Abstract: The techniques of this disclosure include deferred batching of incremental constant loads. Graphics APIs include the ability to use lightweight constants for use by shaders. A buffer is allocated by a graphics processing unit (GPU) driver that contains a snapshot of the current lightweight constants. This may provide a complete set of state to serve as a starting point. From then on updates to the lightweight constants may be appended to this buffer in an incremental fashion by inserting the update and increasing the size of the buffer by a command processor on a graphics processing unit (GPU). The incremental nature of the updates may be captured, but removes the need for issuing them on every draw call and instead the incremental updates may be batch processed when a live draw call is encountered.

Abstract: A method of data processing, the method comprising receiving, at a graphics processing unit (GPU), a command stream, the command stream including one or more commands to be performed by the GPU and at least one command stream marker, the at least one command stream marker indicating a workload type of the command stream, determining, by the GPU, an operation algorithm for the GPU based on the at least one command stream marker prior to executing the command stream, and executing, by the GPU, the command stream based on the operation algorithm.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to deferred preemption techniques for scheduling graphics processing unit (GPU) command streams for execution on a GPU. A host CPU is described that is configured to control a GPU to perform deferred-preemption scheduling. For example, a host CPU may select one or more locations in a GPU command stream as being one or more locations at which preemption is allowed to occur in response to receiving a preemption notification, and may place one or more tokens in the GPU command stream based on the selected one or more locations. The tokens may indicate to the GPU that preemption is allowed to occur at the selected one or more locations. This disclosure further describes a GPU configured to preempt execution of a GPU command stream based on one or more tokens placed in a GPU command stream.

Abstract: A method of data processing, the method comprising receiving, at a graphics processing unit (GPU), a command stream, the command stream including one or more commands to be performed by the GPU and at least one command stream marker, the at least one command stream marker indicating a workload type of the command stream, determining, by the GPU, an operation algorithm for the GPU based on the at least one command stream marker prior to executing the command stream, and executing, by the GPU, the command stream based on the operation algorithm.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for performing queries in a graphics processing system are disclosed. These systems, methods, and apparatus may be configured to read a running counter at the start of the query to determine a start value, wherein the running counter counts discrete graphical entities, read the running counter at the end of the query to determine an end value, and subtract the start value from the end value to determine a result.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for performing queries in a graphics processing system are disclosed. These systems, methods, and apparatus may be configured to read a running counter at the start of the query to determine a start value, wherein the running counter counts discrete graphical entities, read the running counter at the end of the query to determine an end value, and subtract the start value from the end value to determine a result.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to deferred preemption techniques for scheduling graphics processing unit (GPU) command streams for execution on a GPU. A host CPU is described that is configured to control a GPU to perform deferred-preemption scheduling. For example, a host CPU may select one or more locations in a GPU command stream as being one or more locations at which preemption is allowed to occur in response to receiving a preemption notification, and may place one or more tokens in the GPU command stream based on the selected one or more locations. The tokens may indicate to the GPU that preemption is allowed to occur at the selected one or more locations. This disclosure further describes a GPU configured to preempt execution of a GPU command stream based on one or more tokens placed in a GPU command stream.