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Lezmaka
10-29-02, 03:49 AM
Because I got this link from the inquirer, that may pretty much make anything here not really trustworthy, lol, but I'll add it anyway.

http://l2.espacenet.com/espacenet/viewer?PN=US6437780&CY=gb&LG=en&DB=EPD (takes a little while to load)

It's a patent with a date of August 20, 2002.

Here's the abstract of the patent
A geometry tiler identifies tiles on a computer's screen that are covered by a graphics primitive by use of edges of the graphics primitive. Precise identification of tiles of various types (such as edge tiles covered by a segment) eliminates identification of one or more tiles that are merely located adjacent to the graphics primitive, but are not touched by the graphics primitive. For example, the geometry tiler can identify each of three types of tiles: vertex tiles, edge tiles and interior tiles. In one implementation, the geometry tiler identifies all tiles that are covered by a graphics primitive in the form of a convex polygon by: (a) determining attributes of at least one segment in the convex polygon, (b) determining iteration descriptors for each segment by using the attributes, (c) for each segment in the convex polygon, scanning the segment and identifying each edge tile that is covered by the segment, and (d) for each column of tiles in the screen, going from one edge tile in the column to another edge tile in the column and identifying each interior tile that is located within an area enclosed by the segments of the primitive. In one specific implementation, the geometry tiler simultaneously identifies edge tiles that are covered by two segments of the convex polygon that are located opposite to each other (such as a top segment and a bottom segment)


Whether it's used in NV30, or something they just decided to get a patent for, who knows.

Uttar
10-29-02, 04:30 AM
Originally posted by Lezmaka
Because I got this link from the inquirer, that may pretty much make anything here not really trustworthy, lol, but I'll add it anyway.

http://l2.espacenet.com/espacenet/viewer?PN=US6437780&CY=gb&LG=en&DB=EPD (takes a little while to load)

It's a patent with a date of August 20, 2002.

Here's the abstract of the patent


Whether it's used in NV30, or something they just decided to get a patent for, who knows.

Let me say this simply:
The Inquirer is the worst rumor site ever. You can find everywhere on the web this is OLD, but they didn't even search.

"August 20, 2002" is *not* the date at which this patent was filed!

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=/netahtml/search-bool.html&r=6&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=ft00&s1=nVidia.ASNM.&OS=AN/nVidia&RS=AN/nVidia

This document proofs that this patent was filed by nVidia Corporation March 17, 1999.

I'm not saying they aren't going to use this patent in the future. But anyone thinking is recent is simply an idiot too lazy to verify if they're right or wrong.


Uttar

Lezmaka
10-29-02, 05:00 AM
well alrighty then, i guess I was right about it not really not being trustworthy since it was from the inquirer

nAo
10-29-02, 05:14 AM
I already posted a link on that patent on B3D forum last summer, so The Inquirer is quite late here.
However, this is one out of four patents related to deferred rendering nvidia registered. All these patents are from Gigapixel guys and nvidia own them after they acquired 3dfx. I don't believe nv30 use that tech..I can't see nvidia scrap all their base architecture for that when they already invested millions. (and IMHO merging their techs doesnt' make much sense)

ciao,
Marco

Uttar
10-29-02, 05:37 AM
Originally posted by nAo
I already posted a link on that patent on B3D forum last summer, so The Inquirer is quite late here.
However, this is one out of four patents related to deferred rendering nvidia registered. All these patents are from Gigapixel guys and nvidia own them after they acquired 3dfx. I don't believe nv30 use that tech..I can't see nvidia scrap all their base architecture for that when they already invested millions. (and IMHO merging their techs doesnt' make much sense)

ciao,
Marco

Err, no, this isn't a GigaPixel patent. This is a nVidia patent. nVidia corporation filed by patent in 1999 - not Gigapixel.
They filed this before they even previewed to buy 3DFX or GigaPixel.
So since they got GigaPixel patents now, maybe they're actually better than this one. But i don't know anything about that...

Or anyway, that's my understanding of the situation. I got no proof of the opposite, but if this is not the case, please feel free to show me proofs.


Uttar

nAo
10-29-02, 05:42 AM
Originally posted by Uttar
Err, no, this isn't a GigaPixel patent. This is a nVidia patent. nVidia corporation filed by patent in 1999 - not Gigapixel.
They filed this before they even previewed to buy 3DFX or GigaPixel.

In fact it was filed by Gigapixel, but now the document says it was filed by nvidia cause nvidia own it.
Believe me, those guys are from Gigapixel :)

ciao,
Marco

Stavros
10-29-02, 07:30 AM
In fact it was filed by Gigapixel, but now the document says it was filed by nvidia cause nvidia own it.
Believe me, those guys are from Gigapixel

I do believe you are right

http://www.pragides.com/former_sun/content.html