Information processing apparatus and method for processing three-dimensional graphics using a second information processing unit for processing processed-related information

An information processing apparatus, comprising:

• first information processing means for executing a process on the input information;
• second information processing means for executing processes, in parallel with said first information processing means, according to process-related information related to the input information, said second information processing means setting a count equal to the number of times that said first information processing means needs to execute a process in accordance with the process-related information;
• and
• said first information processing means comprises:
• counting means for subtracting, from the counts each time a process is executed by said first information processing means;
• and
• end of process information generating means for ending the process of said first information processing means, when the count reaches zero, and supplying end-of-process information to said second information processing means.

An information processing apparatus comprising:

• first information processing means for executing a process on the input information;
• and
• second information processing means for executing processes, in parallel with said first information processing means, according to process-related information related to the input information, said second information processing means including:
• a first operation part processing information in accordance with the process-related information;
• a second operation part which processes information in accordance with the process-related information in parallel with said first operation part;
• execution control means for controlling, on the basis of the process-related information, said first operation part, said second operation part and said first information processing means to execute respective processes in a synchronous manner, said execution control means including:
• a first execution control part which controls an operation of said first operation part on the basis of the process-related information and generates control information;
• a second execution control part which controls an operation of said second operation part on the basis of the process-related information and generates control information;
• a third execution control part which controls an operation of said first information processing means;
• and
• pipeline control means for controlling operations of said first, second and third execution control parts so that a whole operation proceeds as one pipeline operation, on the basis of said control information generated by said first and second execution control parts.

A method for processing information which executes a process according to input information, the information processing apparatus comprising a first information processing unit for executing an ALU process set exclusively with respect to the input information and a second information processing unit which is capable of executing product-sum processes, shifting and logical operations in parallel with, and synchronized with, the first information processing unit, for executing a process according to process-related information with respect to the input information, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating rendering information, for rendering a three-dimensional image, in accordance with vertex information of a figure constituting a three-dimensional image,
• obtaining a set of endpoints, interpolated between predetermined vertices, in accordance with the vertex information, using a second information processing unit;
• rendering lines interpolated between the set of said endpoints obtained by the second information processing unit and a side of the figure opposite to the set of the endpoints using a first information processing unit operating in parallel and synchronized with the second information processing unit;
• and
• obtaining a next set of endpoints, while the first information processing unit is rendering the lines, using the second information processing unit.

An information processing apparatus connectable to a texture memory storing texture data, a frame memory storing color data of a three-dimensional image to be displayed, and a local memory storing rendering data, a microprogram and user data, said information processing apparatus comprising:

• texture processing means for reading the texture data from the texture memory so as to paste a pattern to associated pixels;
• rendering condition determination means for reading rendering data from the local memory and making a determination as to whether the associated pixels should be rendered;
• and
• blending means for reading rendering data for pixels that are already rendered from the local memory so as to blend pixels to be rendered thereby obtaining data that should be family written in said frame memory, wherein:
• only writing of data is enabled from said blending means to the frame memory,
• corresponding data is written in said frame memory and the local memory, and
• said rendering condition determination means makes access to the local memory in parallel with said texture processing means.

An information processing apparatus connectable to memory means for storing first information indirectly relating to generation of information for an image to be displayed, said information processing apparatus comprising:

• a rendering pipeline subjecting the first information and second information, directly relating to generation of information for an image to be displayed, to a pipeline process, and supplying generated image information to the memory means, said rendering pipeline being constructed of a plurality of stages formed by alternately disposed process units and registers, each process unit comprising operating means for processing said second information in accordance with said first information and interpretation means responsible for interpretation of said first information and the register storing an output of said process unit;
• outputting means, provided in a stage preceding said rendering pipeline, for adding a terminal point tag indicating a terminal point to information relating to a terminal point of a polygon while reducing polygon information from a host apparatus into points, and outputting said second information;
• and
• a lock unit in said rendering pipelines in a stage thereof preceding a process unit that requires said first information from said memory means, said lock unit assuming said second information to relate to the terminal point of the polygon, in case the terminal point tag added to said second information input is set ON, and halting subsequent input of information until all information that remains in said rendering pipeline, including said second information, has been output from said rendering pipeline.

An information processing apparatus connectable to memory means for storing first information indirectly relating to generation of information for an image to be displayed, said information processing apparatus comprising:

• a rendering pipeline subjecting the first information and second information, directly relating to generation of information for an image to be displayed, to a pipeline process, and supplying generated image information to the memory means, said rendering pipeline being constructed of a plurality of stages formed by alternately disposed process units and registers, each process unit comprising operating means for processing said second information in accordance with said first information and interpretation means responsible for interpretation of said first information and the register storing an output of said process unit;
• and
• said memory means comprises a first, synchronous memory connected to an arbitration circuit and a second memory connected to display means,
• said rendering pipeline being enabled to read from and write to said first memory,
• said rendering pipeline being enabled to write to said second memory, and
• an access request from said display means being issued to said second memory.

A method of using an information processing apparatus connectable to a texture memory storing texture data, a frame memory storing color data for a three-dimensional image to be displayed, and a local memory storing rendering data, a microprogram and user data, said information processing method comprising the steps of:

• a) reading the texture data from said texture memory so as to paste a pattern to associated pixels;
• b) reading rendering data from said local memory, in parallel with the reading of the texture data from the texture memory, so as to make a determination as to whether associated pixels should be rendered;
• and
• c) reading rendering data for pixels that are already rendered from said local memory so as to blend read data with color data for pixels to be rendered to obtain data that is written in said frame memory, wherein:
• writing of data to said frame memory is only enabled in step c), and
• corresponding data is written both in said frame memory and in said local memory.