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:
Aug. 09, 2011
Filed:
Dec. 16, 2005
Douglas A. Voorhies, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Douglas A. Voorhies, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Nvidia Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A culling data selection system and method are presented in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment, an occlusion prediction graphics processing method is utilized to predict which pixels are eventually occluded before intermediate processing stages are performed on the pixels. Culling information utilized to predict which pixel are occluded is selected and compressed in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment, cull data for a pixel culling area is retrieved and an end of pipe depth occlusion data associated with a prediction area within the pixel culling area is received. A selection metric for analyzing adjustments to cull data is established and a cull data adjustment decision is made based upon the selection metric. In one exemplary implementation the possible occlusion volumes associated with 'old' culling data, 'new' culling data (e.g., based upon an occlusion value received from a stage later in a graphics processing pipeline) and “merged” culling data are determined. The culling data associated with the greatest volume is selected for culling operations.