Abstract: Disclosed is a data processing system comprising a data processor and a cache that is operable to transfer data from memory to the data processor. The data processor is operable to use data of a type that when transferred to the cache can comprise multiple component values. The data processor is however operable to store within a cache line of the cache a subset of less than all of the component values for a multicomponent data element. The cache is configured to further store in association with each cache line an indication of which data element component values are stored in the cache line so that cache lookups can be performed using the indications of which data element component values are stored in which cache lines.

Abstract: An electro-optic media includes either a plurality of microcapsules in a binder, a polymeric sheet containing sealed microcells, or droplets in a continuous polymeric phase. Each of the microcapsules, microcells, or droplets contain a dispersion that includes a plurality of charged composite particles and a suspending fluid, and the charged particles move through the suspending fluid under the influence of an electric field. The composite particles include one or more types of pigment particles that are at least partially coated with a polymeric material. Each of the binder, polymeric sheet, continuous polymeric phase, the charged composite particles, and the suspending fluid have an index of refraction, and a difference between the index of refraction of the composite particles and at least one of the binder, polymeric sheet, continuous polymeric phase, and solvent is less than or equal to 0.05 at 550 nm.

Abstract: A graphics processor performs graphics processing in respect of a region of a render output. The graphics processing comprises obtaining a scaling factor corresponding to a desired resolution for the region. The graphics processing further comprises, in accordance with the desired resolution, obtaining scaled graphics geometry to be rendered for the region and selecting a subregion of the region to be rendered in respect of the region. The selected subregion is then rendered using the scaled graphics geometry, thereby providing a subregion of data elements rendered in accordance with the desired resolution. The graphics processor can provide efficient and flexible graphics processing when performing variable resolution rendering.

Abstract: A graphics processor performs graphics processing in respect of a region of a render output. The graphics processing comprises obtaining a scaling factor corresponding to a desired resolution for the region. The graphics processing further comprises, in accordance with the desired resolution, obtaining scaled graphics geometry to be rendered for the region and selecting a subregion of the region to be rendered in respect of the region. The selected subregion is then rendered using the scaled graphics geometry, thereby providing a subregion of data elements rendered in accordance with the desired resolution. The graphics processor can provide efficient and flexible graphics processing when performing variable resolution rendering.

Abstract: When a renderer of a graphics processor is to perform a graphics rendering operation that uses one or more texture layers in accordance with contribution control data that controls the contribution that each texture layer makes to the rendering operation for a group of fragments, the renderer determines contribution control data for each fragment in the group, and based on the determined contribution control data, either: fetches and uses the texture data values for a texture layer for each fragment in the group from memory, or does not fetch texture data values for a texture layer for each fragment in the group from memory and instead uses a dummy value for the texture layer for each fragment in the group for the graphics rendering operation.

Abstract: A graphics processor performs graphics processing in respect of a region of a render output. The graphics processing comprises obtaining a scaling factor corresponding to a desired resolution for the region. The graphics processing further comprises, in accordance with the desired resolution, obtaining scaled graphics geometry to be rendered for the region and selecting a subregion of the region to be rendered in respect of the region. The selected subregion is then rendered using the scaled graphics geometry, thereby providing a subregion of data elements rendered in accordance with the desired resolution. The graphics processor can provide efficient and flexible graphics processing when performing variable resolution rendering.

Abstract: When executing a shader program to perform graphics shading operations in a graphics processor, the graphics processor determines for instructions to be executed for the shader program, whether to replace the instructions with alternative instructions, based on the nature of the instructions and the values of input operands to be processed by the instructions, and either retains an instruction or replaces the instruction with an alternative instruction, accordingly.

Abstract: When a shader program is to be executed by a graphics processor, the graphics processor is caused to execute at least two variants of the shader program and the operation of the graphics processor when executing execution threads for the different variants of the shader program is monitored. A variant of the shader program to be executed by subsequent execution threads that are to execute the shader program is then selected based on the monitoring of the operation of the shading stage when executing the execution threads for the different variants of the shader program.

Abstract: When a graphics texture mapping apparatus is to perform a texture filtering operation that uses the data values of a plurality of texels, the texture mapper first determines whether any of the data values of the texels to be used for the texture filtering operation are the same, and then selects a texture filtering operation to be performed using data values of the texels based on the determination. The texture mapper then performs the selected texture filtering operation using one or more of the data values of the texels to provide the required texture filtering operation output result.

Abstract: When executing a shader program to perform graphics shading operations in a graphics processor, the graphics processor determines for instructions to be executed for the shader program, whether to replace the instructions with alternative instructions, based on the nature of the instructions and the values of input operands to be processed by the instructions, and either retains an instruction or replaces the instruction with an alternative instruction, accordingly.

Abstract: When a renderer of a graphics processor is to perform a graphics rendering operation that uses one or more texture layers in accordance with contribution control data that controls the contribution that each texture layer makes to the rendering operation for a group of fragments, the renderer determines contribution control data for each fragment in the group, and based on the determined contribution control data, either: fetches and uses the texture data values for a texture layer for each fragment in the group from memory, or does not fetch texture data values for a texture layer for each fragment in the group from memory and instead uses a dummy value for the texture layer for each fragment in the group for the graphics rendering operation.

