Time slice processing of tessellation and geometry shaders

摘要

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for redistributing geometric primitives generated by tessellation and geometry shaders for processing by multiple graphics pipelines. Geometric primitives that are generated in a first processing cycle are collected and redistributed more evenly and in smaller tasks to the multiple graphics pipelines for vertex processing in a second processing cycle. The smaller tasks do not exceed the resource limits of a graphics pipeline and the per-vertex processing workloads of the graphics pipelines in the second cycle are balanced and make full use of resources. Therefore, the performance of the tessellation and geometry shaders is improved.

主权项

1. A method for configuring a streaming multiprocessor to process data in first and second processing cycles, the method comprising:
transmitting a first set of input primitives to the streaming multiprocessor during a first processing cycle for the streaming multiprocessor to process the first set of input primitives to produce geometric primitives therefrom; determining, based on a consumption level associated with at least one system resource exceeding a threshold level, that the streaming multiprocessor should transition, prior to completion of the first processing cycle, from the first processing cycle to a second processing cycle during which the streaming multiprocessor processes the geometric primitives produced from the first set of input primitives, wherein the first processing cycle and the second processing cycle are consecutive processing cycles of a graphics processing pipeline; and transmitting a first transition state bundle to the streaming multiprocessor to cause the streaming multiprocessor to stop the first processing cycle prior to completion of the first processing cycle and start the second processing cycle to process the geometric primitives.