Method and system for dynamically allocating a frame buffer for efficient anti-aliasing

Firmware stored on a memory unit of a polygon rendering system, said firmware causing said system to:

• analyze geometric data defining a polygon in an image being generated;
• render said geometric data as pixel data, said pixel data defining pixels used to display said image;
• store said pixel data in a first memory buffer;
• identify edge pixels located on an edge of a polygon in an image being generated;
• and
• allocate memory in a second memory buffer for storing additional pixel data used to render said edge pixels at a higher resolution than pixels that are not said edge pixels;
• wherein said instructions, when executed, further cause said system to write a memory offset value to a field corresponding to each of said edge pixels in said first buffer, said memory offset value indicating an address of said additional pixel data corresponding to said each of said edge pixels in said second buffer.

A method of rendering geometric data as pixel data, said geometric data defining a polygon in an image being generated, said pixel data defining pixels used to display said image, said method comprising:

• identifying which of said pixels are edge pixels, said edge pixels located on an edge of said polygon;
• allocating memory in a second memory buffer, which is in addition to a first memory buffer for said pixel data, for storing additional pixel data used to render said edge pixels at a higher resolution than pixels that are not said edge pixel;
• and
• writing a memory offset value in a data field corresponding to an edge pixel being rendered in said first buffer, said memory offset value indicating an address of said additional pixel data corresponding to said edge pixel in said second buffer.

A method of controlling a first memory buffer and a second memory buffer, said method comprising:

• storing pixel data in said first buffer, said pixel data defining pixels used to display a polygon of an image;
• allocating memory to said second buffer to store additional pixel data, said additional pixel data used to render edge pixels at a higher resolution than pixels that are not said edge pixels, said edge pixels located on an edge of said polygon in said image;
• and
• writing a memory offset value in a data field corresponding to said edge pixels in said first buffer, said memory offset value indicating an address of said additional pixel data corresponding to said edge pixels in said second buffer.

A method of anti-aliasing an edge pixel located on an edge of a polygon in an image being generated, said method comprising:

• analyzing geometric data defining said polygon and rendering said geometric data as pixel data, said pixel data defining pixels used to display said image;
• storing said pixel data in a first memory buffer;
• identifying said edge pixels;
• allocating memory in a second memory buffer for storing additional pixel data used to render said edge pixels at a higher resolution than pixels that are not said edge pixels;
• and
• writing a memory offset value to a field corresponding to each of said edge pixels in said first buffer, said memory offset value indicating an address of said additional pixel data corresponding to said each of said edge pixels in said second buffer.

A system for rendering geometric data as pixel data, said geometric data defining a polygon in an image being generated, said pixel data defining pixels used to display said image, said method comprising;

• means for identifying which of said pixels are edge pixels, said edge pixels located on an edge of said polygon;
• means for allocating memory in a second memory buffer, which is in addition to a first memory buffer storing said pixel data, for storing additional pixel data used to render said edge pixels at a higher resolution than pixels that are not said edge pixels;
• and
• means for writing a memory offset value in a data field corresponding to an edge pixel being rendered in said first buffer, said memory offset value indicating an address of said additional pixel data corresponding to said edge pixel in said second buffer.