Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for a non-uniform rasterizer. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a graphics processor to process graphics data and render images using the graphics data; and a non-uniform rasterizer within the graphics processor to determine different resolutions to be used for different regions of an image, the non-uniform rasterizer to receive a plurality of polygons to be rasterized and to responsively rasterize the polygons in accordance with the different resolutions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for a non-uniform rasterizer. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a graphics processor to process graphics data and render images using the graphics data; and a non-uniform rasterizer within the graphics processor to determine different resolutions to be used for different regions of an image, the non-uniform rasterizer to receive a plurality of polygons to be rasterized and to responsively rasterize the polygons in accordance with the different resolutions.

Abstract: A virtual reality apparatus and method are described for tile-based rendering. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a set of on-chip geometry buffers including a first buffer to store geometry data, and a set of pointer buffers to store pointers to the geometry data; a tile-based immediate mode rendering (TBIMR) module to perform tile-based immediate mode rendering using geometry data and pointers stored within the set of on-chip geometry buffers; spill circuitry to determine when the on-chip geometry buffers are over-subscribed and responsively spill additional geometry data and/or pointers to an off-chip memory; and a prefetcher to start prefetching the geometry data from the off-chip memory as space becomes available within the on-chip geometry buffers, the TBIMR module to perform tile-based immediate mode rendering using the geometry data prefetched from the off-chip memory.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for a non-uniform rasterizer. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a graphics processor to process graphics data and render images using the graphics data; and a non-uniform rasterizer within the graphics processor to determine different resolutions to be used for different regions of an image, the non-uniform rasterizer to receive a plurality of polygons to be rasterized and to responsively rasterize the polygons in accordance with the different resolutions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for efficient ray tracing. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a general purpose processor to generate a plurality of ray streams; a first hardware queue to receive the ray streams generated by the general purpose processor; a graphics processing unit (GPU) comprising a plurality of execution units (EUs) to process the ray streams from the first hardware queue; a second hardware queue to store graphics processing jobs submitted by the GPU; the general purpose processor to process the jobs submitted by the GPU and share results with the GPU.

Abstract: A method for improving performance of generation of digitally represented graphics. The method comprises: receiving a first representation of a base primitive; providing a set of instructions associated with vertex position determination; executing said retrieved set of instructions on said first representation of said base primitive using bounded arithmetic for providing a second representation of said base primitive, and subjecting said second representation of said base primitive to a culling process. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also presented.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for efficient ray tracing. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a general purpose processor to generate a plurality of ray streams; a first hardware queue to receive the ray streams generated by the general purpose processor; a graphics processing unit (GPU) comprising a plurality of execution units (EUs) to process the ray streams from the first hardware queue; a second hardware queue to store graphics processing jobs submitted by the GPU; the general purpose processor to process the jobs submitted by the GPU and share results with the GPU.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for a non-uniform rasterizer. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a graphics processor to process graphics data and render images using the graphics data; and a non-uniform rasterizer within the graphics processor to determine different resolutions to be used for different regions of an image, the non-uniform rasterizer to receive a plurality of polygons to be rasterized and to responsively rasterize the polygons in accordance with the different resolutions.

Abstract: A method for improving performance of generation of digitally represented graphics. The method comprises: receiving a first representation of a base primitive; providing a set of instructions associated with vertex position determination; executing said retrieved set of instructions on said first representation of said base primitive using bounded arithmetic for providing a second representation of said base primitive, and subjecting said second representation of said base primitive to a culling process. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also presented.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for a non-uniform rasterizer. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a graphics processor to process graphics data and render images using the graphics data; and a non-uniform rasterizer within the graphics processor to determine different resolutions to be used for different regions of an image, the non-uniform rasterizer to receive a plurality of polygons to be rasterized and to responsively rasterize the polygons in accordance with the different resolutions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for a non-uniform rasterizer. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a graphics processor to process graphics data and render images using the graphics data; and a non-uniform rasterizer within the graphics processor to determine different resolutions to be used for different regions of an image, the non-uniform rasterizer to receive a plurality of polygons to be rasterized and to responsively rasterize the polygons in accordance with the different resolutions.

Abstract: A virtual reality apparatus and method are described.

Abstract: A virtual reality apparatus and method are described for tile-based rendering. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a set of on-chip geometry buffers including a first buffer to store geometry data, and a set of pointer buffers to store pointers to the geometry data; a tile-based immediate mode rendering (TBIMR) module to perform tile-based immediate mode rendering using geometry data and pointers stored within the set of on-chip geometry buffers; spill circuitry to determine when the on-chip geometry buffers are over-subscribed and responsively spill additional geometry data and/or pointers to an off-chip memory; and a prefetcher to start prefetching the geometry data from the off-chip memory as space becomes available within the on-chip geometry buffers, the TBIMR module to perform tile-based immediate mode rendering using the geometry data prefetched from the off-chip memory.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for a non-uniform rasterizer. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a graphics processor to process graphics data and render images using the graphics data; and a non-uniform rasterizer within the graphics processor to determine different resolutions to be used for different regions of an image, the non-uniform rasterizer to receive a plurality of polygons to be rasterized and to responsively rasterize the polygons in accordance with the different resolutions.

Abstract: Embodiments provide for a graphics processing apparatus including a graphics processing unit having bounding volume logic to operate on a compressed bounding volume hierarchy, wherein each bounding volume node stores a parent bounding volume and multiple child bounding volumes that are encoded relative to the parent bounding volume.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, a zero coverage test may determine whether a primitive such as a triangle relies on lanes between rows or columns or lines of samples. If so, the primitive can be culled in a zero coverage culling test.

Abstract: A processing apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a graphics processing unit (GPU), including a thread dispatcher to assign a priority class to each of a plurality of processing threads prior to dispatching the one or more processing threads, a plurality of execution units to process the threads, a shared resource coupled to each of the plurality of execution units and an arbitration unit to grant access to the shared resource to a first of the plurality of execution units based on the priority class of a thread being executed at the first execution unit.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein enable a hierarchical-Z unit of a graphics processor to be primed using Hi-Z data generated by occlusion culling operations performed on a general purpose processor. One embodiment provides for instructions to cause operations including performing occlusion culling for a scene via the general purpose processor and storing generated hierarchical-Z data. The Hierarchical-Z data generated during the occlusion culling operations can be shared with the graphics processor and used to prime a hierarchical-Z unit of the graphics processor. The at least a portion of the scene can then be rendered using the hierarchical-Z data after priming the hierarchical-Z unit, improving the effectiveness of hierarchical-Z operations of the graphics processor for the scene.

Abstract: Described herein are several embodiments which provide for enhanced data caching in combination with adaptive and dynamic compression to increase the storage efficiency and reduce the transmission bandwidth of data during input and output from a GPU. The techniques described herein can reduce the need to access off-chip memory, resulting in improved performance and reduced power for GPU operations. One embodiment provides for a graphics processing apparatus comprising a shader engine; one or more cache memories; cache control logic to control at least one of the one or more cache memories; and a codec unit coupled with the one or more cache memories, the codec unit configurable to perform lossless compression of read-only surface data upon storage to or eviction from the one or more cache memories.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for efficient ray tracing. For example, one embodiment of an apparatus comprises: a general purpose processor to generate a plurality of ray streams; a first hardware queue to receive the ray streams generated by the general purpose processor; a graphics processing unit (GPU) comprising a plurality of execution units (EUs) to process the ray streams from the first hardware queue; a second hardware queue to store graphics processing jobs submitted by the GPU; the general purpose processor to process the jobs submitted by the GPU and share results with the GPU.