Visibility-based state updates in graphical processing units

A device that renders image data, the device comprising:

• means for generating visibility information for a plurality of primitives defined by the image data during a first pass of a multi-pass rendering process, wherein the visibility information indicates for each of the plurality of primitives whether any of an object formed by the plurality of primitives will be visible anywhere in an image rendered from the image data during a second pass of the multi-pass rendering process;
• and
• means for retrieving state data associated with the object a single time for the entire object per rendered portion of the image data based on the visibility information for the plurality of primitives, wherein the state data is used by the second pass of the multi-pass rendering process in rendering the object, and wherein the first pass finishes prior to completion of the second pass.

A device that renders image data, the device comprising:

• a memory configured to store state data;
• and
• a processor configured to perform a multi-pass rendering process to render an image from the image data, wherein the processor generates visibility information for a plurality of primitives defined by the image data during a first pass of the multi-pass rendering process, wherein the visibility information indicates for each of the plurality of primitives whether any of an object formed by the plurality of primitives will be visible anywhere in the image rendered from the image data during a second pass of the multi-pass rendering process and retrieves, from the memory, the state data associated with the object a single time for the entire object per rendered portion of the image data based on the visibility information for the plurality of primitives, wherein the state data is used by the second pass of the multi-pass rendering process in rendering the object, and wherein the first pass finishes prior to completion of the second pass.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

• generate visibility information for a plurality of primitives defined by the image data during a first pass of a multi-pass rendering process, wherein the visibility information indicates for each of the plurality of primitives whether any of an object formed by the plurality of primitives will be visible anywhere in an image rendered from the image data during a second pass of the multi-pass rendering process;
• and
• retrieve state data associated with the object a single time for the entire object per rendered portion of the image data based on the visibility information for the plurality of primitives, wherein the state data is used by the second pass of the multi-pass rendering process in rendering the object, and wherein the first pass finishes prior to the completion of the second pass.