Patent ID: 8711156
Filing Date: 2014-04-29
Classification: G06F,G06T

Abstract:
1. A method of remapping processing elements in a pipeline of a graphics processing unit, comprising: a host of said pipeline of said graphics processing unit receiving graphical input data from a central processing unit; after said receiving, the host determining a number of enabled processing elements from a plurality of processing elements in said pipeline that perform identical functions, said plurality of processing elements for animating, coloring, and lighting a surface of an image; a front end receiving said graphical input data from said host, said front end is coupled to said host; said front end converting said graphical input data to a format compatible with said pipeline of said graphics processing unit; after said converting, a cache distributor receiving said graphical input data from said front end, said cache distributor is coupled to said front end; virtually addressing each of said enabled processing elements above a translator to virtually process said graphical input data; said translator receiving said graphical input data from said cache distributor; said translator mapping virtual addresses of each of said enabled processing elements to physical addresses of said enabled processing elements in said plurality of processing elements, said mapping comprises using a translation table, said translator is coupled to said cache distributor; physically processing said graphical input data at said physical addresses of said enabled processing elements, said plurality of processing elements are coupled to said translator; and physically addressing each of said enabled processing elements below said translator to further process said graphical input data.