Patent ID: 6559852
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: G06T,G09G

Abstract:
A method for conserving frame buffer memory bandwidth in a computer graphics system, comprising the steps of:receiving pixel commands from a pipeline; storing representations of the pixel commands in a batch-building buffer to accumulate a batch of frame buffer memory accesses; detecting a pixel collision between an incoming pixel command and a buffered pixel command stored in the batch-building buffer; performing a depth comparison between the incoming pixel command and the buffered pixel command; and if the incoming pixel command fails the depth comparison, not storing a representation of the incoming pixel command in the batch-building buffer; if the incoming pixel command passes the depth comparison, determining responsive to the current rendering mode of the pipeline whether the incoming pixel command may be merged with the buffered pixel command; and if it is determined that the incoming pixel command may be merged with the buffered pixel command, merging the incoming pixel command with the buffered pixel command.