Patent ID: 8854383

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving, with a fixed-function pixel value processing unit coupled to a graphics processing unit (GPU) and external to the GPU, an output stream from the GPU that includes pixel values for one or more pixels in an image processed by the GPU, wherein the fixed-function pixel value processing unit is perpetually ready to receive the output stream from the GPU and process the output stream without scheduling; evaluating, with the fixed-function pixel value processing unit, the pixel values in the output stream; determining, with the fixed-function pixel value processing unit, which pixels require further processing by the GPU based on the evaluation of the pixel values in the output stream, wherein determining which pixels require further processing by the GPU comprises determining which pixels require further processing by the GPU in a single computational cycle of the fixed-function pixel value processing unit and without synchronization between the fixed-function pixel value processing unit and the GPU; and storing, in a buffer that is external to the fixed-function pixel value processing unit and coupled to the fixed-function pixel value processing unit, the pixel values for the pixels that require further processing by the GPU.