Abstract: A data processing system includes: a processor; a data interface for communication with a control unit, the processor being on one side of the data interface; internal storage accessible by the processor, the internal storage being on the same side of the data interface as the processor; and a register array accessible by the processor and comprising a plurality of registers, each register having a plurality of vector lanes. The storage is arranged to store control data indicating an ordered selection of vector lanes of one or more of the registers. The processor is arranged to, in response to receiving instruction data from a control unit, perform a swizzle operation in which data is selected from one or more source registers in the register array, and transferred to a destination register. The data is selected from vector lanes in accordance with control data stored in the internal storage.

Abstract: A graphics processing system performs a final gather process so as to generate final gather lighting data for a scene. The final gather process comprises casting sampling rays from a final gather point within the scene. Radiosity data provided for the scene is sampled using the sampling rays cast from the final gather point. Final gather lighting data is then generated from the sampled radiosity data. The sampling rays are cast from the final gather point in an informed manner based on directional irradiance data provided for the scene. The final gather process can therefore be carried out by the graphics processing system more efficiently and effectively.

Abstract: A data processing system includes: a processor; a data interface for communication with a control unit, the processor being on one side of the data interface; internal storage accessible by the processor, the internal storage being on the same side of the data interface as the processor; and a register array accessible by the processor and comprising a plurality of registers, each register having a plurality of vector lanes. The storage is arranged to store control data indicating an ordered selection of vector lanes of one or more of the registers. The processor is arranged to, in response to receiving instruction data from a control unit, perform a swizzle operation in which data is selected from one or more source registers in the register array, and transferred to a destination register. The data is selected from vector lanes in accordance with control data stored in the internal storage.

Abstract: A graphics processing apparatus and method of performing graphics processing are provided. The graphics processing apparatus comprises a sequence of processing stages capable of performing graphics processing to generate a frame of display data. The graphics processing is performed on a tile-by-tile basis. The graphics processing apparatus is capable of determining if a current tile subject to the graphics processing is empty. At least one processing stage of the sequence of processing stages is omitted for graphics processing of the current tile in dependence on whether the current tile is empty.

Abstract: A graphics processing system performs a final gather process so as to generate final gather lighting data for a scene. The final gather process comprises casting sampling rays from a final gather point within the scene. Radiosity data provided for the scene is sampled using the sampling rays cast from the final gather point. Final gather lighting data is then generated from the sampled radiosity data. The sampling rays are cast from the final gather point in an informed manner based on directional irradiance data provided for the scene. The final gather process can therefore be carried out by the graphics processing system more efficiently and effectively.

Abstract: A graphics processing apparatus and method of performing graphics processing are provided. The graphics processing apparatus comprises a sequence of processing stages capable of performing graphics processing to generate a frame of display data. The graphics processing is performed on a tile-by-tile basis. The graphics processing apparatus is capable of determining if a current tile subject to the graphics processing is empty. At least one processing stage of the sequence of processing stages is omitted for graphics processing of the current tile in dependence on whether the current tile is empty.