Linear expression evaluator
AssigneeIntegrated Device Technology, Inc.
InventorHenry H. Rich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods, apparatus and computer program products for utilizing a plurality of processing elements to evaluate a linear expression of the form Ax+By+C wherein x and y are coordinates of pixels in a screen. X and y values are assigned to each of the plurality of processing elements and the plurality of processing elements are provided a plurality of multiples of at least one coefficients of the linear expression. The processing elements select from the plurality of multiples of at least one of the coefficients provided at least one multiple of a coefficient associated with the x and y values assigned to the processing element. The processing elements then evaluate the expression Ax+By+C based on the assigned x and y values and the selected multiple.
Claims21
A computer implemented process for utilizing a plurality of processing elements to evaluate linear expressions of the form Ax+By+C wherein x and y are coordinates of pixels in a screen so as to provide pixel data for displaying pixels on a graphic display device, the method comprising:
- assigning a first set of x and y values to said plurality of processing elements;
- assigning a second set of x and y values to said plurality of processing elements wherein the x and y values of the second set of x and y values assigned to at least one of the processing elements are different from the x and y values of the first set of x and y values assigned to the at least one of the processing elements;
- providing to said plurality of processing elements a plurality of multiples of at least one coefficient of the linear expressions;
- and
- wherein at least one of said processing elements carries out the following steps for both the first and the second set of x and y values:
- selecting from the plurality of multiples of at least one of the coefficients provided at least one multiple of the at least one of the coefficients for each of the first and second set of x and y values assigned to the processing element wherein the multiple of the coefficients selected by the processing element based on the second set of x and y values assigned to the processing elements are different from the multiple of the coefficient selected by the processing element based on the x and y values of the first set of x and y values assigned to the processing element;
- evaluating expressions of the form Ax+By+C utilizing both the first and second set of assigned x and y values and the selected multiples and
- providing pixel data for displaying pixels on a graphic display device based on the results of said evaluating step.
An apparatus for displaying graphic data on a screen of a graphics display device based on the evaluation of a linear expression of the form Ax+By+C wherein x and y are coordinates of pixels in the screen, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of processing elements;
- assignment means for dynamically assigning x and y values to each of said plurality of processing elements such that a first processing element of the plurality of processing elements may be assigned different x and y values independent of its relation to another processing element of the plurality of processing elements;
- means for providing to said plurality of processing elements a plurality of multiples of at least one coefficient of the linear expression;
- and
- each of said processing elements comprising:
- means for accepting a dynamic assignment of x and y values to be assigned to the processing element;
- means for selecting from said plurality of multiples of at least one of the coefficients at least one multiple of a coefficient associated with the x and y values assigned to the processing element;
- and
- means for evaluating the expression Ax+By+C based on the assigned x and y values and the selected multiple so as to provide graphic data for display on the screen of the display device.
A computer program product for evaluating a linear expression of the form Ax+By+C wherein x and y are coordinates of pixels in a screen so as to provide graphic data for displaying pixels on a graphics display device, utilizing a plurality of parallel processing elements, the computer program product comprising:
- a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising:
- assignment computer readable program code means for dynamically assigning x and y values to each of said plurality of processing elements such that a first processing element of the plurality of processing elements may be assigned different x and y values independent of its relation to another processing element of the plurality of processing elements;
- computer readable program code means for providing to said plurality of processing elements a plurality of multiples of at least one coefficient of the linear expression;
- and
- selection computer readable program code means for causing said processing elements to select from said plurality of multiples of at least one of the coefficients at least one multiple of a coefficient associated with the x and y values assigned to the processing element;
- and
- evaluation computer readable program code means for causing said processing elements to evaluate the expression Ax+By+C based on the assigned x and y values and the selected multiple so as to provide graphic data for display on the screen of the display device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.