Abstract: A server offloads graphics effects processing to a client device with graphics processing resources by determining a modification to a graphics effects operation, generating a portion of a rendered video stream using the modification to the graphics effects operation, and providing an encoded representation of the portion of the rendered video stream to the client device, along with metadata representing the modification implemented. The client device decodes the encoded representation to recover the portion of the rendered video stream and selectively performs a graphics effects operation on the recovered portion to at least partially revert the resulting graphics effects for the portion to the intended effects without the modification implemented by the server.

Abstract: A processing system divides successive dispatches of work items into portions. The successive dispatches are separated from each other by barriers, each barrier indicating that the work items of the previous dispatch must complete execution before work items of a subsequent dispatch can begin execution. In some embodiments, the processing system interleaves execution of portions of a first dispatch with portions of subsequent dispatches that consume data produced by the first dispatch. The processing system thereby reduces the amount of data written to the local cache by a producer dispatch while preserving data locality for a subsequent consumer (or consumer/producer) dispatch and facilitating processing efficiency.

Abstract: A processing unit performs a dispatch walk of a set of thread groups based on a programmable access pattern. The access pattern is stored at a table that is programmed with the access pattern based upon a specified command. By using the command to program the table with different access patterns, the dispatch order of the set of thread groups is adapted to better suit the processing of different data sets, thereby reducing power consumption at the processing unit, and improving overall processing efficiency.

Abstract: A processing system is configured to translate a first cache access pattern of a dispatch of work items to a cache access pattern that facilitates consumption of data stored at a cache of a parallel processing unit by a subsequent access before the data is evicted to a more remote level of the memory hierarchy. For consecutive cache accesses having read-after-read data locality, in some embodiments the processing system translates the first cache access pattern to a space-filling curve. In some embodiments, for consecutive accesses having read-after-write data locality, the processing system translates a first typewriter cache access pattern that proceeds in ascending order for a first access to a reverse typewriter cache access pattern that proceeds in descending order for a subsequent cache access. By translating the cache access pattern based on data locality, the processing system increases the hit rate of the cache.

Abstract: Some implementations provide systems, devices, and methods for implementing a cache replacement policy. A memory request is issued for attribute information associated with a node in an acceleration data structure. The attribute information associated with the node is inserted into a cache entry of the cache and an age associated with the cache entry is set to a value based on the attribute information, in response to the memory request causing a cache miss.

Abstract: Methods are provided for creating objects in a way that permits an API client to explicitly participate in memory management for an object created using the API. Methods for managing data object memory include requesting memory requirements for an object using an API and expressly allocating a memory location for the object based on the memory requirements. Methods are also provided for cloning objects such that a state of the object remains unchanged from the original object to the cloned object or can be explicitly specified.

Abstract: Methods are provided for creating objects in a way that permits an API client to explicitly participate in memory management for an object created using the API. Methods for managing data object memory include requesting memory requirements for an object using an API and expressly allocating a memory location for the object based on the memory requirements. Methods are also provided for cloning objects such that a state of the object remains unchanged from the original object to the cloned object or can be explicitly specified.

Abstract: Various virtual reality computing systems and methods are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of delivering video frame data to multiple VR displays is provided. The method includes generating content for multiple VR displays and sensing for competing needs for resources with real time requirements of the multiple VR displays. If competing needs for resources with real time requirements are sensed, a selected refresh offset for refreshes of the multiple VR displays is determined to avoid conflict between the competing needs for resources of the multiple VR displays. The selected refresh offset is imposed and the content is delivered to the multiple VR displays.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for implementing fine-grain power management for virtual reality (VR) systems are disclosed. A VR compositor monitors workload tasks while rendering and displaying content of a VR application. The VR compositor determines the priorities of different tasks of a given VR frame and cause power states to be assigned to processing units to match the priorities of the tasks being performed. For example, if a first task within a first frame period is assigned a high priority, a processing unit executing the task operates at a relatively high power performance state when performing the first task. If a second task within the first frame period is assigned a low priority, the processing unit operates at a relatively low power performance state when performing the second task. By implementing fine-grain power management in a VR environment, the likelihood of the processing unit suffering a thermal event or impaired performance is reduced.

Abstract: Techniques for performing ray tracing operations are provided. The techniques include receiving a request to determine whether a ray intersects any primitive of a set of primitives, evaluating the ray against non-leaf nodes of a bounding volume hierarchy to determine whether to eliminate portions of the bounding volume hierarchy from consideration, evaluating the ray against at least one early-termination node not eliminated from consideration, and determining whether to terminate traversal of the bounding volume hierarchy early and to identify that the ray hits a primitive, based on the result of the evaluation of the ray against the at least one early-termination node.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for using a multi-stream foveal display transport layer are disclosed. A virtual reality (VR) system includes a transmitter sending a plurality of streams over a display transport layer to a receiver coupled to a display. Each stream corresponds to a different image to be blended together by the receiver. The images include at least a foveal region image corresponding to a gaze direction of the eye and a background image which is a lower-resolution image with a wider field of view than the foveal region image. The phase timing of the foveal region stream being sent over the transport layer is adjusted with respect to the background stream to correspond to the location of the foveal region within the overall image. This helps to reduce the amount of buffering needed at the receiver for blending the images together to create a final image to be driven to the display.

