Nvidia Corporation

Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Shaun Ho

Matthew Nicholas Papakipos

Rui Bastos

Christian Rouet

Curtis R Priem

Walter E Donovan

Carroll Philip Gossett

David B Kirk

Paolo Enrique Sabella

Vimal S Parikh

Derek Bosch

Douglas H Rogers

Eric Demers

Thomas H Kong

Adrian Jeday

Ian O'Donnell

Steven Gregory Foster, Jr

Anan Nagarajan

Method and apparatus for graphics processing is described. More particularly, a graphics processing subsystem capable of multi-pass graphics data processing is described. The graphics processing subsystem includes a geometry processor and a fragment processor, where output from the fragment processor is input compatible with the geometry processor. Data produced in a pass through a graphics data-processing pipeline including the fragment processor and geometry processor may be used as an input to processing during a subsequent pass. Data read from a texture map may be used to define or modify data, including vertex data, being processed in the geometry processor or the fragment processor.

Systems and methods of multi-pass data processing

A computing system has a graphics processor, a graphics memory, main memory, a bridge, and a central processing unit configured to process floating-point data of a first fixed size. An interconnect grid includes communication paths to link the graphics processor, the graphics memory, main memory, the bridge, and the central processing unit. A computing system component (e.g., the graphics processor or central processing unit) converts floating-point data to graphics floating-point data with a fixed size smaller than the fixed size of the floating-point data. The computing system passes the floating-point data and/or the graphics floating-point data over at least a portion of the interconnect grid. Alternately, the graphics processor may directly read and process previously compressed and stored graphics floating-point data.

Apparatus and method for processing dual format floating-point data in a graphics processing system

A processor for computer graphics calculations comprising an entire graphics engine in a single integrated circuit. The processor includes a transform mechanism adapted to compute transforms for the computer graphics calculations. The transform mechanism includes a transformation element adapted to compute transforms using a dot product operation. The transform mechanism of the processor also includes a perspective division element, a color unit for lighting calculations, a scaling element for multiplication operations, and a look-up table containing mathematical functions used by the computer graphics calculations. The processor also includes a raster unit coupled to the transform mechanism, a texture unit coupled to the raster unit, and a shader unit coupled to the texture unit.

Processor for geometry transformations and lighting calculations

A graphics pipeline including a rasterizing stage producing diffuse color values; a plurality of texture stages producing texture values defining a particular texture; a combiner stage for combining four of a plurality of selectable input values including diffuse color values, texture values furnished by a plurality of texture stages, and proportions for combination of the selectable input values; the combiner stage being capable of providing a result equivalent to a sum of products of any two sets of input values, and a product of two input values.

Graphics pipeline including combiner stages

A graphics accelerator pipeline including a rasterizer stage, a texture stage, and a combiner stage capable of producing realistic output images by mapping irregular textures to surfaces.

Bump mapping in a computer graphics pipeline

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Shaun Ho