Typed UAV Processing in Pixel Pipelines to Reduce GPU Complexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current graphics processing units face design complexities and performance issues due to separate hardware units handling typed unordered access view (UAV) messages, leading to inefficiencies and increased power consumption.
Innovation Solution
Integrate typed UAV processing within the existing graphics processing pipeline, utilizing a general-purpose graphics processing unit (GPU) to handle various message types efficiently, optimizing performance and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If typed UAV messages are processed by a dedicated hardware unit separate from other message handling units, then message processing specialization is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the typed UAV message processing function into the existing general-purpose message processing pipeline. The pixel shader core is enhanced to recognize and handle typed UAV messages through existing control logic and register mechanisms, eliminating the need for a separate dedicated hardware unit while maintaining specialized processing capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The general-purpose pixel shader core is made universal by enabling it to handle multiple message types including typed UAV messages, traditional rasterization messages, and compute messages through a unified processing architecture. This multi-functionality is achieved through flexible control logic that can identify and route different message types to appropriate processing paths within the same hardware unit.
2Productivity
If typed UAV messages are processed by a dedicated hardware unit, then processing efficiency for UAV messages is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By combining UAV message processing with the existing pixel shader core, the patent eliminates the need for additional dedicated hardware that would consume extra power. The unified approach allows UAV messages to be processed using the same execution resources already allocated for pixel shading operations, thereby maintaining processing efficiency while reducing overall power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The pixel shader core is enhanced to self-identify and self-process typed UAV messages through existing control logic and register mechanisms. This self-service capability eliminates the need for separate control units or additional power-consuming hardware components, as the same core that processes pixel shading operations now handles UAV messages autonomously.
3Device complexity
If a general-purpose GPU is used to handle various message types, then device complexity is reduced, but processing speed may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
Within the unified pixel shader core, the patent implements segmentation through separate control logic paths that can identify and route different message types (typed UAV messages, rasterization messages, compute messages) to appropriate processing sequences. This internal segmentation allows the general-purpose core to maintain high processing speeds by optimizing the execution path for each message type without requiring separate hardware units.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing architecture employs dynamic control logic that can adaptively switch between different processing modes based on the message type. The pixel shader core dynamically adjusts its operation to handle typed UAV messages with the same speed and efficiency as dedicated hardware would provide, while maintaining the flexibility of a general-purpose design. This dynamic adaptation ensures that processing speed is not compromised despite the reduced hardware complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems and apparatuses provide for graphics processor technology that routes untyped unordered access view (UAV) messages to a next level memory cache, routes typed UAV messages and render target messages to a pixel pipeline, and processes, via the pixel pipeline, the typed UAV messages. The technology can also provide for the pixel pipeline to perform a format conversion of one or more pixels associated with a typed UAV message based on a surface format of a UAV resource, calculate a memory address for each pixel associated with the typed UAV message, and collect a plurality of fragments from processed typed UAV messages.