Independent memory heaps for scalable link interface technology

A computer system comprising:

• a plurality of graphics processing units (GPUs);
• and
• memory operatively coupled to a central processing unit, the memory holding instructions that cause the central processing unit to:
• instantiate an independent physical-memory allocator for each GPU;
• receive a physical-memory allocation request from a graphics-driver process;
• pass the physical-memory allocation request to one of the independent physical-memory allocators;
• create a local memory descriptor to reference physical memory on the GPU associated with said one of the independent physical-memory allocators;
• when the physical-memory allocation request specifies exactly one GPU on which to allocate physical memory, assign a physical-memory handle to the local physical memory descriptor;
• when the physical-memory allocation request specifies two or more GPUs on which to allocate physical memory, iterate over each of the two or more GPUs to assemble a top-level memory descriptor and assign the physical-memory handle to the top-level physical-memory descriptor;
• and
• return the physical-memory handle to the graphics-driver process to fulfill a subsequent memory-map request from the graphics-driver process.

A method to render graphics on a computer system having a plurality of graphics-processing units (GPUs), the method comprising:

• instantiating, in an operating system of the computer system, an independent physical-memory allocator for each GPU;
• receiving a physical-memory allocation request from a graphics-driver process;
• passing the physical-memory allocation request to one of the independent physical-memory allocators;
• creating a physical-memory handle to a local memory descriptor to reference physical memory on the GPU associated with said one of the independent physical-memory allocators;
• returning the physical-memory handle to the graphics-driver process;
• receiving a subsequent memory-map request from the graphics-driver process;
• reserving a virtual-memory address (VA) space range specified in the memory-map request;
• backing the reserved VA space range with the physical memory allocated on the associated GPU;
• filling out a page table of the associated GPU to reflect the backing of the reserved VA space range with the physical memory allocated on the associated GPU;
• receiving a graphics instruction referencing the VA space range;
• and
• loading the graphics instruction into a method stream accessible to the associated GPU.