Abstract: A graphics system comprising a programmable sample buffer and a sample buffer interface. The sample buffer interface is configured to (a) buffer N streams of samples in N corresponding input buffers, wherein N is greater than or equal to two, (b) store N sets of context values corresponding to the N input buffers respectively, (c) terminate transfer of samples from a first of the input buffers to the programmable sample buffer, (d) selectively update a subset of state registers in the programmable sample buffer with context values corresponding to a next input buffer of the input buffers, (e) initiate transfer of samples from the next input buffer to the programmable sample buffer. The context values stored in the state registers of the programmable sample buffer determine the operation of an arithmetic logic unit internal to the programmable sample buffer on samples data.

Abstract: A computer graphics system may comprise a graphics processor, a sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit. The graphics processor renders samples into the sample buffer in response to received graphics data. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit generates a plurality of output pixels by filtering the rendered samples based on a filter function. The pixels may be computed by generating a weighted sum of sample values (e.g. red sample values) for samples falling within the filter support. The coefficients used in the weighted sum may be added to form a normalization factor. One weighted sum of sample values may be computed per pixel attribute such as red, green, blue and alpha. The normalization factor may be computed in parallel with one or more of the weighted sums. Normalized pixel values may be obtained by dividing the weighted-sums by the normalization factor.

Abstract: A system and method for rapid processing of scene-graph-based data and/or programs is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system may be configured to utilize a scene graph directly. In another embodiment, the system may be configured to generate a plurality of structures and thread that manage the data originally received as part of the scene graph. The structures and threads may be configured to convey information about state changes through the use of messaging. The system may include support for messaging between threads, messaging with time and/or event stamps, epochs to ensure consistency, and ancillary structures such as render-bins, geometry structures, and rendering environment structures.

Abstract: A method and instruction set for geometry compression and decompression is disclosed. The method and instruction set includes one or more of the following attributes and instructions: a gosub-type instruction, a goto-type instruction, direct and indirect attribute-setting instructions, and matrix manipulation instructions. The instructions may be embedded within individual vertex descriptions, or they may be specified independent of any individual vertex in order to set global state information that applies to all vertices that follow the instruction. Individual vertex instructions may temporarily override the global settings. A graphics system configured to execute the instruction set is also disclosed.

Abstract: A graphics system and method for rendering image on a display device. The graphics system receives 3D graphics data including vertices for a triangle. The triangle is tested to determine if it is larger than a maximum triangle size, and if so, it is fragmented into sub-triangles smaller than the maximum size. After this size limiting, a bin bounding box is computed for each triangle. The absolute coordinate of a triangle's vertices are converted into relative coordinates with respect to an origin (e.g. a corner) of the bin box. Succeeding rendering computations (e.g. computations to determine whether sample positions fall interior to the triangle or to interpolate ordinate values for the interior samples) are performed using the relative coordinates. The positions of samples are also represented in relative coordinates (with respect to the bin box origin).

Abstract: A system including a rendering engine, a sample buffer and a filtering unit. The rendering engine is configured to render samples in response to received graphics data. The sample buffer is configured to receive and store the samples. The filtering unit is configured to read and filter the samples stored in the sample buffer to generate pixel values. The filtering unit includes a counter controller, a set of positive counters and a set of negative counter. The counter controller is configured to accumulate a histogram of exponent values of the pixel values in the positive counters and negative counters. The positive counters maintain count values for exponents of positively signed pixel values and the negative counters maintain count values for exponents of negatively signed pixel values.

Abstract: A graphics system comprises a texture memory, a rendering engine, a sample buffer and a filtering engine. The rendering engine renders received primitives based on a render pixel array whose vertical and horizontal resolutions are dynamically programmable. The rendering engine determines render pixels that geometrically intersect a primitive. For each intersecting render pixel, a texture access may be required (if texture processing is turned on) to determine texture values. The texture values may be used to compute sample values at sample positions interior to the sample render pixel and the primitive. A controlling agent may decrease the vertical and horizontal resolutions of the render pixel array to control frame render time. The filtering engine may programmably generate virtual pixel centers covering the render pixel array. Any change in the render pixel resolutions may require an accommodating change in the virtual pixel array parameters.

