Programmable pixel shading architecture
US6724394B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 19, 2001 |
| Grant date | Apr 20, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 25, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T15/80
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and associated method are provided for processing pixel data in a graphics pipeline. Included is a triangle module coupled to a rasterizer for calculating a plurality of equations using pixel data received from the rasterizer. Also provided is a shader core module coupled to the rasterizer for receiving the pixel data therefrom. The shader core module is further coupled to the triangle module for receiving the equations therefrom. The shader core module functions to execute floating point calculations and generating texture coordinates using the pixel data. Coupled to the shader core module is a texture module. The texture module is capable of looking up texture values using the texture coordinates. Associated therewith is a shader back end module coupled to the texture module and the triangle module. The shader back end module is capable of converting the texture values to an appropriate floating point representation and generating color values using the equations. Still yet, a combiner module is coupled to the shader core module and the shader back end module. Such combiner module combines the color values and the texture values.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.