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From NeuroLex
1) How is the NeuroLex different from Wikipedia or any other Wiki-based encyclopedia for neuroscience?
The NeuroLex is interested in defining the meaning of concepts and not in providing general information about the concept. It is a dictionary rather than an encyclopedia. We want to make explicit the way in which a concept is defined so that it can be consistently applied to data annotation. We aren't interested in creating the "right" definition of a term like basal ganglia, but to allow the community to tell us the many ways in which it is defined. Thus, we have created a definition template and some policies that allows the user to provide the required information in a form that's easy for automated agents to understand.
2) How will the NeuroLex be used?
The NeuroLex will provide a resource for those annotating data or developing methods to search and integrate data based on the meaning of concepts. For the Neuroscience Information Framework project, the NeuroLex will provide the base set of concepts from which we are developing the NIFSTD ontologies. We hope that other groups will also use these base concepts to build their information resources. By using the same core concepts, we can easily connect these different resources together.
3) Do I need an account to contribute to the NeuroLex?
No, you do not need an account. We want the NeuroLex to provide a very low barrier entry point for you to contribute your knowledge. We view the NeuroLex as the marketplace of ideas for neuroscience concepts. However, if you do get an account, all of your contributions will be linked to you.
4) Is NeuroLex curated?
Yes, it is. We monitor the NeuroLex regularly. Some of the content of the NeuroLex is already being incorporated into our ontologies by knowledge engineers working on the NIF. We will certainly remove any content that is inappropriate (i. e., doesn't fall within our scope, is obscene or inflammatory). We will also update entries that have been incorporated into the NIFSTD ontologies so that the concept can recieve an appropriate version number. But the NeuroLex is meant to be a community resource and needs to evolve in a way that is useful to the community. So we will adjust our curation policies if necessary as we go.
5) What is a category page? What is a page?
The NeuroLex is built using something called the Semantic MediaWiki. We chose this platform because it makes it easier to go between the formal ontologies and the Wiki space. It can be a little confusing to get started and to understand its structure. We have created several video tutorials explaining the structure of the NeuroLex and how to edit it. These tutorials are available from the page, How to Contribute to the NeuroLex. We'll be adding more in the future.
6) Who can I contact with more questions?
Mailing list: neurolex at googlegroups.com
Maryann Martone: maryann at ncmir.ucsd.edu
Stephen Larson: slarson at ncmir.ucsd.edu
7) How are categories related to one another in NeuroLex?
NeuroLex was designed as a single tree hierarchy, that is, a given category has one and only one parent category (super category) and one or more children categories. A category is related to its parent and children through a "is a type of" relationship, also called an "is a" relationship. So, a Neuron "is a type of" Cell; a "Purkinje cell" is a type of" Neuron. In order to make sure that each Category is related to its parent only through an "is a" relationship, NeuroLex has created some contrived categories, e.g., Regional part of brain; Cytoarchitectural part of hippocampal formation". We are preparing some additional documents to provide the rationale for this design, but for now, they provide useful buckets into which we can place information. The next phase will be more tricky, as we define other relationships between categories that are necessary to build a network of neuroscience concepts. The NeuroLex lets you define other relationships between Categories, e.g., "Is part of"; "Located in"; "Neurotransmitter". For a list of these properties, please see Special pages. When you are defining relationships between categories, you should make sure that you use the correct relationship. The easiest way to do this, is to create a sentence with a subject (Category 1) a predicate (relationship) and an object (Category 2). The Thalamus "is part of" the Diencephalon.
8) What are some best practices for defining my new term?
The primary purpose of terms in Neurolex is for the annotation of data. The definition's primary goal should be to define exactly what the structure is.
*Note: Neurolex imports many terms and their ids from existing community ontologies, e.g., the Gene Ontology. Neurolex, however, is a dynamic site and any content beyond the identifier should not be presumed to reflect the content or views of the source ontology. Users should consult with the authoritative source for each ontology for current information.


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Sales and support
Self-service/access your account
Contact us
Microsoft Store Sales and Customer Support:
1800 267 785
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Technical Support:
132 058
If your enquiry relates to your Xbox or Surface device, you can also visit Surface support or Xbox support. Please note that product support may not be available 24/7.

subset: commoncrawl


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I'm betting 12 South's designers are already working on a very funky racking/hiding system for all the external bits :)
Will the new Mac Pro make your office look like an episode of Hoarders?
After years of wringing our hands and wondering what was to become of our beloved Mac Pro, Apple finally gave us an answer last month. While we won't see it until later this year, the Mac Pro has already made an impact, because this year's model is a radical departure from anything that's come before.
Gone is the cyclopean aluminum-framed tower whose industrial design dates back to the bad old days of the PowerPC. In its place is a cleverly-designed machine that takes up only one-eighth the volume and more closely resembles a kitchen appliance or a trash bin than a computer.
The Mac Pro: Small But Powerful
Despite its diminutive dimensions, the Mac Pro is by Apple's account quite powerful, equipped with up to twelve microprocessor cores, dual workstation-class GPUs and all-flash PCIe-based storage. It's the same fundamental design philosophy that's drive Apple's development of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Retina Display, taken to a logical extreme.
The new Mac Pro is tiny and the industrial design looks phenomenal. And Apple claims that the new Mac Pro is the most expandable Mac ever, thanks to its inclusion of six Thunderbolt 2 ports and four USB 3.0 ports.
But the new Mac Pro is also less internally expandable. This point was driven home to me when I looked at a recent editorial and photo on German language tech site Giga.de.
The image compares the aluminum Mac Pro of yore with its descendant, this year's forthcoming model. Except the new Mac Pro is surrounded by an avalanche of cables and peripherals, including a set of external hard drives, optical drives, video capture interface, fibre channel interface and more. All in an attempt to provide similar functionality to what you can do built in to the old Mac Pro, using its internal drive bays and PCIe expansion slots.
