Texture Pipeline Selector Logic for Simultaneous Channel Sampling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image processing circuits require four separate fetches to retrieve channel data from neighboring pixels or texels, leading to increased time consumption in filtering processes, especially when custom operations or higher order filters are involved.
Innovation Solution
A logic circuit with selector and combination logic that simultaneously samples data from multiple adjacent pixels or texels and combines the selected channel data into a single vector, optimizing the filtering process by reducing the number of fetch operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If four separate fetches are performed to retrieve channel data from neighboring pixels or texels, then the filtering process can be completed with conventional algorithms, but the time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate fetch operations into a single unified fetch operation. Instead of performing four separate fetches to retrieve R, G, B, and A channel data from neighboring pixels, the system fetches all channel data from multiple pixels simultaneously in one operation, then uses selector logic to route the appropriate channels to the filtering pipeline. This merging of fetch operations directly reduces the time consumption while maintaining filtering accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the channel data retrieval process by separating the fetch operation from the channel selection operation. The fetch operation retrieves all channels from multiple pixels simultaneously, while selector logic then segments and routes only the required channels to the filtering pipeline. This segmentation allows the system to optimize the fetch operation independently, reducing overall time consumption without compromising filtering reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If four separate fetches are performed for each vector component, then custom operations in shaders can be supported, but the filtering speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the retrieval of all channel data from multiple pixels into a single fetch operation, making all channel data simultaneously available to the shader pipeline. This unified approach provides full adaptability for custom shader operations that may require any combination of channels from any pixel, while dramatically improving filtering speed by eliminating three-quarters of the fetch operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by fetching all channel data from multiple pixels before the shader execution begins. This pre-fetching of all possible channel data ensures that custom shader operations have immediate access to any required channels without waiting for individual fetch operations, thereby maintaining versatility while accelerating the overall filtering process.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple fetch four operations are used to create filters with larger neighborhoods, then the filter quality improves, but the fetch speed increases at four times the rate compared to individual fetching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the merging principle to filters with larger neighborhoods by fetching all channel data from all pixels in the filter neighborhood simultaneously in a single operation. Instead of performing multiple sequential fetches for each pixel in the neighborhood, the system retrieves all required data in parallel, maintaining high filter quality while avoiding the time penalty that would otherwise multiply with the neighborhood size.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for accomplishing the fetching or sampling of channels of pixels or texels such as neighboring pixels or texels or non-neighboring pixels or texels in a simultaneous operation in order to achieve optimization of the performance of a texture pipeline. In particular, logic is disclosed including selector logic configured to retrieve data including a plurality of channels from each of a plurality of pixels or texels and operable to select one channel from the plurality of channels of the data from each of the pixels or texels. The logic also includes combination logic configured to combine two or more of the selected channels into a single vector, such as an RGBA vector representing the color.