JP2000322555A - Texture data management system between graphic processing system and graphic accelerator (ga) - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve plotting performance by the reduction of replacing time of texture data even in large texture mapping plotting by reducing registration time of the texture data. SOLUTION: A graphic processing system 20 side is provided with a texture data compressing means 24 which (reversibly) compresses texture data transferred from a user program, and a graphic accelerator(GA) 40 side is provided with a texture expanding means 44 which expands the compressed texture data. The means 24 compresses data only when the size of texture data is larger than a prescribed constant B and transmits it to the means 44. Thus, texture data quantity is compressed and registered and registration performance to a memory is improved in the case of registering texture data with the memory between the system 20 and the accelerator (GA) 40 provided with the memory internally storing texture data for graphic display acceleration.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a graphic processing system, and more particularly, to one or more processors, a memory, and a texture for performing graphic drawing at high speed, separately from a central processing unit (CPU). A graphics accelerator having a texture memory or the like that stores texture data locally to perform high-speed mapping
The present invention relates to a graphic processing system and a method for managing texture data in a GA when (GA) is implemented as hardware.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A data processing system of a graphics processing system and a graphics accelerator (GA) for handling texture mapping is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 08-329258. In this publication, the technology also uses a data path different from the data path used for normal primitive data (between the graphic processing system and GA) unless the texture data for rendering is stored in the local memory of the GA. Then, a method of downloading (data transfer) the texture data from the main memory to the local memory of the GA is adopted. In other words, downloading texture data from the graphics processing system to the GA
For (data transfer), a dedicated path is provided separately from the normal primitive path, thereby improving the data transfer performance of texture data from the graphic processing system to the GA.

[0003]

However, in the above-described prior art, the time required for registration, such as replacement of texture data in the texture memory (particularly, new registration), is increased. This is because, when a large amount of data is transferred from the graphic processing system to the GA, the slow data transfer performance of the external bus becomes a bottleneck, and the high-speed texture mapping rendering performance of the GA cannot be fully utilized. In particular, the total sum of the texture data sizes used by the user program for rendering one scene is G
This tendency becomes more remarkable when the texture memory size is larger than A and the replacement of the texture data is large. For this reason, the graphics accelerator (G
When texture data that has not been registered in the texture memory of A) is used, there arises a problem that drawing of texture mapping becomes slow.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to reduce the registration time of texture data. As a result, the effect of improving the drawing performance of texture mapping using unregistered texture data is obtained. Further, the user program uses a plurality of texture data for drawing one scene, and the total of the texture data size is GA.
Even in the case of texture mapping drawing in which the texture memory size is larger than that of, the performance of drawing is improved by shortening the replacement time of the texture data.

[0005]

According to the present invention, a texture data management method between a graphic processing system and a graphic accelerator (GA) employing a texture mapping data transfer method according to the present invention is based on a graphics accelerator (GA) according to an instruction from a user program. A graphics processing system for generating a GA command for the GA, and transmitting the GA command; rendering a graphic based on the GA command received from the graphic processing system; and texture data for speeding up texture mapping. The present invention relates to a texture data management method for a graphics accelerator (GA) provided with a texture memory in which the texture data is internally stored.

That is, in order to solve the above problems,
The texture data management method between the graphic processing system and the graphic accelerator (GA) according to the first aspect is configured such that the size of the texture data passed from the user program to the graphic processing system is larger than a predetermined constant. And a means for compressing the texture data when the size of the texture data is larger than the constant. The graphic accelerator (GA) has a texture data compressed from the graphics processing system. When receiving the graphics accelerator, the graphic accelerator (GA) comprises means for decompressing the texture data, means for storing the decompressed texture data in the texture memory, and means for rendering the figure specified by the GA command. , Entered from the user program Characterized in that it is configured to perform a rendering process graphic based on the texture data.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a texture data management system between a graphic processing system and a graphic accelerator (GA), wherein the graphic processing system further comprises: Means for determining whether the subtracted remaining texture memory size is larger than the size of the texture data received from the user program; and determining whether the remaining texture memory size is larger than the size of the texture data received from the user program. Means for updating the remaining texture memory size by subtracting the size of the texture to be registered received from the user program from the remaining texture memory size in the accelerator (GA); Means for generating a GA command to be registered in the texture memory of the accelerator (GA), and transferring the GA command to the graphic accelerator (GA). The graphic accelerator (GA) further comprises: Means for determining whether or not the received command is a registration command; and when the received GA command is a texture data registration command,
Means for calling a means for decompressing the texture data if the received texture data is compressed texture data.