The Mac Pro's external expansion: An Ugly Mess?
The old Mac Pro was a big block, the editorial explains, while the new Mac Pro equipped with external peripherals looks like something you might find underneath a stack of newspapers and old food containers at a hoarder's place.
That might be overstating it just a skoshe.
I have little doubt that peripheral makers are feverishly working on new Thunderbolt 2-equipped products designed to work optimally with the Mac Pro and look good in the process. But I suspect it's going to take a while. The Mac Pro will be one of the very few computers equipped with Thunderbolt 2 when it debuts - in fact, it'll be one of the first. Intel isn't expecting more widespread availability of Thunderbolt 2 controllers until 2014. Without an installed base of users, peripheral makers don't have a huge incentive to build products. And let's face it, Thunderbolt hasn't exactly set the world on fire - it remains much easier to get USB 3.0 or FireWire 800-compatible devices than it is to find Thunderbolt, despite the interface's ubiquity across the Mac platform.
I also know that external boxes aren't going to satisfy some prospective Mac Pro buyers.
One of the first things that I heard when the new Mac Pro was introduced was, "What are we going to do with all the stuff that's we're going to have to connect to it?"
And this was from WWDC attendees, who, by and large, are developers and IT folks. Not even the creative pros who really push what the Mac Pro can do, especially when it comes to exotic, high-bandwidth media conversion and storage area networking.
And there still isn't a really good answer for that.
Apple has historically let third parties settle this question, sometimes offering some guidance early in the product's life cycle to give a sense of what direction it wants them to go in. Take Apple's iPod Hi-Fi, for example, which was axed about a year after it was introduced, once it was clear that third-party vendors were on board with Apple's Made for iPhone/iPod/iPad (MFI) program and were producing products whose quality Apple was happy with. It didn't help that Apple's product cost more and didn't sound as good as the competition's, but it still gave vendors some sense of what target they were expected to hit.
So maybe we'll see some guidance from Apple when or shortly after the new Mac Pro makes its way out into the world - maybe Apple will step up to the plate with what it thinks is an appropriate answer for new Mac Pro buyers who are looking to expand their machine's potential beyond what can just fit inside.
Ultimately, I'm afraid that an office with a new Mac Pro is going to look like a glossier, less mucky version of the egg scene from the movie Alien: a central pod connected to other devices using a nest of Thunderbolt cables. Less H.R. Giger-style biomechanical, more mechanical. But you get the picture. Aesthetically, it's a displeasing image any way you think about it.
What I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt is that the Mac Pro won't come furnished from the factory adequately for a fairly significant cross-section of potential customers. Users who have specific networking needs - connecting to a Storage Area Network or Fibre Channel, for example, or some users working with digital video and audio, will need additional boxes to connect the Mac Pro to the rest of their workflow. That means more wires and more cables and more mess.
Will the new Mac Pro suit you just fine out of the box, or are you as worried as I am that it's going to make a big mess of your desk? Please let me know in the comments.
Have something to say about this story? Leave a comment! Need help with something else? Ask in our forums!
Reader comments
Will the new Mac Pro make your office look like an episode of Hoarders?
That would be very cool. I love their stuff!
I hope so too, their stuff is awesome!
It's still a big ugly thing that attaches externally to the Mac Pro. Say what you want about the current/obsolete design - it hides a lot of stuff inside.
I understand Apple provided a one-size fits all utilitarian tower to hide extra stuff and now they don't. So now you have buy your own tower / case / rack but you get to choose based on the not 'one-size fits all' reality and it doesn't have to be ugly. If the decision to buy the new MacPro is based on mere aesthetics or the lack of a tower, I question whether or not the person needs such a system.
The Mac Pro is not going to be easily rackable, because a) it is vertical, and more importantly, b) it relies on unimpeded air flow, rather than muscular fans, for much of its cooling needs. It is going to be impossible to rack them up against other equipement as densely as most "pro" users currently do without cooking them. It may even be impossible to have them in some sort of meta-case enclosure, as well.
I'm using all four bays in my early 2008 Mac Pro. First is an SSD, so that will just migrate to 2013 Pro's internal storage, but that leaves three drives with all my video and Time Machine backup, stuff that's well-suited for spinning drives and not for expensive SSD. So when I buy the new Pro, I'm going to have to price in buying external expansion and then think about where this crap is going to sit. Pretty as the new Pro is, I'm seriously considering hiding it and all its expansion clutter *behind* one of my monitors.
So am I, and I'm in the same boat. For example, I don't feel comfortable leaving Time Machine backups on the Pro to a Time Capsule - I want a local backup I can restore quickly from if necessary. Right now I've actually got my Time Machine backup inside the Pro in one of the SATA bays. That's going to go external when I upgrade.
Uh. If I upgrade. :\
Exactly the same here. I used to back up all the Macs in the house to an always-on Mini, but that proved unreliable, and I just drifted into backing up the Pro to an internal drive, even though this only protects against failure of the boot drive (and not against, say, catastrophic damage to the machine itself)
But the big question to me is how big the built-in SSD is going to be by default. If it's only 256 GB -- not bad by current SSD standards -- then Mavericks, your iTunes collection and Mobile Applications folder could quickly consume most of it, leaving little room for the large media assets you presumably bought this device to work with.
I also don't recall hearing the term "Fusion Drive" mentioned at all in a Mac Pro context -- it's plausible that Fusion Drive is incompatible with the idea of a removable HDD -- so I have to assume that either everyone's going to keep their video files on large external drives or SANs, or that we're going to do the dance of copying our media to the internal SSD prior to an editing session, and moving it out afterwards. "Reconnect Media", anyone?
Two questions: When you were using the Mini as your backup, were you running Server? I've found that Time Machine can be pretty flakey over a network if its not using Server.
