A graphics system that is configured to utilize a sample buffer (162) and a plurality of parallel sample-to-pixel calculation units (170), wherein the sample-pixel calculation units are configured to access different portions of the sample buffer in parallel. The graphics system may include a processor (352), a sample buffer (162), and a plurality of sample-to-pixel calculation units (170, 360). The processor is configured to receive a set of graphics data and render samples based on the graphics data. The sample buffer is configured to store the samples. The sample-to-pixel calculation units are configured to read and filter the samples from the sample buffer to create output pixels. Each of the sample-to-pixel calculation units are configured to generate pixels corresponding to a different region of the image. The region may be a vertical or horizontal stripe of the image, or a rectangular portion of the image. The regions may overlap to prevent visual aberrations.

A graphics system configured to perform parallel sample to pixel calculation

A method and apparatus for creating motion blur, depth of field, and screen door effects when rendering three-dimensional graphics data are disclosed. A graphics system configured with a graphics processor, a super-sampled sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit is disclosed. The graphics processor may be configured to use a sample mask to select different subsets of sample coordinates to be rendered for a particular frame. Each subset may be rendered applying a different set of attributes, and the resulting samples may then be stored together in the sample buffer. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit may be configured to filter the samples into output pixels that are provided to a display device. The attributes that may be changed from subset to subset include the viewpoint, the time at which objects in the data are rendered, which objects or geometric primitives in the data are rendered, the position of objects in the data, the color of objects in the data, the transparency of objects in the data, and the shape of objects in the data.

Graphics system using sample masks for motion blur, depth of field, and transparency

A graphics system and method for performing blur effects, including motion blur and depth of field effects, are disclosed. In one embodiment the system comprises a graphics processor, a sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit. The graphics processor is configured to receive a set of three-dimensional (3D) graphics data and render a plurality of samples based on the set of 3D graphics data. The processor is also configured to generate sample tags for the samples, wherein the sample tags are indicative of whether or not the samples are to be blurred. The super-sampled sample buffer is coupled to receive and store the samples from the graphics processor. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit is coupled to receive and filter the samples from the super-sampled sample buffer to generate output pixels, which in turn are displayable to form an image on a display device. The sample-to-pixel calculation units are configured to select the filter attributes used to filter the samples into output pixels based on the sample tags.

Graphics system using sample tags for blur

A method and apparatus including two look-up operations in two series coupled look-up tables coupled to an output of a dynamic quantization device to provide on-line representation mapping of digital color data from a first color space to a second color space.

Method and apparatus for mapping a digital color image from a first color space to a second color space

A graphics system comprises a rendering unit, a sample buffer, and a sample-to-pixel calculation unit. The rendering unit receives vertices defining a triangle, and generates first and second octant identifier words for first and second edges of the triangle respectively. In most cases, the two octant identifier words determine the triangle orientation. However, in a few special cases (i.e. when the octant identifier words specify the same or opposite octants), the triangle orientation is resolved based on a comparison of the slopes of the first and second edge. Further rendering operations on the triangle may be conditioned on the value of the triangle orientation. The triangle orientation may be used to determine the interior side of each triangle edge. Sample positions falling on the interior side of all three edges are labeled as interior samples. Color values are computed for interior samples.

Graphics system configured to determine triangle orientation by octant identification and slope comparison

The invention provides a device which converts an image from a first image format to a second image format in real time. A stream of image data in the first image format is processed by a horizontal filter to convert a horizontal resolution of the image to the horizontal resolution of the second image format. After such processing, the horizontal filtered data is buffered by a plurality of frame buffers in a controlled timing sequence to convert a frame rate of the image to the frame rate of the second image format. After such processing, the buffered data is processed by a vertical filter to convert a vertical resolution of the image to the vertical resolution of the second image format.

Real-time video image converter

The invention provides a filter circuit for use with a real-time video image converter. The filter circuit interpolates among a first sequence of digital pixel values and decimates among the interpolated sequence to generate a second sequence of digital pixel values with a desired granularity. Interpolation and decimation are preferably computed using weighted averages of digital pixel values.

Filter circuit for use with real-time image converter

Each horizontal line of a high-resolution video image signal, input in an image format having a plurality of pixels of a predetermined resolution, is subjected to anti-alias filtering to produce a smooth analog signal with limited bandwidth. The smooth analog signal is sampled by an A/D converter and converted to an image format with different resolution from the original image signal, but without discarding all the information from any input pixel. Each converted horizontal line is matched, pixel by pixel, with successive and preceding horizontal lines, and subjected to a weighted averaging process to produce an output image with different vertical resolution from the original image signal, again without discarding all the information from any input pixel.

Shal W. Farley

Papers

Real-time video image converter

Filter circuit for use with real-time image converter

Digital video image converter