Abstract: Techniques for non-subsampled video encoding of R?G?B? data using Y?, Cb and Cr data to generate compressed data wherein the Y?-plane comprises three separate color frames that are not interleaved, and recovering the data therefrom.

Abstract: A system and method uses the capabilities of a geometry shader unit within the multi-threaded graphics processor to implement algorithms with variable input and output.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for transmitting data rendered on a primary computer to a secondary computer. The method includes transmitting to GPU graphics processing commands received from a graphics application, where the graphics processing commands are configured to cause the GPU to render a first set of graphics data, determining that graphics data should be collected for transmission to the secondary computer, conveying to the GPU that the first set of graphics data should be stored in a first buffer within a frame buffer memory, transmitting to the GPU graphics processing commands received from a process application executing on the primary computer, where the graphics processing commands are configured to cause the GPU to perform operations on the first set of graphics data to generate a second set of graphics data, and transmitting the second set of graphics data to the secondary computer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to provide a method and system for automatically applying artificial limits to display resolutions in a computing system to improve performance. Embodiments are described herein that automatically limits the display resolution of an application executing in a discrete graphics processing unit operating from configurations with limited means of data transfer to the system memory. By automatically limiting the resolution in certain detected circumstances, the rate of generated graphics data may be dramatically increased. Another embodiment is also provided which allows for the automatic detection of an application's initialization and pro-actively limiting the user-selectable resolutions in which the output of the application may be displayed in to a maximum resolution calculated for optimal performance. The application's termination is also detected, whereupon a comprehensive list of supported resolutions becomes available.

Abstract: The server based graphics processing techniques, describer herein, include loading a given instance of a guest shim layer and loading a given instance of a guest display device interface that calls back into the given instance of the guest shim layer, in response to loading the given instance of the guest shim layer, wherein the guest shim layer and the guest display device interface are executing under control of a virtual machine guest operating system. The given instance of the shim layer requests a communication channel between the given instance of the guest shim layer and a host-guest communication manager (D3D HGCM) service module from a host-guest communication manager (HGCM). In response to the request for the communication channel loading, the D3D HGCM service module is loaded and a communication channel between the given instance of the shim layer and the D3D HGCM service module is created by the HGCM.

Abstract: A system and method uses the capabilities of a geometry shader unit within the multi-threaded graphics processor to implement algorithms with variable input and output.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for compressing via a pixel shader color information associated with a line of pixels. An intermediary representation of an uncompressed stream of color information is first generated that indicates, for each pixel, whether a previous adjacent pixel shares color information with the pixel. A set of cascading buffers is then generated based on intermediary representation, where each cascading buffer represents a number of unique color codes across different groups of pixels. Finally, a compressed output stream that specifies the unique color codes as well as the number of pixels that share each unique color code is generated based on the set of cascading buffers.

Abstract: Techniques for degrading rendering performance to extend operating time of a computing platform includes determining a source and a level of power for the computing platform during receipt of the graphics data and rendering of the graphics data. Graphics data is rendered using settings received from the application if the computing platform is not operating from a limited power supply. The graphics data is rendered using one or more sets of graphics processing power conservation rendering settings if the computing platform is operating from a limited power supply and the remaining energy capacity of the limited power supply is less than one or more predetermined levels.

Abstract: The server based graphics processing techniques, describer herein, include receiving function calls by a three dimension graphics application programming interface host-guest communication manager (D3D HGCM) service module from one or more given instances of a guest shin layer through a communication channel of a host-guest communication manager (HGCM). The one or more given instances of the guest shim layer are executing under control of a respective given instance of a guest operating system. The HGCM and D3D HGCM service module are executing under control of a host operating system. The rendering context for each function call received from the each instance of the guest shim layer is determined by the D3D HGCM service module. Each function call of a given rendering context is sent by the D3D HGCM service module to a corresponding device specific kernel mode driver of a given graphics processing unit for scheduling execution with the given graphics processing unit of the given rendering context.

Abstract: The server based graphics processing techniques, describer herein, include loading a given instance of a guest shim layer and loading a given instance of a guest display device interface that calls back into the given instance of the guest shim layer, in response to loading the given instance of the guest shim layer, wherein the guest shim layer and the guest display device interface are executing under control of a virtual machine guest operating system. The given instance of the shim layer requests a communication channel between the given instance of the guest shim layer and a host-guest communication manager (D3D HGCM) service module from a host-guest communication manager (HGCM). In response to the request for the communication channel loading, the D3D HGCM service module is loaded and a communication channel between the given instance of the shim layer and the D3D HGCM service module is created by the HGCM.