Why would you want to put your iTunes library on the local SSD, especially if you have a large library? That's the kind of thing that just begs to be on a Drobo, RAID, or NAS. Just as an extreme example, my iTunes library is currently 1.9TB, so I keep it in a Drobo with 4 2TB hard drives connected to a Mini running Server. In any case, an iTunes library can hardly be considered a "pro" use.
As for the external storage, that's hardly onerous or even novel. People who work with "large assets" already use RAID 0 setups for daily drivers and big iron for long-term storage. Speaking from personal experience in science, our storage needs weren't that great, but we still used a data center for our long-term storage, in addition to a local RAID.
As for the fusion drive, I wouldn't combine a local PCIe storage with any external drive. Very Bad Things could easily happen.
"Why would you want to put your iTunes library on the local SSD, especially if you have a large library? That's the kind of thing that just begs to be on a Drobo, RAID, or NAS."
Right, but that gets back to the very premise of the original article: that you're going to have all kinds of external drives and other Thunderbolt / USB3 accessories hanging off this thing, NAS being a potential exception.
Well, my point was that having a big iTunes library in on-device storage is not what this machine is meant for. This is a pro machine, as in movies, pro audio, science, etc, where having a bunch of breakout boxes is not only not a problem, its already the norm. There's a reason why the WWDC demo used a $2000 app (http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/products/mari/). This is *not* a prosumer machine. Unless, of course, you're using software that will make use of the unique hardware features, otherwise, Apple clearly believes you're better off with a different machine.
unfortunately, its the g4 cube all over again. both incredible looking machines, just not sure its the answer pro users want. we want more slots for ram, more expansion, more upgrade options. as big as the current tower is, i can jam it full, & if need move my whole workstation in 2 trips. the new mac pro will require me to reconnect dozens of cables for all the expansion. the design is beautiful, but i'm not sure it solves my needs.
No, Peter, you're not overstating it. This thing is an abortion of design. It aims at thoughtless "oh, pretty, something different", instead of functional, usable design. It has no internal space for backup drives or other items, which means more power adapters, cords, drives, etc. It will probably be way over priced. I would never invest that much money in something that limits me so much. There's a reason power machines have been basically boxes for many years, so you can put stuff in them, upgrade them, repair them, and move them without disconnecting a dozen other items.
You can literally fit the new Mac Pro into the old one. I can see somebody building a peripheral case with a big hole in the middle- throw into the chute (obviously it would have an ingenious transport mechanism of easy removal) and voila, everything in one place.
I can see expandable HDD/SSD enclosure in the same shape/size that fits beautifully underneath the Mac Pro. Most people I know place the current MP on the floor. You can get available boxes or even use the current MP and have it on the floor, drill holes onto the desk to run cable(s) through and keep the desktop as clean as you want it to be. Essentially, the only limiting factor is the imagination.
Three displays per Mac Pro. So 12 or 15 displays. I like the way you think.
Have you seen a professional shop or post house?
Even with the current Mac Pro... there can be cables and external boxes everywhere.
External hard drives, RAID arrays, card readers, capture boxes... none of that stuff fit neatly into the current Mac Pro anyway...
The good thing about capture boxes and RAIDs is that, depending on where you're sourcing them, they can fit in racks, which can clean things up quite a bit. I agree with you that things can get messy now, but my point remains the same - the old Mac Pro has quite a bit more internal expandability than its replacement.
-- "the old Mac Pro has quite a bit more internal expandability than its replacement."
No doubt.
I was just saying there are more peripheral than just internal SATA drives and PCI Express cards.
Your desk may already look like an episode of Hoarders with the current Mac Pro ;)
Personally, I don't think it will be a problem. With Thunderbolt daisy-chaining you can have one cable coming off the back of the Mac Pro to connect everything you need. I have my MBP in a 12South stand with only two cables: power and T-bolt. The t-bolt connects to my 2TB disk and on to my 24" monitor. I'm more concerned about the dust build-up on the fan, but we'll have to see how that works out when one lands on my desk!
Doesn't this totally depend on the size of the internal drives offered (which we don't actually know yet)?
Also, it hasn't been reported anywhere that I've seen, but there is totally a space on the motherboard of the new Mac Pro for a second hard drive connector. The new Mac pro could in fact ship with *dual* internal drives of a very large size so you could do the standard Time Machine backup on the second drive. We just don't know yet.
Right now you can outfit a Mac Pro with four 4TB SATA hard disk drives - that's 16 terabytes of internal storage. Even with that second flash drive bay, the new Mac Pro isn't going to come close. And even with the highest density Flash drive imaginable, it will be astronomically more expensive per GB.
Yeah, I know it's a step down, I have 8 Terabytes in mine at the moment.
I'm just saying that for a lot of folks if the new one has two drives of a Terabyte or so each, then that will go a long way towards de-cluttering the desktop. The true pros users are already using external storage anyhow.
i wish they would have stuck with the full sized tower for Mac Pro's, this would have been a great consumer-level desktop replacement (drop an email@example.com and 2 AMD 7970's in that and it would be a great, powerful, consumer machine for an affordable cost), the lack of upgradability (single CPU, proprietary graphics card slots, non-standard hard drive connectors, etc) severely limits the longevity of the system.
