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US 2002/0171651 A1Published application
Graphics fragment merging for improving pixel write bandwidth
AssigneeSun Microsystems, Inc.
InventorsSteven M. Kurihara, Ewa M. Kubalska
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A merge unit for the merging of tiles or arrays of pixels or samples, and suitable for use in a high performance graphics system is described. The unit may improve the utilization of memory bandwidth by combining non-intersecting tiles of pixels, and hence potentially reducing the number of storage operations to the memory.
Claims27
A graphics system comprising:
- a fragment generator configured to receive graphics data, wherein the fragment generator generates arrays of fragments according to the graphics data;
- a merge unit connected to the fragment generator and configured to merge two consecutive arrays of fragments and output a resultant array of fragments;
- and
- a memory connected to the merge unit and configured to store the resultant array of fragments.
1 more element
A graphics system comprising:
- a pixel engine configured to receive graphics information, wherein the pixel engine renders tiles of pixel data according to the graphics information, and wherein the tiles of pixel data are sets of spatially related pixels;
- a pixel concentrator connected to the pixel engine and configured to receive the tiles of pixel data, wherein the pixel concentrator is further configured to combine subsequent tiles of pixel data into packed tiles, wherein the packed tiles have the same dimensions as the tiles of pixel data;
- and
- a frame buffer connected to the pixel concentrator and configured to store the packed tiles.
1 more element
A method for storing pixel data, the method comprising:
- a) receiving tiles of pixel data, wherein the tiles of pixel data are sets of spatially related pixels;
- b) testing subsequent tiles of pixels data against a fixed set of rules of combination, and combining the subsequent tiles of pixel data according to the results of the testing to form a packed tile;
- and
- c) storing the packed tile in a memory.
1 more element
A method for writing a merged array of graphics data from two subsequent arrays of graphics data to an interleaved memory, the method comprising:
- a) receiving a first array of graphics data and storing the first array of graphics data in a first temporary storage space;
- b) receiving a second array of graphics data and storing the second array of graphics data in a second temporary storage space;
- c) testing the intersection of the first array of graphics data with the second array of graphics data;
- d) merging the first array and the second array to form a merged array of graphics data;
- and
- e) outputting each element of the merged array of graphics data to a corresponding interleave of the interleaved memory according to the result of the intersection test of (c).
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.