Patents by Inventor Laurent Lefebvre

Laurent Lefebvre 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: 20180276790
    Abstract: An apparatus, such as a head mounted device (HMD), includes one or more processors configured to implement a graphics pipeline that renders pixels in window space with a nonuniform pixel spacing. The apparatus also includes a first distortion function that maps the non-uniformly spaced pixels in window space to uniformly spaced pixels in raster space. The apparatus further includes a scan converter configured to sample the pixels in window space through the first distortion function. The scan converter is configured to render display pixels used to generate an image for display to a user based on the uniformly spaced pixels in raster space. In some cases, the pixels in the window space are rendered such that a pixel density per subtended area is constant across the user's field of view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Michael MANTOR, Laurent LEFEBVRE, Mika TUOMI, Kiia KALLIO
  • Publication number: 20180182060
    Abstract: A graphics processing system comprises at least one memory device storing a plurality of pixel command threads and a plurality of vertex command threads. An arbiter coupled to the at least one memory device is provided that selects a pixel command thread from the plurality of pixel command threads and a vertex command thread from the plurality of vertex command threads. The arbiter further selects a command thread from the previously selected pixel command thread and the vertex command thread, which command thread is provided to a command processing engine capable of processing pixel command threads and vertex command threads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Laurent Lefebvre, Andrew Gruber, Stephen Morein
  • Publication number: 20180165872
    Abstract: Techniques for removing or identifying overlapping fragments in a fragment stream after z-culling are disclosed. The techniques include maintaining a first-in-first-out buffer that stores post-z-cull fragments. Each time a new fragment is received at the buffer, the screen position of the fragment is checked against all other fragments in the buffer. If the screen position of the fragment matches the screen position of a fragment in the buffer, then the fragment in the buffer is removed or marked as overlapping. If the screen position of the fragment does not match the screen position of any fragment in the buffer, then no modification is performed to fragments already in the buffer. In either case, he fragment is added to the buffer. The contents of the buffer are transmitted to the pixel shader for pixel shading at a later time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Applicants: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., ATI Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Laurent Lefebvre, Michael Mantor, Mark Fowler, Mikko Alho, Mika Tuomi, Kiia Kallio, Patrick Klas Rudolf Buss, Jari Antero Komppa, Kaj Tuomi, Christopher J. Brennan
  • Publication number: 20180082399
    Abstract: Improvements in the graphics processing pipeline are disclosed. More specifically, a new primitive shader stage performs tasks of the vertex shader stage or a domain shader stage if tessellation is enabled, a geometry shader if enabled, and a fixed function primitive assembler. The primitive shader stage is compiled by a driver from user-provided vertex or domain shader code, geometry shader code, and from code that performs functions of the primitive assembler. Moving tasks of the fixed function primitive assembler to a primitive shader that executes in programmable hardware provides many benefits, such as removal of a fixed function crossbar, removal of dedicated parameter and position buffers that are unusable in general compute mode, and other benefits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicants: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., ATI Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Todd Martin, Mangesh P. Nijasure, Randy W. Ramsey, Michael Mantor, Laurent Lefebvre
  • Patent number: 9922395
    Abstract: A graphics processing system comprises at least one memory device storing a plurality of pixel command threads and a plurality of vertex command threads. An arbiter coupled to the at least one memory device is provided that selects a pixel command thread from the plurality of pixel command threads and a vertex command thread from the plurality of vertex command threads. The arbiter further selects a command thread from the previously selected pixel command thread and the vertex command thread, which command thread is provided to a command processing engine capable of processing pixel command threads and vertex command threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: ATI TECHNOLOGIES ULC
    Inventors: Laurent Lefebvre, Andrew Gruber, Stephen Morein
  • Patent number: 9904970
    Abstract: A graphics processing system comprises at least one memory device storing a plurality of pixel command threads and a plurality of vertex command threads. An arbiter coupled to the at least one memory device is provided that selects a pixel command thread from the plurality of pixel command threads and a vertex command thread from the plurality of vertex command threads. The arbiter further selects a command thread from the previously selected pixel command thread and the vertex command thread, which command thread is provided to a command processing engine capable of processing pixel command threads and vertex command threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Laurent Lefebvre, Andrew Gruber, Stephen Morein
  • Patent number: 9896894
