Unified memory computer architecture with dynamic graphics memory allocation
US6104417A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 13, 1996 |
| Grant date | Aug 15, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 13, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG09G2360/125
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A computer system provides dynamic memory allocation for graphics. The computer system includes a memory controller, a unified system memory, and memory clients each having access to the system memory via the memory controller. Memory clients can include a graphics rendering engine, a CPU, an image processor, a data compression/expansion device, an input/output device, a graphics back end device. The computer system provides read/write access to the unified system memory, through the memory controller, for each of the memory clients. Translation hardware is included for mapping virtual addresses of pixel buffers to physical memory locations in the unified system memory. Pixel buffers are dynamically allocated as tiles of physically contiguous memory. Translation hardware is implemented in each of the computational devices, which are included as memory clients in the computer system, including primarily the rendering engine.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.