# US 6,720,975 B1 · Super-sampling and multi-sampling system and method for antialiasing

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- Number: US 6,720,975 B1
- Document ID: US6720975B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 09/982,449
- Filed: 2001-10-17
- Granted: 2004-04-13
- Earliest claimed: 2001-10-17
- Assignees: NVIDIA Corporation
- Inventors: Douglas Sim Dietrich, Jr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6720975B1

## CPC

- G06T 11/40: Filling planar surfaces by adding surface attributes, e.g. adding colours or textures
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for antialiasing during rendering in a graphics pipeline. Initially, a primitive of vertex data is received in a graphics pipeline. Next, a super-sampling operation is performed on the primitive of vertex data ufilizing the graphics pipeline. Further, a multi-sampling operation is performed on the primitive of vertex data utilizing the graphics pipeline.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for antialiasing during rendering in a graphics pipeline, comprising:
receiving graphics data in a graphics pipeline;
performing super-sampling on the graphics data utilizing the graphics pipeline; and
performing multi-sampling on the graphics data utilizing the graphics pipeline;
wherein the super-sampling and the multi-sampling are utilized in combination in the graphics pipeline on the same graphics data.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multi-sampling improves the speed of the rendering in the graphics pipeline and the super-sampling improves the quality thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the super-sampling includes point sampling.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the super-sampling includes area sampling.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the super-sampling includes calculating vertex data associated with a plurality of samples corresponding to a primitive.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the vertex data includes color values.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the vertex data includes z-values.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method as recited in claim 5, and further comprising downfiltering the calculated vertex data for scaling purposes.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the scaling is 2:1.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The method as recited in claim 5, wherein a texture is retrieved for each of the samples.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the super-sampling includes a super-sampling coverage mask.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multi-sampling includes calculating a plurality of jittered samples on a pixel to be depicted on a display.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the jittered samples are vertically jittered.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multi-sampling includes calculating a plurality of samples of a texture mapped to a pixel to be depicted on a display.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multi-sampling includes calculating four (4) samples on a pixel to be depicted on a display.

### Claim 16

A computer program product for antialiasing during rendering in a graphics pipeline, comprising:
(a) computer code for receiving graphics data in a graphics pipeline;
(b) computer code for performing super-sampling on the graphics data utilizing the graphics pipeline; and
(c) computer code for performing multi-sampling on the graphics data utilizing the graphics pipeline;
wherein the super-sampling and the multi-sampling are utilized in combination in the graphics pipeline on the same graphics data.

### Claim 17

A system for antialiasing during rendering in a graphics pipeline, comprising:
(a) logic for receiving graphics data in a graphics pipeline;
(b) logic for performing super-sampling on the graphics data utilizing the graphics pipeline; and
(c) logic for performing multi-sampling on the graphics data utilizing the graphics pipeline;
wherein the super-sampling and the multi-sampling are utilized in combination in the graphics pipeline on the same graphics data.

### Claim 18

A method for antialiasing during rendering in a graphics pipeline, comprising:
(a) receiving a primitive including a plurality of vertices in a graphics pipeline;
(b) transforming the vertices utilizing the graphics pipeline;
(c) lighting the vertices utilizing the graphics pipeline;
(d) calculating vertex data associated with a plurality of samples corresponding to the primitive via super-sampling utilizing the graphics pipeline;
(e) performing shading operations on a pixel to be depicted on a display using the vertex data associated with the samples utilizing the graphics pipeline;
(f) calculating a plurality of jittered samples on the pixel to be depicted on a display via multi-sampling utilizing the graphics pipeline;
(g) downfiltering the samples for displaying the pixel on the display;
wherein the super-sampling and the multi-sampling are utilized in combination in the graphics pipeline on the same graphics data.