    Abstract: A drilling and grouting device comprises a drill string including a hollow elongate outer rod having a central axis and a hollow elongate inner rod located coaxially within said outer rod, wherein a first outer flow path is defined between said inner and outer rod, and a first central flow path is defined inside said inner rod, a drill bit aligned with said inner rod along said central axis and including a second central flow path, and a crossover part interposed between said inner rod and said drill bit along said central axis, which is configured to connect the first central flow path with a second outer flow path surrounding the drill bit to form a main path and to connect said first outer flow path with said second central flow path to form a secondary path. Also disclosed are systems and methods that include and use the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: SOLETANCHE FREYSSINET
    Inventors: Luca Barison, Larry Goff, Laurent Lefebvre, Steve England, Stefano Gabaldo, Michael Justason
  • Patent number: 9582846
    Abstract: A graphics processing architecture in one example performs vertex manipulation operations and pixel manipulation operations by transmitting vertex data to a general purpose register block, and performing vertex operations on the vertex data by a processor unless the general purpose register block does not have enough available space therein to store incoming vertex data; and continues pixel calculation operations that are to be or are currently being performed by the processor based on instructions maintained in an instruction store until enough registers within the general purpose register block become available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: ATI TECHNOLOGIES ULC
    Inventors: Stephen L. Morein, Laurent Lefebvre, Andrew E. Gruber, Andi Skende
  • Publication number: 20160371873
    Abstract: A system, method and a computer program product are provided for hybrid rendering with deferred primitive batch binning A primitive batch is generated from a sequence of primitives. Initial bin intercepts are identified for primitives in the primitive batch. A bin for processing is identified. The bin corresponds to a region of a screen space. Pixels of the primitives intercepting the identified bin are processed. Next bin intercepts are identified while the primitives intercepting the identified bin are processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Applicants: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., ATI Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Michael Mantor, Laurent Lefebvre, Mikko Alho, Mika Tuomi, Kiia Kallio
  • Publication number: 20160307356
    Abstract: A graphics processing architecture in one example performs vertex manipulation operations and pixel manipulation operations by transmitting vertex data to a general purpose register block, and performing vertex operations on the vertex data by a processor unless the general purpose register block does not have enough available space therein to store incoming vertex data; and continues pixel calculation operations that are to be or are currently being performed by the processor based on instructions maintained in an instruction store until enough registers within the general purpose register block become available.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Stephen L. Morein, Laurent Lefebvre, Andrew E. Gruber, Andi Skende
  • Publication number: 20160140687
    Abstract: A graphics processing system comprises at least one memory device storing a plurality of pixel command threads and a plurality of vertex command threads. An arbiter coupled to the at least one memory device is provided that selects a pixel command thread from the plurality of pixel command threads and a vertex command thread from the plurality of vertex command threads. The arbiter further selects a command thread from the previously selected pixel command thread and the vertex command thread, which command thread is provided to a command processing engine capable of processing pixel command threads and vertex command threads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Laurent Lefebvre, Andrew Gruber, Stephen Morein
  • Patent number: 9304772
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for improving efficiency, power, and bandwidth consumption in parallel processing. Rather than requiring memory polling to ensure ordered execution of processes or threads in wavefronts, the techniques disclosed herein provide a system and method to allow any process or thread in a wavefront to run out of order as long as needed, but ensure ordered execution of multiple ordered instructions when needed. These operations are handled efficiently in hardware, but are flexible enough to be implemented in all manner of programming models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignees: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., ATI Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Laurent Lefebvre, Michael Mantor
  • Publication number: 20150252639
    Abstract: A drilling and grouting device comprises a drill string including a hollow elongate outer rod having a central axis and a hollow elongate inner rod located coaxially within said outer rod, wherein a first outer flow path is defined between said inner and outer rod, and a first central flow path is defined inside said inner rod, a drill bit aligned with said inner rod along said central axis and including a second central flow path, and a crossover part interposed between said inner rod and said drill bit along said central axis, which is configured to connect the first central flow path with a second outer flow path surrounding the drill bit to form a main path and to connect said first outer flow path with said second central flow path to form a secondary path. Also disclosed are systems and methods that include and use the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Luca Barison, Larry Goff, Laurent Lefebvre, Steve England, Stefano Gabaldo, Michael Justason