Abstract: Some implementations provide systems, devices, and methods for implementing a cache replacement policy. A memory request is issued for attribute information associated with a node in an acceleration data structure. The attribute information associated with the node is inserted into a cache entry of the cache and an age associated with the cache entry is set to a value based on the attribute information, in response to the memory request causing a cache miss.

Abstract: Techniques for performing ray tracing operations are provided. The techniques include receiving a request to determine whether a ray intersects any primitive of a set of primitives, evaluating the ray against non-leaf nodes of a bounding volume hierarchy to determine whether to eliminate portions of the bounding volume hierarchy from consideration, evaluating the ray against at least one early-termination node not eliminated from consideration, and determining whether to terminate traversal of the bounding volume hierarchy early and to identify that the ray hits a primitive, based on the result of the evaluation of the ray against the at least one early-termination node.

Abstract: A server offloads graphics effects processing to a client device with graphics processing resources by determining a modification to a graphics effects operation, generating a portion of a rendered video stream using the modification to the graphics effects operation, and providing an encoded representation of the portion of the rendered video stream to the client device, along with metadata representing the modification implemented. The client device decodes the encoded representation to recover the portion of the rendered video stream and selectively performs a graphics effects operation on the recovered portion to at least partially revert the resulting graphics effects for the portion to the intended effects without the modification implemented by the server.

Abstract: An engagement analytics engine of a computing device analyzes one or more of scene representations, player inputs, or player meta information and generates corresponding engagement data indicative of a level of engagement corresponding to the represented scene. The engagement analytics engine generates encoding parameters based on the engagement data to cause scenes or regions within scenes to be encoded with a level of quality based on the indicated level of engagement. In some examples, the engagement analytics engine generates rendering parameters based on the engagement data to cause scenes to be rendered with a frame rate or quality parameters based on the indicated level of engagement. In some examples, the engagement analytics engine causes a load balancer to shift workloads associated with one or more scenes to higher or lower performance servers based on the engagement data.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for implementing a single-stream foveal display transport are disclosed. A system includes a transmitter sending an image over a display transport as a sequence of equi-sized rectangles to a receiver coupled to a display. The receiver then scales up the rectangles with different scale factors to cover display areas of different sizes. The pixel density within a rectangular region is uniform and scaling factors can take on integer or non-integer values. The rectilinear grid arrangement of the image results in simplified scaling operations for the display. In another scenario, the image is transmitted as a set of horizontal bands of equal size. Within each band, the same horizontal amount of transmitted pixels are redistributed across multiple rectangular regions of varied scales. The display stream includes embedded information and the horizontal and/or vertical distribution and scaling of rectangular regions, which can be adjusted for each transmitted image.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for using a multi-stream foveal display transport layer are disclosed. A virtual reality (VR) system includes a transmitter sending a plurality of streams over a display transport layer to a receiver coupled to a display. Each stream corresponds to a different image to be blended together by the receiver. The images include at least a foveal region image corresponding to a gaze direction of the eye and a background image which is a lower-resolution image with a wider field of view than the foveal region image. The phase timing of the foveal region stream being sent over the transport layer is adjusted with respect to the background stream to correspond to the location of the foveal region within the overall image. This helps to reduce the amount of buffering needed at the receiver for blending the images together to create a final image to be driven to the display.

Abstract: A technique for generating encoded video in a client-server system is provided. According to the technique, a server determines that reprojection analysis should occur. The server generates reprojection metadata based on suitability of video content to reprojection. The server generates encoded video based on the reprojection metadata, and transmits the encoded video to a client for display. The client reprojects video content as directed by the server.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods for implementing a single-stream foveal display transport are disclosed. A system includes a transmitter sending an image over a display transport as a sequence of equi-sized rectangles to a receiver coupled to a display. The receiver then scales up the rectangles with different scale factors to cover display areas of different sizes. The pixel density within a rectangular region is uniform and scaling factors can take on integer or non-integer values. The rectilinear grid arrangement of the image results in simplified scaling operations for the display. In another scenario, the image is transmitted as a set of horizontal bands of equal size. Within each band, the same horizontal amount of transmitted pixels are redistributed across multiple rectangular regions of varied scales. The display stream includes embedded information and the horizontal and/or vertical distribution and scaling of rectangular regions, which can be adjusted for each transmitted image.

Abstract: Methods are provided for creating objects in a way that permits an API client to explicitly participate in memory management for an object created using the API. Methods for managing data object memory include requesting memory requirements for an object using an API and expressly allocating a memory location for the object based on the memory requirements. Methods are also provided for cloning objects such that a state of the object remains unchanged from the original object to the cloned object or can be explicitly specified.