Mixed reality system with virtual content warping and method of generating virtual content using same

A system for warping virtual content, comprising:

• an input memory to store source virtual content;
• a command processor to divide the source virtual content into a plurality of scheduling units;
• a scheduler to determine a processing sequence;
• a graphics processing unit (GPU) core, the GPU core having a plurality of shader cores to process one of the plurality of scheduling units to generate warped virtual content;
• a first in, first out (FIFO) memory to store output from the GPU core;
• a raster operations processor (ROP) to rasterize the warped virtual content for display;
• and
• a buffer memory to temporarily store the warped virtual content,
• wherein when pre-existing virtual content temporarily stored in the buffer memory conflicts with the warped virtual content, the ROP compares respective Z locations of the pre-existing virtual content and the warped virtual content and writes the warped virtual content in the buffer memory when a Z location of the warped virtual content is closer to a viewing location than a pre-existing Z location of the pre-existing virtual content, and
• wherein the following occur in a single pass:
• the GPU generates the warped virtual content,
• the ROP determines whether the pre-existing virtual content conflicts with the warped virtual content,
• the ROP compares the respective Z locations of the pre-existing virtual content and the warped virtual content if the pre-existing virtual content conflicts with the warped virtual content, and
• the ROP writes the warped virtual content in the buffer memory when the Z location of the warped virtual content is closer to the viewing location than the pre-existing Z location of the pre-existing virtual content.

A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor causes the processor to execute a method for warping virtual content, the method comprising:

• generating warped virtual content by transforming source virtual content;
• determining whether a memory location corresponding to an X, Y location of the warped virtual content in an output frame of reference is occupied by pre-existing virtual content;
• storing the warped virtual content in the memory location if the memory location is not occupied by the pre-existing virtual content;
• comparing respective Z locations of the warped virtual content and the pre-existing virtual content to identify virtual content with a Z location closer to a viewing location in the output frame of reference if the memory location is occupied by the pre-existing virtual content;
• and
• storing the warped virtual content in the memory location corresponding to the X, Y location if a Z location of the warped virtual content is closer to the viewing location than a pre-existing Z location of the pre-existing virtual content in the output frame of reference,
• wherein generating the warped virtual content, determining whether the memory location is occupied, comparing the respective Z locations of the warped virtual content and the pre-existing virtual content if the memory location is occupied, and storing the warped virtual content in the memory location all occur in a single pass.