Abstract: A method and apparatus for parallel processing of pixel information within a video graphics circuit is accomplished when the video graphics circuit includes a set-up engine, an edgewalker circuit, a span processing circuit, and a plurality of pixel processing circuits. In such an embodiment, the set-up engine receives vertex information and produces object-element information therefrom. The object-element information is provided to the edgewalker circuit, which in turn produces span definition information. The span definition information identifies the starting pixel of a span and the starting pixel parameters. The span information is received by the processing circuit and converted into a plurality of pixel parameters. The plurality of pixel parameters are provided to the plurality of pixel processing circuits wherein each of the plurality of pixel processing circuits processes corresponding pixel parameters to produce pixel information in accordance with the information provided by the processing circuit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for parallel processing of pixel information within a video graphics circuit is accomplished when the video graphics circuit includes a set-up engine, an edgewalker circuit, a span processing circuit, and a plurality of pixel processing circuits. In such an embodiment, the set-up engine receives vertex information and produces object-element information therefrom. The object-element information is provided to the edgewalker circuit, which in turn produces span definition information. The span definition information identifies the starting pixel of a span and the starting pixel parameters. The span information is received by the processing circuit and converted into a plurality of pixel parameters. The plurality of pixel parameters are provided to the plurality of pixel processing circuits wherein each of the plurality of pixel processing circuits processes corresponding pixel parameters to produce pixel information in accordance with the information provided by the processing circuit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for parallel processing of pixel information within a video graphics circuit is accomplished when the video graphics circuit includes a set-up engine, an edgewalker circuit, a span processing circuit, and a plurality of pixel processing circuits. In such an embodiment, the set-up engine receives vertex information and produces object-element information therefrom. The object-element information is provided to the edgewalker circuit, which in turn produces span definition information. The span definition information identifies the starting pixel of a span and the starting pixel parameters. The span information is received by the processing circuit and converted into a plurality of pixel parameters. The plurality of pixel parameters are provided to the plurality of pixel processing circuits wherein each of the plurality of pixel processing circuits processes corresponding pixel parameters to produce pixel information in accordance with the information provided by the processing circuit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for blending textures and other operands in a video graphics system using a single blend unit is accomplished through the following steps. A first set of control information is received. A first portion of the first set of control information is sued to select a first blend operand, which is preferably a texture in a graphics processing system. A second blend operand is selected based on a second portion of the first set of control information. The first and second blend operands are combined using an operation selected by a third portion of the first set of control information. The combination of the first and second blend operands produces a first combination result. A second set of control information is received, and a first portion of the second set of control information selects a third blend operand. The first combination result is then selected as a fourth blend operand using a second portion of the second set of control information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for approximating exponential and other nonlinear functions in a graphics system is accomplished using a linear interpolator adapted to receive a graphics primitive that includes vertex values for a parameter at each vertex of the graphics primitive. The linear interpolator determines a linear interpolation value for the parameter at a selected pixel within the primitive based on the vertex values. The linear interpolation value is then used to generate a first index and a fractional value, where the fractional value is the difference between the linear interpolation value and the first index. The first index is then incremented to produce a second index. The first and second indexes are then applied to a memory block that stores a discrete sampling of a nonlinear function corresponding to the parameter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rendering shadows on a three-dimensional scene is accomplished by generating a light source texture map of the given three-dimensional scene. The light source texture map is generated based on a viewing perspective being proximal to a light source projection. Once the light source texture map has been generated, an object element of the three-dimensional scene is rendered based on the light source texture map and image information. The image information includes vertex components corresponding to object elements of the three-dimensional scene.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rendering pixel information from blended texture information is accomplished by generating first texture information and second texture information for a given pixel location. Having generated this information, the first and second texture information is blended, based on a blending function, to produce blended texture information. The blended texture information is then used to render the pixel information at the given pixel location. This process continues for each pixel location of an object element of an object, image, and/or scene.