University of Washington

Chris Yoochang Chung

Yongmin Kim

Donglok Kim

Rohit Garg

Ravi A Managuli

Coskun Mermer

Kerem Karadayi

A programmable graphics pipeline and method for processing multiple partitioned multimedia data, such as graphics data, image data, video data, or audio data. A preferred embodiment of the programmable graphics pipeline includes an instruction cache, a register file, and a vector functional unit that perform partitioned instructions. In addition, an enhanced rasterization unit is used to generate inverse-mapped source coordinates in addition to destination output coordinates for graphics and other media processing. An enhanced texture address unit generates corresponding memory addresses of source texture data for graphics processing and source media data for media processing. Data retrieved from memory are stored in an enhanced texture cache for use by the vector functional unit. A vector output unit includes a blending unit for graphics data and an output buffer for wide media data.

Programmable 3D graphics pipeline for multimedia applications

A deep-pipeline system substantially reduces the overhead of setup delays and pipeline delays by dynamically controlling access of a plurality of configuration register sets by both a host central processing unit (CPU) and the stages of the pipelines. A master configuration register set is loaded with configuration parameters by the host CPU in response to an index count provided by a setup-index counter. A plurality of other counters are employed to track timing events in the system. In one embodiment, a run-index counter provides a run-index count to the first stage of the pipeline that is propagated along the stages, enabling configuration register sets to transfer configuration parameters to the stages of the pipeline when required to enable processing of a task. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of D flip-flops sequentially propagates a state for successive registers, so that the setup-index counter is not required.

Processor employing loadable configuration parameters to reduce or eliminate setup and pipeline delays in a pipeline system

A boundary macroblock of a video object is padded without significant synchronization overhead between a host processor and an existing coprocessor. The host processor determines horizontal and vertical graphics primitives as a function of shape data stored in a host memory. The shape data determine whether a dot, a line, or a rectangle primitive should be used to pad transparent pixels in the macroblock. The host processor communicates the primitives to a coprocessor, which renders the primitives in an interleaved pipeline fashion to pad transparent pixels of the macroblock based on texture data stored in video memory. The flow of primitives is in one direction from the host processor to the graphics coprocessor, and the texture data is not transferred back and forth between the host processor and coprocessor. This technique is especially useful for enabling acceleration of MPEG-4 video decoding utilizing existing coprocessors capable of accelerating MPEG-1/2 video decoding.

Macroblock padding

A method for efficiently padding a macroblock of a video object plane employs two new instructions. The instructions, PadToRight and PadToLeft, are applied in alternating sequence during a PadPassoperation and a PadPassoperation. The results of these two operations are then averaged to pad each transparent pixel in each row of a macroblock that includes at least one opaque pixel. A Shift_in register is used to temporarily store data to facilitate the operation implemented by these instructions. Once the transparent pixels in each row have been padded horizontally, pixels in rows having shape data equal to zero (indicating all pixels in the row are transparent) are padded in a pre-processing step, followed by an upward propagation step. The two instructions are preferably implemented using 2:1 multiplexers implemented with an arithmetic logic unit. The method is particularly useful in set-top boxes, games, and other video applications.

Growing community of inventors

Lynnwood, WA, United States of America

Chris Yoochang Chung