A texture data management system between a graphic processing system and a graphic accelerator (GA) according to claim 3 makes each means in claim 2 more specific. That is, if the function passed from the user program is a texture data registration function, the graphic data processing system calls the texture data compression determination means. Otherwise, the function passed from the user program and its argument are used. A GA command conversion means for generating a GA command and calling the GA command data transfer means after writing to the GA command buffer, and a constant B which is called by the GA command conversion means and determines whether or not to compress the texture data. Perform by comparison, if not compressed, call the uncompressed texture storage means,
In the case of compression, the texture data compression determining means for calling the compressed texture data storing means, and the texture memory overflow determining means which is called from the texture data compression determining means and stores the uncompressed texture data passed from the user program, is stored. Texture data compression means for calling compressed texture data storage means after reversibly compressing texture data which is called from uncompressed texture data storage means to be called and texture data compression determination means and passed from a user program; and texture data compression means. Compressed texture data storage means for calling the texture memory overflow determination means after storing compressed texture data generated by the texture data compression means, and uncompressed texture data storage means. It is called from the texture data storage means and determines whether the texture data passed from the user program can be registered in the texture memory in the graphics accelerator (GA), and if it can be registered, updates the remaining size of the texture memory Means for calling the means and calling the registered texture data invalidating means when registration is impossible. Select the texture data to invalidate, and generate a GA command to invalidate the registration of the selected texture data, write this GA command to the GA command buffer, and write the registered texture to the remaining size of the texture memory. size After the addition,
The registered texture data invalidating means for calling the texture memory remaining size updating means, the texture memory overflow determining means and the registered texture data invalidating means are called from the texture memory remaining size in the GA. Texture memory remaining size updating means for calling the texture registration GA command creating means after subtracting the size of the texture to be processed, and compressed texture data generated by the texture data compressing means or called by the texture memory remaining size updating means or the user. A texture registration GA command creating unit that calls a GA command data transfer unit after generating a GA command to be registered in a texture memory of the GA from texture data passed from the program, and a GA command conversion unit. Called from the A register texture command generating means, GA command sequence graphics accelerator written in GA command buffer (GA)
And a GA command data transfer means for transferring the command data to the memory.

Further, a graphic accelerator (G
A) The GA command sequentially received from the graphic processing system is received by the side A). If the GA command is a command for invalidating registered texture data, the registered texture data invalidating means is called. If the GA command is a texture data registration command, the texture data compression detection means is called. If the GA command is not a texture data registration command, a GA command data input means for calling the GA rendering means, and the GA command is registered. When the command is a command for invalidating already-processed texture data, the command is called from the GA command data input means, deletes the texture data specified by the registered texture data data invalidating means on the graphic processing system side from the texture memory, and manages the texture memory. The registered texture data invalidating means for deleting the corresponding entry of the texture memory management table to be deleted, and the GA command data input means when the GA command is a texture data registration command, and the passed texture data is compressed texture data. If the texture data is compressed, the texture data decompression means is called, and if it is not the compressed texture data, the texture data storage means is called. Texture data decompression means for calling the texture data storage means after decompressing the compressed texture data which is called by the detection means and which has been reversibly compressed by the texture data compression means of the graphic processing system; Called by the compression detecting means and the texture data decompressing means, the related information including at least the ID, the size of the texture data, and the storage position in the texture memory is stored in the entry of the texture memory management table, and the passed texture data is stored. Rendering processing of a figure called by a texture data storage unit and a GA command data input unit and designated by a GA command, which is stored in a texture memory, generates an image on a frame buffer (FRB), and writes the image in the FRB. And a GA rendering means.

The texture data management method between the graphic processing system and the graphic accelerator (GA) according to claim 4 is the method according to claim 3, wherein the method of compressing the texture data by the texture data compression means is the same as that of When continuous, a method to reduce the total amount of data by adding the number of occurrences, or to change the code according to the frequency of occurrence, shorten it for high frequency characters and lengthen it for low frequency characters , Assigning specific codes to frequently occurring patterns, removing meaningless information,
Or any one of the following.

