Patent ID: 7646389
Filing Date: 2010-01-12
Classification: G06T,G09G

Abstract:
1. A method of determining a level of detail for texture mapping in a graphics pipeline implemented in a computer, said method comprising: accessing data for an array of adjacent pixels comprising a sample group; detecting that said sample group includes a divergent pixel, wherein a first instruction executing on said divergent pixel is different from a second instruction executing on each of the other pixels in said sample group; in response to said detecting, determining whether an operand of said first instruction satisfies a condition; if said condition is satisfied by said operand, using a shader program executed by said graphics pipeline to determine a level of detail for said sample group using a first scheme that utilizes information for all said pixels in said sample group including said divergent pixel; and if said condition is not satisfied by said operand, using said shader program to determine said a level of detail for said sample group using a second scheme that is different from said first scheme and that does not rely on information for all said pixels in said sample group; and fetching a texel from a memory of said computer, said texel corresponding to the level of detail determined by said shader program, and mapping said texel to said pixels in said sample group.