitives into multi-pixel fragments which each include multiple pixels; andrendering hardware connected to receive said fragments from said rasterizer, and to render said fragments; wherein said rendering hardware uses a fast block fill on said multi-pixel fragments which are of a constant color; whereby the rendering system provides accelerated performance of 2D rendering tasks. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A graphics processing subsystem, comprising:
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an input buffer; a rasterizer, connected to read messages from said input buffer and, in a first mode of operation, to generate a sequence of pixel locations accordingly, and in a second mode of operation, to generate multi-pixel sets and corresponding pixel location pointers accordingly; one or more differential data analyzers, operatively connected to receive messages from said rasterizer, and connected to provide a sequence of incrementally changing parameter values for sequences of pixel locations or pixel sets defined by messages received from said rasterizer; a plurality of additional processing units, operatively connected in series in a pipeline relationship, and jointly operatively connected to receive messages from said differential data analyzers;
plural ones of said additional processing units each having customized hardware which is different from one another and from said differential data analyzers;said processing units being mutually interconnected in a pipeline relationship, such that individual ones of said processing units receive messages and, in accordance with the content of each said respective message, programmably perform a respective graphics processing operation, and selectably transmit said respective message to a succeeding one of said processing units; whereby said plural processing units jointly provide a pipelined multiple-instruction-multiple-device (MIMD) graphics processing architecture. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A rendering method, comprising the steps of:
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(a.) receiving primitive data; (b.) if a first mode is selected, then decomposing said primitive data into multi-pixel fragments; performing a set of pre-rendering graphics processes on said fragments; rendering said fragments and storing the result in a framebuffer; (c.) if a second mode is selected, then decomposing said primitive data into single-pixel fragments; performing a set of pre-rendering graphics processes on said fragments; rendering said fragments and storing the result in a framebuffer; and (d.) displaying the contents of said framebuffer;
wherein said multi-pixel fragments allow multiple pixels to be processed in parallel. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification