Scanline rendering device for generating pixel values for displaying three-dimensional graphical images

摘要

A rendering device for providing 3-D graphics rendering in a computer system. A hardware scanline rendering approach is utilized. Using a hardware scanline rendering approach the bandwidth requirements between a system frame buffer and the rendering device are minimized. The minimization of bandwidth requirement allows for the rendering device to be used with existing computer system designs while keeping design changes at a minimum. The result is that for a given desired performance of a combined computer system and rendering device, the cost of both the computer system without the rendering device, and the cost of the rendering device itself may be reduced. The rendering device is generally comprised of a bus attachment for coupling to the system bus of the computer system; a scanline rendering device and a scanout device for transferring the scanline of shaded pixel values to the system frame buffer.