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:
Apr. 15, 2008
Filed:
Sep. 28, 2004
Harold Robert Feldman Zatz, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Harold Robert Feldman Zatz, Palo Alto, CA (US);
NVIDIA Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for generating depth values in a programmable graphics system. Depth values are calculated under control of a pixel program using a variety of sources as inputs to programmable computation units (PCUs) in the programmable graphics system. The PCUs are used to compute traditional interpolated depth values and modified depth values. The PCUs are also used to compute arbitrary depth values which, unlike traditional interpolated depth values and modified depth values, are not dependent on the coordinates of the geometry primitive with which the arbitrary depth values are associated. Several sources are available as inputs to the PCUs. Clipping with optional clamping is performed using either interpolated depth values or calculated depth values, where calculated depth values are arbitrary depth values or modified depth values. Final depth values, used for depth testing, are selected from interpolated depth values and arbitrary depth values after clipping is performed.