US 2003/0151608 A1 · Programmable 3D graphics pipeline for multimedia applications

Abstract

A programmable graphics pipeline and method for processing multiple partitioned multimedia data, such as graphics data, image data, video data, or audio data. A preferred embodiment of the programmable graphics pipeline includes an instruction cache, a register file, and a vector functional unit that perform partitioned instructions. In addition, an enhanced rasterization unit is used to generate inverse-mapped source coordinates in addition to destination output coordinates for graphics and other media processing. An enhanced texture address unit generates corresponding memory addresses of source texture data for graphics processing and source media data for media processing. Data retrieved from memory are stored in an enhanced texture cache for use by the vector functional unit. A vector output unit includes a blending unit for graphics data and an output buffer for wide media data.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A programmable graphics pipeline for processing multimedia data comprising:

(a) an instruction cache for storing at least graphics and media instructions;
(b) a first register file for storing the multimedia data and intermediate data;
and
(c) a first vector functional unit in communication with the instruction cache and the register file, said vector functional unit performing at least graphics and media instructions, to produce at least graphics and media data

1 more element

A method for producing one of graphics output data and media output data, comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining configuration data from a host processor, said configuration data comprising a partitioned data size and a location of an instruction;
(b) performing graphics processing on graphics source data with a programmable graphics pipeline to produce graphics output data when the partitioned data size and the instruction correspond to graphics processing;
and
(c) performing media processing on media source data with the programmable graphics pipeline to produce media output data when the partitioned data size and the instruction correspond to media processing.

1 more element

A programmable graphics pipeline for multimedia applications that performs graphics and media functions, comprising:

(a) a vector streaming engine that accesses variable length data from a memory and writes pixel data to the memory, wherein the pixel data are one of graphics pixel data and media pixel data;
and
(b) a vector processing engine in communication with the vector streaming engine, said vector processing engine generating the pixel data from the variable length data.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Programmable 3D graphics pipeline for multimedia applications

Life of this patent

Programmable 3D graphics pipeline for multimedia applications

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30