Graphics processing
AssigneeArm Limited
InventorsAndreas Due Engh-Halstvedt, Frank Klaeboe Langtind, Mark Underwood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of operating a graphics processor that executes a graphics processing pipeline comprising a vertex shading stage is disclosed. A set of blocks of memory space that may be represented by a linked list is provided and memory space for storing vertex shaded attribute data generated by the vertex shading stage is allocated from one of the blocks of memory space in the set of blocks of memory space. When data stored in a block of memory space is no longer needed by the graphics processing pipeline, the block can be “recycled” for use by the pipeline.
Claims20
A method of operating a graphics processing pipeline comprising a first processing stage that is operable to perform a graphics processing operation to generate output data, and a second processing stage that is operable to process output data generated by the first processing stage, the method comprising:
- the first processing stage performing the graphics processing operation to generate first output data;
- storing the first output data in a block of memory space;
- and
- the second processing stage processing the first output data stored in the block of memory space;
- and after the first output data stored in the block of memory space has been processed by the second processing stage:
- adding the block of memory space to a set of blocks of memory space;
- the method further comprising:
- the first processing stage performing the graphics processing operation to generate second output data;
- allocating memory space for storing the second output data from the block of memory space added to the set of blocks of memory space;
- and
- storing the second output data in the allocated memory space.
A graphics processing system comprising:
- a graphics processor configured to execute a graphics processing pipeline comprising a first processing stage that is operable to perform a graphics processing operation to generate output data and a second processing stage that is operable to process output data generated by the first processing stage;
- and
- a memory storing circuit configured to store output data generated by the first processing stage in a block of memory space;
- wherein the graphics processing system is configured to, after the second processing stage has processed first output data generated by the first processing stage that is stored in a block of memory space, add the block of memory space to a set of blocks of memory space;
- and
- the memory storing circuit is configured to allocate memory space for storing second output data generated by the first processing stage from the block of memory space added to the set of blocks of memory space, and to store the second output data in the allocated memory space.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing software code which when executing on a processor performs a method of operating a graphics processing pipeline comprising a first processing stage that is operable to perform a graphics processing operation to generate output data, and a second processing stage that is operable to process output data generated by the first processing stage, the method comprising:
- the first processing stage performing the graphics processing operation to generate first output data;
- storing the first output data in a block of memory space;
- and
- the second processing stage processing the first output data stored in the block of memory space;
- and after the first output data stored in the block of memory space has been processed by the second processing stage:
- adding the block of memory space to a set of blocks of memory space;
- the method further comprising:
- the first processing stage performing the graphics processing operation to generate second output data;
- allocating memory space for storing the second output data from the block of memory space added to the set of blocks of memory space;
- and
- storing the second output data in the allocated memory space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.