Patents by Inventor Robert A. Briggs

Robert A. Briggs has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230252711
    Abstract: Methods and control stream generators for generating a control stream for a tile group comprising at least two tiles, the control stream identifying primitive blocks that are relevant to rendering at least one tile in the tile group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Diego Jesus, John W. Howson, Panagiotis Velentzas, Robert Brigg, Xile Yang
  • Patent number: 11715175
    Abstract: Tiling engines and methods for hierarchically tiling a plurality of primitives. A chain of sorting units includes a top level sorting unit followed by lower level sorting units, the top level sorting unit determining which of a plurality of regions of a render space each of the plurality of primitives at least partially falls within. For each region a primitive at least partially falls within an identifier of that primitive is stored in a queue. Each of the lower level sorting units selects queues of a preceding sorting unit in the chain to process, and determines which of a plurality of sub-regions of the region associated with that queue each of the primitives at least partially falls within. For each such sub-region an identifier of that primitive is stored in a queue of the lower level sorting unit that is associated with that sub-region. An output unit outputs the primitives identified in the queues of the last lower level sorting unit in the chain on a queue by queue basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Robert Brigg, Lorenzo Belli
  • Patent number: 11699258
    Abstract: Methods and graphics processing systems render primitives using a rendering space which is subdivided into a plurality of regions. Geometry processing logic performs a geometry processing phase which determines, for each of a plurality of primitives which are present in a region, whether the primitive totally covers the region; and stores data for the primitives which are present in the region, wherein the stored data comprises, for each of the primitives which are determined to totally cover the region, data to indicate total coverage of the region. Rendering logic performs a rendering phase for rendering primitives within the region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Xile Yang, Robert Brigg
  • Publication number: 20230215095
    Abstract: Methods and tiling engines for tiling primitives in a tile based graphics processing system in which a rendering space is divided into a plurality of tiles. The method includes generating a multi-level hierarchy of tile groups, each level of the multi-level hierarchy comprising one or more tile groups comprising one or more of the plurality of tiles; receiving a plurality of primitive blocks, each primitive block comprising geometry data for one or more primitives; associating each of the plurality of primitive blocks with one or more of the tile groups up to a maximum number of tile groups such that if at least one primitive of a primitive block falls, at least partially, within the bounds of a tile, the primitive block is associated with at least one tile group that includes that tile; and generating a control stream for each tile group based on the associations, wherein each control stream comprises a primitive block entry for each primitive block associated with the corresponding tile group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2023
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Inventors: Diego Jesus, John W. Howson, Panagiotis Velentzas, Robert Brigg, Xile Yang
  • Patent number: 11669460
    Abstract: A method of managing access to a physical memory formed of n memory page frames using a set of virtual address spaces having n virtual address spaces each formed of a plurality p of contiguous memory pages. The method includes receiving a write request to write a block of data to a virtual address within a virtual address space i of the n virtual address spaces, the virtual address defined by the virtual address space i, a memory page j within that virtual address space i and an offset from the start of that memory page j; translating the virtual address to an address of the physical memory using a virtual memory table having n by p entries specifying mappings between memory pages of the virtual address spaces and memory page frames of the physical memory, wherein the physical memory address is defined by: (i) the memory page frame mapped to the memory page j as specified by the virtual memory table, and (ii) the offset of the virtual address; and writing the block of data to the physical memory address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Robert Brigg, Lorenzo Belli
  • Patent number: 11663771
    Abstract: A cache for use in a tile-based rendering graphics processing system for storing transformed primitive blocks, the graphics processing system having a rendering space sub-divided into a plurality of tiles to which primitives can be associated, the graphics processing system comprising rasterization logic that rasterizes primitives on a per tile basis in a plurality of stages, the cache comprising: memory configured to store a plurality of transformed primitive blocks in the cache, each transformed primitive block comprising transformed geometry data for one or more primitives; control logic configured to: maintain a counter for each of the plurality of transformed primitive blocks stored in the cache that indicates a number of tiles of the plurality of tiles that are currently being processed by the rasterization logic and require access to that transformed primitive block, the counter being updated when any stage of the rasterization logic indicates a tile no longer requires access to the transformed primiti
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Robert Brigg, John W. Howson, Xile Yang
  • Publication number: 20230147564
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a method of conducting a publicly auditable election. The invention allows an elector to verify their ballot has been counted towards the result of an election in the manner in which it was cast. The elector is capable of cryptographically proving if their ballot has been altered or deleted. Any interested individual or entity is capable of auditing the election using an anonymized database of published ballots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventor: Carey Robert Briggs
  • Patent number: 11640648