2012 Mac Pro - sexy, powerful (dual xeon's), upgradable (standard PCI-E slots and Hard Drive connectors) - the desktop pro's want
2013 Mac Pro - sleeker small form factor, no real perks other than that
The new Mac Pro doesn't do it for me. For starters, I don't see anything "phenomenal" about the way it looks. Looks like a trash can or R2D2 without legs. The fact that it requires external storage and connectivity options that don't currently exist and won't exist for a year or two, makes it even less "phenomenal" to me. Who is "feverishly" working on thunderbolt 2 peripheral and storage options to support one manufacturer of what for all intents and purposes, is a niche and low percentage product for a niche market of professional customers that is even lower in number than consumers? Demand isn't there to inspire anyone to "feverishly" work on Thunderbolt 2 accessories. Thunderbolt has already been around for two years and no one "feverishly" worked on Thunderbolt peripherals yet, but you think because one computer manufacturer has produced one niche computer that won't achieve mass adoption, that there's some feverish push to produce expensive peripherals for it? I'll believe that when I see it, but I don't see anyone rushing to make that happen, yet.
It is always fun to see comments when Apple comes out with some radical in design.
iMac, dead
iPhone dead
Nedermyer, dead!
"Did we back down when the germans attacked Pearl Harbor?"
This new Mac Pro is incredible. And anyone who thinks different, you're not a true artist, designer, or creative genius.
I mean really? REALLY?
... in the words of Jobs, "it's gorgeous!"
It just mean for some, time to clean up the clutter.
it is gorgeous, & don't get me wrong, i'd love one. i just wish they added a few more expansion options. make it a 1/3 bigger & add more bays for ram, let me install an ssd harddrive along with the pcie storage, even if its just for time machine or my itunes library, or, develop a hub that allows me to store some of the needed expansion in a single matching enclosure, or into the back of a new pro version monitor. i view this more as a prosumer device vs the replacement for the pro platform.
So you want it "bigger" for (reason?), you don't know the memory options yet, but you want to be able to add more, and you want to install an SSD hard drive in it somewhere that's half as fast as the internal drive.
I like your idea about the hub, but your completely backwards on everything else. What you suggest doing would turn it into a "prosumer" machine in fact, and the way it's currently design is what actually makes it a "Pro" machine.
I think the general problem here is that a lot of folks use the pro and consider themselves to be "Pro users" when in fact they are dilettantes or "prosumers." I've got a tricked out Mac pro at home and I will admit that I'm in that category myself. I think people should just be more honest about the fact that they aren't really "pros" but just users desirous of a high end machine.
This thing is designed for the *real* Pros, the guys who work at Pixar etc.
Design for design sake. The old Mac Pro also appealed to folks simply looking to future proof their investment. The ability to change out the processors, add upgraded drives, have access to PCIe slots, etc. allowed a Mac Pro to last much longer than other Macs. I for one was looking to purchase a Mac Pro with the old case over a new iMac just because of potential heat issues with the skinny design of the new iMac. Add major expandability to the package and I could easily justify the added cost of the Pro. Now... not so sure. I'll have to wait to see what options appear for Thunderbolt 2. With few options for Thunderbolt now, I think it's going to be a while before anyone is jumping on the Thunderbolt 2 wagon.
I for one will say, I used to have the big Mac Pro. Loved it, but I never wanted to move it.
It stayed on the floor in the crawl space next to my legs under my desk.
I hated having anything to do with moving it or expanding, etc.
The thing was gianormous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As for Thunderbolt, those that use Pro are not the masses. It is a select group, and there will be select products as in the past. It is a viable option and it may catch on.
But those that upgrade will make it catch on.
Fricking looks like a Nuke!


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McGinnis: Toledoan cooks up 'Chicken Soup'Written by Jeff McGinnis | | firstname.lastname@example.com
For years, Jill Kemerer has written stories, hoping to bring a little more light into the world. In addition to being a full-time mom, the Toledo resident has worked as a self-described "inspirational romance novelist."
"I write Christian romance novels. I'm not published yet," Kemerer said in an interview with Toledo Free Press Star. "I've been writing full-time for about six years now. I just really enjoy it, and am hoping to break in."
Now, after years of work honing her skills, Kemerer's writing will soon be in front of more readers than ever before — her story "Operation Christmas Puppy" appears in the new "Chicken Soup for the Soul" collection, titled "It's Christmas!"
"I actually had a critique partner who actually had published through 'Chicken Soup for the Soul,' and she was really pleased with how the process went. And I thought, 'Well, I might as well try it, too,'" Kemerer said.
The process of submitting a story for inclusion in the series is surprisingly simple, Kemerer noted. The official website for the long-running series — chickensoup.com — has directions for prospective contributors, notes on upcoming books in the franchise, deadlines and more.
"And you actually just submit it through an online form — so it's just very painless," she said.
Kemerer realized she had a subject that fit perfectly into the new holiday-themed collection. A story that took place four years ago, while the family lived in Monroe, telling how Kemerer and her husband surprised their two children with the gift of a new puppy on Christmas Eve.
"We had told our friends and family about it, obviously, when we got the dog — how we did it. But this was the first time I really put it into writing," she said. "It's really a fun little story. My husband and I wanted to get our kids a dog, and he had a friend who happens to breed little miniature dachshunds. And they were going to be ready right before Christmas.
"So we ended up giving it to them for Christmas, and making it a surprise for them."
Given the trials involved in making the actual Operation Christmas Puppy a success — as detailed in her writing — Kemerer said that actually putting the story down on paper was the easy part.
"It was actually really fun. I did it more as a diversion. I've always liked the books, and I thought, 'Well, maybe I'll try this.' It was actually a really easy process for me. I mean, I feel really blessed, it didn't take long to write," she said.
"I have a blog, and I tend to write very personal things on there, too. So the story itself felt like an extension of that, I guess."
Kemerer said she's happy her tale will be part of a franchise as good-hearted as "Chicken Soup."
"I think they're really warm, nice publications. You can read them and always have a smile on your face when you're done, you know? If you're looking for just a quick, happy moment in your day, they're the perfect book to pick up."
Kemerer also takes joy in being part of a project that celebrates a time of year that's dear to her heart, and to the hearts of many — though even during the holidays some hearts need a bit of healing.
