Patents by Inventor David B. Kirk
David B. Kirk 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).
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Patent number: 10043457Abstract: A display for a computer system, such as an LCD, is configured to consume less power when compared to conventional designs. The display includes a screen and at least one backlight configured to illuminate the screen. An input to the at least one backlight is adjustable to produce a desired level of brightness. The input may be computed based on a generated source image and a defined constraint. An input to the display is computed based on the input to the at least one backlight and the source image. The input to the display modifies the level of brightness provided by the at least one backlight to produce a viewable image.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2009Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: NVIDIA CORPORATIONInventor: David B. Kirk
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Patent number: 8872754Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for controlling stereo glasses shutters. In use, a right eye shutter of stereo glasses is controlled to switch between a closed orientation and an open orientation. Further, a left eye shutter of the stereo glasses is controlled to switch between the closed orientation and the open orientation. To this end, the right eye shutter and the left eye shutter of the stereo glasses may be controlled such that the right eye shutter and the left eye shutter simultaneously remain in the closed orientation for a predetermined amount of time.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2010Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: Gerrit Slavenburg, Thomas F. Fox, David Robert Cook, David B. Kirk
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Patent number: 8692844Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for antialiased rendering a plurality of pixels in a computer system. The method and system comprise providing a fixed storage area and providing a plurality of sequential format levels for the plurality of pixels within the fixed storage area. The plurality of format levels represent pixels with varying degrees of complexity in subpixel geometry visible within the pixel. A system and method in accordance with the present invention provides at least the following format levels: one-fragment format, used when one surface fully covers a pixel; two-fragment format, used when two surfaces together cover a pixel; and multisample format, used when three or more surfaces cover a pixel. The method and system further comprise storing the plurality of pixels at a lowest appropriate format level within the fixed storage area, so that a minimum amount of data is transferred to and from the fixed storage area.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2000Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: Steven E. Molnar, David B. Kirk, John Stephen Montrym, Douglas A. Voorhies
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Patent number: 8264492Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for programmable processing in a computer graphics pipeline. Initially, data is received from a source buffer. Thereafter, programmable operations are performed on the data in order to generate output. The operations are programmable in that a user may utilize instructions from a predetermined instruction set for generating the same. Such output is stored in a register. During operation, the output stored in the register is used in performing the programmable operations on the data.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2007Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: John Erik Lindholm, David B. Kirk, Henry P. Moreton, Simon Moy
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Patent number: 8259122Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for programmable processing in a computer graphics pipeline. Initially, data is received from a source buffer. Thereafter, programmable operations are performed on the data in order to generate output. The operations are programmable in that a user may utilize instructions from a predetermined instruction set for generating the same. Such output is stored in a register. During operation, the output stored in the register is used in performing the programmable operations on the data.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2007Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: John Erik Lindholm, David B. Kirk, Henry P. Moreton, Simon Moy
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Publication number: 20110012904Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for controlling stereo glasses shutters. In use, a right eye shutter of stereo glasses is controlled to switch between a closed orientation and an open orientation. Further, a left eye shutter of the stereo glasses is controlled to switch between the closed orientation and the open orientation. To this end, the right eye shutter and the left eye shutter of the stereo glasses may be controlled such that the right eye shutter and the left eye shutter simultaneously remain in the closed orientation for a predetermined amount of time.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2010Publication date: January 20, 2011Applicant: NVIDIA CORPORATIONInventors: Gerrit Slavenburg, Thomas F. Fox, David Robert Cook, David B. Kirk
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Patent number: 7755636Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for programmable processing in a computer graphics pipeline. Initially, data is received from a source buffer. Thereafter, programmable operations are performed on the data in order to generate output. The operations are programmable in that a user may utilize instructions from a predetermined instruction set for generating the same. Such output is stored in a register. During operation, the output stored in the register is used in performing the programmable operations on the data.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2007Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: John Erik Lindholm, David B. Kirk, Henry P. Moreton, Simon Moy
