Patent ID: 8228338

Claim:
A system for detecting and overriding graphics application programming interface (API) programmed state settings to avoid an error condition, comprising: functional logic configured to process data according to state settings that include at least a portion of the graphics API programmed state settings and override values representing at least one graphics API state setting to be modified to avoid the error condition; an override monitor implemented in hardware and coupled to the functional logic and configured to: receive the graphics API programmed state settings, override the at least one graphics API programmed state setting with a first override value representing the at least one graphics API state setting to be modified to avoid the error condition when a combination of the graphics API programmed state settings will cause the error condition, and later restore the at least one graphics API programmed state setting when another combination of the graphics API programmed state settings does not cause the error condition; and a shadow state memory within the override monitor that is configured to store the graphics API programmed state settings that are used to detect illegal graphics API programmed state setting combinations and to determine the override values for the graphics API programmed state settings.