    Abstract: A graphics processing system for generating a rendering output includes geometry processing logic and rasterization logic. The geometry processing logic includes first transformation logic configured to transform a plurality of untransformed primitives into a plurality of transformed primitives, the first transformation logic configured to implement one or more expansion transformation stages which generate one or more sub-primitives; a primitive block generator configured to: divide the plurality of transformed primitives into a plurality of groups; and generate an untransformed primitive block for each group comprising (i) information identifying the untransformed primitives related to the transformed primitives in the group; and (ii) an expansion transformation stage mask for at least one of the one or more expansion transformation stages that indicates the sub-primitives generated for the untransformed primitives in that untransformed primitive block that are to be used in generating the rendering output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Robert Brigg, John Howson, Xile Yang
  • Publication number: 20230111561
    Abstract: Data structures, methods and tiling engines for storing tiling data in memory wherein the tiles are grouped into tile groups and the primitives are grouped into primitive blocks. The methods include, for each tile group: determining, for each tile in the tile group, which primitives of each primitive block intersect that tile; storing in memory a variable length control data block for each primitive block that comprises at least one primitive that intersects at least one tile of the tile group; and storing in memory a control stream comprising a fixed sized primitive block entry for each primitive block that comprises at least one primitive that intersects at least one tile of the tile group, each primitive block entry identifying a location in memory of the control data block for the corresponding primitive block. Each primitive block entry may comprise valid tile information identifying which tiles of the tile group are valid for the corresponding primitive block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Xile Yang, Robert Brigg, Michael John Livesley
  • Publication number: 20230090166
    Abstract: Methods and primitive block generators for generating primitive blocks in a graphics processing system. The methods comprise: receiving transformed position data for a current primitive, the transformed position data indicating a position of the current primitive in rendering space; determining a distance between the position of the current primitive and a position of a current primitive block based on the transformed position data for the current primitive; determining whether to add the current primitive to the current primitive block based on the distance and a fullness of the current primitive block; in response to determining that the current primitive is to be added to the current primitive block, adding the current primitive to the current primitive block; and in response to determining that the current primitive is not to be added to the current primitive block, flushing the current primitive block and adding the current primitive to a new current primitive block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Xile Yang, Robert Brigg, John W. Howson
  • Patent number: 11610358
    Abstract: Methods and tiling engines for tiling primitives in a tile based graphics processing system in which a rendering space is divided into a plurality of tiles. The method includes generating a multi-level hierarchy of tile groups, each level of the multi-level hierarchy comprising one or more tile groups comprising one or more of the plurality of tiles; receiving a plurality of primitive blocks, each primitive block comprising geometry data for one or more primitives; associating each of the plurality of primitive blocks with one or more of the tile groups up to a maximum number of tile groups such that if at least one primitive of a primitive block falls, at least partially, within the bounds of a tile, the primitive block is associated with at least one tile group that includes that tile; and generating a control stream for each tile group based on the associations, wherein each control stream comprises a primitive block entry for each primitive block associated with the corresponding tile group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Diego Jesus, John W. Howson, Panagiotis Velentzas, Robert Brigg, Xile Yang
  • Patent number: 11600034
    Abstract: Methods and control stream generators for generating a control stream for a tile group comprising at least two tiles, the control stream identifying primitive blocks that are relevant to rendering at least one tile in the tile group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Diego Jesus, John W. Howson, Panagiotis Velentzas, Robert Brigg, Xile Yang
  • Publication number: 20230009092
    Abstract: Methods and graphics processing systems render items of geometry using a rendering space which is subdivided into a plurality of first regions. Each of the first regions is sub-divided into a plurality of second regions. Each of a plurality of items of geometry is processed by identifying which of the first regions the item of geometry is present within, and for each identified first region determining an indication of the spatial coverage, within the identified first region, of the item of geometry, and using the determined indication of the spatial coverage within the identified first region to determine whether to add the item of geometry to a first control list for the identified first region or to add the item of geometry to one or more second control lists for a respective one or more of the second regions within the identified first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Xile Yang, Robert Brigg
  • Patent number: 11532115
    Abstract: Data structures, methods and tiling engines for storing tiling data in memory wherein the tiles are grouped into tile groups and the primitives are grouped into primitive blocks. The methods include, for each tile group: determining, for each tile in the tile group, which primitives of each primitive block intersect that tile; storing in memory a variable length control data block for each primitive block that comprises at least one primitive that intersects at least one tile of the tile group; and storing in memory a control stream comprising a fixed sized primitive block entry for each primitive block that comprises at least one primitive that intersects at least one tile of the tile group, each primitive block entry identifying a location in memory of the control data block for the corresponding primitive block. Each primitive block entry may comprise valid tile information identifying which tiles of the tile group are valid for the corresponding primitive block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Xile Yang, Robert Brigg, Michael John Livesley
