Abstract: An integrated circuit also referred to as an integrated computing system has a single substrate that has either deposited thereon or etched thereon, a central processing unit, a north bridge, a south bridge, and a graphics controller. An internal bus is coupled between the north bridge and the central processing unit. The central processing unit and north bridge do not require interfaces to perform bus protocol conversions.

Abstract: An integrated circuit also referred to as an integrated computing system has a single substrate that has either deposited thereon or etched thereon, a central processing unit, a north bridge, a south bridge, and a graphics controller. An internal bus is coupled between the north bridge and the central processing unit. The central processing unit and north bridge do not require interfaces to perform bus protocol conversions.

Abstract: A method of integrating a personal computing system and apparatus thereof include processing that begins by integrating a central processing unit with a North bridge on a single substrate such that the central processing unit is directly coupled to the North bridge via an internal bus. The processing then continues by providing memory access requests from the central processing unit to the North bridge at a rate of the central processing unit. The processing continues by having the North bridge buffer the memory access request and subsequently process the memory access requests at a rate of the memory. The method may be expanded by integrating a South bridge onto the same substrate as well as integrating system memory onto the same substrate.

Abstract: A highly available multi-node computer system is operated by monitoring the aging and usage of a plurality of hardware components that are part of the system's networked nodes. While monitoring the components, a determination is made that one of the components has aged, worn, or both, to a level that is selected as being close enough to the component's predicted end of life in the system so as to prevent failure of the component in the system. A notification is sent to replace the component, in response to the determination. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a graphics processing unit for rendering objects from a software application executing on a processing unit in which the objects to be rendered are received as control points of bicubic surfaces. According to the method and system disclosed herein, the graphics processing unit includes a transform unit, a lighting unit, a renderer unit, and a tessellate unit for tessellating both rational and non-rational object surfaces in real-time.

Abstract: The present invention provides a graphics processing unit for rendering objects from a software application executing on a processing unit in which the objects to be rendered are received as control points of bicubic surfaces. According to the method and system disclosed herein, the graphics processing unit includes a transform unit, a lighting unit, a renderer unit, and a tessellate unit for tessellating both rational and non-rational object surfaces in real-time.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for rendering bicubic surfaces of an object on a computer system. Each bicubic surface is defined by sixteen control points and bounded by four boundary curves, each corresponding to an edge, and each boundary curve is formed by boundary box of line segments formed between four of the control points. The method and system of include transforming only the control points of the surface given a view of the object, rather than points across the entire bicubic surface, and using the four boundary edges for purposes of subdivision. Next, a pair of orthogonal boundary curves to process is selected. After the boundary curves have been selected, each of the curves is iteratively subdivided and the pair of orthogonal internal curves, wherein two new curves are generated with each subdivision.

Abstract: A method and system for rendering bicubic surfaces whereby at least a portion of the bicubic surfaces are defined by sixteen control points and bounded by four boundary curves, and each boundary curve is formed by boundary box of line segments formed between four of the control points. The method and system of include transforming only the control points of the surface given a view of the object, rather than points across the entire bicubic surface. Next, a pair of orthogonal boundary curves to process is selected. After the boundary curves have been selected, each of the curves is iteratively subdivided, wherein two new curves are generated with each subdivision. The subdivision of each of the curves is terminated when the curves satisfy a flatness threshold expressed in screen coordinates, whereby the number of computations required to render the object is minimized.

Abstract: A data storage system has a number of server groups, where each group has data storage servers. A file is stored in the system by being spread across two or more of the servers. The servers are communicatively coupled to internal packet switches. An external packet switch is communicatively coupled to the internal packet switches. Client access to each of the servers is through one of the internal packet switches and the external packet switch. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A highly available multi-node computer system is operated by monitoring the aging and usage of a plurality of hardware components that are part of the system's networked nodes. While monitoring the components, a determination is made that one of the components has aged, worn, or both, to a level that is selected as being close enough to the component's predicted end of life in the system so as to prevent failure of the component in the system. A notification is sent to replace the component, in response to the determination. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a graphics processing unit for rendering objects from a software application executing on a processing unit in which the objects to be rendered are transmitted to the graphics processing unit over a bus as control points of bicubic surfaces. According to the method and system disclosed herein, the graphics processing unit includes a transform unit, a lighting unit, a renderer unit, and a tessellate unit for tessellating both rational and non-rational object surfaces in real-time.

Abstract: A system and method for pipelining three-dimensional graphical data in which two-dimensional renderings of objects are created from polygon data by transforming and lighting each polygonal vertex and then connecting the vertices.

