A system and method capable of super-sampling and performing super-sample
convolution are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system may comprise a
graphics processor, a frame buffer, a sample cache, and a sample-to-pixel
calculation unit. The graphics processor may be configured to generate a
plurality of samples. The frame buffer, which is coupled to the graphics
processor, may be configured to store the samples in a sample buffer. The
samples may be positioned according to a regular grid, a perturbed regular
grid, or a stochastic grid. The sample-to-pixel calculation unit is
programmable to select a variable number of stored samples from the frame
buffer, copy the selected samples to a sample cache, and filter a set of
the selected samples into an output pixel. The sample-to-pixel calculation
unit retains those samples in the sample cache that will be reused in a
subsequent pixel calculation and replaces those samples no longer required
with new samples for another filter calculation.
