Method and apparatus for multithreaded processing of data in a programmable graphics processor
US7015913B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 27, 2003 |
| Grant date | Mar 21, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 8, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2209/5018
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A graphics processor and method for executing a graphics program as a plurality of threads where each sample to be processed by the program is assigned to a thread. Although threads share processing resources within the programmable graphics processor, the execution of each thread can proceed independent of any other threads. For example, instructions in a second thread are scheduled for execution while execution of instructions in a first thread are stalled waiting for source data. Consequently, a first received sample (assigned to the first thread) may be processed after a second received sample (assigned to the second thread). A benefit of independently executing each thread is improved performance because a stalled thread does not prevent the execution of other threads.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.