Abstract: In typical embodiments a three GPU configuration is provided comprising three discrete video cards, each connected to a standard monitor placed horizontally for a 3× horizontal resolution. In this configuration, depending on the load on each GPU, the vertical split lines are dynamically adjusted. To adjust the load balancing according to these virtual split lines, the rendering clip rectangle of each GPU is adjusted, in order to reduce the number of pixels rendered by the heavily loaded GPU. These split lines define the boundary of the scene to be rendered by each GPU, and, according to some embodiments, may be moved horizontally. Thus for example if a GPU has a more complex rendering clip polygon to render than the other GPUs, the neighboring GPUs may render the rendering clip polygon it displays plus a portion of the rendering clip polygon to be displayed by heavily loaded GPU.

Abstract: A gaming system includes a network server and a gaming manager communicatively coupled to the network server. The gaming manager having a video control unit that starts a video game running remotely with a static video portion and a user interactive video portion and a video receiving unit, coupled to the video control unit, that receives the static video portion for local display while the user interactive video portion is being initialized remotely for subsequent local game play. The gaming system further includes a local user device, coupled to the gaming manager, that initially displays the static video portion and provides a user interface for the subsequent local game play following completion of remote initialization of the user interactive video portion. A method of managing a remote game is also provided.

Abstract: A device for processing graphics data includes a plurality of graphics processing units. Each graphics processing unit may correspond to a virtualized operating system. Each graphics processing unit may include a configuration register indicating a 3D class code and a command register indicating that I/O cycle decoding is disabled. The device may be configured to transmit a configuration register value to a virtualized operating system indicating a VGA-compatible class code. The device may be configured to transmit a command register value to the virtualized operating system that indicates that I/O cycle decoding is enabled. In this manner, legacy bus architecture of the device may not limit the number of graphics processing units deployed in the device.

Abstract: An application executing on a rendering computer invokes a physics function request, e.g., to model the movement and interaction of objects to be rendered. The physics function request specifies a physics function to be performed on input data. Physics function request data is formatted for transmission over a network. The physics computer receives the physics function request data and performs an associated physics function using a physics GPU to generate physics computation result data. The physics computation result data is transmitted to the rendering computer over the network. A rendering GPU renders an image using the physics computation result data.

Abstract: The server based graphics processing techniques, describer herein, include loading a given instance of a guest shim layer and loading a given instance of a guest display device interface that calls back into the given instance of the guest shim layer, in response to loading the given instance of the guest shim layer, wherein the guest shim layer and the guest display device interface are executing under control of a virtual machine guest operating system. The given instance of the shim layer requests a communication channel between the given instance of the guest shim layer and a host-guest communication manager (D3D HGCM) service module from a host-guest communication manager (HGCM). In response to the request for the communication channel loading, the D3D HGCM service module is loaded and a communication channel between the given instance of the shim layer and the D3D HGCM service module is created by the HGCM.

Abstract: The server based graphics processing techniques, describer herein, include passing graphics commands from a shim layer to a guest display device interface, wherein the shim layer and the guest display device interface (DDI) are executing in a given instance of a guest virtual machine (VM). The guest DDI calls back to the shim layer with corresponding function calls. The function calls are passed from the shim layer to a host DDI through a communication channel of a host-guest communication manager (HGCM), wherein the host display device interface and host-guest communication manager are executing in a host virtual machine manager (VMM).

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to provide a method and system for applying automatic power conservation techniques in a computing system. Embodiments are described herein that automatically limits the frame rate of an application executing in a discrete graphics processing unit operating off battery or other such exhaustible power source. By automatically limiting the frame rate in certain detected circumstances, the rate of power consumption, and thus, the life of the current charge stored in a battery may be dramatically extended. Another embodiment is also provided which allows for the more effective application of automatic power conservation techniques during detected periods of inactivity by applying a low power state immediately after a last packet of a frame is rendered and displayed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the claimed subject matter are directed to systems and a method that allows the aggregation of multiple interfaces of a single data communication bus to provide greater bandwidth for communication between a peripheral device and system memory within a computing system. In one embodiment, a system is provided wherein the unoccupied interfaces of the data communication bus is aggregated with an occupied interface coupled to a peripheral device to increase the bandwidth of data transfer requests between the peripheral device and the system memory.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to provide novel methods and a system for adaptive resolution rendering via scaling in a multiple graphics processor system. A method is described herein that maintains a constant framerate by reducing the resolution of the graphical output rendered in one graphics processor and using another graphics processor in the same computing system to scale the already-rendered output to its original intended resolution when the framerate drops below a desired threshold.

Abstract: The graphics processing technique includes detecting a transition from rendering graphics on a first graphics processing unit to a second graphics processing, by a hybrid driver. The hybrid driver, in response to detecting the transition, configures the first graphics processing unit to create a frame buffer. Thereafter, an image rendered on the second graphics processing unit may be copied to the frame buffer of the first graphics processing unit. The rendered image in the frame buffer may then be scanned out on the display.