Patent ID: 6924820
Filing Date: 2005-08-02
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A method for processing graphics data in a rendering pipeline, the method comprising: (a) receiving a geometric primitive; (b) selecting a tile of sample bins at least partially intersecting the geometric primitive; (c) selecting K samples from the tile for a first evaluation cycle, wherein K is a positive integer greater than one; (d) evaluating the K samples during the first cycle, wherein the evaluating includes determining which of the K samples are valid, wherein the valid samples are inside the geometric primitive; (e) grouping the valid samples into one or more sets of J samples, wherein J is a positive integer less than K; (f) forwarding at least one set per clock cycle to subsequent stages of the rendering pipeline; and (g) repeating (c) through (e) until all samples in the tile have been evaluated and all valid samples have been forwarded, wherein a different set of K samples is selected from the tile in each repetition of (c) through (e).