GPU Texture Queue and Crossbar Reordering for Latency Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The latency introduced by memory operations in texture sampling slows down the graphics processing pipeline, as existing technologies rely heavily on memory access for texture operations, leading to inefficiencies in graphics processing units (GPUs).

Innovation Solution

A processor and system are designed with a texture queue for temporary storage of texture coordinates and values, utilizing a crossbar to reorder and manage these elements efficiently, allowing for improved handling and processing of texture operations within the GPU.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If texture values are fetched from memory for each pixel, then texture operations can be performed, but latency is introduced into the graphics processing pipeline

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetexture operation completionVSAvoidpipeline latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a texture queue that pre-loads and stores texture values before they are needed by the rendering pipeline. By anticipating future texture access requirements and loading them into the queue in advance, the system eliminates wait time during actual texture operations, thus reducing latency while ensuring texture operations complete reliably

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The texture queue acts as an intermediary buffer between memory and the texture sampling units. Instead of direct memory access for each texture operation, the queue mediates by holding pre-fetched texture values, decoupling the timing of memory access from texture operation execution and thereby reducing pipeline latency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If texture coordinates are stored and managed in a queue, then processing efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetexture processing efficiencyVSAvoidqueue management structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The texture queue is segmented into multiple independent queues, each dedicated to specific texture units or function types. This segmentation allows parallel processing of different texture operations simultaneously, improving overall productivity while keeping each individual queue's management logic simple and manageable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The texture queue structure is designed to be universal, handling multiple types of texture operations (sampling, filtering, coordinate transformation) through a common queue architecture. This multi-functionality improves processing efficiency by consolidating operations while the standardized interface keeps implementation complexity manageable

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9171525B2Graphics processing unit with a texture return buffer and a texture queue

Publication Date: 2015.10.27 NVIDIA CORP

AI summary

A processor and a system are provided for performing texturing operations loaded from a texture queue that provides temporary storage of texture coordinates and texture values. The processor includes a texture queue implemented in a memory of the processor, a crossbar coupled to the texture queue, and one or more texture units coupled to the texture queue via the crossbar. The crossbar is configured to reorder texture coordinates for consumption by the one or more texture units and to reorder texture values received from the one or more texture units.