Method and apparatus for efficiently processing vertex information in a video graphics system

Abstract

A video graphics system ( ) employs a method and apparatus for efficiently processing vertex information required to render graphics primitives requested for display by an application ( ), such as a video game. The video graphics system includes a graphics driver ( ), a graphics processor ( ), a memory component ( ) that is accessible by the graphics processor, and a memory component ( ) that is inaccessible by the graphics processor. After receiving, from the application, a drawing command that includes vertex indices and a reference to a vertex buffer ( ) stored in the graphics processor-inaccessible memory component, the graphics driver allocates a new temporary vertex buffer ( ) in the graphics processor-accessible memory component and copies the contents of the graphics processor-inaccessible vertex buffer into the temporary vertex buffer. The graphics driver then generates a new drawing command including the vertex indices and a reference to the temporary vertex buffer, and provides the new drawing command to the graphics processor to enable the graphics processor to retrieve and process the vertex information contained in the temporary vertex buffer. After vertex information processing has been completed, the graphics processor preferably notifies the graphics driver to facilitate de-allocation of the temporary vertex buffer. In a preferred embodiment, the graphics driver is implemented in software and stored on a computer-readable storage medium ( ).