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Floating-point buffer compression in a unified codec architecture

Ström, Jacob ; Wennersten, Per ; Rasmusson, Jim LU ; Hasselgren, Jon LU ; Munkberg, Jacob LU ; Clarberg, Petrik LU and Akenine-Möller, Tomas LU (2008) Graphics Hardware 2008 p.75-84
Abstract
This paper presents what we believe are the first (public) algorithms for floating-point (fp) color and fp depth buffer compression. The depth codec is also available in an integer version. The codecs are harmonized, meaning that they share basic technology, making it easier to use the same hardware unit for both types of compression. We further suggest to use these codecs in a unified codec architecture, meaning that compression/decompression units previously only used for color- and depth buffer compression can be used also during texture accesses. Finally, we investigate the bandwidth implication of using this in a unified cache architecture. The proposed fp16 color buffer codec compresses data down to 40% of the original, and the fp16... (More)
This paper presents what we believe are the first (public) algorithms for floating-point (fp) color and fp depth buffer compression. The depth codec is also available in an integer version. The codecs are harmonized, meaning that they share basic technology, making it easier to use the same hardware unit for both types of compression. We further suggest to use these codecs in a unified codec architecture, meaning that compression/decompression units previously only used for color- and depth buffer compression can be used also during texture accesses. Finally, we investigate the bandwidth implication of using this in a unified cache architecture. The proposed fp16 color buffer codec compresses data down to 40% of the original, and the fp16 depth codec allows compression down to 4.5 bpp, compared to 5.3 for the state-of-the-art int24 depth compression method. If used in a unified codec and cache architecture, bandwidth reductions of about 50% are possible, which is significant. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Buffer compression, Data compaction, Graphics hardware, Graphics processors
host publication
Graphics Hardware
editor
Luebke, David and Owens, John D.
pages
10 pages
conference name
Graphics Hardware 2008
conference dates
2008-06-20
external identifiers
  • scopus:70450238838
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f52289e0-0d74-4eef-9463-7adfc9f6569b (old id 1152613)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 13:46:33
date last changed
2022-01-30 00:51:17
@inproceedings{f52289e0-0d74-4eef-9463-7adfc9f6569b,
  abstract     = {{This paper presents what we believe are the first (public) algorithms for floating-point (fp) color and fp depth buffer compression. The depth codec is also available in an integer version. The codecs are harmonized, meaning that they share basic technology, making it easier to use the same hardware unit for both types of compression. We further suggest to use these codecs in a unified codec architecture, meaning that compression/decompression units previously only used for color- and depth buffer compression can be used also during texture accesses. Finally, we investigate the bandwidth implication of using this in a unified cache architecture. The proposed fp16 color buffer codec compresses data down to 40% of the original, and the fp16 depth codec allows compression down to 4.5 bpp, compared to 5.3 for the state-of-the-art int24 depth compression method. If used in a unified codec and cache architecture, bandwidth reductions of about 50% are possible, which is significant.}},
  author       = {{Ström, Jacob and Wennersten, Per and Rasmusson, Jim and Hasselgren, Jon and Munkberg, Jacob and Clarberg, Petrik and Akenine-Möller, Tomas}},
  booktitle    = {{Graphics Hardware}},
  editor       = {{Luebke, David and Owens, John D.}},
  keywords     = {{Buffer compression; Data compaction; Graphics hardware; Graphics processors}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{75--84}},
  title        = {{Floating-point buffer compression in a unified codec architecture}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}