Abstract: A communication system including a transmitter, a receiver, and a serial link, in which encoded data (e.g., video, audio, and optionally also other auxiliary data) are transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver. The serial link can but need not be a TMDS or TMDS-like link. In typical embodiments, packets of encoded audio data are transmitted over each of one or more channels of the link during data islands between bursts of encoded video data, a pixel clock is transmitted over the link, and the receiver regenerates a clock for the audio data using time code data in the packets and the pixel clock. Other aspects of the invention are transmitters for transmitting encoded data and a pixel clock over a serial link, receivers for receiving such data and pixel clock and performing audio clock regeneration, and methods for transmitting encoded data and a pixel clock over a serial link and performing clock regeneration using the transmitted data and pixel clock.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for rendering bicubic surfaces of an object on a computer system. Each bicubic surface is defined by sixteen control points and bounded by four boundary curves, each corresponding to an edge, and each boundary curve is formed by boundary box of line segments formed between four of the control points. The method and system of include transforming only the control points of the surface given a view of the object, rather than points across the entire bicubic surface, and using the four boundary edges for purposes of subdivision. Next, a pair of orthogonal boundary curves to process is selected. After the boundary curves have been selected, each of the curves is iteratively subdivided and the pair of orthogonal internal curves, wherein two new curves are generated with each subdivision.

Abstract: A method and system for rendering bicubic surfaces of an object on a computer system. Each bicubic surface is defined by sixteen control points and bounded by four boundary curves, and each boundary curve is formed by boundary box of line segments formed between four of the control points. The method and system of include transforming only the control points of the surface given a view of the object, rather than points across the entire bicubic surface. Next, a pair of orthogonal boundary curves to process is selected. After the boundary curves have been selected, each of the curves is iteratively subdivided, wherein two new curves are generated with each subdivision. The subdivision of each of the curves is terminated when the curves satisfy a flatness threshold expressed in screen coordinates, whereby the number of computations required to render the object is minimized.

Abstract: The present invention provides a graphics processing unit for rendering objects from a software application executing on a processing unit in which the objects to be rendered are transmitted to the graphics processing unit over a bus as control points of bicubic surfaces. According to the method and system disclosed herein, the graphics processing unit includes a transform unit, a lighting unit, a renderer unit, and a tessellate unit for tessellating both rational and non-rational object surfaces in real-time.

Abstract: Aspects for rendering bicubic surfaces of an object on a computer system are disclosed. Each bicubic surface is defined by sixteen control points and bounded by four boundary curves, and each boundary curve is formed by boundary box of line segments formed between four of the control points. The method and system of include first selecting a pair of orthogonal boundary curves to process. After the boundary curves have been selected, each of the curves is iteratively subdivided, wherein two new curves are generated with each subdivision. The subdivision of each of the curves is terminated when the curves satisfy a flatness threshold expressed in screen coordinates, whereby the number of computations required to render the object is minimized.

Abstract: Aspects for rendering bicubic surfaces of an object on a computer system are disclosed. Each bicubic surface is defined by sixteen control points and bounded by four boundary curves, and each boundary curve is formed by boundary box of line segments formed between four of the control points. The method and system of include transforming only the control points of the surface given a view of the object, rather than points across the entire bicubic surface. Next, a pair of orthogonal boundary curves to process is selected. After the boundary curves have been selected, each of the curves is iteratively subdivided, wherein two new curves are generated with each subdivision. The subdivision of each of the curves is terminated when the curves satisfy a flatness threshold expressed in screen coordinates, whereby the number of computations required to render the object is minimized.

Abstract: A graphics rendering system creates an image based on objects constructed of polygonal primitives, which can generate the perception of three-dimensional objects displayed on a two-dimensional display device. An anti-aliasing operation is applied to silhouette edges of the objects, which are the edges of primitives which are displayed at the perimeter of an object. A silhouette edge can be identified by determining how many times an edge is rendered, with each instance of the rendering of an edge corresponding to the rendering of a primitive that adjoins the edge. An edge that is rendered exactly once is interpreted as a silhouette edge. An example of a silhouette edge is an edge that adjoins one triangular primitive that is viewable and another triangular primitive that is hidden from view by other primitives.

Abstract: The present invention provides a graphics processing unit for rendering objects from a software application executing on a processing unit in which the objects to be rendered are received as control points of bicubic surfaces. According to the method and system disclosed herein, the graphics processing unit includes a transform unit, a lighting unit, a renderer unit, and a tessellate unit for tessellating both rational and non-rational object surfaces in real-time.