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Patent number: 7697008Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for programmable processing in a computer graphics pipeline. Initially, data is received from a source buffer. Thereafter, programmable operations are performed on the data in order to generate output. The operations are programmable in that a user may utilize instructions from a predetermined instruction set for generating the same. Such output is stored in a register. During operation, the output stored in the register is used in performing the programmable operations on the data.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2007Date of Patent: April 13, 2010Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: John Erik Lindholm, David B. Kirk, Henry P. Moreton, Simon Moy
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Patent number: 7683905Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for detecting position conflicts during fragment processing are described. Prior to executing a program on a fragment, a conflict detection unit, within a fragment processor checks if there is a position conflict indicating a RAW (read after write) hazard may exist. A RAW hazard exists when there is a pending write to a destination location that source data will be read from during execution of the program. When the fragment enters a processing pipeline, each destination location that may be written during the processing of the fragment is entered in conflict detection unit. During processing, the conflict detection unit is updated when a pending write to a destination location is completed.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2006Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: David B. Kirk, Matthew N. Papakipos, Rui M. Bastos, John Erik Lindholm, Steven E. Molnar
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Publication number: 20090146944Abstract: A display for a computer system, such as an LCD, is configured to consume less power when compared to conventional designs. The display includes a screen and at least one backlight configured to illuminate the screen. An input to the at least one backlight is adjustable to produce a desired level of brightness. The input may be computed based on a generated source image and a defined constraint. An input to the display is computed based on the input to the at least one backlight and the source image. The input to the display modifies the level of brightness provided by the at least one backlight to produce a viewable image.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2009Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicant: NVIDIA CorporationInventor: David B. Kirk
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Patent number: 7502010Abstract: A display for a computer system, such as an LCD, is configured to consume less power when compared to conventional designs. The display includes a screen and at least one backlight configured to illuminate the screen. An input to the at least one backlight is adjustable to produce a desired level of brightness. The input may be computed based on a generated source image and a defined constraint. An input to the display is computed based on the input to the at least one backlight and the source image. The input to the display modifies the level of brightness provided by the at least one backlight to produce a viewable image.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2005Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventor: David B. Kirk
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Patent number: 7330916Abstract: A system for providing a command stream that includes a controller chip is disclosed. The controller chip includes an engine operative to manage a memory. The engine includes an interface. A storage element is coupled to the engine and the storage element is accessible by a central processing unit (CPU) through the engine. The engine receives commands from the CPU via the interface, manages the storage element via the interface and writes the commands into the memory. The engine incorporates the storage element as part of the memory.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 1999Date of Patent: February 12, 2008Assignee: Nvidia CorporationInventor: David B. Kirk
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Patent number: 7209140Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for programmable processing in a computer graphics pipeline. Initially, data is received from a source buffer. Thereafter, programmable operations are performed on the data in order to generate output. The operations are programmable in that a user may utilize instructions from a predetermined instruction set for generating the same. Such output is stored in a register. During operation, the output stored in the register is used in performing the programmable operations on the data.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2000Date of Patent: April 24, 2007Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: John Erik Lindholm, David B. Kirk, Henry P. Moreton, Simon Moy
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Patent number: 7142215Abstract: A graphics data-processing pipeline including a geometry processor and a fragment processor. The graphics data-processing pipeline being configured to render stencil data and to output the stencil data in a format compatible with input to the fragment processor. An output of the graphics data-processing pipeline is written to local memory and the output is subsequently read using the fragment processor without host processor intervening usage to format the stencil data or process the stencil data.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2003Date of Patent: November 28, 2006Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: Matthew N. Papakipos, David B. Kirk, Rui M. Bastos
