Depth Processing Controller Sub-Region Dependency Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional GPUs face performance degradation due to the need to flush the pipeline when switching from post depth processing to early depth processing, requiring several waiting cycles and degrading rendering performance.
Innovation Solution
A depth processing apparatus and method that includes a depth buffer, early depth processing circuit, post depth processing circuit, and depth processing controller, which manages dependency indication values for sub-regions to maintain data coherency and control pixels for either early or post depth processing, allowing for simultaneous or staggered processing without waiting flush cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pipeline is flushed when switching from post depth processing to early depth processing to maintain data coherency, then data coherency is maintained, but rendering performance degrades due to waiting cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the screen space into multiple sub-regions and maintains separate dependency indication values for each sub-region. This segmentation allows different parts of the screen to be processed independently, enabling early depth processing in sub-regions that don't require data coherency while maintaining post depth processing in sub-regions that do, thereby eliminating the need for global pipeline flushing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different depth processing modes (early depth processing vs. post depth processing) to different sub-regions based on their specific requirements. Each sub-region can have its own dependency indication value that determines whether early depth processing is safe to perform, allowing local optimization of processing mode rather than a uniform approach across the entire screen.
2Loss of energy
If early depth processing is performed before pixel shading stage to remove invisible pixels, then system resource consumption is reduced, but pipeline flushing is required which causes waiting cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs early depth processing as a preliminary action before the pixel shading stage to identify and remove invisible pixels. By using dependency indication values to determine when early depth processing can be safely performed without pipeline flushing, the system executes this preliminary filtering action continuously without interruption, saving both energy and time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous early depth processing by eliminating the need for pipeline flushing through the use of sub-region specific dependency indication values. This allows the useful action of removing invisible pixels to continue uninterrupted across frame boundaries, maintaining constant resource savings without periodic interruptions for flushing.
Data Source
AI summary
A depth processing apparatus includes a depth buffer, an early depth processing circuit, a post depth processing circuit, and a depth processing controller. The depth buffer stores depth information of a plurality of pixels of a screen space. The early depth processing circuit performs early depth processing based on at least a portion of the depth information before a pixel shading stage. The post depth processing circuit performs post depth processing based on at least a portion of the depth information after the pixel shading stage. The depth processing controller manages a plurality of dependency indication values corresponding to a plurality of sub-regions in the screen space, respectively, and configured to control a first pixel for undergoing at least one of the early depth processing and the post depth processing by referring a first dependency indication value of a first sub-region in which the first pixel is located.