Multi-phase Shader Architecture for SIMD Packing Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional monolithic shader architectures for multi-rate pixel shading are inefficient due to their inability to combine inner loops across different granularities, limiting the effectiveness of SIMD compute operations and restricting the packing of pixel data.
Innovation Solution
A multi-phase shader architecture is introduced, which allows for a hierarchy of pixel shading in multiple rendering stages, enabling redistribution of pixel data between phases for improved SIMD compute efficiency by supporting inner loops across different granularities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single monolithic shader is used for multi-rate pixel shading, then the shader can provide support for looping of inner loops in operation, but the inner loops are separated according to particular granularity for rendering which limits the efficiency of the shader
Solution Approach 1:
The monolithic shader is segmented into multiple phases (first phase and second phase) that operate at different granularities. The first phase handles coarse pixel shading while the second phase handles fine pixel shading, allowing each phase to be optimized for its specific granularity level and enabling efficient inner loop execution without separation limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a temporal dimension by executing shading operations in multiple sequential phases rather than a single monolithic pass. This allows the system to iterate through different granularity levels (coarse to fine) in a structured manner, improving both adaptability to multiple rendering rates and execution efficiency through phased processing.
2Power
If multi-rate shading is implemented to maintain rendering at lower rate and limit higher resolution to areas where needed, then performance and power limitations are addressed, but efficient multi-rate resolution for shading operation remains challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The shading operation is divided into discrete phases where the first phase processes all pixels at a lower rate and the second phase processes only selected pixels at a higher rate. This segmentation enables efficient power management by limiting high-resolution rendering to only the necessary areas while maintaining a structured and manageable implementation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs excessive action by executing the first phase completely for all pixels, then applies the second phase partially only to areas requiring higher resolution. This approach optimizes power consumption by avoiding unnecessary high-resolution rendering while maintaining implementation simplicity through a clear phased structure.
3Productivity
If pixel data is packed for SIMD compute operations, then compute efficiency is improved, but the packing is restricted when inner loops are separated by granularity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the shading process into phases that can independently pack and process pixel data for SIMD operations. The first phase packs data for coarse granularity SIMD operations while the second phase packs data for fine granularity SIMD operations, maintaining high compute efficiency for each granularity level without restriction.
Solution Approach 2:
By adding the temporal dimension of phased execution, the system can efficiently pack and process pixel data at different granularities in sequence. This allows SIMD operations to be optimized for each granularity level independently while maintaining overall adaptability through the phased structure that bridges coarse and fine grain processing.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are generally directed to a multi-phase architecture for multiple rate pixel shading. An embodiment of an apparatus includes one or more processor cores, the one or more processing cores including a graphics pipeline and a memory to store data for graphics processing, the data including pixel data. The graphics pipeline includes a multi-phase shader for processing of pixel data, the multi-phase shader including multiple rendering stages, the rendering stages including at least a first stage for a first granularity and a second stage for a second, different granularity, the second rendering granularity being a finer granularity than the first rendering granularity. The multi-phase shader is structured to provide a hierarchy for image rendering, wherein pixel data is received at a rendering stage having a coarsest rendering granularity, with remaining pixel data being provided through the hierarchy to one or more rendering stages having finer rendering granularities.