Method and system for converting data formats using a shared cache coupled between clients and an external memory
US8271734B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 5, 2008 |
| Grant date | Sep 18, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 27, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2212/401
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for converting data from one format to another in a processing pipeline architecture. Data is stored in a shared cache that is coupled between one or more clients and an external memory. The shared cache provides storage that is used by multiple clients rather than being dedicated to separately convert the data format for each client. Each client may interface with the memory using a different format, such as a compressed data format. Data is converted to the format expected by the particular client as it is read from the cache and output to the client during a read operation. Bytes of a cache line may be remapped to bytes of an unpack register for output to a naïve client, which may be configured to perform texture mapping operations. Data is converted from the client format to the memory format as it is stored into the cache during a write operation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.