Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Wing-Cheong Tang

Michael G Lavelle

Nandini Ramani

Patrick Shehane

Mark E Pascual

A graphics system and method for rendering a plurality of triangles. Information regarding the triangle may first be received. The method may then determine the longest edge or major edge of the triangle and also determine the direction or axis of the longest edge of the triangle. The method may then perform edge walking on the major edge (e.g., along the axis of the major edge) of the triangle, followed by span walking. The edge walking is preferably always performed on the major or longest edge of the triangle, prior to the span walking, and regardless of the orientation of the major edge of the triangle. This operates to load balance the edge walker and the span walker for the plurality of triangles.

Method for reduction of possible renderable graphics primitive shapes for rasterization

A graphics system and method are disclosed that may optimize the rate of pixel generation to match the rate at which a memory may be designed to receive pixel data. If a memory is configured to store multiple pixels substantially simultaneously, it may be advantageous to render an equivalent number of pixels substantially simultaneously and at the same rate. An edge walker that utilizes multiple sets of accumulators to generate multiple scan lines substantially simultaneously and a span walker that utilizes multiple sets of accumulators to render multiple pixel values substantially simultaneously is described.

Method for rasterizing graphics for optimal tiling performance

A system and method for rendering a polygon, such as a triangle. The method may comprise receiving geometry data (or vertex data) defining vertices of the polygon. The method may compute initial vertex x,y values at end points proximate to each of the vertices of the polygon, and a slope value along each edge of the polygon. The computed slope may be a quantized slope value having a first number of bits of precision. The first number of bits of precision may produce inaccuracies for interpolated x,y values computed at the end points of an edge of the polygon. The method may then interpolate x,y values along each respective edge of the polygon using the computed slope along the respective edge of the polygon. Finally the method may store final x,y values for each respective edge of the polygon. The final x,y values comprise the interpolated x,y values for non-end points of the respective edge, and the computed initial vertex x,y values for each of the end points of the respective edge. The operation of storing the computed initial vertex x,y values for each of the end points of the respective edge, instead of using interpolated x,y values at the end points, operates to prevent inclusion of an extraneous pixel and/or exclusion of a pixel within the polygon.

End point value correction when traversing an edge using a quantized slope value

One embodiment of a method of performing a font operation involves receiving a set of font data identifying a font operation to be performed. If a first font data unit in the set indicates that a first coordinate should be a background color and transparent background is enabled, the method involves outputting an enable for a second font data unit in the set. The second font data unit indicates that a second coordinate should be a foreground color. The enable for the second coordinate is output instead of a disable for the first coordinate. If instead the first font data unit in the set indicates that the first coordinate should be a background color and transparent background is disabled, the method may involve outputting a disable for the first coordinate.

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Union City, CA, United States of America

Wing-Cheong Tang