Abstract: A graphics processor performs graphics processing in respect of a region of a render output. The graphics processing comprises obtaining a scaling factor corresponding to a desired resolution for the region. The graphics processing further comprises, in accordance with the desired resolution, obtaining scaled graphics geometry to be rendered for the region and selecting a subregion of the region to be rendered in respect of the region. The selected subregion is then rendered using the scaled graphics geometry, thereby providing a subregion of data elements rendered in accordance with the desired resolution. The graphics processor can provide efficient and flexible graphics processing when performing variable resolution rendering.

Abstract: A graphics processing system includes a graphics processing pipeline, which includes a primitive generation stage and a pixel processing stage. The graphics processing system is arranged to process input data in the primitive generation stage to produce first primitive data associated with a first view of a scene and second primitive data associated with a second view of the scene. The graphics processing system is arranged to process the first primitive data in the pixel processing stage to produce first pixel-processed data associated with the first view. The graphics processing system is arranged to determine, for second pixel-processed data associated with the second view, whether to use the first pixel-processed data as the second pixel-processed data or whether to process the second primitive data in the pixel processing stage to produce the second pixel-processed data, and perform additional processing in the graphics processing pipeline based on the determining.

Abstract: When a shader program is to be executed by a graphics processor, the graphics processor is caused to execute at least two variants of the shader program and the operation of the graphics processor when executing execution threads for the different variants of the shader program is monitored. A variant of the shader program to be executed by subsequent execution threads that are to execute the shader program is then selected based on the monitoring of the operation of the shading stage when executing the execution threads for the different variants of the shader program.

Abstract: A graphics processing system sorts graphics primitives for rendering into lists corresponding to different sub-regions of a render output to be generated, each list indicating primitives to be processed for the render output. A primitive list building unit divides a render target into various sub-regions, determines which sub-regions a primitive falls within and adds the primitive to the primitive lists corresponding to those sub-regions. The primitive list building unit also records the positions of the primitives in a pair of histograms which show the distribution of primitives across the render output. Once all primitives for the render output have been sorted into lists, the histograms are outputted to a predictor processor. The predictor processor then determines a set of sub-region sizes to be used when sorting primitives for the next render output to be generated into lists, based on the histograms.

Abstract: The sequence of instructions for a shader program 60 to be executed by a shader core of a graphics processor is divided into an initial set of instructions 61 that perform “global” common expressions of the shader program, a set of instructions 62 in the shader program that perform expressions that are common to a given work group within a set of work items that the shader program is to process, and a main instruction sequence 63 that needs to be executed independently for each work item. Execution threads are then able to start executing the shader program either at the beginning of the global common expressions 64, or at the beginning of the work group common expressions 65, or at the beginning of the main instruction sequence 66.

Abstract: A graphics processing system includes a graphics processing pipeline, which includes a primitive generation stage and a pixel processing stage. The graphics processing system is arranged to process input data in the primitive generation stage to produce first primitive data associated with a first view of a scene and second primitive data associated with a second view of the scene. The graphics processing system is arranged to process the first primitive data in the pixel processing stage to produce first pixel-processed data associated with the first view. The graphics processing system is arranged to determine, for second pixel-processed data associated with the second view, whether to use the first pixel-processed data as the second pixel-processed data or whether to process the second primitive data in the pixel processing stage to produce the second pixel-processed data, and perform additional processing in the graphics processing pipeline based on the determining.

Abstract: A graphics processing pipeline includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to determine attribute information for an object to be rendered for a set of sampling points from a compressed representation of attribute information associated with the object, when the set of sampling points is being processed by the graphics processing pipeline to generate a render output. The processing circuitry is also configured to use the determined attribute information to control the processing of the set of sampling points by the graphics processing pipeline when generating the render output.

Abstract: A graphics processing system sorts graphics primitives for rendering into lists corresponding to different sub-regions of a render output to be generated, each list indicating primitives to be processed for the render output. A primitive list building unit divides a render target into various sub-regions, determines which sub-regions a primitive falls within and adds the primitive to the primitive lists corresponding to those sub-regions. The primitive list building unit also records the positions of the primitives in a pair of histograms which show the distribution of primitives across the render output. Once all primitives for the render output have been sorted into lists, the histograms are outputted to a predictor processor. The predictor processor then determines a set of sub-region sizes to be used when sorting primitives for the next render output to be generated into lists, based on the histograms.

Abstract: The sequence of instructions for a shader program 60 to be executed by a shader core of a graphics processor is divided into an initial set of instructions 61 that perform “global” common expressions of the shader program, a set of instructions 62 in the shader program that perform expressions that are common to a given work group within a set of work items that the shader program is to process, and a main instruction sequence 63 that needs to be executed independently for each work item. Execution threads are then able to start executing the shader program either at the beginning of the global common expressions 64, or at the beginning of the work group common expressions 65, or at the beginning of the main instruction sequence 66.