SIMD DYNAMIC ENABLING AND DISABLING OF SIMD UNITS IN A GRAPHICS PROCESSOR

摘要

A system and method for improving the performance of a graphics processing unit are described. Embodiments achieve power savings in a graphics processing unit by dynamically activating / deactivating individual SIMDs in a shader complex that includes a plurality of SIMD units. On-the-fly dynamic disabling and enabling of individual SIMDs provides flexibility in achieving the performance and power levels required for a given processing application. In this way, embodiments achieve optimal use of the graphics processing unit. Embodiments of the present invention also achieve dynamic grained (e.g., medium grain) clock gating of SIMDs within a shader complex. Embodiments shut down the clock trees to unused logic by providing a clock on demand to reduce switching power. In this way, embodiments improve clock gating to save more switching power over time periods when SIMDs are idle (or when tasks are not allocated).