Further, the texture data management method between the graphic processing system and the graphic accelerator (GA) according to claim 5 is the one according to claim 4, wherein the method for compressing texture data and the constant are such that the texture data is compressed. The transfer time between the graphic processing system and the graphic accelerator (GA), which is reduced by the following, is the compression time of the texture data performed by the texture data compression determination unit and the decompression time of the compressed texture data performed by the texture data decompression unit. It is characterized in that it is determined to exceed the larger value.

[0012]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a user program 10 and a graphic processing system 20
, Graphic accelerator (GA) 40, FR
It comprises a B (frame buffer) 50, a graphic display device 60, and an external bus (Bus) 70. Further, the graphic processing system 20 and the graphic accelerator (G
A) 40 exchanges data such as GA command data through an external bus (Bus) 70 which is a path for data exchange.

The graphic processing system 20 includes a GA command conversion unit 21, a texture data compression determination unit 22,
Uncompressed texture data storage means 23, texture data compression means 24, compressed texture data storage means 2
5, texture memory overflow determination means 26
Registered texture data invalidating means 27, texture memory remaining size updating means 28, texture registration GA
Command creation means 29, GA command data transfer means 30, uncompressed texture data 31 to 33, compressed texture data 34 to 36, GA command buffer 3
7 is included. Graphic Accelerator (GA) 40
A GA command data input unit 41, a registered texture data invalidating unit 42, a texture data compression detecting unit 43, a texture data decompressing unit 44, a texture data storing unit 45, and a GA rendering unit 4
6, a texture memory management table 47, and a texture memory 48.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing example of the GA command conversion means 21. First, it is determined whether the function passed from the user program 10 is a registration function of texture data (211). If so (Y), the texture data compression determination means 22 is called. If not (N), a GA command is generated from the function and the argument (212), and the generated GA command is written to the GA command buffer 37 ( 213) Then, the GA command data transfer means 30 is called.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of the effect of the GA command conversion means 21 (other than registration of texture data). In the user program 10, the coordinate values (1.0, 1.
It is described with the intention of drawing a line with a line width of 2.0 from (0) to (10.0, 10.0). Specify a line width of 2.0 in the argument of the "linewidth" function, and draw the line using the "line" function (1.0, 1.0)
-(10.0, 10.0) is specified. GA command means 21
Then, by interpreting these intentions, the line width 213, the line drawing 21
4 is generated and the GA command 215 and the GA command 216 are generated.
Is generated and written in the GA command buffer 37, and the GA
The command transfer means 30 is called.

FIG. 4 shows the texture data compression judging means 2
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of No. 2; When the function passed from the user program 10 is a registration function of texture data, it is called from the GA command conversion means 21. It is determined whether the size of the texture data is larger than a constant B for determining whether to compress the texture data (221). If it is larger (Y), the texture data compression means 24 is called, and if not (N), the uncompressed texture data storage means 23 is called. The setting method of the value of the constant B will be described in the description of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a processing example of the uncompressed texture data storage means 23. The texture data compression determination means 22 is called when the size of the texture data passed from the user program 10 is not larger than the constant B. Passed from user program 10
The (uncompressed) texture data is stored in the graphic processing system 10 (231), and the texture memory overflow determination means 26 is called.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a processing example of the texture data compression means 24. The texture data compression determining means 22 is called when the size of the texture data passed from the user program 10 is larger than the constant B. The texture data passed from the user program 10 is (reversibly) compressed (241), and then the compressed texture data storage means 25 is called. In general, data compression methods are classified into lossless compression and irreversible compression. The graphic accelerator (GA) 40 converts (uncompressed) texture data passed from the user program 10 from texture data compressed in the graphic processing system 10. Since everything needs to be reproducible, a lossless compression scheme must be used in the present invention.

Data compression is used in the fields of files, images, communications and the like, and the following methods are widely known as data compression methods. When the same character is continuous, a method to reduce the total amount by describing the number of occurrences. This includes run-length coding (r
un-length coding). A method that changes the code according to the frequency of appearance, making it shorter for high-frequency characters and longer for low-frequency characters. There are methods such as Huffman coding and n / 2n coding. A method of assigning a specific code to a frequently occurring pattern. How to remove meaningless information.

