Patent ID: 8134570

Claim:
A method, comprising: identifying a graphics attribute stream comprising a plurality of graphics attributes, the plurality of graphics attributes including front color attributes and back color attributes; identifying a subset of the plurality of graphics attributes having overwrite capabilities; rearranging the plurality of graphics attributes of the graphics attribute stream by moving the subset of graphics attributes having overwrite capabilities before other graphics attributes of the graphics attribute stream; packing the rearranged graphics attributes such that the subset of graphics attributes having overwrite capabilities and the other graphics attributes are arranged into a contiguous set of graphics attributer without a null value positioned between the subset of graphics attributes having overwrite capabilities and the other graphics attributes; and processing the packed graphics attributes utilizing a pixel shader of a processor, by: receiving, at the pixel shader, input including an indicator as to whether the front color attributes or the back color attributes are applicable color attributes, and inputting only the applicable color attributes to the pixel shader, based on the indicator.