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Patent number: 7139003Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for detecting position conflicts during fragment processing are described. Prior to executing a program on a fragment, a conflict detection unit, within a fragment processor checks if there is a position conflict indicating a RAW (read after write) hazard may exist. A RAW hazard exists when there is a pending write to a destination location that source data will be read from during execution of the program. When the fragment enters a processing pipeline, each destination location that may be written during the processing of the fragment is entered in conflict detection unit. During processing, the conflict detection unit is updated when a pending write to a destination location is completed.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2003Date of Patent: November 21, 2006Assignee: Nvidia CorporationInventors: David B. Kirk, Matthew N. Papakipos, Rui M. Bastos, John Erik Lindholm, Steven E. Moinar
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Patent number: 7095414Abstract: A system and method are provided for a hardware implementation of a blending technique during graphics processing in a graphics pipeline. During processing in the pipeline, a plurality of matrices and a plurality of weight values are received. Also received is vertex data to be processed. A sum of a plurality of products may then be calculated by the multiplication of the vertex data, one of the matrices, and at least one of the weights.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2002Date of Patent: August 22, 2006Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: John Erik Lindholm, Simon Moy, David B. Kirk, Paolo E. Sabella
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Patent number: 7064763Abstract: A graphics pipeline system and method are provided for graphics processing. Such system includes a transform module positioned on a single semiconductor platform for transforming graphics data from object space to screen space. Coupled to the transform module is a lighting module which is positioned on the single semiconductor platform for lighting the graphics data. Also included is a rasterizer coupled to the lighting module and positioned on the single semiconductor platform for rendering the graphics data.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2002Date of Patent: June 20, 2006Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: John Erik Lindholm, Simon Moy, Kevin Dawallu, Mingjian Yang, John Montrym, David B. Kirk, Paolo E. Sabella, Matthew N. Papakipos, Douglas A. Voorhies, Nicholas J. Foskett
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Patent number: 7053904Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for detecting position conflicts during fragment processing are described. Prior to executing a program on a fragment, a conflict detection unit, within a fragment processor checks if there is a position conflict indicating a RAW (read after write) hazard may exist. A RAW hazard exists when there is a pending write to a destination location that source data will be read from during execution of the program. When the fragment enters a processing pipeline, each destination location that may be written during the processing of the fragment is entered in conflict detection unit. During processing, the conflict detection unit is updated when a pending write to a destination location is completed.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2003Date of Patent: May 30, 2006Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: David B. Kirk, Matthew N. Papakipos, Rui M. Bastos, John Erik Lindholm, Steven E. Molnar, John S. Montrym, Walter E. Donovan
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Patent number: 7050055Abstract: A graphics pipeline system and associated method are provided for graphics processing. Such system includes a transform module adapted for receiving graphics data. The transform module serves to transform the graphics data from a first space to a second space. Coupled to the transform module is a lighting module which is positioned on the single semiconductor platform for lighting the graphics data. During use, the graphics pipeline system is capable of carrying out a fog and blending operation.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2002Date of Patent: May 23, 2006Assignee: NVIDIA CorporationInventors: John Erik Lindholm, Simon Moy, Kevin Dawallu, Mingjian Yang, John Montrym, David B. Kirk, Paolo E. Sabella, Matthew N. Papakipos, Douglas A. Voorhies, Nicholas J. Foskett
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Patent number: 7034829Abstract: A graphics pipeline system with an integrated masking operation is provided. Included is a transform module adapted for being coupled to a buffer to receive graphics data therefrom. Such transform module is positioned on a single semiconductor platform for transforming the graphics data from a first space to a second space. Also included is a lighting module coupled to the transform module and positioned on the same single semiconductor platform as the transform module. The lighting modules serves for performing lighting operations on the graphics data received from the transform module. In use, a masking operation is further performed on the single semiconductor platform.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2001Date of Patent: April 25, 2006Assignee: Nvidia CorporationInventors: John Erik Lindholm, Simon Moy, Kevin Dawallu, Mingjian Yang, John Montrym, David B. Kirk, Paolo E. Sabella, Matthew N. Papakipos, Douglas A. Voorhies, Nicholas J. Foskett