Abstract: A system and method for facilitating increased graphics processing without deadlock. Embodiments of the present invention provide storage for execution unit pipeline results (e.g., texture pipeline results). The storage allows increased processing of multiple threads as a texture unit may be used to store information while corresponding locations of the register file are available for reallocation to other threads. Embodiments further provide for preventing deadlock by limiting the number of requests and ensuring that a set of requests is not issued unless there are resources available to complete each request of the set of requests. Embodiments of the present invention thus provide for deadlock free increased performance.

Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed for enabling a user to physically acknowledge monitoring of their mobile device's network address (e.g., upon entering a store to track the user's movement through the store based upon the mobile device's MAC address). An Access Point coupled with a network system may identify the user device's MAC address, but the network system may defer retention and use of the MAC address until the user provides a physical authorization to do so. The user may provide such a physical authorization by placing their mobile device in physical proximity to a kiosk. The kiosk may emit a signal via, e.g., a magnetic field, radiation, sonification, imaging, etc. An application running on the user device may receive this signal. For example, the kiosk may emit a magnetic field to manipulate the user device's compass hardware. The application may monitor and derive a kiosk identifier from these manipulations.

Abstract: Various embodiments are disclosed for enabling a user to physically acknowledge monitoring of their mobile device's network address (e.g., upon entering a store to track the user's movement through the store based upon the mobile device's MAC address). An Access Point coupled with a network system may identify the user device's MAC address, but the network system may defer retention and use of the MAC address until the user provides a physical authorization to do so. The user may provide such a physical authorization by placing their mobile device in physical proximity to a kiosk. The kiosk may emit a signal via, e.g., a magnetic field, radiation, sonification, imaging, etc. An application running on the user device may receive this signal. For example, the kiosk may emit a magnetic field to manipulate the user device's compass hardware. The application may monitor and derive a kiosk identifier from these manipulations.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating increased graphics processing without deadlock. Embodiments of the present invention provide storage for execution unit pipeline results (e.g., texture pipeline results). The storage allows increased processing of multiple threads as a texture unit may be used to store information while corresponding locations of the register file are available for reallocation to other threads. Embodiments further provide for preventing deadlock by limiting the number of requests and ensuring that a set of requests is not issued unless there are resources available to complete each request of the set of requests. Embodiments of the present invention thus provide for deadlock free increased performance.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating increased graphics processing without deadlock. Embodiments of the present invention provide storage for execution unit pipeline results (e.g., texture pipeline results). The storage allows increased processing of multiple threads as a texture unit may be used to store information while corresponding locations of the register file are available for reallocation to other threads. Embodiments further provide for preventing deadlock by limiting the number of requests and ensuring that a set of requests is not issued unless there are resources available to complete each request of the set of requests. Embodiments of the present invention thus provide for deadlock free increased performance.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating increased graphics processing without deadlock. Embodiments of the present invention provide storage for execution unit pipeline results (e.g., texture pipeline results). The storage allows increased processing of multiple threads as a texture unit may be used to store information while corresponding locations of the register file are available for reallocation to other threads. Embodiments further provide for preventing deadlock by limiting the number of requests and ensuring that a set of requests is not issued unless there are resources available to complete each request of the set of requests. Embodiments of the present invention thus provide for deadlock free increased performance.

Abstract: A scalable shader architecture is disclosed. In accord with that architecture, a shader includes multiple shader pipelines, each of which can perform processing operations on rasterized pixel data. Shader pipelines can be functionally removed as required, thus preventing a defective shader pipeline from causing a chip rejection. The shader includes a shader distributor that processes rasterized pixel data and then selectively distributes the processed rasterized pixel data to the various shader pipelines, beneficially in a manner that balances workloads. A shader collector formats the outputs of the various shader pipelines into proper order to form shaded pixel data. A shader instruction processor (scheduler) programs the individual shader pipelines to perform their intended tasks.

Abstract: A graphics processing system performs filtering of oversampled data during a scanout operation. Sample values are read from an oversampled frame buffer and filtered during scanout; the filtered color values (one per pixel) are provided to a display device without an intervening step of storing the filtered data in a frame buffer. In one embodiment, the filtering circuit includes a memory interface configured to read data values corresponding to sample points from a frame buffer containing the oversampled data; and a filter configured to receive the data values provided by the memory interface, to compute a pixel value from the data values, and to transmit the pixel value for displaying by a display device, wherein the filter computes the pixel value during a scanout operation.

Abstract: A pixel center position that is not covered by a primitive covering a portion of the pixel is displaced to lie within a fragment formed by the intersection of the primitive and the pixel. X,y coordinates of a pixel center are adjusted to displace the pixel center position to lie within the fragment, affecting actual texture map coordinates or barycentric weights. Alternatively, a centroid sub-pixel sample position is determined based on coverage data for the pixel and a multisample mode. The centroid sub-pixel sample position is used to compute pixel or sub-pixel parameters for the fragment.

Abstract: A pixel center position that is not covered by a primitive covering a portion of the pixel is displaced to lie within a fragment formed by the intersection of the primitive and the pixel. X,y coordinates of a pixel center are adjusted to displace the pixel center position to lie within the fragment, affecting actual texture map coordinates or barycentric weights. Alternatively, a centroid sub-pixel sample position is determined based on coverage data for the pixel and a multisample mode. The centroid sub-pixel sample position is used to compute pixel or sub-pixel parameters for the fragment.

Abstract: A scalable shader architecture is disclosed. In accord with that architecture, a shader includes multiple shader pipelines, each of which can perform processing operations on rasterized pixel data. Shader pipelines can be functionally removed as required, thus preventing a defective shader pipeline from causing a chip rejection. The shader includes a shader distributor that processes rasterized pixel data and then selectively distributes the processed rasterized pixel data to the various shader pipelines, beneficially in a manner that balances workloads. A shader collector formats the outputs of the various shader pipelines into proper order to form shaded pixel data. A shader instruction processor (scheduler) programs the individual shader pipelines to perform their intended tasks.

Abstract: A graphics processing system performs filtering of oversampled data during a scanout operation. Sample values are read from an oversampled frame buffer and filtered during scanout; the filtered color values (one per pixel) are provided to a display device without an intervening step of storing the filtered data in a frame buffer. In one embodiment, the filtering circuit includes a memory interface configured to read data values corresponding to sample points from a frame buffer containing the oversampled data; and a filter configured to receive the data values provided by the memory interface, to compute a pixel value from the data values, and to transmit the pixel value for displaying by a display device, wherein the filter computes the pixel value during a scanout operation.

Abstract: A graphics processing system performs filtering of oversampled data during a scanout operation. Sample values are read from an oversampled frame buffer and filtered during scanout; the filtered color values (one per pixel) are provided to a display device without an intervening step of storing the filtered data in a frame buffer. In one embodiment, the filtering circuit includes a memory interface configured to read data values corresponding to sample points from a frame buffer containing the oversampled data; and a filter configured to receive the data values provided by the memory interface, to compute a pixel value from the data values, and to transmit the pixel value for displaying by a display device, wherein the filter computes the pixel value during a scanout operation.