However, when the compressed texture data is used for exchanging the texture data between the graphic processing system 20 and the graphic accelerator (GA) 40,
The graphic processing system 10 needs a compression time for the texture data, and the graphic accelerator (GA) 40 requires a decompression time for the compressed texture data. The transfer time reduced by reducing the amount of data transfer between the graphic processing system 10 and the graphic accelerator (GA) 40 by the data compression is reduced by the CPU and GA among the two (compression and decompression of the texture data). Operates independently, so that the texture data compression method to be adopted and the constant B (the number of texture data is a number for determining whether to compress the texture data) and the constant B are set so as to exceed the larger value. Should be determined.

FIG. 7 shows compressed texture data storage means 2
FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of No. 5; In the texture data compression determining means 22, when the size of the texture data passed from the user program 10 is larger than the constant B,
It is called via the texture data compression means 24. The compressed texture data generated by the texture data compression unit 24 is stored in the graphic processing system 10 (25
1), the texture memory overflow determination means 26 is called.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a processing example of the texture memory overflow determining means 26. It is called from the uncompressed texture data storage means 23 and the compressed texture data storage means 25. It is determined whether the remaining size of the texture memory is equal to or larger than the size of the texture data passed from the user program 10 (that is, whether or not the texture memory has left an unregistered area for registering the texture data) (261). If so (Y), the texture memory remaining size updating means 28 is called, and if not (N), the registered texture data invalidating means 27 is called.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing example of the registered texture data invalidating means 27. The texture memory overflow determination means 26 is called when the remaining size of the texture memory is smaller than the size of the texture data passed from the user program 10. That is, first, texture data for which registration is to be invalidated is selected from among the texture data registered in the texture memory 48 of the GA (271). Second, a GA command for invalidating registration is generated for the texture data selected in the process 271 (272). Third, the GA command generated in the process 272 is written into the GA command buffer 37 (273). Finally, the remaining texture memory size = the remaining texture memory size−the size of the texture data selected in the process 271 (274), and then the texture memory remaining size updating unit 28 is called.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a processing example of the texture memory remaining size updating means 28. It is called from the texture memory overflow determining means 26 when the texture memory has left an unregistered area where the texture data can be registered, and from the registered texture data invalidating means 27. Texture memory remaining size = texture memory remaining size−texture data size passed from the user program 10 (281), and the texture registration GA command creating means 29 is called.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a processing example of the texture registration GA command creating means 29. It is called from the remaining texture size updating means 28. First, the texture data generated by the texture compression unit 24 or the texture data passed from the user program 10
A GA command to be registered in the texture memory is generated (291). Finally, the GA command generated in the process 291 is written into the GA command buffer 37 (292),
Thereafter, the GA command data transfer means 30 is called.

FIG. 12 shows the GA command data transfer means 3
It is a figure showing the example of processing of 0. When the function passed from the user program is other than the texture registration function, it is called from the GA command conversion means 21, and when the function is a texture function, G is used.
It is called from the A registered texture command creating means 29.
The GA command string written in the GA command buffer 37 is transferred to the graphic accelerator (GA) 40 (301).

FIG. 13 shows GA command data input means 4
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of No. 1; First, GA commands from the graphic processing system 20 are sequentially received (411). Next, it is determined whether or not the GA command is a registered texture data invalidation command (412). If so (Y), the registered texture data invalidating means 42
Is called. If not applicable (N), it is determined whether the GA command is a texture registration command (413). If so (Y), the texture data compression detecting means 43 is called, and if not (N), the GA rendering means 46 is called.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a processing example of the registered texture data invalidating means 42. The GA command data input means 41 is called when the GA command is a registered texture data invalidation command. In the graphic processing system 20, the texture data designated to be invalidated by the registered texture data invalidating means 27 is deleted from the texture memory 48, and the texture data related information is deleted from the entry of the texture memory management table 47 (421).

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a processing example of the texture data compression detecting means 43. The GA command data input means 41 is called when the GA command is a texture registration command. If the passed data is a compressed texture, the compression texture data decompression means 44 is called, and if not, the texture data storage means 45 is called (431).

FIG. 16 shows the texture data decompression means 44.
It is a figure which shows the example of a process of. Texture data compression detection means 4 when the passed data is compressed texture data
Called from 3. The compressed texture data is decompressed (441), and the texture data storage means 45 is called.

FIG. 17 shows a texture data storage means 45.
It is a figure which shows the example of a process of. If the passed texture data is not compressed texture data, it is called from the texture data compression detection means 43, and if it is compressed texture data, it is called from the texture data decompression means 44. Enter the ID in the texture memory management table entry.
Also, related information such as the size of the passed texture data and the storage location of the texture data in the texture memory is stored, and the passed texture data is stored in the texture memory 48 (451).

