Patent ID: 11900500
Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
Field: Computer technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 10:
11. A method for graphics processing, comprising:
rendering graphics for an application using a plurality of graphics processing units (GPU);
using the plurality of GPUs in collaboration for rendering an image frame including a plurality of pieces of geometry;
during the rendering of the image frame, subdividing one or more of the plurality of pieces of geometry into a plurality of smaller portions of geometry, and dividing responsibility for rendering the plurality of smaller portions of geometry among the plurality of GPUs, wherein each of the plurality of smaller portions of geometry is processed by a first corresponding GPU;
for one or more pieces of geometry that are not subdivided, dividing responsiblity for rendering the one or more pieces of geometry that are not subdivided among the plurality of GPUs, wherein each of the one or more pieces of geometry that are not subdivided is processed by a second corresponding GPU;
using the plurality of GPUs in collaboration to generate a Z-buffer for the image frame including the plurality of pieces of geometry during a Z pre-pass phase of rendering;
generating information during the Z pre-pass phase of rendering regarding the plurality of pieces of geometry of the image frame and their relations to a plurality of screen regions;
assigning the plurality of screen regions to the plurality of GPUs based on the information for the rendering of the image frame during a geometry pass phase of rendering;
rendering, during the geometry pass phase of rendering, the plurality of pieces of geometry at each of the plurality of GPUs based on GPU to screen region assignments determined from the assigning the plurality of screen regions to the plurality of GPUs; and
reassigning a first piece of geometry initially assigned to a first GPU for rendering during the geometry pass phase to a second GPU.