Method and apparatus for processing real-time command information
First Claim
1. A method for processing command information in a command processing system, the method comprising:
- (a) detecting a real time event while monitoring a plurality of event signals, wherein the plurality of event signals are generated by a plurality of engines and one of the plurality of engines is a 3D engine;
(b) causing commands in a real time event command buffer to be fetched and consumed in response to the real time event; and
wherein step (a) further comprises;
(a1) providing event selector signal to a comparator;
(a2) providing the plurality of event signals to the comparator; and
(a3) generating an event detection signal when at least one of the event signals is equivalent to the event selector signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus includes a real time event engine that monitors event signals. A real time event detector within the real time event engine detects when the real time event occurs. Thereupon, real time event commands within a real time event command buffer are fetched and consumed by the command processor in response to the occurrence of the real time event. The real time event detector contains a plurality of control registers, which contain an event selector register, a real time command buffer point register, and a real time command buffer length register. A driver may program the registers, whereupon a singe real time event detector may be used in conjunction with a plurality of real time event command buffers.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for processing command information in a command processing system, the method comprising:
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(a) detecting a real time event while monitoring a plurality of event signals, wherein the plurality of event signals are generated by a plurality of engines and one of the plurality of engines is a 3D engine; (b) causing commands in a real time event command buffer to be fetched and consumed in response to the real time event; and wherein step (a) further comprises; (a1) providing event selector signal to a comparator; (a2) providing the plurality of event signals to the comparator; and (a3) generating an event detection signal when at least one of the event signals is equivalent to the event selector signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for processing command information, the method comprising:
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(a) providing system commands to a command processor from a system command buffer; (b) detecting a real time event while monitoring a plurality of event signals, wherein the plurality of event signals are generated by a plurality of engines and one of the plurality of engines is a 3D engine; (c) fetching real time event commands in a real time event command buffer in response to the real time event; (d) providing the real time event commands in the real time event command buffer to the command processor and (e) consuming the real time event commands by the command processor; and wherein step (b) further comprises; (b1) providing an event selector signal to a comparator; (b2) providing the plurality of event signals to the comparator; and (b3) generating an event detection signal when at least one of the event signals is equivalent to the event selector signal. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A method for processing command information, the method comprising:
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(a) loading real time event into a real time event detector; (b) providing a system command from a system command buffer to a command processor; (c) detecting a real time event while monitoring a plurality of event signals, wherein the plurality of event signals are generated by a plurality of engines and one of the plurality of engines is a 3D engine; (d) fetching real time event commands in the real time event command buffer; (e) providing the real time event commands of the real time event command buffer to the command processor; and (f) consuming the real time event commands by the command processor; and wherein the step (c) further comprises; (c1) providing an event selector signal to a comparator; (c2) providing the plurality of event signals to the comparator; and (c3) generating an event detection signal when an event signal is equivalent to the event selector signal. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. An apparatus for processing command information, the apparatus comprising:
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a command processor for processing system commands from a system command buffer; a first real time event engine which monitors a plurality of event signals for a real time event; a real time event command buffer, containing a plurality of real time event commands, operably coupled to the first real time event engine; and a plurality of engines providing the plurality of event signals, wherein one of the engines is a 3D engine; wherein when the real time event occurs, the real time event commands are fetched and consumed by the command processor; wherein the first real time event engine comprises a real time event detector comprising an event table containing an event selector;
a comparator operative to receive the event selector;wherein the plurality of engines provide the plurality of event signals to the comparator; and wherein the comparator compares the plurality of event signals to the event selector and produces an event detection signal when at least one of the plurality of event signals matches the event selector. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An apparatus for processing command information, the apparatus comprising:
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a command processor for processing system commands from a system command buffer; a first real time event engine which monitors a plurality of event signals for a first real time event; a plurality of engines providing the plurality of event signals, wherein one of the plurality of engines is a 3D engine; a first real time event command buffer, containing a plurality of first real time event commands, operably coupled to the first real time event engine, wherein when the first real time event occurs, the processing of the system commands is paused and the first real time event commands are fetched and consumed by the command processor; a second real time event engine which monitors the plurality of event signals for a second real time event; and a second real time event command buffer, containing a plurality of second real time event commands, operably coupled to the second real time event engine, where in when the second real time event occurs, the processing of commands by the command processor is paused and the second real time event commands are fetched and consumed by the command processor; wherein the first real time event engine comprises a first real time event detector having a first event selector and a first comparator which receives the first event selector; wherein the second real time event engine comprises a second real time event detector having a second event selector and a second comparator which receives the second event selector; and wherein the plurality of engines is operably coupled to the first comparator and the second comparator, whereupon when one of the event signals matches the first event selector, a first event detection signal is produced by the first comparator and when one of the event signals matches the second event selector, a second event detection signal is produced by the second comparator.
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16. A graphics controller comprising:
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a command processor for processing system commands from a system command buffer; a first real time event engine which monitors a plurality of event signals for a first real time event; a plurality of engines providing the plurality of event signals, wherein one of the plurality of engines is a 3D engine; and a first real time event command buffer, containing a plurality of first real time event commands, operably coupled to the first real time event engine, wherein when the first real time event occurs, the processing of the system commands is paused and the first real time event commands are fetched and consumed by the command processor; wherein the first real time event engine comprises a real time event detector comprising an event table containing an event selector;
a comparator operative to receive the event selector;wherein the plurality of engines provide the plurality of event signals to the comparator; and wherein the comparator compares the plurality of event signals to the event selector and produces an event detection signal when at least one of the plurality of event signals matches the event selector. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for processing command information, the apparatus comprising:
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means for processing system commands from a system command buffer;
first means for monitoring a plurality of event signals for a first real time event;a plurality of means for providing the plurality of event signals, wherein one of the plurality of means is a 3D engine; a first means for containing a plurality of first real time event commands, operably coupled to the first means to monitoring, wherein when the first real time event occurs, the processing of the commands by the means for processing system commands is paused and the first real time event commands are fetched and consumed by the means for processing system commands; a second means for monitoring the plurality of event signals for a second real time event; and a second means for containing a plurality of second real time event commands, operably coupled to the second means for monitoring, wherein when the second real time event occurs, the processing of commands by the means for processing system commands is paused and the second real time event commands are fetched and consumed by the means for processing system command; wherein the first monitoring means comprises a means having a first event selector and a first means for receiving the first event selector; wherein the second monitoring means comprises a means having a second event selector and a second means for receiving the second event selector; and wherein the plurality means are operably coupled to the first means for receiving and the second means for receiving, whereupon when one of the event signals matches the first event selector, a first event detection signal is produced by the first means for receiving and when one of the event signals matches the second event selector, a second event detection signal is produced by the second means for receiving.
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Specification