Patched shading in graphics processing

A graphics processing unit for rendering graphics, the graphics processing unit comprising:

• a memory configured to store a plurality of input vertices;
• and
• one or more processors designated for vertex shading, the one or more processors configured to:
• perform a first rendering pass, the first rendering pass comprising,
• perform a vertex shading operation to shade the plurality of stored input vertices to output a single shaded vertex for each of the plurality of stored input vertices, and
• perform one or more tessellation operations, the one or more tessellation operations comprising a hull shading operation on at least one of the single shaded vertex to output one or more control points;
• and
• perform a second rendering pass without reconfiguring the one or more processors, the second rendering pass comprising:
• perform a domain shading operation comprising generating vertex values based at least in part on the control points;
• and
• perform a geometry shading operation on the one or more domain shaded vertices to generate one or more new vertices, wherein the geometry shading operation operates on at least one of the one or more domain shaded vertices to output the one or more new vertices.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a graphics processing unit to:

• performing a first rendering pass, the first rendering pass comprising,
• performing, with one or more processors of a graphics processing unit designated for vertex shading, a vertex shading operation to shade a plurality of stored input vertices to output vertex shaded vertices, wherein performing the vertex shading operation comprises, by the one or more processors, outputting a single shaded vertex for each of the plurality of stored input vertices;
• and
• performing, with the one or more processors, one or more tessellation operations, the one or more tessellation operations comprises performing a hull shading operation on at least one of the single shaded vertex to output one or more control points;
• and
• performing a second rendering pass without reconfiguring the one or more processors, the second rendering pass comprising,
• performing, with the one or more processors, a domain shading operation comprising generating vertex values based at least in part on the control points;
• and
• performing, with the one or more processors, a geometry shading operation on the one or more domain shaded vertices to generate one or more new vertices, wherein the geometry shading operation operates on at least one of the one or more domain shaded vertices to output the one or more new vertices.