Efficient object storage for zone rendering

#1. Field

#The present invention relates generally to graphics systems and more particularly to graphics-rendering systems.

#2. Background Information

#FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of a computer system including an embodiment of a graphics device for implementing efficient object storage for zone rendering.

#FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of a graphics device including a graphics-binning engine, graphics-rendering engine and bins.

#FIG. 3 illustrates a depiction of an embodiment of a zone renderer screen view including zones and geometrical primitives.

#Embodiments of the present invention provide for efficient object storage for zone rendering. In particular, similar, contiguous primitives to be stored as a single primitive in the zone rendering bins. To enable this, the primitive packet used in the bin is allowed to vary in length and the currently open type of primitive is recorded on a per-bin basis.

#In the detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention maybe practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components and circuits have been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention.

#Some portions of the detailed description that follow are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits or binary signals within a computer. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, considered to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps include physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers or the like. It should be understood, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the specification, discussions utilizing such terms as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “determining” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer or computing system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulate and transform data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computing system's registers and/or memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computing system's memories, registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.