"Christmas is a really special time for a lot of people, and I think it can be a really painful time for a lot of people, too — because it does bring up memories that maybe weren't really so pleasent. So, when you can read about a situation where some kids really did get a dream come true, it kind of maybe, in some way, makes you feel better," she said.
"Christmas is that magical time where something really special can happen."
And as an epilogue to her "Chicken Soup" tale, Sophie — the mini-dachshund at the center of "Operation Christmas Puppy" — may no longer be a puppy, but she is still a part of Kemerer's family.
"Sophie is curled up right next to me, under a blanket, because that's her favorite spot," Kemerer said. "And the kids are still — they're just getting older, and still love her. She's just been a really fun addition to our family. She's a good dog."
Tags: Chicken Soup for the Soul, Christian romance novels, Christmas Eve, inspirational romance novelist, It's Christmas!, mini-dachshund, Operation Christmas Puppy


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Knol is a new Google service created for sharing knowledge. The service has been announced in December 2007 and it's now publicly available.
Knol has much more in common with Squidoo and HubPages than with Wikipedia. The service is centered around authors: each Knol article displays the name of its author and links to a small biography. Google even lets you verify your identity, but this only works if you live on the US.
Knol doesn't intend to become an encyclopedia, so there's no single article about a topic. An author can write about almost any topic, but it's recommended to write authoritative content.
There are three levels of collaboration in Knol:
* open collaboration (any Knol user can edit the article)
* moderate collaboration (any Knol user can suggest changes to the article - enabled by default)
* closed collaboration (only the co-authors can edit the article)
Google uses a rich-text editor borrowed from Page Creator, so it's much easier to edit knols than Wikipedia articles. Users can rate the articles, add comments and write reviews, much like for scholarly works.
By default, articles are licensed as Creative Commons Attribution, but you can change the license in the settings. It's nice to see that Google encourages the use of flexible licenses that allow content reuse.
Like in Blogger, Google provides an option to monetize your articles using Google AdSense, but the ads are displayed in a fixed position. Knol doesn't let you customize the layout of the page and you can't add JavaScript code, objects or iframes.
Search Engine Land says that Knol is a service created by Google's search quality team. "I do believe [Knol] does solve a search problem. The problem we have, unlocking what people know and bringing it online. This is another tool to help release some of this knowledge," explains Cedric Dupont, the product manager for Knol.
While Google has many other services that allow people to share their knowledge (Blogger, Google Docs, Google Sites), Knol encourages experts to make the search results better by sharing what they know. After all, Knol articles are indexed by search engines and Google promises to not give them preferential treatment.
"Your name is behind your knol, and it should reflect your unique point of view. Be succinct, but comprehensive on your topic of choice. Provide references, and display your credentials. Readers will want to know who you are and gain context on the knols you are writing." - these are some of the guidelines for writing good Knol articles.
I think that Google managed to develop a very solid service with a lot of interesting features that encourage originality (a list of web pages with similar content), a sense of ownership (your name is included even in the URL) and information accuracy (peer reviews and suggested edits).
Update. Some example of knols: How to Backpack, Buttermilk Pancakes, Type 1 Diabetes, A Distributed Document Repository.
Workin' In A Cocktail Bar
4 hours ago


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Interesting Things
- One of our projects is using mechanical turk to match and normalize their ugly data. After building some automatic matching with little success, the group is simply using the template web interface. The task can be trivially decomposed into tiny tasks, and accuracy does not need to be 100% perfect, so it's a great fit. They only spent a few hours and have results already!


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My wife and I take a cruise every year. On these cruises if never fails that new questions are asked by some of the passengers. Here are some of those questions:
1. Is the water in the toilet ocean water or fresh water?
2. Are the waves in the pool caused by the waves in the ocean?
3. Standing at the rail overlooking the ocean one passenger asked, Yesterday at 10:00am there were dolphins right here and it's 10:00am now. Where are they?
4. How does the ship get its electrical power while at sea? Long extension cord?
5. Passenger standing at the rail again looking at the ocean asked me, You from around here?
6. Is there an elevator that runs from the front of the ship to the rear?
7. What time does the 24 hour pizza parlor close?
8. Are the oars big enough to paddle us to shore if the engine quits?
9. Is there a danger of sharks in the pool?
10. Not being aware that the ship turned around one passenger exclaimed, the sun is on the wrong side of the ship today


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Tuesday, July 30, 2013
It's that season again… time to change my purse over for the summer. Yes, I'm two months late, but better late than black leather in August.
Actually, I couldn't care less about what I carry. My mother is the only reason I know about purses. (I still don't know about shoes, as proven by the tore-up Skechers I wear everywhere.)
Even now, at 84, Mom hangs on to her nifty collection of clutches, shoulder totes, boxy clasp handbags and an amazing antique alligator purse. I used to play with that one during church. When one of us kids got restless, she'd snap open the clasp, pull out a roll of Certs and pass it around. My earliest memories of the Episcopal Church are the sweet smell of Certs and the pillbox hats my mother always wore. That and being allowed to drink coffee at the post-service social hour. (My parents were odd that way: As a teen I couldn't date, experiment with makeup or wear a bikini—but I'd been drinking coffee for 10 years.)
Back to the pocketbooks: I guarantee Mom didn't give a fig about the alligator that died to make her purse. She kept it in her closet next to the mink wrap handed down from her aunt. Sometimes she wore both to the important Eastern Star meetings. Today she'd probably be splashed with paint while walking down the street.
I do not have the purse gene but I do carry one, like 99.9999 percent of women. Honestly, I'd be satisfied with toting a plastic grocery bag. In college, I went through a wonderful, rebellious phase when I carried only a leather wallet. It was so liberating! But not all women's pants have pockets and most skirts don't, so pretty soon it was back to a bag.
