| 摘要 |
<p>Structure (FIG.12) and method for performing conservative hidden surface removal in a graphics processor. Culling (9000) is divided into two steps, a magnitude comparison content addressable memory cull operation (MCCAM Cull) (9002), and a subpixel cull operation. The MCCAM Cull discards primitives that are hidden completely by previously processed geometry. The Subpixel Cull takes the remaining primitives (which are partly or entirely visible), and determines the visible fragments. Performing hidden surface removal includes: selecting a current primitive comprising a plurality of stamps; comparing stamps to stamps from previously evaluated primitives; selecting a first stamp as a currently potentially visible stamp (CPVS) based on the depth of current and previous stamps; comparing the CPVS to a second stamp; discarding the second stamp when it would not affect a final graphics display image; making the second stamp the CPVS, when it hides the CPVS and when both the second stamp and the CPVS are at least partially visible; and dispatching both when their visibility depends on parameters evaluated later in the graphics pipeline.</p> |
