Apparatus and method for prefetching texture data in a video controller of graphic accelerators
US5990902A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 22, 1997 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 22, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T1/60
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A video controller in a graphic accelerators suitable for use in three dimensional graphics and texture mapping is disclosed. The controller includes an address generator for generating addresses for reading out texture data stored in the video memory and a mode register for generating a directional signal for prefetching the texture data. A prefetch controller is provided to produce an address for another texture data predicted to be used at the next time, based on the directional signal supplied from the mode register and the address of the address generator. Also provided are a memory controller for accessing the texture data corresponding to the address generated in the prefetch controller via the memory interface, and a buffer memory for storing the prefetched texture data outputted from the memory controller and the address of the prefetched texture data. Further, the prefetching method comprises the steps of determining whether the address generated at the address generator is identical with the one stored in the buffer memory; outputting the texture data stored in the buffer memory if said two addresses are identical and determining whether prefetching of the texture data i…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.