A hardware-like high-level language based environment for 3D graphics architecture exploration
Inho Lee, Joung-Youn Kim, Yeon‐Ho Im, Yun‐Seok Choi, Hyun-Chul Shin, Chang-Young Han, Donghyun Kim, Hyoung‐Joon Park, Young-Il Seo, Kyusik Chung, Chang-Hyo Yu, Kanghyup Chun, Lee‐Sup Kim · 2003
The high complexity and the short lifetime of 3D graphics acceleration hardware increase the necessity of an environment for hardware development. For easy modification and fast testing of architecture, a high-level language based environment is desirable. Therefore, in this paper we propose a Graphics Architecture Testing Environment (GATE) that is based on Microsoft Visual C++. GATE models overall graphics hardware architecture through a modular approach, supports OpenGL, and offers easy modification and rapid testing of architecture. It also gathers computational statistics. A layered approach and Hardware Description Macro (HDM) support hardware modeling and architecture modification. Pre-defined types and operations provide statistical information. Several case studies of 3D graphics architecture on GATE show the capability of our environment.