Abstract: A stereo viewpoint graphics processing subsystem and a method of sharing geometry data between stereo images in screen-space processing. One embodiment of the stereo viewpoint graphics processing subsystem configured to render a scene includes: (1) stereo frame buffers configured to contain respective pixel-wise rendered scene data for stereo images, and (2) a sharing decision circuit operable to determine when to share geometric data between the stereo frame buffers for carrying out screen-space effect processes to render the scene in the stereo images.

Abstract: A stereo viewpoint graphics processing subsystem and a method of sharing geometry data between stereo images in screen-space processing. One embodiment of the stereo viewpoint graphics processing subsystem configured to render a scene includes: (1) stereo frame buffers configured to contain respective pixel-wise rendered scene data for stereo images, and (2) a sharing decision circuit operable to determine when to share geometric data between the stereo frame buffers for carrying out screen-space effect processes to render the scene in the stereo images.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing dual depth peeling, which is useful for order-independent transparency blending. Multiple rendering passes are performed on a graphics scene. After each rendering pass, the front-most and back-most layer of pixels are peeled away by computing a reference window. In subsequent rendering passes, only pixels within the reference window survive depth sorting. In each subsequent rendering pass, the reference window is narrowed by the front most and back most surviving pixels. By performing depth peeling in two directions simultaneously, the number of rendering passes needed to generate a completed graphics image is reduced from L to 1+L/2, which results in improved rendering performance.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for performing dual depth peeling, which is useful for order-independent transparency blending. Multiple rendering passes are performed on a graphics scene. After each rendering pass, the front-most and back-most layer of pixels are peeled away by computing a reference window. In subsequent rendering passes, only pixels within the reference window survive depth sorting. In each subsequent rendering pass, the reference window is narrowed by the front most and back most surviving pixels. By performing depth peeling in two directions simultaneously, the number of rendering passes needed to generate a completed graphics image is reduced from L to 1+L/2, which results in improved rendering performance.

Abstract: Systems and methods for storing high dynamic range image data in a low dynamic range format may be used to store the high dynamic range image data in less memory. The memory bandwidth needed to access the high dynamic range data is reduced and processing performance may be improved when performance is limited by memory bandwidth. The high dynamic range image data is scaled and compressed into a low dynamic range format for storage in a render target. If the compressed high dynamic range image data contains multiple data samples per pixel, the data may be processed to produce filtered compressed high dynamic range image data with only one sample per pixel. The high dynamic range image may be reconstructed from the low dynamic range format data and further processed as high dynamic range format data for a range of applications.

Abstract: A method and system for performing a texture operation with user-specified offset positions are disclosed. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method, which includes the steps of deriving a first destined texel position based on an original sample position associated with a pixel projected in a texture map and a first offset position specified by a user and fetching texel attributes at the first destined texel position for the texture operation.

Abstract: A method and system for performing a texture operation with user-specified offset positions are disclosed. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method, which includes the steps of deriving a first destined texel position based on an original sample position associated with a pixel projected in a texture map and a first offset position specified by a user and fetching texel attributes at the first destined texel position for the texture operation.