  • Patent number: 11527039
    Abstract: Methods and primitive block generators for generating primitive blocks in a graphics processing system. The methods comprise: receiving transformed position data for a current primitive, the transformed position data indicating a position of the current primitive in rendering space; determining a distance between the position of the current primitive and a position of a current primitive block based on the transformed position data for the current primitive; determining whether to add the current primitive to the current primitive block based on the distance and a fullness of the current primitive block; in response to determining that the current primitive is to be added to the current primitive block, adding the current primitive to the current primitive block; and in response to determining that the current primitive is not to be added to the current primitive block, flushing the current primitive block and adding the current primitive to a new current primitive block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Xile Yang, Robert Brigg, John W. Howson
  • Publication number: 20220375294
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a system and method of conducting a publicly auditable election using secret ballots. The invention allows an elector to verify their ballot has been counted towards the result of an election in the manner in which it was cast. The elector is capable of cryptographically proving if their ballot has been altered or deleted. Any interested individual or entity is capable of auditing the election using an anonymized database of published ballots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventor: Carey Robert Briggs
  • Patent number: 11481951
    Abstract: Methods and graphics processing systems render items of geometry using a rendering space which is subdivided into a plurality of first regions. Each of the first regions is sub-divided into a plurality of second regions. Each of a plurality of items of geometry is processed by identifying which of the first regions the item of geometry is present within, and for each identified first region determining an indication of the spatial coverage, within the identified first region, of the item of geometry, and using the determined indication of the spatial coverage within the identified first region to determine whether to add the item of geometry to a first control list for the identified first region or to add the item of geometry to one or more second control lists for a respective one or more of the second regions within the identified first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Imagination Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Xile Yang, Robert Brigg
  • Patent number: 11446506
    Abstract: An example system and method associated with identifying and treating a source of a heart rhythm disorder are disclosed. In accordance therewith, a spatial element associated with a region of the heart is selected. Progressive rotational activations or progressive focal activations are determined in relation to the selected spatial element over a period of time. The selecting and determining are repeated over multiple periods of time. A source parameter of rotation activations or focal activations is determined, wherein the source parameter indicates consistency of successive rotational activations or focal activations in relation to a portion of the region of the heart. The determining of a source parameter is repeated for multiple regions of the heart. Thereafter, representation of the source parameter is displayed for each of the multiple regions of the heart to identify a shape representing the source of the heart rhythm disorder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, The United States of America as Represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Topera, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanjiv M. Narayan, Carey Robert Briggs, Ruchir Sehra
  • Patent number: 11426088
    Abstract: Provided are a system and method of generating an aggregated stability map of one or more rotational sources associated with a heart rhythm disorder. In accordance therewith, a plurality of rotational area profile maps is accessed for a plurality of analysis intervals. Each of the profile maps includes rotation intensity values for a plurality of locations associated with rotation of the one or more rotational sources. An aggregated stability map is generated based on the profile maps, wherein the stability map includes a plurality of locations. Each location includes a rotation intensity value based at least on a filter number of highest rotation intensity values from corresponding locations of the profile maps, the filter number being automatically determined from a plurality of filter numbers such that the plurality of profile maps as filtered includes a predetermined number of rotation intensity values in excess of a threshold intensity value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Topera, Inc.
    Inventors: William Robert Macneil, Carey Robert Briggs, Christopher Todd Schuster, Heather A. Drury
  • Publication number: 20220084281
    Abstract: Methods and primitive block generators for generating primitive blocks in a graphics processing system. The methods comprise: receiving transformed position data for a current primitive, the transformed position data indicating a position of the current primitive in rendering space; determining a distance between the position of the current primitive and a position of a current primitive block based on the transformed position data for the current primitive; determining whether to add the current primitive to the current primitive block based on the distance and a fullness of the current primitive block; in response to determining that the current primitive is to be added to the current primitive block, adding the current primitive to the current primitive block; and in response to determining that the current primitive is not to be added to the current primitive block, flushing the current primitive block and adding the current primitive to a new current primitive block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Xile Yang, Robert Brigg, John W. Howson