I find mine at thrift stores and consignment shops. Widdle is great at spotting a good one. This year's model is a funky red number with black and white zebra stripes on the sides. It actually looks like something a crazy woman would carry, which of course is why he bought it for me.
Recently, an article in "Glamour" or "Good Housekeeping" or some other magazine I never have time to read had an article listing what the well-stocked purse should contain. Sensible items like aspirin, comb, mini-flashlight, spare house and car keys, billfold, ink pens, compact with mirror, eyeglass cleaner, safety pins, collapsible umbrella, hand cream, nail file, emergency pair of earrings, healthy snacks and, of course, breath mints.
I read this with growing horror, because my purse actually contains: A wad of crumpled receipts; lint-covered Lifesavers; hairbrush with broken handle; leaky—or dry--ball-point pens; seven half-used lipsticks; battery charger for a flip phone I lost in 2010; expired credit cards, library cards and cough drops; random vitamins; dusty raisins; small cracked mirror; a 2009 rabies tag; broken earrings; tangled necklace; 78 cents in change; and one dead smartphone.
The only thing between me and disaster is the green LL Bean backpack I always keep in the car. It usually contains workout gear, bottled water, protein bars, a towel, my ancient and beloved iPod shuffle and, for reasons I can't currently recall, several quart-sized Ziploc bags. It's roomy and comfortable, and I love it more than any purse. But I'd look weird walking into church with a backpack slung over my shoulder.
I think it's time to borrow Mom's alligator bag.
Julie R. Smith, who hopes to come back as a marsupial, can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Wednesday, November 14, 2012
An arrest has been made in the murder of a Summerville man that occurred around 5:30 p.m. on Friday, the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office has announced.
The murder an apparent shooting took place off Old Gaillard Road in the Ridgeville area of Berkeley County.
With the assistance of the Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office, an arrest in the case was made Saturday.
According to the BCSO, Ishmel Taquan River, 19, was taken into custody early Saturday morning at a residence on Presidential Drive in Orangeburg, in the Roosevelt Gardens Apartments. According to the BCSO, River is accused of killing Dijuan Jacques Smith at 123 Yellowstone Lane in Berkeley County Friday afternoon. Rivers is being held at the Hill-Finklea Detention Center.
According to Berkeley County Coroner Bill Salisbury, the alleged murder took place after a struggle. The two men were struggling outside a club on Yellowstone Lane in the Pringletown community of Berkeley County, Salisbury reported.
According to Salisbury, a small puncture wound was found on the victims neck. The victim, identified as 30-year-old Dijuan Jacques Smith of Summerville, was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death. The death is being investigated by the Berkeley County Coroners Office and the Berkeley County Sheriffs Office.
A BCSO release stated that deputies responded to a reported shooting at shortly after 5:30 p.m. and found Mr. Smith fatally shot.
The Journal Scene is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. We do not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not The Journal Scene.
If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Read our full terms and conditions.
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text:
Remaining 2002 Action Figure Lines Delayed
Wednesday, October 16, 2002
As many readers of this site are likely aware, the recent dock workers management lockout seems to have been resolved. Workers at West Coast ports were scheduled to go back to work Wednesday, Oct. 9.
What does this mean for toys?
Well, quite a bit, actually. Since all McFarlane Toys action figures are manufactured in China and exported from the Hong Kong port, they are shipped across the Pacific to ports in California, generally the Sacramento area. The dock workers lockout lasted a total of nine days, which means upwards of 200 cargo ships inbound from Asia and elsewhere were backed up outside the California coast waiting to offload.
On those boats? You guessed it. Much of our remaining 2002 inventory. While the workers are back to work, what remains unclear is just how much of logjam the nine-day lockout created. Fact is, no one knows for sure. Estimates say it will take as long as six to nine weeks to clear up the backlog of cargo ships.
What does this mean for fans of McFarlane Toys specifically? Unfortunately, specifics are few and far between. What we can say is that the remaining 2002 lines are going to be hit with some delays, we don't know exactly how long. This means McFarlane's Sports Picks: NHL 3, NFL 5 and NBA 2, Tortured Souls 2, Alien-Predator boxed set, 12-inch Tortured Souls and the upcoming Collector's Club exclusives (Hellspawn Biker Chick and the NBA Backboard) won't be coming out on time. It also affects reshipments of some lines that have already hit stores in limited numbers, Series 22 R3s, Series 22 deluxe boxed set and Eddie the Trooper.
At this time, we can't provide any more information about scheduling on these lines, but we're keeping our fingers crossed that our boats will be unloading soon. As we receive more specific information, we'll pass it along.


text:
What You Can't See DVD
Product Rating
(7 reviews)
(7 reviews)
Sale Price:
List Price: $19.95
You Save: $3.96 20% off
- Additional Details
- Format: DVD
- Number of Discs: 1
- Run Time: 2 hours 9 minutes
- Region: 1
- Language: English
- Subtitles: English SDH
The What You Can't See DVD opens up a whole new world. With extreme microscopes and advanced photography, the tiny unseen creatures floating around us are revealed. The airborne particles DVD What You Can't See goes underneath your fingernails, into the air, and all around you to let you see the invisible beings that share your world.
The What You Can't See DVD is exclusive to the Discovery Channel Store.
See your world in a new way! The airborne particles DVD What You Cant' See, shows that there are earthly forces, airborne particles and organisms that co-exist with humans beyond the limits of our eyesight. Using cutting edge laboratory techniques like scanning electron microscopes and specialty photography, we can capture these rarely seen inhabitants of the invisible world all around us.
Shop for the What You Can't See DVD, and learn about the micro organisms that are all around you.


text:
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — This is one baby picture you won't want to miss.
The ALMA telescope in Chile has captured a close-up of the glowing material spewing from a newborn star.
