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:
Feb. 17, 2004
Filed:
Nov. 07, 2002
Jerome F. Duluk, Jr., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Jack Benkual, Cupertino, CA (US);
Shun Wai Go, Milpitas, CA (US);
Sushma S. Trivedi, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Richard E. Hessel, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Joseph P. Bratt, San Jose, CA (US);
Apple Computer, Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Abstract
A deferred graphics pipeline processor comprised of a mode extraction unit and a Polygon Memory associated with the polygon unit. The mode extraction unit receives a data stream from a geometry unit and separates the data stream into vertices data, and non-vertices data which is sent to the Polygon Memory for storage. A a mode injection unit receives inputs from the Polygon Memory and communicates the mode information to one or more other processing units. The mode injection unit maintains status information identifying the information that is already cached and not sending information that is already cached, thereby reducing communication bandwidth.