System, method and article of manufacture for Z-value and stencil culling prior to rendering in a computer graphics processing pipeline
AssigneeNVIDIA Corporation
InventorsDouglas A. Voorhies, James M. Van Dyke, Jim E. Margeson, III
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Abstract
A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for early Z-value based culling prior to pixel rendering in a graphics pipeline. In initial stages of processing, Z-value culling is performed on at least one pixel. Thereafter, the pixel is conditionally rendered. Whether the pixel is rendered or not is conditioned on results of the Z-value culling. By culling, or removing, the pixels that do not meet certain criteria prior to rendering, much processing is avoided in the rendering portion of the graphics pipeline.
Claims67
A method for early Z-value culling prior to pixel rendering in a graphics pipeline, comprising:
- conditionally performing Z-value culling on at least one pixel, where the Z-value culling includes reading a stored Z-value associated with the at least one pixel, and performing a test to determine whether the stored Z-value is in front of a primitive Z-value;
- and
- conditionally rendering the at least one pixel after performing the Z-value culling;
- wherein whether the at least one pixel is rendered is conditioned on results of the test of the Z-value culling;
- wherein the Z-value culling is conditionally performed on the at least one pixel based on at least one parameter associated with an application program interface.
A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for early Z-value culling prior to pixel rendering in a graphics pipeline, comprising:
- (a) a code segment for conditionally performing Z-value culling on at least one pixel, where the Z-value culling includes reading a stored Z-value associated with the at least one pixel, and performing a test to determine whether the stored Z-value is in front of a primitive Z-value;
- and
- (b) a code segment for conditionally rendering the at least one pixel after performing the Z-value culling;
- (c) wherein whether the at least one pixel is rendered is conditioned on results of the test of the Z-value culling;
- (d) wherein the Z-value culling is conditionally performed on the at least one pixel based on at least one parameter associated with an application program interface.
A system for early Z-value culling prior to pixel rendering in a graphics pipeline, comprising:
- (a) a Z-value culling module for conditionally performing Z-value culling on at least one pixel, where the Z-value culling includes reading a stored Z-value associated with the at least one pixel, and performing a test to determine whether the stored Z-value is in front of a primitive Z-value, wherein whether the at least one pixel is rendered is conditioned on results of the test;
- and
- (b) a rasterizer coupled to the Z-value culling module for conditionally identifying the at least one pixel after performing the Z-value culling;
- (c) wherein whether the at least one pixel is rendered is conditioned on results of the test of the Z-value culling;
- (d) wherein the Z-value culling is conditionally performed on the at least one pixel based on at least one parameter associated with an application program interface.
A method for early stencil culling prior to pixel rendering in a graphics pipeline, comprising:
- (a) performing stencil culling on at least one pixel;
- (b) conditionally rendering the at least one pixel after performing the stencil culling;
- and
- (c) wherein whether the at least one pixel is rendered is conditioned on results of the stencil culling.
A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for early stencil culling prior to pixel rendering in a graphics pipeline, comprising:
- (a) a code segment for performing stencil culling on at least one pixel;
- (b) a code segment for conditionally rendering the at least one pixel after performing the stencil culling;
- and
- (c) wherein whether the at least one pixel is rendered is conditioned on results of the stencil culling.
A system for early stencil culling prior to pixel rendering in a graphics pipeline, comprising:
- (a) a stencil culling module for performing stencil culling on at least one pixel;
- (b) a rasterizer coupled to the stencil culling module for conditionally identifying the at least one pixel after performing the stencil culling;
- and
- (c) wherein whether the at least one pixel is rendered is conditioned on results of the stencil culling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.