Abstract: In a compression system, three-dimensional geometry is first represented as a generalized triangle mesh, a data structure that allows each instance of a vertex in a linear stream to specify an average of two triangles. Individual positions, colors, and normals are quantized, preferably quantizing normals using a novel translation to non-rectilinear representation. A variable length compression is applied to individual positions, colors, and normals. The quantized values are then delta-compression encoded between neighbors, followed by a modified Huffman compression for positions and colors. A table-based approach is used for normals. Decompression reverses this process. The decompressed stream of triangle data may then be passed to a traditional rendering pipeline, where it is processed in full floating point accuracy.

Abstract: A method for compressing 3D geometry data that is capable of compressing both regularly tiled and irregularly tiled surfaces is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises examining 3D geometry data to detect the presence of regularly tiled surface portions. The 3D geometry data is then compressed by: (1) encoding any regularly tiled surface portion using a first encoding method, and (2) encoding any irregularly tiled surface portions using a second encoding method, wherein the second encoding method is different from the first encoding method. The first encoding method may encode the regularly tiled surface portions as vertex rasters, while the second method may encode the irregularly tiled surface portions by geometry compression using a generalized triangle mesh.

Abstract: A computer graphics system that utilizes a super-sampled sample buffer and a programmable sample-to-pixel calculation unit for refreshing the display, wherein the graphics system may adjust filtering to reduce artifacts or implement display effects. In one embodiment, the graphics system may have a graphics processor, a super-sampled sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit. The graphics processor renders a plurality of samples and stores them into a sample buffer. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit reads the samples from the super-sampled sample buffer and filters or convolves the samples into respective output pixels which are then provided to refresh the display. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit may selectively adjust the filtering of stored samples to reduce artifacts, e.g., is operable to selectively adjust the filtering of stored samples in neighboring frames to reduce artifacts between the neighboring frames.

Abstract: A method and graphics system configured to perform real-time morphing of three-dimensional (3D) objects that have been compressed into one or more streams of 3D graphics data using geometry compression techniques. In one embodiment, the graphics system has one or more decompression units, each configured to receive and decompress the graphics data. The decompression units are configured to convey the decompressed data corresponding to the morphs to a graphics processor that is configured to apply weighting factors to the graphics data. The weighted results are combined to yield a morphed object that is rendered to generate one or more frames of a morphing sequence. The weighting factors may be adjusted and reapplied to yield additional frames for the morphing sequence. A method for encoding 3D graphics data to allow morphing decompression is also disclosed.

Abstract: Three-dimensional compressed geometry is decompressed with a unit having an input FIFO receiving compressed data bits and outputting to an input block state machine and an input block, whose outputs are coupled to a barrel shifter unit. Input block output also is input to Huffman tables that output to the state machine. The state machine output also is coupled to a data path controller whose output is coupled to a tag decoder, and to a normal processor receiving output from the barrel shifter unit. The decompressor unit also includes a position/color processor that receives output from the barrel shifter unit. Outputs from the normal processor and position/color processor are multiplexed to a format converter. For instructions in the data stream that generate output to the format converter, the decompression unit generates a tag sent to the tag decoder in parallel with bits for normals that are sent to the format converter.

Abstract: Three-dimensional compressed geometry is decompressed with a unit having an input FIFO receiving compressed data bits and outputting to an input block state machine and an input block, whose outputs are coupled to a barrel shifter unit. Input block output also is input to Huffman tables that output to the state machine. The state machine output also is coupled to a data path controller whose output is coupled to a tag decoder, and to a normal processor receiving output from the barrel shifter unit. The decompressor unit also includes a position/color processor that receives output from the barrel shifter unit. Outputs from the normal processor and position/color processor are multiplexed to a format converter. For instructions in the data stream that generate output to the format converter, the decompression unit generates a tag sent to the tag decoder in parallel with bits for normals that are sent to the format converter.

Abstract: A computer graphics system that utilizes a super-sampled sample buffer and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit for refreshing the display. The graphics system may have a graphics processor, a super-sampled sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit. The graphics processor renders samples into the sample buffer and may utilize a window ID that specifies attributes of pixels on a per object basis. The window ID may specify one or more of a sample mode, filter type, color attributes, or source attributes. The sample mode may include single sample per pixel mode and multiple samples per pixel mode. The graphics system may be further operable to generate a single sample per pixel for certain windows of the screen in order to provide backwards compatibility with legacy systems.

