Patents by Inventor Colin Christopher Sharp

Colin Christopher Sharp has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20150097849
    Abstract: This disclosure describes communication techniques that may be used within a multiple-processor computing platform. The techniques may, in some examples, provide software interfaces that may be used to support message passing within a multiple-processor computing platform that initiates tasks using command queues. The techniques may, in additional examples, provide software interfaces that may be used for shared memory inter-processor communication within a multiple-processor computing platform. In further examples, the techniques may provide a graphics processing unit (GPU) that includes hardware for supporting message passing and/or shared memory communication between the GPU and a host CPU.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Alexei Vladimirovich Bourd, Colin Christopher Sharp, David Rigel Garcia Garcia, Chihong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20150089146
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides for systems and methods to process a non-resident page that may include attempting to access the non-resident page, an address for the non-resident page pointing to a memory page containing default values, determining that the non-resident page should not cause a page fault based on an indicator indicating that a particular non-resident page should not generate a page fault, returning an indication that a memory read did not translate and returning the default value when the access of the non-resident page is a read and the non-resident page should not cause a page fault. Another example may discontinue a write when the access of the non-resident page is a write and the non-resident page should not cause a page fault.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: David A. Gotwalt, Thomas Edwin Frisinger, Andrew Evan Gruber, Eric Demers, Colin Christopher Sharp
  • Patent number: 8938602
    Abstract: A first processing unit and a second processing unit can access a system memory that stores a common page table that is common to the first processing unit and the second processing unit. The common page table can store virtual memory addresses to physical memory addresses mapping for memory chunks accessed by a job of an application. A page entry, within the common page table, can include a first set of attribute bits that defines accessibility of the memory chunk by the first processing unit, a second set of attribute bits that defines accessibility of the same memory chunk by the second processing unit, and physical address bits that define a physical address of the memory chunk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Colin Christopher Sharp, Thomas Andrew Sartorius
  • Patent number: 8937622
    Abstract: This disclosure describes communication techniques that may be used within a multiple-processor computing platform. The techniques may, in some examples, provide software interfaces that may be used to support message passing within a multiple-processor computing platform that initiates tasks using command queues. The techniques may, in additional examples, provide software interfaces that may be used for shared memory inter-processor communication within a multiple-processor computing platform. In further examples, the techniques may provide a graphics processing unit (GPU) that includes hardware for supporting message passing and/or shared memory communication between the GPU and a host CPU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Alexei V. Bourd, Colin Christopher Sharp, David Rigel Garcia Garcia, Chihong Zhang
  • Patent number: 8931108
    Abstract: A graphics processing unit (GPU) is configured to access a first memory unit according to one of an unsecure mode and a secure mode. The GPU may include a memory access controller configured to allow the GPU to read data from only an unsecure portion of the first memory unit when the GPU is in the unsecure mode, and configured to allow the GPU to write data only to a secure portion of the first memory unit when the GPU is in the secure mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Colin Christopher Sharp, Sudeep Ravi Kottilingal, Thomas Edwin Frisinger, Andrew E. Gruber
  • Publication number: 20140331023
    Abstract: A device includes a memory that stores a first page table that includes a first page table entry, wherein the first page table entry further includes a physical address, an alternative location associated with the page table entry, and a physical page of memory associated with the physical address. A first processing unit is configured to: read the first page table entry, and determine the physical address from the first page table entry. The second processing unit is configured to: read the physical address from the first page table entry, determine second page attribute data from the alternative location, wherein the second page attribute data define one or more accessibility attributes of the physical page of memory for the second processing unit, and access the physical page of memory associated with the physical address according to the one or more accessibility attributes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventors: Colin Christopher Sharp, Thomas Andrew Sartorius
  • Publication number: 20140237609
    Abstract: This disclosure proposes techniques for graphics processing. In one example, a graphics processing unit (GPU) is configured to access a first memory unit according to one of an unsecure mode and a secure mode. The GPU comprises a memory access controller configured to allow the GPU to read data from only an unsecure portion of the first memory unit when the GPU is in the unsecure mode, and configured to allow the GPU to write data only to a secure portion of the first memory unit when the GPU is in the secure mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Colin Christopher Sharp, Sudeep Ravi Kottilingal, Thomas Edwin Frisinger, Andrew E. Gruber
  • Publication number: 20140075060
    Abstract: This disclosure proposes techniques for demand paging for an IO device (e.g., a GPU) that utilize pre-fetch and pre-back notification event signaling to reduce latency associated with demand paging. Page faults are limited by performing the demand paging operations prior to the IO device actually requesting unbacked memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Colin Christopher Sharp, David Rigel Garcia Garcia, Eduardus A Metz
  • Publication number: 20140040593
    Abstract: A first processing unit and a second processing unit can access a system memory that stores a common page table that is common to the first processing unit and the second processing unit. The common page table can store virtual memory addresses to physical memory addresses mapping for memory chunks accessed by a job of an application. A page entry, within the common page table, can include a first set of attribute bits that defines accessibility of the memory chunk by the first processing unit, a second set of attribute bits that defines accessibility of the same memory chunk by the second processing unit, and physical address bits that define a physical address of the memory chunk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Colin Christopher Sharp, Thomas Andrew Sartorius
  • Publication number: 20140040552
    Abstract: A method includes storing, with a first programmable processor, shared variable data to cache lines of a first cache of the first processor. The method further includes executing, with the first programmable processor, a store-with-release operation, executing, with a second programmable processor, a load-with-acquire operation, and loading, with the second programmable processor, the value of the shared variable data from a cache of the second programmable processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Bohuslav Rychlik, Tzung Ren Tzeng, Andrew Evan Gruber, Alexei V. Bourd, Colin Christopher Sharp, Eric Demers
  • Publication number: 20140022266
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to deferred preemption techniques for scheduling graphics processing unit (GPU) command streams for execution on a GPU. A host CPU is described that is configured to control a GPU to perform deferred-preemption scheduling. For example, a host CPU may select one or more locations in a GPU command stream as being one or more locations at which preemption is allowed to occur in response to receiving a preemption notification, and may place one or more tokens in the GPU command stream based on the selected one or more locations. The tokens may indicate to the GPU that preemption is allowed to occur at the selected one or more locations. This disclosure further describes a GPU configured to preempt execution of a GPU command stream based on one or more tokens placed in a GPU command stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Eduardus A Metz, Nigel Terence Poole, Colin Christopher Sharp, Andrew Gruber
  • Publication number: 20120069035
    Abstract: This disclosure describes communication techniques that may be used within a multiple-processor computing platform. The techniques may, in some examples, provide software interfaces that may be used to support message passing within a multiple-processor computing platform that initiates tasks using command queues. The techniques may, in additional examples, provide software interfaces that may be used for shared memory inter-processor communication within a multiple-processor computing platform. In further examples, the techniques may provide a graphics processing unit (GPU) that includes hardware for supporting message passing and/or shared memory communication between the GPU and a host CPU.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Alexei V. Bourd, Colin Christopher Sharp, David Rigel Garcia Garcia, Chihong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20120069029
    Abstract: This disclosure describes communication techniques that may be used within a multiple-processor computing platform. The techniques may, in some examples, provide software interfaces that may be used to support message passing within a multiple-processor computing platform that initiates tasks using command queues. The techniques may, in additional examples, provide software interfaces that may be used for shared memory inter-processor communication within a multiple-processor computing platform. In further examples, the techniques may provide a graphics processing unit (GPU) that includes hardware for supporting message passing and/or shared memory communication between the GPU and a host CPU.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Alexei V. Bourd, Colin Christopher Sharp, David Rigel Garcia Garcia, Chihong Zhang