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a processing example of the GA rendering means 46. The GA command data input means is called when the GA command is neither a registered texture data invalidation command nor a texture registration GA command. The rendering process of the graphic designated by the GA command is performed to generate an image on the FRB (frame buffer) and write the image into the FRB (461).

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of texture data. It has 16 vertices and 16 texels, and the color value of each texel is composed of components of (R: red, G: green, B: blue, A: α), and each component is expressed by 1 byte. , One texel is represented by one word. In the figure, the painted texels represent black (0, 0, 0, 1), and the unpainted texels represent colors other than black (0, 0, 0, 1). In the following examples, the colors are unified to (10, 10, 10, 1). When texture mapping is performed using the present texture data, the image shown in FIG. 19 is displayed in a state of being finely attached to a figure to be drawn.

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an example of the texture registration GA command (when the texture data is not compressed). The texture data uses the texture data shown in FIG. The GA command has an instruction code (two-byte data) first, a command length (two-byte data) second, an X size (two-byte data) third, and a Y size (two-byte data) fourth. After that, texture data is arranged. Texture data is 256 words (= 16 × 1
6) In this example, a very long G of 258 words
A command. For this reason, the data transfer from the graphic processing system 20 to the graphic accelerator (GA) 40 generally requires a long time for the external bus (Bus) 70, so that the time required for registering the texture data increases.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of a method for compressing texture data. As mentioned in the description of FIG. 6, the transfer time, which is reduced by reducing the amount of data transferred between the graphic processing system 20 and the graphic accelerator (GA) 40 by the data compression, is reduced by the compression of the texture data in the graphic processing system 20. It is necessary to determine the texture data compression method and the constant B so as to exceed the larger of the time and the decompression time of the compressed texture data in the graphic accelerator (GA) 40. In this example, as a simple compression method, a compression method using a data expression based on a pair of a length and a value is used for the same number of consecutive bytes / words. By using this method, in this example, 8 words of data are compressed into 6 words. The compressed texture data consists of a word of compression information (the first byte is a compression flag (0: no compression, 1:
The second byte is the compression unit (1: byte, 2:
Word), 3rd consecutive length (2nd byte is 1: byte, 2nd byte is 2: word), 4th byte is NULL
(No meaning)) and data (word or byte values)
Are paired.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing an example of a texture registration GA command (in the case of compressed texture data). This example is a GA command generated from the texture data of FIG. Compared to FIG. 20, the GA command length is shortened by the compression of the texture data (258).
→ 162 words). By shortening the GA command length,
It is expected that the registration time of the texture data from the graphic processing system 20 to the graphics accelerator (GA) 40 will be reduced.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence between the texture memory management table and the texture memory. In this example, the size of the texture memory is 32 vertically and 32 horizontally.
Texel size. The texture memory management table manages information on the ID, size, and storage position in the texture memory for the texture data of IDs 1 to 4. ID, size described in the entry of the texture memory management table, described in the position in the texture memory (size, position)
As described above, the texture data is stored in the texture memory.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing the timing of texture data registration and drawing time. The CPU (graphic processing system load),
The graphics accelerator (GA) load situation is illustrated in units of time flow. In addition, each waveform indicates that the load is higher as going upward, and the load is lower as going downward.

First, new registration of texture data from a user program (ID1: 8 × 8, ID2-4:
16 × 16), the texture data 4
Then, a texture data registration instruction (of ID 1 to 4) is issued to the texture memory, management information is registered in the texture memory management table for the four pieces of texture data, and registration is performed in the texture memory. Second, when a texture mapping instruction is issued from the user program with texture ID = 2, a texture mapping instruction is issued with ID = 2, and texture mapping is performed with ID = 2.

Finally, new registration of texture data from the user program (ID: 5) + texture ID = 5
When there is an instruction of texture mapping in -1, deletion of texture memory -1: ID 1 (8 × 8),-
2: Addition of ID 5 (16 × 16), -3: ID = 5
, A texture mapping instruction is performed, and −1: I
Deletion of D 1 (8 × 8), −2: ID 5 (16 × 1)
6) addition, -3: texture mapping is performed with ID = 5. By performing the compression of the texture data, in the case of →, especially, the time of −2 and −2 can be reduced, and as a result, the processing time for the result can be reduced.