The stunning images show material streaming from the baby star at incredible speed, glowing as it plows into the surrounding gas and dust. Astronomers say these illuminated jets are spewing out faster than ever measured before and are more energetic than previously thought.
The glowing mass is called a Herbig-Haro object, named after U.S. and Mexican astronomers. This one is 1,400 light-years away in the constellation Vela.
ALMA actually consists of an array of 66 antennas and is relatively new. It's located in one of the driest places on Earth, the Atacama Desert.
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A graphics system including a custom graphics and audio processor produces exciting 2D and 3D graphics and surround sound. The system includes a graphics and audio processor including a 3D graphics pipeline and an audio digital signal processor. The graphics processor includes an embedded frame buffer for storing frame data prior to sending the frame data to an external location, such as main memory. A copy pipeline is provided which converts the data from one format to another format prior to writing the data to the external location. The conversion may be from one RGB color format to another RGB color format, from one YUV format to another YUV format, from an RGB color format to a YUV color format, or from a YUV color format to an RGB color format. The formatted data is either transferred to a display buffer, for use by the video interface, or to a texture buffer, for use as a texture by the graphics pipeline in a subsequent rendering process.
1. A method of reducing an amount of storage space required for storing image data in main memory in a graphics processing system while increasing main memory bandwidth when displaying image data from a frame buffer located in said main memory, said graphics processing system including a graphics processing chip having an embedded first frame buffer memory and a separate non-embedded second frame buffer in a main memory provided separate from said graphics processing chip, comprising:
storing RGB format image data in said first embedded frame buffer on the graphics processing chip;
initiating a copy out operation for reading out said image data from the first embedded frame buffer and transferring image data to the separate non-embedded second frame buffer located in the main memory of the graphics processing system;
converting said image data from an RGB format to a YUV display format during the copy out operation after reading out said image data from the embedded first frame buffer and prior to writing said image data to the non-embedded second frame buffer; and
writing the converted image data to the non-embedded second frame buffer located in the main memory of the graphics system, wherein a total amount of memory storage space occupied by said converted image data in said second frame buffer is less than an amount of memory storage space occupied by said RGB format image data in said first frame buffer, and wherein main memory bandwidth is increased when displaying image data from said second frame buffer.
2. The method of
3. The method of
4. The method of
5. The method of
6. The method of
7. The graphics system of
8. A graphics system including a main processor, an associated graphics system main memory and a separate graphics coprocessor chip having graphics processing pipeline circuitry and an on-chip embedded frame buffer memory, said graphics system main memory being separate memory that is not embedded on a same graphics coprocessor chip as graphics processing pipeline circuitry, comprising:
a programmable pixel data post-processing copy-out pipeline that selectively converts pixel data from one image format to another during a reading and transfer of the data from the embedded frame buffer to the separate non-embedded main memory of said graphics system, wherein the copy-out pipeline is operable to selectively transfer the data to either a display buffer area or a texture buffer area within said separate non-embedded main memory and wherein the copy-out pipeline converts the data to a display format if the data is transferred to the display buffer area and converts the data to a texture format if the data is transferred to the texture buffer area.
9. The graphics system of
10. The graphics system of
11. The graphics system of
12. The graphic system of
13. The graphics system of
a programmable pixel filter section said programmable pixel filter being selectively operable in either an antialias mode or a deflicker mode;
a gamma correction section, said gamma correction section providing a predetermined correction to pixel color valves; and
an RGB to YUV conversion section.
14. The graphics system of
15. The graphics system of
a Y-scale section for performing a vertical scaling of pixel data when the copy-out pipeline is operated to transfer the pixel data to said display buffer area.
16. The graphics system of
a texture format section for converting pixel data to a predetermined texture data format and organizing the converted data into a plurality of texture tiles.
17. The graphics system of
18. In a graphics system including a main processor and a pipelined architecture graphics coprocessor having an embedded frame buffer memory, the embedded frame buffer memory instantiated on a same semiconductor chip substrate as at least a portion of a graphics processing pipeline, and an external texture buffer residing within a main memory of said graphics system, said main memory being configured on one or more semiconductor chips separate from a semiconductor chip containing said graphics processing pipeline, a pixel data copy-out process for copying pixel data from said embedded frame buffer memory to said external texture buffer wherein said copy-out process performs predetermined pixel data conversion and/or filtering operations during transferring of pixel data from said embedded frame buffer to said external texture buffer, comprising:
selecting a sub-region of pixels in the embedded frame buffer as a source for a pixel data copy operation;
selecting a destination in the external texture buffer in said main memory for the pixel data copy operation; and
creating texture tiles within said external texture buffer by converting a selected rectangular sub-region of pixels from a display data format to one of a plurality of texture data formats during a pixel data transfer operation of pixel data from said embedded frame buffer to said external texture buffer.
This application is filed in accordance with 35 U.S.C. �119(e)(1) and claims the benefit of the provisional application Ser. No. 60/227,030 filed on Aug. 23, 2000, entitled "Graphics System With Copy Out Conversions Between Embedded Frame Buffer And Main Memory."
This application is related to the following co-pending applications identified below, which focus on various aspects of the graphics system described herein. Each of the following applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to computer graphics, and more particularly to interactive graphics systems such as home video game platforms. Still more particularly this invention relates to a graphics system having a copy pipeline capable of performing various conversion and other processing operations when transferring image data between a reconfigurable embedded frame buffer and main memory. The copy pipeline is used to selectively further process and selectively transfer image data to a display buffer or a texture buffer in main memory.
Many of us have seen films containing remarkably realistic dinosaurs, aliens, animated toys and other fanciful creatures. Such animations are made possible by computer graphics. Using such techniques, a computer graphics artist can specify how each object should look and how it should change in appearance over time, and a computer then models the objects and displays them on a display such as your television or a computer screen. The computer takes care of performing the many tasks required to make sure that each part of the displayed image is colored and shaped just right based on the position and orientation of each object in a scene, the direction in which light seems to strike each object, the surface texture of each object, and other factors.
