Nvidia Corporation

Christopher T Dodd

Mark J Kilgard

Patrick Richard Brown

Cass Watson Everitt

Robert Steven Glanville

Barthold B Lichtenbelt

Rev Lebaredian

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing a computer-implemented method for tessellating patches. An input block is received that defines a plurality of input patch attributes for each patch as well as instructions for processing each input patch. A plurality of threads is launched to execute the instructions to generate each vertex of a corresponding output patch based on the input patch. Reads of values written during instruction execution are synchronized so threads can read and further process the values of other threads. An output patch is then assembled from the outputs of each of the threads; and emitting the output patch for further processing.

Tessellation shader inter-thread coordination

Systems and methods for compiling high-level primitive programs are used to generate primitive program micro-code for execution by a primitive processor. A compiler is configured to produce micro-code for a specific target primitive processor based on the target primitive processor's capabilities. The compiler supports features of the high-level primitive program by providing conversions for different applications programming interface conventions, determining output primitive types, initializing attribute arrays based on primitive input profile modifiers, and determining vertex set lengths from specified primitive input types.

Primitive program compilation for flat attributes with provoking vertex independence

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for improving the flexibility and programmability of a graphics pipeline by adding application programming interface (API) extensions to the OpenGL Shading Language (GLSL) that provide native support for integer data types and operations. The integer API extensions span from the API to the hardware execution units within a graphics processing unit (GPU), thereby providing native integer support throughout the graphics pipeline.

Integer-based functionality in a graphics shading language

System and method for compiling high-level primitive programs into primitive program micro-code

Methods and systems for processing a geometry shader program developed in a high-level shading language are disclosed. Specifically, in one embodiment, after having received the geometry shader program configured to be executed by a first processing unit in a programmable execution environment, the high-level shading language instructions of the geometry shader program is converted into low-level programming language instructions. The low-level programming language instructions are then linked with the low-level programming language instructions of a domain-specific shader program, which is configured to be executed by a second processing unit also residing in the programmable execution environment. The linked instructions of the geometry shader program are directed to the first processing unit, and the linked instructions of the domain-specific shader program are directed to the second processing unit.

Methods and systems for processing a geometry shader program developed in a high-level shading language

Managing primitive program vertex attributes as per-attribute arrays

A system optimizes two or more stream processing programs based upon the data exchanged between the stream processing programs. The system alternately processes each stream processing program to identify and remove dead program code, thereby improving execution performance. Dead program code is identified by propagating constants received as inputs from other stream processing programs and by analyzing a first stream processing program and determining the outputs of a second stream processing program that are unused by the first stream processing program. The system may perform multiple iterations of this optimization is previous iterations introduce additional constants used as inputs to a stream processing program. Following optimization of the stream processing programs, the optimized stream processing programs are compiled to a format adapted to be executed by a stream processing system.

Growing community of inventors

Woodside, CA, United States of America

Christopher T Dodd