Patent ID: 6567084
Filing Date: 2003-05-20
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
A lighting effect computation block, comprising:a computation engine operable to perform a plurality of operations, wherein each operation of the plurality of operations is based on a corresponding operation code, wherein when the computation engine performs an operation for a corresponding operation code, the computation engine produces an operation result; memory operably coupled to the computation engine, wherein the memory stores the operation result for at least a portion of the plurality of operations performed by the computation engine; an accumulation buffer operably coupled to the computation engine, wherein when the corresponding operation code for an operation indicates an accumulation operation, the accumulation buffer adds the operation result for the operation to an accumulated value; a plurality of ordered light source thread controllers, wherein each light source thread controller of the plurality of ordered light source thread controllers manages a light source thread of operation codes corresponding to determination of a lighting effect for at least a portion of a primitive for a corresponding light source, wherein each of the light source threads includes a final operation code that indicates an accumulation operation, wherein each light source thread controller of the plurality of ordered light source thread controllers conditions issuance of the final operation code upon a condition precedent; and an arbitration module operably coupled to the plurality of ordered light source thread controllers and the computation engine, wherein the arbitration module utilizes a prioritization scheme to provide operation codes from the plurality of ordered light source thread controllers to the computation engine in an order such that idle time of the computation engine is minimized.