Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Nvidia Corporation

Pierre Boudier

Henry Packard Moreton

Ziyad Sami Hakura

Yury Y Uralsky

Juraj Obert

Christoph Kubisch

Graham Sellers

Eric Zolnowski

A method and system for performing graphics processing is provided. The method and system includes storing stencil buffer values in a stencil buffer; generating either or both of a reference value and a source value in a fragment shader; comparing the stencil buffer values against the reference value; and processing a fragment based on the comparing the stencil buffer values against the reference value.

Graphics library extensions

In various embodiments, a parallel processor implements a graphics processing pipeline that generates rendered images. In operation, the parallel processor causes execution threads to execute a task shading program on an input mesh to generate a task shader output specifying a mesh shader count. The parallel processor then generates mesh shader identifiers, where the total number of the mesh shader identifiers equals the mesh shader count. For each mesh shader identifier, the parallel processor invokes a mesh shader based on the mesh shader identifier and the task shader output to generate geometry associated with the mesh shader identifier. Subsequently, the parallel processor performs operations on the geometries associated with the mesh shader identifiers to generate a rendered image. Advantageously, unlike conventional graphics processing pipelines, the performance of the graphics processing pipeline is not limited by a primitive distributor.

Techniques for representing and processing geometry within an expanded graphics processing pipeline

In various embodiments, a deduplication application pre-processes index buffers for a graphics processing pipeline that generates rendered images via a shading program. In operation, the deduplication application causes execution threads to identify a set of unique vertices specified in an index buffer based on an instruction. The deduplication application then generates a vertex buffer and an indirect index buffer based on the set of unique vertices. The vertex buffer and the indirect index buffer are associated with a portion of an input mesh. The graphics processing pipeline then renders a first frame and a second frame based on the vertex buffer, the indirect index buffer, and the shading program. Advantageously, the graphics processing pipeline may re-use the vertex buffer and indirect index buffer until the topology of the input mesh changes.

Techniques for pre-processing index buffers for a graphics processing pipeline

Methods for enabling graphics features in processors are described herein. Methods are provided to enable trinary built-in functions in the shader, allow separation of the graphics processor's address space from the requirement that all textures must be physically backed, enable use of a sparse buffer allocated in virtual memory, allow a reference value used for stencil test to be generated and exported from a fragment shader, provide support for use specific operations in the stencil buffers, allow capture of multiple transform feedback streams, allow any combination of streams for rasterization, allow a same set of primitives to be used with multiple transform feedback streams as with a single stream, allow rendering to be directed to layered framebuffer attachments with only a vertex and fragment shader present, and allow geometry to be directed to one of an array of several independent viewport rectangles without a geometry shader.

In various embodiments, a parallel processor implements a graphics processing pipeline that generates rendered images via a shading program. In operation, the parallel processor causes a first set of execution threads to execute the shading program on a first portion of the input mesh to generate first geometry stored in an on-chip memory. The parallel processor also causes a second set of execution threads to execute the mesh shading program on a second portion of the input mesh to generate second geometry stored in the on-chip memory. Subsequently, the parallel processor reads the first geometry and the second geometry from the on-chip memory, and performs operations on the first geometry and the second geometry to generate a rendered image derived from the input mesh. Advantageously, unlike conventional graphics processing pipelines, the performance of the graphics processing pipeline is not limited by a primitive distributor.

Techniques for representing and processing geometry within a graphics processing pipeline

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for rejecting small primitives. A three-dimensional (3D) primitive is received and a position within the primitive is identified. The primitive has a size that is less than a threshold value. Sub-pixel coverage information is read from a pixel sample map using the position. If the position coincides with a sub-pixel sample according to the sub-pixel coverage information, then the 3D primitive is processed. Otherwise, the 3D primitive is rejected.

System, method, and computer program product for rejecting small primitives

Methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media are disclosed for control flow on a heterogeneous computer system. The method may include a first processor of a first type, for example a CPU, requesting a first kernel be executed on a second processor of a second type, for example a GPU, to process first work items. The method may include the GPU executing the first kernel to process the first work items. The first kernel may generate second work items. The GPU may execute a second kernel to process the generated second work items. The GPU may dispatch producer kernels when space is available in a work buffer. The GPU may dispatch consumer kernels to process work items in the work buffer when the work buffer has available work items. The GPU may be configured to determine a number of processing elements to execute the first kernel and the second kernel.

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Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Pierre Boudier