Patents by Inventor Steven J. Spangler

Steven J. Spangler 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).

  • Patent number: 9324128
    Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for causing the storage of a color data value of a clear color to be deferred or entirely avoided as color data values of primitives of an image are stored. An apparatus includes a processor element; and a logic to store color data values of a block of pixels of the image in a first portion of a cache line, store an indication of the first portion as written and of a second portion of the cache line as not in a per-portion table, evict contents of the first and second portions, and store the contents of the first portion in an image data and store a color data value of a clear color in place of the contents of the second portion in the image data in response to the indications stored in the per-portion table. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: INTEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven J. Spangler, Prasoonkumar Surti, Christopher D. Berry, Hiroshi Akiba
  • Publication number: 20140267338
    Abstract: Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques for causing the storage of a color data value of a clear color to be deferred or entirely avoided as color data values of primitives of an image are stored. An apparatus includes a processor element; and a logic to store color data values of a block of pixels of the image in a first portion of a cache line, store an indication of the first portion as written and of a second portion of the cache line as not in a per-portion table, evict contents of the first and second portions, and store the contents of the first portion in an image data and store a color data value of a clear color in place of the contents of the second portion in the image data in response to the indications stored in the per-portion table. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: STEVEN J. SPANGLER, PRASOONKUMAR SURTI, CHRISTOPHER D. BERRY, HIROSHI AKIBA
  • Patent number: 8544019
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a request to generate a thread and supplying a request to a queue in response at least to the received request. The method may further include fetching a plurality of instructions in response at least in part to the request supplied to the queue and executing at least one of the plurality of instructions. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a storage medium having stored therein instructions that when executed by a machine result in the method. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes circuitry to receive a request to generate a thread and to queue a request to generate a thread in response at least to the received request. In some embodiments, a system includes circuitry to receive a request to generate a thread and to queue a request to generate a thread in response at least to the received request, and a memory unit to store at least one instruction for the thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Hong Jiang, Thomas A. Piazza, Brian D. Rauchfuss, Sreedevi Chalasani, Steven J. Spangler
  • Patent number: 8207978
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for the simplification of 3D texture address computations based on aligned, non-perspective objects are disclosed. For example, a method is disclosed including receiving a texture address of a first pixel and determining a texture address of a second pixel by applying at least one offset to the texture address of the first pixel. Other implementations are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Spangler, Benjamin R. Fletcher
  • Publication number: 20110314479
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a request to generate a thread and supplying a request to a queue in response at least to the received request. The method may further include fetching a plurality of instructions in response at least in part to the request supplied to the queue and executing at least one of the plurality of instructions. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a storage medium having stored therein instructions that when executed by a machine result in the method. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes circuitry to receive a request to generate a thread and to queue a request to generate a thread in response at least to the received request. In some embodiments, a system includes circuitry to receive a request to generate a thread and to queue a request to generate a thread in response at least to the received request, and a memory unit to store at least one instruction for the thread.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Hong Jiang, Thomas A. Piazza, Brian D. Rauchfuss, Sreedevi Chalasani, Steven J. Spangler
  • Patent number: 7975272
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a request to generate a thread and supplying a request to a queue in response at least to the received request. The method may further include fetching a plurality of instructions in response at least in part to the request supplied to the queue and executing at least one of the plurality of instructions. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a storage medium having stored therein instructions that when executed by a machine result in the method. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes circuitry to receive a request to generate a thread and to queue a request to generate a thread in response at least to the received request. In some embodiments, a system includes circuitry to receive a request to generate a thread and to queue a request to generate a thread in response at least to the received request, and a memory unit to store at least one instruction for the thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Hong Jiang, Thomas A. Piazza, Brian D. Rauchfuss, Sreedevi Chalasani, Steven J. Spangler
  • Patent number: 7936359
    Abstract: A reconfigurable floating point data filter may be implemented by configuring a texture filter in response to state data, where the state data specifying at least a data width of input texture data to be filtered, where the input texture data is in a floating point format, filtering the input texture data using the texture filter, and then reconfiguring the texture filter to be substantially fully utilized when the data width of the input texture data changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Spangler, Benjamin R. Pletcher
  • Patent number: 7830397
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, systems, methods, apparatus, computer program code and means are provided to set a first depth value associated with a plurality of pixels of a video image comprising a plurality of planes, create a first clear rectangle with respect to the first depth value, color render the pixels that are not associated with the first clear rectangle, and render the plurality of planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Prasoonkumar Surti, Hong Jiang, Steven J. Spangler
  • Publication number: 20090284526
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, systems, methods, apparatus, computer program code and means are provided to set a first depth value associated with a plurality of pixels of a video image comprising a plurality of planes, create a first clear rectangle with respect to the first depth value, color render the pixels that are not associated with the first clear rectangle, and render the plurality of planes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventors: Prasoonkumar Surti, Hong Jiang, Steven J. Spangler
