Multi-resolution deferred shading with texel shaders
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current rendering techniques, such as deferred shading, face challenges in reducing shading costs on low/medium-powered graphics devices, especially with high-resolution displays and VR/AR devices, leading to substantial image quality reduction due to high shading computations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing multi-resolution deferred shading using texel shaders, which selectively reduce shading resolution in a single pass, leveraging the texel shader stage to control shading rate and amortize shading costs over multiple pixels, allowing for high-quality rendering on resource-constrained devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If deferred shading uniformly lowers rendering resolution to reduce shading costs, then shading computations are reduced, but image quality deteriorates due to under-sampling of sharp edges and high-frequency details
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing variable rate shading where different regions of the image are rendered at different resolutions. Specifically, regions with low spatial frequency content are rendered at lower resolutions to reduce shading costs, while regions with high spatial frequency content (sharp edges, detailed features) are rendered at higher resolutions to maintain image quality. This is achieved through the multi-resolution deferred shading technique that processes different mip map levels selectively based on local image characteristics.
2Manufacturing precision
If shading is performed at high resolution to maintain image quality, then image features are preserved, but shading costs become prohibitive for low/medium-powered graphics devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the rendering process into multiple passes operating at different resolutions. The first pass performs shading at a lower resolution (first mip map level) to reduce computational load, while subsequent passes process specific regions at higher resolutions (second mip map level) to restore image quality. This segmented approach allows the system to balance shading costs and image quality by processing only necessary regions at high resolution.
3Productivity
If multi-resolution rendering is implemented to reduce shading costs, then shading performance improves, but image quality may be compromised due to selective resolution reduction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback through a multi-pass rendering system where the first pass processes the entire image at low resolution, and the second pass uses feedback from the first pass results to selectively process regions requiring higher quality. The system determines which regions need enhanced processing based on the low-resolution output, then applies high-resolution shading only to those specific regions, thereby maintaining image quality where needed while preserving performance benefits.
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanism is described for facilitating multi-resolution deferred shading using texel shaders in computing environments. A method of embodiments, as described herein, includes facilitating computation of shading rate in a first pass in a graphics pipeline, where the shading rate relates to a plurality of pixels. The method may further include facilitating texel shading operations in a second pass using the shading rate, where the first pass is performed separate from and prior to the second pass.