Patent ID: 8928681
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: G06T,G09G

Abstract:
1. In a graphics processing unit having a frame buffer, a color raster operations pipeline and a depth raster operations pipeline, a method for writing output data of the depth raster operations pipeline using the color raster operations pipeline and the frame buffer, said method comprising the steps of: transmitting first output data of the depth raster operations pipeline to the frame buffer using the color raster operations pipeline; receiving the first output data of the depth raster operations pipeline at the frame buffer; temporarily storing the first output data of the depth raster operations pipeline; transmitting second output data of the depth raster operations pipeline to the frame buffer using the color raster operations pipeline; receiving the second output data of the depth raster operations pipeline at the frame buffer; determining that the first output data and the second output data are two halves of a tile; combining the temporarily stored first output data and the second output data into a single coalesced write operation without first reading the tile from the frame buffer; and writing the combined data to the tile in the frame buffer.