Software-assisted hardware cache for texture decompression

Abstract

In computer graphics, texture refers to a type of surface, including the material characteristics, that can be applied to an object in an image. In some implementations, a texture may be represented as an image that can be placed on a three-dimensional (3D) model of an object to give surface details to the 3D object. To reduce a size of textures (e.g. for storage and transmission), textures may be compressed. However, current decompression methods that execute in software shader code are costly, especially where high compression ratios are involved. The present disclosure provides for a software-assisted hardware cache for texture decompression, which can be used to access already decompressed textures thereby reducing a number of decompressions required to be performed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.