Systems and methods for virtualizing graphics subsystems

A computing system for processing a command comprising a graphics work item, comprising:

• a central processing unit (CPU);
• a virtual machine (VM);
• a virtual machine monitor (VMM) that supports the VM;
• a graphics processing unit (GPU) having a real address space;
• and
• a memory bearing instructions that, upon execution by the computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:
• providing the VM with a virtual graphics address space comprising a page table entry, the virtual graphics address space being mapped to a portion of the real address space;
• trapping, by the VMM, an operation originated by the VM to program the page table entry, the operation comprising the command that comprises the graphics work item;
• mapping, by the CPU, a virtual address of the page table entry to a corresponding real address in the portion of the real address space;
• instructing the GPU, by the CPU, to process the operation to program the page table entry at the real address;
• identifying, by the VMM, a display image comprising a graphical result comprising the result of the GPU processing the operation to program the page table entry, the VMM having access to the portion of the real address space;
• and
• transmitting, by the VMM, the result to a host operating system for compositing and display on a display device.

A tangible computer-readable storage medium bearing computer-readable instructions that, upon execution by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

• dividing a real address space of a graphics processing unit (GPU) into at least a first portion and a second portion;
• providing the first VM with a first graphics virtual address space comprising a page table entry, the first graphics virtual address space being mapped to the first portion of the real address space;
• trapping, by the VMM, an operation originated by the first VM to program the page table entry, the operation comprising the command that comprises the graphics work item;
• mapping, by the CPU, a virtual address of the page table entry to a corresponding first real address in the first real portion;
• providing a second VM with a second graphics virtual address space comprising a second page table entry, the second graphics virtual address space being mapped to the second portion of the real address space;
• trapping, by the VMM, an operation originated by the second VM to program the page table entry, the operation comprising the command that comprises the graphics work item;
• mapping, by the CPU, a second virtual address of the second page table entry to a corresponding second real address in the second real portion;
• processing, by the GPU, the first page table entry at the first real address to produce a first graphical result;
• processing, by the GPU, the second page table entry at the second real address to produce a second graphical result;
• compositing an image comprising the first graphical result and the second graphical result;
• and
• storing the image in a memory.