Real-time combination of adjacent identical primitive data sets in a graphics call sequence

Abstract

Graphics call sequence optimizer for use in a graphics system that includes a display list memory to store graphics calls to be executed. The optimizer optimizes an original graphics call sequence that includes a plurality of graphics primitive data sets generated by a graphics application program in accordance with a graphics application program interface, such as OpenGL, generating an optimized graphics call sequence to be stored in the display list memory. The optimizer is configured to optimize the original graphics call sequence to produce the optimized graphics call sequence without storing the original graphics call sequence in the display list memory. In one embodiment, the optimizer is configured to coalesce graphics primitive data sets within the original graphics call sequence to generate a corresponding single graphics primitive data set in the optimized graphics call sequence that causes a same rendering in the graphics system as the original graphics call sequence. In another embodiment, the optimizer coalesces a series of graphics primitive data sets of a particular primitive type occurring sequentially within the original graphics call sequence into a single graphics primitive data set of the particular type in the optimized graphics call sequence. In a further embodiment, the graphics call sequence optimizer is configured to coalesce graphics primitive data sets of the particular type into a single graphics primitive data set of the particular type until a graphics primitive data set that is not of the particular type appears in the original graphics call sequence. In embodiments where the API is the OpenGL API, each of the plurality of graphics primitive data sets in the original graphics call sequence comprises a glBegin() graphics call, a glEnd() graphics call, and at least one graphics vertex call between the glBegin() graphics call and the glEnd() graphics call. In such an embodiment, the optimizer is configured to remove all glBegin() and glEnd() graphics calls from the original graphics call sequence other than a glBegin() graphics call occurring in the first graphics primitive data set in the original graphics call sequence and a glEnd() graphics call occurring in the last graphics primitive data set in the original graphics call sequence. Method embodiments are also disclosed.