Processor for geometry transformations and lighting calculations
US6417858B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 23, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jul 9, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 23, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T15/005
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A processor for computer graphics calculations comprising an entire graphics engine in a single integrated circuit. The processor includes a transform mechanism adapted to compute transforms for the computer graphics calculations. The transform mechanism includes a transformation element adapted to compute transforms using a dot product operation. The transform mechanism of the processor also includes a perspective division element, a color unit for lighting calculations, a scaling element for multiplication operations, and a look-up table containing mathematical functions used by the computer graphics calculations. The processor also includes a raster unit coupled to the transform mechanism, a texture unit coupled to the raster unit, and a shader unit coupled to the texture unit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.