  • Patent number: 7586495
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, systems, methods, apparatus, computer program code and means are provided to set a first depth value associated with a plurality of pixels of a video image comprising a plurality of planes, create a first clear rectangle with respect to the first depth value, color render the pixels that are not associated with the first clear rectangle, and render the plurality of planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Prasoonkumar Surti, Hong Jiang, Steven J. Spangler
  • Publication number: 20080163215
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a request to generate a thread and supplying a request to a queue in response at least to the received request. The method may further include fetching a plurality of instructions in response at least in part to the request supplied to the queue and executing at least one of the plurality of instructions. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a storage medium having stored therein instructions that when executed by a machine result in the method. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes circuitry to receive a request to generate a thread and to queue a request to generate a thread in response at least to the received request. In some embodiments, a system includes circuitry to receive a request to generate a thread and to queue a request to generate a thread in response at least to the received request, and a memory unit to store at least one instruction for the thread.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Hong Jiang, Thomas A. Piazza, Brian D. Rauchfuss, Sreedevi Chalasani, Steven J. Spangler
  • Publication number: 20080158250
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, systems, methods, apparatus, computer program code and means are provided to set a first depth value associated with a plurality of pixels of a video image comprising a plurality of planes, create a first clear rectangle with respect to the first depth value, color render the pixels that are not associated with the first clear rectangle, and render the plurality of planes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Prasoonkumar Surti, Hong Jiang, Steven J. Spangler
  • Publication number: 20080012874
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for the dynamic selection of high-performance pixel shader code based on check of restrictions are disclosed. For example, a method is disclosed including receiving a graphics primitive for rendering, determining whether the graphics primitive satisfies a restriction, and selecting from at least two versions of rendering code a first version of rendering code to render the graphics primitive if the graphics primitive satisfies the restriction. Other implementations are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventors: Steven J. Spangler, William B. Sadler
  • Publication number: 20080001964
    Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for the simplification of 3D texture address computations based on aligned, non-perspective objects are disclosed. For example, a method is disclosed including receiving a texture address of a first pixel and determining a texture address of a second pixel by applying at least one offset to the texture address of the first pixel. Other implementations are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventors: Steven J. Spangler, Benjamin R. Pletcher
  • Patent number: 6947054
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an anisotropic filtering configuration where a ratio value is computed as the ratio of the major axis to the minor axis of a pixel projection on a texture map. The number of subpixels generated and sampled is based upon the value of the ratio. For four-way anisotropic filtering, subpixels are generated that move as the computed ratio between the major and minor axis increases. Subpixels may be placed anywhere from 0.5 to 1.5 texel distance from the pixel center depending on the computed ratio. The contribution of the subpixels is equally weighted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Steven J. Spangler
  • Patent number: 6924812
    Abstract: A texture data reading apparatus includes a cache memory including a plurality of read ports and a plurality of regions to store pixel texture data. An address comparator includes a plurality of input ports to receive incoming pixels, wherein the address comparator compares the memory addresses associated with the incoming pixels to determine which regions of cache memory are accessed. A cache lookup device accesses new texture data from the cache memory for the incoming pixels in the same clock cycle in response to the number of memory regions accessed being less than or equal to the number of cache memory read ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Satyaki Koneru, Steven J. Spangler, Val G. Cook
  • Publication number: 20040119719
    Abstract: A texture data reading apparatus includes a cache memory including a plurality of read ports and a plurality of regions to store pixel texture data. An address comparator includes a plurality of input ports to receive incoming pixels, wherein the address comparator compares the memory addresses associated with the incoming pixels to determine which regions of cache memory are accessed. A cache lookup device accesses new texture data from the cache memory for the incoming pixels in the same clock cycle in response to the number of memory regions accessed being less than or equal to the number of cache memory read ports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventors: Satyaki Koneru, Steven J. Spangler, Val G. Cook
  • Publication number: 20040119720
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an anisotropic filtering configuration where a ratio value is computed as the ratio of the major axis to the minor axis of a pixel projection on a texture map. The number of subpixels generated and sampled is based upon the value of the ratio. For four-way anisotropic filtering, subpixels are generated that move as the computed ratio between the major and minor axis increases. Subpixels may be placed anywhere from 0.5 to 1.5 texel distance from the pixel center depending on the computed ratio. The contribution of the subpixels is equally weighted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventor: Steven J. Spangler
  • Patent number: 6745298
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing data is described. A request such as a multiprocessor snoop request for data is received from a bus. A determination is made as to whether a cache contains the data. The data is placed in a buffer. A determination is made as to whether the bus can receive the data. The data is sent to the bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Steven J. Spangler, Varghese George
  • Publication number: 20030070048
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing data is described. A request for data is received from a bus. A determination is made as to whether a cache contains the data. The data is placed in a buffer. A determination is made as to whether the bus can receive the data. The data is sent to the bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 1999
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventors: STEVEN J. SPANGLER, VARHESE GEORGE