Abstract: A graphics system comprising a plurality of rendering pipelines and a scheduling network. Each rendering pipeline couples to the scheduling network, and includes a media processor, a rendering unit and a memory. A communication bus may couple the scheduling network and the memory of each rendering pipeline. The media processor in each rendering pipeline may direct the saving of state information of the corresponding rendering pipeline to the corresponding memory in response to receiving a corresponding context switch indication. A first of the media processors initiates the transfer of a resume token to the scheduling network through the corresponding rendering pipeline if the context switch occurs during an ordered processing mode. The scheduling network unblocks one or more rendering pipelines other than the first rendering pipeline in response to receiving the resume token.

Abstract: A graphics system configured to apply multiple layers of texture information to primitives. The graphics system receives parameters defining a primitive and performs a size test on the primitive. If the size test cannot guarantee that a fragment size of the primitive is less than or equal to a fragment capacity of a texture accumulation buffer, the primitive is divided into subprimitives, and the graphics system applies the multiple layers of texture to fragments which intersect the primitive. The graphics system switches from a current layer to the layer next when it has applied textures corresponding to the current layer to all the fragments intersecting the primitive. The graphics system stores color values associated with the primitive fragments in the texture accumulation buffer between the application of successive texture layers.

Abstract: A graphics system comprising a plurality of rendering pipelines and a scheduling network. Each rendering pipeline couples to the scheduling network, and includes a media processor, a rendering unit and a memory. A communication bus may couple the scheduling network and the memory of each rendering pipeline. The media processor in each rendering pipeline may direct the saving of state information of the corresponding rendering pipeline to the corresponding memory in response to receiving a corresponding context switch indication. A first of the media processors initiates the transfer of a resume token to the scheduling network through the corresponding rendering pipeline if the context switch occurs during an ordered processing mode. The scheduling network unblocks one or more rendering pipelines other than the first rendering pipeline in response to receiving the resume token.

Abstract: A graphics system for providing two-sided lighting. The graphics system may include a media processor and a hardware accelerator. The media processor may be configured to receive a stream of vertices, and to perform a two-sided lighting computation on each vertex resulting in front color and back color for each vertex. The hardware accelerator may be configured to (a) receive the vertices of the first stream along with the front and back color for each vertex, (b) assemble the vertices into polygons, (c) compute an orientation for each of the polygons, (d) select the front color or the back color of the vertices forming each polygon based on a result of the orientation computation for each polygon, and (e) render each polygon using the selected color of the vertices forming the polygon.

Abstract: A graphics system configured to apply multiple layers of texture information to primitives. The graphics system receives parameters defining a primitive and performs a size test on the primitive. If the size test cannot guarantee that a fragment size of the primitive is less than or equal to a fragment capacity of a texture accumulation buffer, the primitive is divided into subprimitives, and the graphics system applies the multiple layers of texture to fragments which intersect the primitive. The graphics system switches from a current layer to the layer next when it has applied textures corresponding to the current layer to all the fragments intersecting the primitive. The graphics system stores color values associated with the primitive fragments in the texture accumulation buffer between the application of successive texture layers.