Patents by Inventor Michael J. E. Swift

Michael J. E. Swift 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).

  • Patent number: 9952655
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system controls a duty cycle of a processor (e.g. a graphics processing unit (GPU)) to manage power. The GPU may include a snoop indicator that may control whether or not the GPU captures and/or responds to communications from another processor (e.g. a central processing unit (CPU) that executes a driver associate with the GPU). A snooze indicator may control whether or not the GPU is automatically repowered at the start of the next frame, or is repowered only if the communication indicating additional work has been received. In an embodiment, the GPU mode controls discussed above may permit the GPU firmware executed with the GPU itself to control duty cycle power down, independent of the driver executing on the CPU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jason P. Jane, Richard W. Schreyer, Michael J. E. Swift, Gokhan Avkarogullari, Luc R. Semeria, Patrick Y. Law
  • Patent number: 9390461
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system controls a duty cycle of a processor (e.g. a graphics processing unit (GPU)) to manage power. The GPU may include a snoop indicator that may control whether or not the GPU captures and/or responds to communications from another processor (e.g. a central processing unit (CPU) that executes a driver associate with the GPU). A snooze indicator may control whether or not the GPU is automatically repowered at the start of the next frame, or is repowered only if the communication indicating additional work has been received. In an embodiment, the GPU mode controls discussed above may permit the GPU firmware executed with the GPU itself to control duty cycle power down, independent of the driver executing on the CPU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Jason P. Jane, Richard W. Schreyer, Michael J. E. Swift, Gokhan Avkarogullari, Luc R. Semeria, Patrick Y. Law
  • Patent number: 9035956
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a processor that includes multiple cores may implement a power/performance-efficient stop mechanism for power gating. One or more first cores of the multiple cores may have a higher latency stop than one or more second cores of the multiple cores. The power control mechanism may permit continued dispatching of work to the second cores until the first cores have stopped. The power control mechanism may prevent dispatch of additional work once the first cores have stopped, and may power gate the processing in response to the stopping of the second cores. Stopping a core may include one or more of: requesting a context switch from the core or preventing additional work from being dispatched to the core and permitting current work to complete normally. In an embodiment, the processor may be a graphics processing unit (GPU).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Richard W. Schreyer, Jason P. Jane, Michael J. E. Swift, Gokhan Avkarogullari, Luc R. Semeria
  • Patent number: 8234558
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for adaptive presentation of graphical representations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. E. Swift, Alex Kan, Sean Gies, Charles John Pisula, Sean B. Kelly
  • Patent number: 7849414
    Abstract: Techniques for anti-aliasing of graphical objects. A graphical object to be displayed on a display image may be modified to include a border region at least partially surrounding the object. The color of the border region may be selected based on the color of the background over which the graphical object is to be displayed. The graphical object is linearly filtered. The linearly filtered graphical object is displayed on a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Alex Kan, Michael J. E. Swift, Sean Gies, Loren Brichter, Christopher Niederauer
  • Publication number: 20090006978
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for adaptive presentation of graphical representations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: MICHAEL J. E. SWIFT, Alex Kan, Sean Gies, Charles John Pisula, Sean B. Kelly
  • Publication number: 20080320414
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for efficient edge anti-aliasing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: ALEX KAN, Michael J. E. Swift, Sean Gies, Loren Brichter, Christopher Niederauer