Abstract: A graphics system comprising a control unit and a series of calculation units coupled together in a closed chain by a segmented communication bus. The calculation unit collaboratively generate one or more video signals. Each calculation unit is programmably assigned to contribute its locally-generated pixels to one of the video streams. The control unit sends a frame readback request to a selected one of the calculation units through the segmented communication bus. The frame readback request specifies some subset of the pixels in one of the video streams for readback to the control unit. In response to the frame readback request, the selected calculation unit transmits the subset of pixels of the specified video stream to the control unit, and the control unit forwards the subset of pixels to a target memory block (e.g. in system memory of a host computer or memory within the graphics system).

Abstract: A method and computer graphics system capable of super-sampling and performing real-time convolution are disclosed. In one embodiment, the computer graphics system may comprise a graphics processor, a sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit. The graphics processor may be configured to generate a plurality of samples. The sample buffer, which is coupled to the graphics processor, may be configured to store the samples. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit is programmable to select a variable number of stored samples from the sample buffer to filter into an output pixel. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit performs the filter process in real-time, and may use a number of different filter types in a single frame. The sample buffer may be super-sampled, and the samples may be positioned according to a regular grid, a perturbed regular grid, or a stochastic grid.

Abstract: A graphics system that is configured to utilize a sample buffer and a plurality of parallel sample-to-pixel calculation units, wherein the sample-pixel calculation units are configured to access different portions of the sample buffer in parallel. The graphics system may include a graphics processor, a sample buffer, and a plurality of sample-to-pixel calculation units. The graphics processor is configured to receive a set of three-dimensional graphics data and render a plurality of samples based on the graphics data. The sample buffer is configured to store the plurality of samples for the sample-to-pixel calculation units, which are configured to receive and filter samples from the sample buffer to create output pixels. Each of the sample-to-pixel calculation units are configured to generate pixels corresponding to a different region of the image. The region may be a vertical or horizontal stripe of the image, or a rectangular portion of the image.

Abstract: A computer graphics system that utilizes a super-sampled sample buffer and a programmable sample-to-pixel calculation unit for refreshing the display, wherein the graphics system may adjust filtering to reduce artifacts or implement display effects. In one embodiment, the graphics system may have a graphics processor, a super-sampled sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit. The graphics processor renders a plurality of samples and stores them into a sample buffer. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit reads the samples from the super-sampled sample buffer and filters or convolves the samples into respective output pixels which are then provided to refresh the display. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit may selectively adjust the filtering of stored samples to reduce artifacts, e.g., is operable to selectively adjust the filtering of stored samples in neighboring frames to reduce artifacts between the neighboring frames.

Abstract: A computer graphics system that utilizes a super-sampled sample buffer and a programmable sample-to-pixel calculation unit for refreshing the display, wherein the graphics system may adjust filtering to reduce artifacts or implement display effects. In one embodiment, the graphics system may have a graphics processor, a super-sampled sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit. The graphics processor renders a plurality of samples and stores them into a sample buffer. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit reads the samples from the super-sampled sample buffer and filters or convolves the samples into respective output pixels which are then provided to refresh the display. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit may selectively adjust the filtering of stored samples to reduce artifacts, e.g., is operable to selectively adjust the filtering of stored samples in neighboring frames to reduce artifacts between the neighboring frames.

Abstract: A computer graphics system that utilizes a super-sampled sample buffer and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit for refreshing the display, wherein the graphics system may store sample position information as offsets to coordinates in the sample buffer. The graphics system may have a graphics processor, a super-sampled sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit. The graphics processor renders samples into the sample buffer at computed positions or locations in the sample buffer. The sample positions may be computed using various sample positioning schemes. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit uses the position information to select the samples for filtering during generation of output pixels. In one embodiment, for each sample, the position information comprises one or more offset values, such as an x-offset and a y-offset, wherein the offset values are relative to pre-defined locations in the sample buffer, such as pre-determined pixel center coordinates or predetermined bin coordinates.