System and method for high speed computer graphics image computation using a parallel connected, asynchronous multiprocessor ring coupled to a synchronous special purpose video processing ring

摘要

A high performance computer graphics image computation system architecture is disclosed. The system architecture includes a computational processor ring which includes a plurality of closely coupled computational subsystems. The computational subsystems operate asynchronously and each is interconnected with two adjacent computational subsystems. The architecture of the processor ring allows rapid communication between the computational subsystems while avoiding a deadlock condition. The system architecture also includes a video processor ring wherein a plurality of video processors are synchronously linked together. A plurality of local communication paths couple the computational subsystems to the video processors. The video processor ring is able to move massive amounts of data, in the form of digital video signals, from various points within the system. The computational processor ring is able to rapidly carry out graphic image computation tasks and graphic image data is moved around in the system by way of the video processor ring.