Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Ati Technologies Ulc

Ati Technologies Inc.

Dmitry Semiannikov

Raja Koduri

Philip J Rogers

Jeffrey Gongxian Cheng

Korhan Erenben

Embodiments of a method and apparatus for using graphics memory (also referred to as video memory) for non-graphics related tasks are disclosed herein. In an embodiment a graphics processing unit (GPU) includes a VRAM cache module with hardware and software to provide and manage additional cache resourced for a central processing unit (CPU). In an embodiment, the VRAM cache module includes a VRAM cache driver that registers with the CPU, accepts read requests from the CPU, and uses the VRAM cache to service the requests. In various embodiments, the VRAM cache is configurable to be the only GPU cache or alternatively, to be a first level cache, second level cache, etc.

Non-graphics use of graphics memory

A system and method for memory mapping in a multiple video processor (multi VPU) system is described. In various embodiments, rendering tasks are shared among multiple VPUs in parallel to provide improved performance and capability with minimal increased cost. In various embodiments, multiple VPUs in a system access each other's local memories to facilitate cooperative video processing. In one embodiment, each VPU in the system has the local memories of each other VPU mapped to its own graphics aperture relocation table (GART) table to facilitate access via a virtual addressing scheme. Each VPU uses the same virtual addresses for this mapping to other VPU local memories. This allows the driver to send exactly the same write commands to each VPU, including the numeric value of the destination address for operations such as writing rendered data. Thus, unique addresses need not be generated for each VPU.

Multiple video processor unit (VPU) memory mapping

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Dmitry Semiannikov