Fragment Depth Testing for Shader-Dependent Rendering Pipelines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Graphics processing systems experience reduced performance due to latency and stalling of the rendering pipeline when processing a mix of punch through and non-punch through objects, as the presence of punch through fragments is shader-dependent and requires additional processing steps, leading to inefficiencies in deferred rendering.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an early depth test followed by shader program execution and a late depth test for shader-dependent fragments, allowing simultaneous processing of non-shader-dependent fragments, thereby reducing pipeline stalling and improving performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If punch through fragments are processed with shader program execution and late depth test, then rendering accuracy is improved, but processing time increases and pipeline performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs an early depth test on punch through fragments before shader program execution to determine if they can be discarded early. This preliminary action avoids unnecessary shader execution for fragments that would be occluded, reducing processing time while maintaining rendering accuracy for fragments that require full processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the processing of punch through fragments into two paths: fragments that pass the early depth test proceed to shader execution and late depth test, while those that fail are discarded immediately. This segmentation allows the pipeline to process different fragment types efficiently, reducing overall processing time.
2Reliability
If punch through objects are processed with additional depth testing steps, then rendering correctness is improved, but pipeline throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs an early depth test on punch through fragments before shader program execution to determine if they can be discarded early. This preliminary action avoids unnecessary shader execution for fragments that would be occluded, reducing processing time while maintaining rendering accuracy for fragments that require full processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing treatments to different fragments: punch through fragments receive early depth test, shader execution, and late depth test, while non-punch through fragments receive only early depth test. This local quality approach ensures rendering correctness for punch through objects while maintaining high pipeline throughput overall.
3Measurement precision
If the rendering pipeline processes mixed object types sequentially, then processing accuracy is improved, but latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the processing of punch through fragments into two paths: fragments that pass the early depth test proceed to shader execution and late depth test, while those that fail are discarded immediately. This segmentation allows the pipeline to process different fragment types efficiently, reducing overall processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows non-punch through fragments to continue processing through the pipeline without stalling, even when punch through fragments are being processed. This continuity of useful action reduces latency by keeping the pipeline full while maintaining processing accuracy for punch through objects.
Data Source
AI summary
A graphics processing system includes hidden surface removal logic and processing logic for processing fragments. An early depth test is performed on a first fragment with the hidden surface removal logic using a depth buffer, the first fragment having a shader-dependent property. In response to the first fragment passing the early depth test, the processing logic determines the property of the first fragment. After the determination of the property of the first fragment, a late depth test is performed on the first fragment with the hidden surface removal logic using the depth buffer. After performing the early depth test on the first fragment but before the late depth test is performed on the first fragment, an early depth test is performed on a second fragment with the hidden surface removal logic, wherein the second fragment does not have a shader-dependent property.