Graphics Processing Blending Hardware and Shader Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current graphics processing systems face inefficiencies when using programmable blending, as they often require emulating fixed-function hardware operations in software, which can be power-intensive and complex, especially in devices with limited resources.

Innovation Solution

The system allows for blending operations to be performed using either dedicated hardware or software routines, with the option to provide output data from fragment shading operations to dedicated hardware for processing, thereby leveraging fixed-function hardware for efficient alpha-value related operations like alpha testing and alpha-to-coverage, reducing the need for full software emulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If blending operations are performed using software routines on a programmable processor, then adaptability and versatility of blending operations are improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblending operation flexibilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the blending operation into two distinct segments: a programmable blend shader that executes blending software routines for adaptability, and a dedicated fixed-function blending hardware unit for efficient execution of standard operations. This segmentation allows the system to use software for complex/custom blending while using hardware for routine operations, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fixed-function blending hardware unit is designed to perform standard blending operations that are commonly needed in graphics processing. By providing this universal hardware capability, the system can handle routine blending tasks efficiently without requiring programmable software execution, thereby reducing power consumption for these common operations while still maintaining adaptability through the blend shader for specialized cases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If blending operations are performed using software routines on a programmable processor, then programmable blending functionality is enabled, but processing speed and efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprogrammable blending capabilityVSAvoidblending operation speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the blending processing into two paths: complex or custom blending operations are handled by the programmable blend shader, while standard blending operations are offloaded to the dedicated fixed-function hardware unit. This segmentation enables the system to maintain high processing speed for common blending tasks through hardware acceleration while preserving programmable blending capability for specialized operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The fixed-function blending hardware unit effectively creates a hardware copy of commonly used blending algorithms. Instead of executing these algorithms repeatedly in software, the hardware unit provides a pre-optimized, fast-execution version of standard blending operations, thereby improving processing speed without sacrificing the ability to perform custom blending through the programmable blend shader when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If fixed-function hardware is used for blending operations, then processing efficiency is improved, but adaptability and versatility of blending operations are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblending processing efficiencyVSAvoidblending operation types

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the blending functionality into a fixed-function hardware unit for efficient execution of standard operations and a programmable blend shader for adaptable execution of custom operations. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high processing efficiency for common blending tasks through hardware while maintaining adaptability for specialized blending operations through software programming.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the fixed-function blending hardware unit and the programmable blend shader into a unified graphics processing system. This combination allows the system to leverage both the speed of hardware execution for standard operations and the flexibility of software programming for custom operations, achieving both efficiency and adaptability simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9349209B2Graphics processing systems

Publication Date: 2016.05.24 ARM LTD

AI summary

A graphics processing pipeline includes a fragment shader 8 and can carry out blending either by means of a blend shading software routine in a blend shader 10, or by using fixed function, dedicated processing hardware blending units 12. When the programmable blend shading path using the blend shader 10 is selected, the blend shader 10 is configured to provide the alpha value 110 generated by the fragment shading operation as an output to the multisample coverage operations unit 105 and the alpha test unit 106 of the fixed function hardware unit pipeline. This allows the alpha test on the alpha values generated by the fragment shader 8 still to be performed using the multisample coverage operations hardware unit 105 and the alpha test hardware unit 106, instead of having to emulate those operations in the blend shading software routine in the blend shader 10.