Graphics processing
AssigneeArm Limited
InventorsOle Magnus Ruud, Bjarne Drotninghaug
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of operating a tile-based graphics processor that can use one of plural different rendering tile sizes is disclosed. The tile-based graphics processor includes a rasteriser that can rasterise primitives in a hierarchical manner. A patch size at which to begin the hierarchical testing of primitives in the rasteriser is selected based on the rendering tile size that is to be used. This can reduce the overall number of tests performed to rasterise primitives without impacting the correct functioning of the hierarchical rasterisation process.
Claims17
A method of operating a tile-based graphics processor that is operable to generate a render output by generating a plurality of rendering tiles that together form the render output, and in which the rendering tile size to be used when generating a render output can be selected from a largest rendering tile size and one or more smaller rendering tile sizes;
- wherein the tile-based graphics processor comprises a rasteriser that is operable to test primitives to be rasterised against progressively smaller patches having sizes from a set of plural possible patch sizes that includes a largest patch size and one or more smaller patch sizes;
- the method comprising, when generating a render output:
- selecting, based on the rendering tile size to be used when generating the render output, a patch size of the set of plural possible patch sizes at which to begin the testing of primitives for the render output in the rasteriser;
- and
- the rasteriser, for each primitive to be rasterised for the render output:
- beginning the testing of the primitive at the patch size of the set of plural possible patch sizes selected based on the rendering tile size to be used when generating the render output;
- and
- omitting testing the primitive at any patch size of the set of plural possible patch sizes that is larger than the patch size of the set of plural possible patch sizes selected based on the rendering tile size to be used when generating the render output.
A tile-based graphics processor that is operable to generate a render output by generating a plurality of rendering tiles that together form the render output, and in which the rendering tile size to be used when generating a render output can be selected from a largest rendering tile size and one or more smaller rendering tile sizes, the tile-based graphics processor comprising:
- a rasteriser operable to test primitives to be rasterised against progressively smaller patches having sizes from a set of plural possible patch sizes that includes a largest patch size and one or more smaller patch sizes;
- and
- a control circuit configured to select, based on the rendering tile size to be used when generating a render output, a patch size of the set of plural possible patch sizes at which to begin the testing of primitives for the render output in the rasteriser;
- and to cause the rasteriser to:
- begin the testing of a primitive for the render output at the patch size of the set of plural possible patch sizes selected based on the rendering tile size to be used when generating the render output;
- and
- omit testing the primitive at any patch size of the set of plural possible patch sizes that is larger than the patch size of the set of plural possible patch sizes selected based on the rendering tile size to be used when generating the render output.
A non-transitory computer readable medium storing software code which when executing on a processor performs a method of operating a tile-based graphics processor that is operable to generate a render output by generating a plurality of rendering tiles that together form the render output, and in which the rendering tile size to be used when generating a render output can be selected from a largest rendering tile size and one or more smaller rendering tile sizes;
- wherein the tile-based graphics processor comprises a rasteriser that is operable to test primitives to be rasterised against progressively smaller patches having sizes from a set of plural possible patch sizes that includes a largest patch size and one or more smaller patch sizes;
- the method comprising, when generating a render output:
- selecting, based on the rendering tile size to be used when generating the render output, a patch size of the set of plural possible patch sizes at which to begin the testing of primitives for the render output in the rasteriser;
- and
- the rasteriser, for each primitive to be rasterised for the render output:
- beginning the testing of the primitive at the patch size of the set of plural possible patch sizes selected based on the rendering tile size to be used when generating the render output;
- and
- omitting testing the primitive at any patch size of the set of plural possible patch sizes that is larger than the patch size of the set of plural possible patch sizes selected based on the rendering tile size to be used when generating the render output.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.