Method and system for providing programmable texture processing

Abstract

A method and system for processing textures for a graphical image on a display is disclosed. The graphical image includes an object. The object includes a plurality of fragments. The method and system include providing a memory and providing a plurality of texture processors coupled with the memory. The memory is for storing a portion of a program for processing a plurality of textures for the plurality of fragments. Each of the plurality of texture processors is for processing a texture for a fragment in accordance with the program. The plurality of texture processors is capable of processing a part of the plurality of textures in parallel.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for processing textures for a graphical image on a display, the graphical image including an object, the object including a plurality of fragments, the system comprising: 
 a memory for storing a portion part of a program for processing a plurality of texture portions for the plurality of fragments; and    a plurality of texture processors coupled with the memory, each of the plurality of texture processors for processing a portion of the plurality of texture portions for a fragment of the plurality of fragments in accordance with the program, the plurality of texture processors capable of processing a second portion of the plurality of texture portions in parallel.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a distributor coupled to the plurality of texture processors for distributing the plurality of texture portions to the plurality of texture processors.  
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 an argument decoder for providing the plurality of texture portions to the distributor and for performing at least one operation on a third portion of the plurality of texture portions.  
 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the memory further includes a cache.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of texture processors further includes: 
 bitwise logic,  
 a multiplier-adder coupled with the bitwise logic; and  
 a summer coupled with the multiplier-adder; and  
 a selection means coupled with the bitwise logic, the multiplier-adder, and the summer, for selecting a resultant from the bitwise logic, the multiplier-adder, and the summer.  
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of texture portions is provided from at least one texture map.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the display includes a plurality of pixels, wherein the plurality of fragments intersect a portion of the plurality of pixels, wherein the plurality of texture portions are a plurality of texels and wherein each of the plurality of texture processors receive at least one texel of the plurality of texels and at least one interpolated value as inputs.  
     
     
         8 . A method for processing textures of a graphical image on a display, the graphical image including an object, the object including a plurality of fragments, the method comprising the steps of. 
 (a) providing a plurality of texture portions for the plurality of fragments to a plurality of texture processors, the plurality texture processors for processing a portion of the plurality of texture portions in parallel; and    (b) processing the plurality of texture portions in the plurality of texture processors based on at least one program.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the providing step (a) further includes the step of: 
 (a1) providing the plurality of texture portions from a distributor coupled to the plurality of texture processors.  
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of: 
 (c) performing at least one operation on a texture portion of the plurality of texture portions prior to providing the texture portion to a texture processor of the plurality of texture processors.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further wherein the fragment includes a program identification, and wherein the method further includes the step of: 
 (c) fetching a portion of the program using the program identification.  
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the processing step (b) further includes the step of: 
 (b1) blending the plurality of texture portions in the plurality of texture processors based on the at least one program.  
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the plurality of texture portions are a plurality of texels, wherein each of the plurality of texture processors receive at least one texel and at least one interpolated value as inputs.