[0041]

As described above, according to the texture data management system between the graphic processing system and the graphic accelerator (GA) of the present invention, the external bus (Bu) is transferred to the texture memory of the graphics accelerator (GA).
When the texture data is transferred via s), by compressing the texture data and reducing the amount of data to be transferred, a long texture data registration time due to a bottleneck of the external bus (Bus) performance can be reduced. . In particular, when the texture data registered in the graphics accelerator is replaced and the texture mapping is continuously performed using the texture data, the processing time of the texture data registration of the graphic processing system and the graphic accelerator (GA) is reduced, so that the screen is reduced. It is possible to speed up the display of the drawing result on the screen. As a result, even when texture data that has not been registered in the texture memory of the graphics accelerator (GA) is used, it is possible to speed up the drawing of the texture mapping.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing example of a GA command conversion unit.

FIG. 3 is a specific example of the effect of the GA command conversion means.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating (other than texture data registration).

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of a texture data compression determination unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of an uncompressed texture data storage unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of a texture data compression unit.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of a compressed texture data storage unit.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of a texture memory overflow determination unit.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing example of registered texture data invalidation means.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of a texture memory size updating unit.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of a texture registration GA command creating unit.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of a GA command data transfer unit.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of a GA command data input unit.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of a registered texture data invalidating unit.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of a texture data compression detection unit.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of a texture data decompression unit.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of a texture data storage unit.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a processing example of a GA rendering unit.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of texture data.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of a texture registration GA command (when texture data is not compressed).

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating an example of a texture data compression method.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an example of a texture registration GA command (in the case of compressed texture data).

FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating a correspondence example between a texture memory management table and a texture memory.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing the timing of texture data registration and drawing time.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 User program 20 Graphic processing system 21 GA command conversion means 22 Texture data compression determination means 23 Uncompressed texture data storage means 24 Texture data compression means 25 Compressed texture data storage means 26 Texture memory overflow determination means 27 Registered texture data invalidation means 28 Texture memory remaining size update means 29 Texture registration GA command creation means 30 GA command data transfer means 31-33 Uncompressed texture data 1-n 34-36 Compressed texture data 1-m 37 GA command buffer 40 Graphic accelerator (GA) 41 GA command data input means 42 Registered texture data invalidation means 43 Texture data compression detection means 44 Texture data decompression means 45 Text Char data storage means 46 GA rendering means 47 Texture memory management table 48 Texture memory 50 FRB (frame buffer) 60 Graphic display device 70 External bus (Bus)

