Time slice processing of tessellation and geometry shaders

A graphics processing unit, comprising:

• a streaming multiprocessor, and
• a work distribution processor coupled to the streaming multiprocessor and configured to:
• transmit a first set of one or more surface patches to the streaming multiprocessor during a first processing cycle for the streaming multiprocessor to produce tessellation data for each of the one or more surface patches, the tessellation data for each surface patch including level-of-detail values that define geometric primitives associated with the surface patch;
• determine, based on a consumption level associated with at least one system resource exceeding a threshold level, that the streaming multiprocessor should transition, prior to completion of the first processing cycle, from the first processing cycle to a second processing cycle during which the streaming multiprocessor processes the geometric primitives associated with each of the one or more surface patches, wherein the first processing cycle and the second processing cycle are consecutive processing cycles of a graphics processing pipeline;
• and
• transmit a first transition state bundle to the streaming multiprocessor that causes the streaming multiprocessor to stop the first processing cycle prior to completion of the first processing cycle and start the second processing cycle to process the geometric primitives.

A system, comprising:

• a streaming multiprocessor;
• at least one system resource;
• and
• a work distribution processor configured to:
• transmit one or more surface patches to the streaming multiprocessor during a first processing cycle for the streaming multiprocessor to process the one or more surface patches to produce tessellation data for each of the one or more surface patches, the tessellation data for each surface patch including level-of-detail values that define geometric primitives associated with the surface patch,
• determine, based on a consumption level associated with at least one system resource exceeding a threshold level, that the streaming multiprocessor should transition, prior to completion of the first processing cycle, from the first processing cycle to a second processing cycle during which the streaming multiprocessor processes the geometric primitives associated with each of the one or more surface patches, wherein the first processing cycle and the second processing cycle are consecutive processing cycles of a graphics processing pipeline, and
• transmit a first transition state bundle to the streaming multiprocessor that causes the streaming multiprocessor to stop the first processing cycle prior to completion of the first processing cycle and start the second processing cycle to process the geometric primitives.