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:
Sep. 01, 2009
Filed:
Nov. 10, 2005
Hsilin Huang, Milpitas, CA (US);
Timour Paltashev, Fremont, CA (US);
John Brothers, Calistoga, CA (US);
Hsilin Huang, Milpitas, CA (US);
Timour Paltashev, Fremont, CA (US);
John Brothers, Calistoga, CA (US);
Via Technologies, Inc., Hsin-Tien, Taipei, TW;
Abstract
A graphics processing unit ('GPU') is configured to interrupt processing of a first context and to initiate processing of a second context upon command. A command processor communicates an interrupt signal on a communication path from to a plurality of pipeline processing blocks in a graphics pipeline. A token, which corresponds to an end of an interrupted context, is forwarded from the command processor to a first pipeline processing block and subsequently to other pipeline blocks in the graphics pipeline. Each pipeline processing block discards contents of associated memory units upon receipt of the interrupt signal until the token is reached. The token may be forwarded to one or more additional pipeline processing blocks and memory units so that the token is communicated throughout the graphics pipeline to flush data associated with the first context. Data associated with the second context may follow behind the token through graphics pipeline.