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. According to an instruction from a user program,
A graphic processing system for generating a GA command for a graphics accelerator (GA) and transmitting the GA command, rendering a graphic based on the GA command received from the graphic processing system, and speeding up texture mapping In a texture data management method with a graphics accelerator (GA) provided with a texture memory for holding texture data internally, the graphic processing system includes a texture data size passed from the user program, Means for determining whether the texture data is larger than a predetermined constant; and means for compressing the texture data when the size of the texture data is larger than the constant, wherein the graphic accelerator (GA) comprises: Processing system Means for decompressing the texture data when receiving the compressed texture data from the apparatus, means for storing the decompressed texture data in the texture memory, and means for rendering a figure specified by the GA command. Wherein the graphic accelerator (GA) is configured to perform a graphic rendering process based on texture data input from the user program, between the graphic processing system and the graphic accelerator (GA). Texture data management method. 2. The graphic processing system further determines whether a remaining texture memory size obtained by subtracting all registered texture sizes from the texture memory size is larger than a size of texture data received from the user program. Means for performing, when the remaining size of the texture memory is larger than the size of the texture data received from the user program,
Means for updating the remaining texture memory size by subtracting the size of the texture to be registered received from the user program from the remaining texture memory size in the graphic accelerator (GA); GA registered in texture memory of graphic accelerator (GA)
Means for generating a command and transferring the GA command to the graphic accelerator (GA). The graphic accelerator (GA) further determines whether or not the received GA command is a texture data registration command. And a means for calling a means for decompressing the texture data if the received texture data is compressed texture data when the received GA command is a texture data registration command. A texture data management method between the graphic processing system and a graphic accelerator (GA) according to claim 1. 3. The graphic processing system calls a texture data compression judging means when the function passed from the user program is a texture data registration function, and passes it from the user program when the function is not a texture data registration function. A GA command conversion means for generating a GA command from the function and its argument and writing the GA command into the GA command buffer and then calling the GA command data transfer means; and a method for calling the GA command conversion means and compressing the texture data. Is determined by comparing with a constant B. If not compressed, the uncompressed texture storage means is called, and if compressed, the texture data compression determination means calls the compressed texture data storage means. Called from the user program An uncompressed texture data storage unit for calling a texture memory overflow determination unit after storing the passed uncompressed texture data; and after reversibly compressing the texture data passed from the user program and called from the texture data compression determination unit. Texture data compression means for calling compressed texture data storage means; compressed texture data storage means for calling texture memory overflow determination means after storing compressed texture data generated by the texture data compression means and generated by the texture data compression means; The texture passed from the user program to the texture memory in the graphics accelerator (GA), which is called from the uncompressed texture data storage means and the compressed texture data storage means. A texture memory overflow determining means for determining whether data can be registered, calling a texture memory remaining size updating means if the data can be registered, and calling a registered texture data invalidating means if the data cannot be registered; It is called from the memory overflow determination means, selects texture data for which registration is to be invalidated from among texture data registered in the texture memory in the GA, and generates a GA command for invalidating the registration of the selected texture data. Writing the GA command into a GA command buffer, adding the size of the registered texture to be invalidated to the remaining size of the texture memory, and then calling the texture memory remaining size updating unit; and the texture memory overflow. Size After the texture size to be registered passed from the user program is subtracted from the remaining texture memory size in the GA,
Texture memory remaining size updating means for calling a texture registration GA command creating means; and compressed texture data called by the texture memory remaining size updating means and generated by the texture data compression means or texture data passed from a user program. G to be registered in the texture memory of GA
After generating the A command, the GA command data transfer means is called by the texture registration GA command creation means, and the GA command conversion means and the GA registration texture command creation means are called by the GA command string written in the GA command buffer. GA command data transfer means for transferring to the accelerator (GA), wherein the graphic accelerator (GA) sequentially receives the GA command sent from the graphic processing system, and the GA command invalidates the registered texture data. If the GA command is a texture data registration command, the texture data compression detecting means is called if the GA command is a texture data registration command.
If the GA command is not a texture data registration command, the GA command data input means for calling a GA rendering means; and if the GA command is a command for invalidating registered texture data, the GA command data input means is called from the GA command data input means; Registered texture data invalidating means for deleting the texture data specified by the registered texture data data invalidating means on the graphic processing system side from the texture memory, and deleting the entry of the texture memory management table for managing the texture memory. Is called from the GA command data input means when the GA command is a texture data registration command,
If the passed texture data is compressed texture data, call the compressed texture data decompression means,
If the texture data is not compressed texture data, the texture data storage means is called. If the passed texture data is compressed texture data, the texture data compression detection means calls the texture data compression detection means. After decompressing the compressed texture data reversibly compressed by the texture data compression means, the texture data decompression means for calling the texture data storage means, the texture data compression detection means and the texture data decompression means are called by the texture memory management table. Texture data storage means for storing related information including at least an ID, a size of texture data, and a storage position in a texture memory in an entry, and storing the passed texture data in the texture memory. The GA is called from the command data input unit performs rendering processing of the graphic designated by GA command to produce an image on the frame buffer (FRB), the FR
3. A texture data management method between a graphic processing system and a graphic accelerator (GA) according to claim 2, further comprising: a GA rendering means for writing into B. 4. A method of compressing texture data by the texture data compressing means, wherein, when the same character is continuous, the number of appearances is written together to reduce the entire data amount, or a code is made according to the appearance frequency. And change it to short for high-frequency characters and long for low-frequency characters, assign a specific code to patterns that appear frequently, or delete meaningless information. 4. A texture data management system between a graphic processing system and a graphic accelerator (GA) according to claim 3, wherein: 5. The method for compressing the texture data and the constant, wherein the transfer time between the graphic processing system and the graphic accelerator (GA), which is reduced by the compression of the texture data, is performed by the texture data compression determining means. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the compression time is determined so as to exceed a larger value of a compression time of the texture data and a decompression time of the compressed texture data performed by the texture data decompression means.
2. A texture data management method between a graphic processing system and a graphic accelerator (GA) described in (1).