System for optimizing graphics operations

• US 8,446,416 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2011
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Harper, John, Brunner, Ralph, Graffagnino, Peter, Zimmer, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Ma, Tize
• Application Number:
  US13/025,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20110169857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/501
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/76 Architectures of general purpose stored program computers with program plugboard G06F15/08; multicomputers G06F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/80 comprising an array of processing units with common control, e.g. single instruction multiple data processors G06F15/82 takes precedence ; for correlation function computation G06F17/15
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for producing images including techniques for reducing the memory and processing power required for such operations. The system provides techniques for programmatically representing a graphics problem. The system further provides techniques for reducing and optimizing graphics problems for rendering with consideration of the system resources, such as the availability of a compatible GPU.

Claims

1. A method of applying two effects to an image, the method comprising the steps of:

using a first processor to apply a first effect to a first frame of an image to generate an intermediate frame; and

using a second processor to apply a second effect to the intermediate frame;

wherein applying said first effect to a next frame by said first processor occurs approximately during the time that said second processor is applying said second effect to said intermediate frame,

wherein said first processor is a central processing unit (CPU) if said first effect is better suited to said CPU than an available graphics processing unit (GPU), and

wherein said first processor is a graphics processing unit (GPU) if said first effect is better suited to said GPU than an available central processing unit (CPU).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first processor is a central processing unit (CPU) and the second processor is a graphics processing unit (GPU).

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first processor is a graphics processing unit (GPU) and the second processor is a central processing unit (CPU).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first processor applies said first effect by emulating a graphics processing unit (GPU).

5. The method of claim 1 where said second effect is a color conversion.

6. A computer system comprising a plurality of processors wherein the plurality of processors are programmed to perform the method of claim 1.

7. A non-transitory program storage device, readable by a processor and comprising instructions stored thereon to cause two or more processors to:

use a first processor to apply a first effect to a first frame of an image to generate an intermediate frame; and

use a second processor to apply a second effect to the intermediate frame;

wherein applying the first effect to a next frame by the first processor occurs approximately during the time that the second processor is applying the second effect to the intermediate frame,

wherein the first processor comprises a central processing unit (CPU) if the first effect is better suited to the CPU than an available graphics processing unit (GPU), and

wherein the first processor comprises a graphics processing unit (GPU) if the first effect is better suited to the GPU than an available central processing unit (CPU).

8. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 7, wherein the first processor comprises a central processing unit (CPU) and the second processor comprises a graphics processing unit (GPU).

9. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 8, wherein the first processor applies the first effect by emulating a graphics processing unit (GPU).

10. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 7, wherein the first processor comprises a graphics processing unit (GPU) and the second processor comprises a central processing unit (CPU).

11. The non-transitory program storage device of claim 7, wherein the second effect comprises at least a color conversion.