Graphics rendering device, graphics rendering method, graphics rendering program, recording medium with graphics rendering program stored thereon, integrated circuit for graphics rendering

1. A graphics rendering device provided with (i) stencil buffer storing stencil data including pieces of first pixel information, one for each pixel in a first image, and (ii) a frame buffer storing frame data composed of pieces of second pixel information, one for each pixel in a second image of a lower resolution than the first image, and the graphics rendering device rendering the frame data on a display, the graphics rendering device comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory memory having stored thereon executable instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the graphics rendering device to perform function as:

a stencil data read unit operable to access the stencil buffer one or more times to read a part of the stencil data in accordance with a first access pattern indicating pieces of first pixel information accessible by a single access to the stencil buffer;

a frame data generation unit operable to generate, from the part of the stencil data, a part of the frame data composed of a piece of second pixel information corresponding to a predetermined number of pixels in accordance with the first access pattern and an anti-alias pattern used in generating the pieces of second pixel information;

an access pattern setting unit operable to set, in accordance with the first access pattern and the anti-alias pattern, a second access pattern indicating pieces of second pixel information accessible by a single access to the frame buffer; and

a frame data writing unit operable, when the frame data generation unit has generated pieces of second pixel information as indicated by the second access pattern, to write, in the frame buffer, a part of the frame data corresponding to the pieces of second pixel information in accordance with the second access pattern.

2. The graphics rendering device of claim 1 , wherein

the first access pattern is A pixels in a vertical direction and B pixels in a horizontal direction, where A and B are each an integer two or greater.

3. The graphics rendering device of claim 2 , wherein

A is 2 N ×P, and B is 2 K ×Q, where N, P, K, and Q are each an integer one or greater,

the anti-alias pattern is 2 M pixels in a vertical direction and 2 J pixels in a horizontal direction, where M and J are each an integer one or greater, one of M and J is two or greater, N ≧M, and K ≧J, and

the second access pattern is (2 N−M ) ×P ×R pixels in a vertical direction and (2 K−J ) ×Q ×S pixels in a horizontal direction, where R and S are each an integer one or greater.

4. The graphics rendering device of claim 3 , wherein

P and Q are each one, and

R is one, and S is 2 J +M .

5. The graphics rendering device of claim 4 , wherein

the access pattern setting unit sets a number of accesses to the stencil buffer for a single access to the frame buffer in accordance with the first access pattern, the anti-alias pattern, and the second access pattern.

6. The graphics rendering device of claim 5 , further comprising:

a pattern storage unit storing the anti-alias pattern.

7. The graphics rendering device of claim 3 , wherein

P and Q are each one, and

R is 2 M +J , and S is one.

8. The graphics rendering device of claim 3 , wherein

P, Q, R, and S are each one.

9. A graphics rendering method implemented by a computer, the graphics rendering method comprising the steps of:

storing, in a stencil buffer, stencil data composed of pieces of first pixel information, one for each pixel in a first image;

storing, in a frame buffer, frame data composed of pieces of second pixel information, one for each pixel in a second image of a lower resolution than the first image;

reading, by accessing the stencil buffer one or more times, a part of the stencil data in accordance with a first access pattern indicating pieces of first pixel information accessible by a single access to the stencil buffer;

generating, from the part of the stencil data, a part of the frame data composed of a piece of second pixel information corresponding to a predetermined number of pixels in accordance with the first access pattern and an anti-alias pattern used in generating the pieces of second pixel information;

setting, in accordance with the first access pattern and the anti-alias pattern, a second access pattern indicating pieces of second pixel information accessible by a single access to the frame buffer;

writing in the frame buffer, when pieces of second pixel information as indicated by the second access pattern have been generated, a part of the frame data corresponding to the pieces of second pixel information in accordance with the second access pattern; and

rendering the frame data on a display.

10. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a graphics rendering program that causes a computer to perform graphics rendering, the graphics rendering comprising the steps of:

storing, in a stencil buffer, stencil data composed of pieces of first pixel information, one for each pixel in a first image;

storing, in a frame buffer, frame data composed of pieces of second pixel information, one for each pixel in a second image of a lower resolution than the first image;

reading, by accessing the stencil buffer one or more times, a part of the stencil data in accordance with a first access pattern indicating pieces of first pixel information accessible by a single access to the stencil buffer;

generating, from the part of the stencil data, a part of the frame data composed of a piece of second pixel information corresponding to a predetermined number of pixels in accordance with the first access pattern and an anti-alias pattern used in generating the pieces of second pixel information;

setting, in accordance with the first access pattern and the anti-alias pattern, a second access pattern indicating pieces of second pixel information accessible by a single access to the frame buffer;

writing in the frame buffer, when pieces of second pixel information as indicated by the second access pattern have been generated, a part of the frame data corresponding to the pieces of second pixel information in accordance with the second access pattern; and

rendering the frame data on a display.

11. An integrated circuit for graphics rendering including (i) storing, in a stencil buffer, stencil data including pieces of first pixel information, one for each pixel in a first image, (ii) storing, in a frame buffer, frame data composed of pieces of second pixel information, one for each pixel in a second image of a lower resolution than the first image, and (iii) rendering the frame data on a display, the integrated circuit comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory memory having stored thereon executable instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the integrated circuit to perform function as:

a stencil data read unit operable to access the stencil buffer one or more times to read a part of the stencil data in accordance with a first access pattern indicating pieces of first pixel information accessible by a single access to the stencil buffer;

a frame data generation unit operable to generate, from the part of the stencil data, a part of the frame data composed of a piece of second pixel information corresponding to a predetermined number of pixels in accordance with the first access pattern and an anti-alias pattern used in generating the pieces of second pixel information;

an access pattern setting unit operable to set, in accordance with the first access pattern and the anti-alias pattern, a second access pattern indicating pieces of second pixel information accessible by a single access to the frame buffer; and

a frame data writing unit operable, when the frame data generation unit has generated pieces of second pixel information as indicated by the second access pattern, to write, in the frame buffer, a part of the frame data corresponding to the pieces of second pixel information in accordance with the second access pattern.