Method and system for efficient context switching in a computer graphics system

In a graphics computer system including a processor and a graphics pipeline, a system for implementing efficient context switching, comprising:

• a graphics pipeline configured to render 3D objects;
• a processor subsystem coupled to the graphics pipeline for executing a software process;
• a command buffer coupled to the graphics pipeline for storing graphics commands from the software process and efficiently providing the graphics commands to the graphics pipeline;
• a shadow buffer coupled to the graphics pipeline and the command buffer, the shadow buffer for storing the state of the graphics pipeline such that when the software process executing on the processor subsystem switches context, the shadow buffer efficiently implements a context change by providing the state of the graphics pipeline to the software process, wherein the graphics commands stored in the command buffer include a first group of graphics commands and a second group of graphics commands, the first group received prior to the second group such that a transition point exists between the first group and the second group, and wherein the shadow buffer stores the state of the command buffer by storing the second group of graphics commands, and the graphics pipeline state derived from the first group of graphics commands.