Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Three-dimension
Reexamination Certificate
2005-12-27
2005-12-27
Chauhan, Ulka J. (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Three-dimension
C345S582000, C345S506000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06980209
ABSTRACT:
A scalable pipelined pixel shader that processes packets of data and preserves the format of each packet at each processing stage. Each packet is an ordered array of data values, at least one of which is an instruction pointer. Each member of the ordered array can be indicative of any type of data. As a packet progresses through the pixel shader during processing, each member of the ordered array can be replaced by a sequence of data values indicative of different types of data (e.g., an address of a texel, a texel, or a partially or fully processed color value). Information required for the pixel shader to process each packet is contained in the packet, and thus the pixel shader is scalable in the sense that it can be implemented in modular fashion to include any number of identical pipelined processing stages and can execute the same program regardless of the number of stages. Preferably, each processing stage is itself scalable, can be implemented to include an arbitrary number of identical pipelined instruction execution stages known as microblenders, and can execute the same program regardless of the number of microblenders. The current value of the instruction pointer (IP) in a packet determines the next instruction to be executed on the data contained in the packet. Any processing unit can change the instruction that will be executed by a subsequent processing unit by modifying the IP (and/or condition codes) of a packet that it asserts to the subsequent processing unit. Other aspects of the invention include graphics processors (each including a pixel shader configured in accordance with the invention), methods and systems for generating packets of data for processing in accordance with the invention, and methods for pipelined processing of packets of data.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5706415 (1998-01-01), Kelley et al.
patent: 6198488 (2001-03-01), Lindholm et al.
patent: 6229553 (2001-05-01), Duluk et al.
patent: 6333744 (2001-12-01), Kirk et al.
patent: 6646653 (2003-11-01), San et al.
patent: 2002/0174318 (2002-11-01), Stuttard et al.
patent: 2004/0085313 (2004-05-01), Moreton et al.
patent: 2005/0078117 (2005-04-01), Suzuoki et al.
Peercy, Mark S., Marc Alano, John Airey, and P. Jeffery Ungar, “Interactive Multi-pass Programmable Shading”, Proceedings of SIGGRAPH 2000(New Orleans, Louisiana, Jul. 23-28, 2000). In Computer Graphics, Annual Conference Series, ACM SIGGRAPH, 2000).
“A real-time procedural shading system for programmable graphics hardware” Kekoa Proudfoot, William R. Mark, Svetoslav Tzvetkov, Pat Hanrahan Aug. 2001. Proceedings of the 28th annual conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniques.
Foley et al., “Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice”, Addison Wesley, 2nd ed. in C, 1996, pp. 874-876, p. 879.
Donham Christopher D. S.
Hutchins Edward A.
Minkin Alexander Lev
Nordquist Bryon
Scott III George Easton
Chauhan Ulka J.
Hajnik Daniel F.
Moser, Patterson & Sheridan L.L.P.
NVIDIA Corporation
LandOfFree
Method and system for scalable, dataflow-based, programmable... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and system for scalable, dataflow-based, programmable..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and system for scalable, dataflow-based, programmable... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3484950