Patent ID: 6873323

Claim:
A graphics processing system that performs oversampling anti-aliasing, comprising: a sample memory that stores a plurality of samples for each pixel location of at least a portion of a plurality of pixel locations of a display frame; a graphics processor operably coupled to the sample memory, wherein the graphics processor includes: a pixel pipe that receives video graphics primitives and performs three-dimensional processing of the video graphics primitives to produce pixel fragments, wherein each pixel fragment includes a color value, a Z value, and a mask; a first buffer operably coupled to the pixel pipe, wherein the first buffer stores the pixel fragments produced by the pixel pipe; a custom memory interface operably coupled to the pixel pipe, wherein the custom memory interface transmits the pixel fragments, wherein the custom memory interface receives first pass blending results; and a sample memory controller operably coupled to the sample memory, the custom memory interface, and the first buffer, wherein when the first pass blending results for a pixel fragment indicate that second pass blending is required, the sample memory controller retrieves the pixel fragment from the first buffer and performs the second pass blending for the pixel fragment, wherein the second pass blending stores a sample set for a corresponding pixel location in the sample memory at a pointer location.