Z-plane compression with z-plane predictors
AssigneeNVIDIA Corporation
InventorsBengt-Olaf Schneider, Christian Amsinck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for compressing graphics data comprises selecting z-planes from a plurality of z-planes. The selected z-planes are predictor z-planes. A residual is determined for each sample not covered by one of the predictor z-planes. A sample is covered by one of the predictor z-planes when the predictor z-plane correctly defines a z-value of the sample. A residual comprises a value that is a difference between a predicted z-value provided by one of the predictor z-planes and an actual z-value for the sample. The predictor z-planes and the residuals are stored in a z-buffer.
Claims20
A method for compressing graphics data comprising a plurality of z-planes and samples, the method comprising:
- selecting z-planes from the plurality of z-planes, wherein the selected z-planes are predictor planes;
- determining a residual for each sample not covered by one of the predictor z-planes, wherein a sample is covered by one of the predictor z-planes when the predictor plane correctly defines a z-value for the sample, and wherein a residual comprises a value that is a difference between a predicted z-value provided by one of the predictor z-planes and an actual z-value for the sample;
- and
- storing the predictor planes and the residuals in a z-buffer.
A method for compressing graphics data comprising samples, the method comprising:
- selecting at least one z-plane visible at a tile, wherein the at least one selected z-plane is a predictor z-plane;
- determining a residual for each sample not covered by the at least one predictor z-plane, wherein a sample is covered by a predictor z-plane of the at least one predictor z-plane when the predictor z-plane correctly defines a z-value of the sample, and wherein a residual comprises a value that is a difference between a predicted z-value provided by one of the predictor z-planes and an actual z-value for the sample;
- and
- storing the at least one predictor z-plane and residuals in a z-buffer.
A method for compressing graphics data, the method comprising:
- selecting a z-data compression format from a plurality of z-data compression formats, wherein a compression format is used to compress z-data by selecting one or more z-planes to represent the z-data,
- wherein a first compression format stores a plurality of z-planes representing the z-data,
- wherein a second compression format stores a plurality of predictor z-planes selected from a plurality of z-planes representing the z-data, and
- wherein the selecting a z-data compression format from a plurality of z-data compression formats is based upon an evaluation of at least one criterion of a plurality of criteria, and
- storing the selected z-planes in a z-buffer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.