Abstract:
According to one embodiment, a computer system is disclosed that includes a memory and a memory controller coupled to the memory. The memory controller includes an arbitration unit that may be programmed to operate according to a first arbitration mode or a second arbitration mode. The computer system also includes a first device and a second device coupled to the arbitration unit. According to a further embodiment, the first device is assigned a higher priority classification than the second device for accessing the memory while the arbitration unit is operating according to the first arbitration mode. In addition, the first device and the second device are assigned equal priority classifications for accessing the memory while the arbitration unit is operating according to the second arbitration mode.
Abstract:
Techniques related to graphic rendering including lossy color merge for multi-sampling anti-aliasing compression are discussed. A method for providing anti-aliasing in graphic rendering comprising determining two or more colors associated with a plurality of color samples of a pixel; determining a first color of the two or more colors and a second color of the two or more colors are substantially similar; merging the first color and the second color to form a merged color; and replacing the first color and the second color with the merged color.
Abstract:
Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for causing the storage of a color data value of a clear color to be deferred as rendered color data values are stored for samples. A device comprises a processor circuit and a storage to store instructions that cause the processor circuit to render a pixel from multiple samples taken of a three-dimensional model of an object, the pixel corresponding to a pixel sample data which comprises multiple color storage locations that are each identified by a numeric identifier, and which comprises multiple sample color indices that each correspond to a sample to point to at least one color storage location; and allocate color storage locations in an order selected to define a subset of possible combinations of binary index values among all of the sample color indices as invalid combinations. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
Abstract:
A technique to enable information sharing among agents within different cache coherency domains. In one embodiment, a graphics device may use one or more caches used by one or more processing cores to store or read information, which may be accessed by one or more processing cores in a manner that does not affect programming and coherency rules pertaining to the graphics device.
Abstract:
Multiple parallel passive threads of instructions coordinate access to shared resources using “active” semaphores. The semaphores are referred to as active because the semaphores send messages to execution and/or control circuitry to cause the state of a thread to change. A thread can be placed in an inactive state by a thread scheduler in response to an unresolved dependency, which can be indicated by a semaphore. A thread state variable corresponding to the dependency is used to indicate that the thread is in inactive mode. When the dependency is resolved a message is passed to control circuitry causing the dependency variable to be cleared. In response to the cleared dependency variable the thread is placed in an active state. Execution can proceed on the threads in the active state.
Abstract:
In a computer image generation system, the number of vertices which define polygons is augmented in real time for providing finer detail and for effecting smooth level of detail transition. Augmented vertices may have components that are statistically derived in which case it is not necessary to store and/or predefine them. Alternatively, some vertex components may have predetermined values derived from mapping data or from other deterministic sources and may be stored in compact form. Processing polygons defined by the augmented vertices along with the original vertices may be used for displaying the finer detail. Statistically derived finer detail is especially suited for providing non-specific detail to features such as terrain and bodies of water, while deterministic data allows highly accurate representations of specific 'real world' locations. Vertex augmentation may be controlled by the following breakupcriteria: range from the viewpoint, angle from the viewpoint boresight, desired maximum error or other criteria and combinations thereof.
Abstract:
A computer graphics system and a method of configuring data in a memory unit of a computer graphics system. Generally, the data is configured such that the number of memory page breaks is reduced when data is accessed from the memory for image computation. For example, when the memory is used to store pixel values, each page of the memory is comprised of pixel values for a rectangular or tile array of pixels. This increases the spatial coherence between the pixel values and the pixels of the polygons that are rasterized when the system renders an image. Preferably, a translation algorithm is provided to allow standard operating systems and software applications to work with the tiled configuration of the pixel values in the memory. This algorithm translates the scalar memory address initially provided by the operating system or the software application, and translates that first scalar memory address to a second scalar memory address that will properly access the value for the pixel conventionally associated with the first scalar memory address.