Early virtualization context switch for virtualized accelerated processing device

An accelerated processing device (“APD”) capable of performing an early virtualization context switch, the APD including one or more parallel processing units, the APD comprising:

• a plurality of compute units and a graphics processing pipeline, both configured to perform work, the plurality of compute units comprising one or more parallel processing units;
• a command processor comprising a first processor configured to issue commands associated with the work to the plurality of compute units and the graphics processing pipeline;
• and
• a virtualization scheduler comprising a second processor configured to:
• determine, prior to completion of a time-slice for a current function associated with performing work for a virtual machine on the APD, that the APD is idle;
• responsive to the determining, perform an early virtualization context switch to a subsequent function, the early virtualization context switch including:
• saving state on the APD for the current function;
• loading state for the subsequent function on the APD;
• and
• starting work for the subsequent function on the APD.

A device, comprising:

• a processor configured to execute a plurality of virtual machines;
• and
• an accelerated processing device (“APD”) capable of performing an early virtualization context switch, the APD one or more parallel processing units, the APD comprising:
• a plurality of compute units and a graphics processing pipeline, both configured to perform work at the request of the plurality of virtual machines, the plurality of compute units comprising one or more parallel processing units;
• a command processor comprising a first processor configured to issue commands associated with the work to the plurality of compute units and the graphics processing pipeline;
• and
• a virtualization scheduler comprising a second processor configured to:
• determine, prior to completion of a time-slice for a current function associated with performing work for a virtual machine on the APD, that the APD is idle;
• responsive to the determining, perform an early virtualization context switch to a subsequent function, the early virtualization context switch including:
• saving state on the APD for the current function;
• loading state for the subsequent function on the APD;
• and
• starting work for the subsequent function on the APD.