  • Publication number: 20150154731
    Abstract: A graphics processing architecture in one example performs vertex manipulation operations and pixel manipulation operations by transmitting vertex data to a general purpose register block, and performing vertex operations on the vertex data by a processor unless the general purpose register block does not have enough available space therein to store incoming vertex data; and continues pixel calculation operations that are to be or are currently being performed by the processor based on instructions maintained in an instruction store until enough registers within the general purpose register block become available.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Stephen L. Morein, Laurent Lefebvre, Andrew E. Gruber, Andi Skende
  • Patent number: 8972693
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for improving efficiency, power, and bandwidth consumption in parallel processing. Rather than using memory polling to ensure that enough space is available in memory locations for, for example, write instructions, the techniques disclosed herein provide a system and method to automate this evaluation mechanism in environments such as data-parallel processing to efficiently check available space in memory locations before instructions such as write threads are allowed. These operations are handled efficiently in hardware, but are flexible enough to be implemented in all manner of programming models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignees: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., ATI Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Laurent Lefebvre, Michael Mantor
  • Publication number: 20140300613
    Abstract: A graphics processing architecture in one example performs vertex manipulation operations and pixel manipulation operations by transmitting vertex data to a general purpose register block, and performing vertex operations on the vertex data by a processor unless the general purpose register block does not have enough available space therein to store incoming vertex data; and continues pixel calculation operations that are to be or are currently being performed by the processor based on instructions maintained in an instruction store until enough registers within the general purpose register block become available.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Stephen L. Morein, Laurent Lefebvre, Andrew E. Gruber, Andi Skende
  • Publication number: 20140292784
    Abstract: A graphics processing system comprises at least one memory device storing a plurality of pixel command threads and a plurality of vertex command threads. An arbiter coupled to the at least one memory device is provided that selects a pixel command thread from the plurality of pixel command threads and a vertex command thread from the plurality of vertex command threads. The arbiter further selects a command thread from the previously selected pixel command thread and the vertex command thread, which command thread is provided to a command processing engine capable of processing pixel command threads and vertex command threads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Laurent Lefebvre, Andrew Gruber, Stephen Morein
  • Publication number: 20140292756
    Abstract: A system, method and a computer program product are provided for hybrid rendering with deferred primitive batch binning. A primitive batch is generated from a sequence of primitives. Initial bin intercepts are identified for primitives in the primitive batch. A bin for processing is identified. The bin corresponds to a region of a screen space. Pixels of the primitives intercepting the identified bin are processed. Next bin intercepts are identified while the primitives intercepting the identified bin are processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicants: ATI Technologies ULC, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael MANTOR, Laurent Lefebvre, Mark Fowler, Timothy Kelley, Mikko Alho, Mika Tuomi, Kallio Kia, Patrick Klas Rudolf Buss, Jari Antero Komppa, Kaj Tuomi
  • Patent number: 8760454
    Abstract: A graphics processing architecture in one example performs vertex manipulation operations and pixel manipulation operations by transmitting vertex data to a general purpose register block, and performing vertex operations on the vertex data b a processor unless the general purpose register block does not have enough available space therein to store incoming vertex data; and continues pixel calculation operations that are to be or are currently being performed the processor based on instructions maintained in an instruction store until enough registers within the general purpose register block become available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Stephen L. Morein, Laurent Lefebvre, Andrew E. Gruber, Andi Skende
  • Patent number: 8749563
    Abstract: A graphics processing system comprises at least one memory device storing a plurality of pixel command threads and a plurality of vertex command threads. An arbiter coupled to the at least one memory device is provided that selects a pixel command thread from the plurality of pixel command threads and a vertex command thread from the plurality of vertex command threads. The arbiter further selects a command thread from the previously selected pixel command thread and the vertex command thread, which command thread is provided to a command processing engine capable of processing pixel command threads and vertex command threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC
    Inventors: Laurent Lefebvre, Andrew Gruber, Stephen Morein