The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 26, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 19, 1997
Greg L Tanaka, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Silicon Magic Corporation, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
Aspects for effectively improving the throughput in a rasterization pipeline for image rendering in a computer system are provided. A method aspect includes receiving data for a chosen number of pixels in a Z-test mechanism of the rasterization pipeline, performing Z-test determinations for the chosen number of pixels in a same clock cycle to achieve faster processing in the Z-test mechanism than other portions of the rasterization pipeline, and tagging the chosen number of pixels based upon the Z-test determinations to indicate pass/fail status for rendering. A circuit aspect includes at least one memory device for storing pixel data, a Z-test mechanism, the Z-test mechanism within the rasterization pipeline and coupled to the at least one memory device for determining a pass/fail rendering status for a plurality of pixels received in parallel from the at least one memory means, and a plurality of mechanisms forming a portion of the rasterization pipeline following the Z-test mechanism, the plurality of mechanisms for processing pixel data with a pass status sequentially.