Because computer graphics generation is complex, computer-generated three-dimensional graphics just a few years ago were mostly limited to expensive specialized flight simulators, high-end graphics workstations and supercomputers. The public saw some of the images generated by these computer systems in movies and expensive television advertisements, but most of us couldn't actually interact with the computers doing the graphics generation. All this has changed with the availability of relatively inexpensive 3D graphics platforms such as, for example, the Nintendo 64� and various 3D graphics cards now available for personal computers. It is now possible to interact with exciting 3D animations and simulations on relatively inexpensive computer graphics systems in your home or office.
A problem graphics system designers confronted in the past was to provide a powerful yet inexpensive system which enables various data formats to be stored and processed thereby in a efficient and advantageous manner. Graphics chips used in graphics systems have included a local or on-chip memory for storing data as it is rendered by the graphics pipeline. When data is generated by the graphics chip it is transferred from the local memory to an external memory, where it can be used by, for example, a video interface unit to display the data on a display device. This external memory is typically part of the main memory of the graphics system and is referred to as the external frame buffer (XFB). The processing path of the data between the local memory and the external frame buffer may be referred to as the copy pipeline.
The local memory and the external frame buffer can have a variety of data formats for achieving various functionality in the graphics system. One problem that graphics system designers have faced in the past is to determine what format(s) of data to support in the local memory and the external frame buffer to enable advantageous and efficient use thereof by applications running on the system. Another problem graphics system designers have faced in the past is to find useful and efficient ways in which to maximize the speed, flexibility and overall operation of system. For example, one problem is to determine what elements in the system should be used to perform certain processes or functions and at what time such processes should be performed. Another problem relates to how to best take advantage of processing pipelines, such as the copy pipeline, which has been typically used to transfer data from a local memory of a graphics chip to the main memory of the system.
Various solutions to these problem were offered. For example, graphics systems have used a variety of data formats and have performed conversions between such formats at various points in the graphics processing operation, in an attempt to improve or maximize the overall operation of the system. While some work has been done in the past in connection with such memories, data formats and conversions further improvements are desirable. Specifically, further improvements are desired for high performance, low cost graphics systems, such as home video game systems.
The present invention addresses this problem by providing techniques and arrangements for use in connection with copying out data from an embedded frame buffer to main memory in a graphics system. The invention provides a copy out pipeline which advantageously enables further processing of data and/or data format conversions to be performed "on the fly" during the transfer of the data from the embedded frame buffer to an external destination, such as main memory. The invention further provides a copy pipeline that enables various pixel data formats to be advantageously used in the copy out operation. In addition, the copy pipeline of the invention enables data from the embedded frame buffer to be copied to main memory in a specific format for display or in a variety of texture formats for subsequent use as a texture in a graphics pipeline operation. The copy pipeline of the instant invention is particularly advantageous when used in systems designed for playing interactive 3D video games. In accordance with the instant invention, the embedded frame buffer can be reconfigured to and efficiently used in a variety of modes, including an anti-aliasing mode, a deflicker mode and a YUV (i.e. luma/chroma) mode, thereby increasing the flexibility of the system to support a variety of applications. The desired pixel format for each mode can be selected using, for example, a command to the graphics hardware on which the embedded frame buffer is provided. The copy pipeline can process and selectively further convert data in any of the formats supported by the embedded frame buffer.
In accordance with the invention, the copy pipeline is advantageously used to further process the data from the embedded frame buffer prior to storing the data in the external frame buffer. For example, the copy pipeline can be used to convert the data between a variety of useful formats to, for example, reduce the amount of memory needed to store the data, and/or provide the data in desired format for use in further processing by the graphics system. The copy pipeline can also be used to further process the frame data in a manner that improves the display quality and/or modifies the display characteristics.
In accordance with one aspect provided by the invention, the graphics system, includes an embedded frame buffer and a copy pipeline which transfers data from the embedded frame buffer to an external location, wherein the copy pipeline converts the data from one format to another format prior to writing the data to the external location. The external location may be a display buffer or a texture buffer in the main memory of the graphics system. The copy pipeline converts the data to a display format if the data is transferred to the display buffer and a texture format if the data is transferred to the texture buffer. The graphics pipeline is operable to use the data in the texture buffer during a subsequent rendering process. The copy pipeline selectively reads data from the embedded frame buffer in various RGB color formats or a YUV color format, and writes data to main memory in either a display format or a variety of texture formats.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of transferring data from a graphics chip to an external destination is provided. The method includes storing image data in an embedded frame buffer of the graphics chip, initiating a copy out operation for transferring data from the embedded frame buffer to the external destination, converting the data from one format to another format during the copy out operation, and writing the converted data to the external destination. The method includes either converting the data to a texture format and writing the texture format data to a texture buffer, or converting the data to a display format and writing the display format data to a display buffer. The copy pipeline is also operable to selectively perform scaling, gamma correction and/or anti-aliasing operations during the copy out process and prior to writing the data to main memory. The converting step includes performing at least one of the following conversions: RGB color format to another RGB color format; YUV color format to another YUV color format; RGB color format to YUV color format; and YUV color format to RGB color format.
These and other features and advantages provided by the invention will be better and more completely understood by referring to the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments in conjunction with the drawings, of which:
In this example, system 50 is capable of processing, interactively in real time, a digital representation or model of a three-dimensional world. System 50 can display some or all of the world from any arbitrary viewpoint. For example, system 50 can interactively change the viewpoint in response to real time inputs from handheld controllers 52 a, 52 b or other input devices. This allows the game player to see the world through the eyes of someone within or outside of the world. System 50 can be used for applications that do not require real time 3D interactive display (e.g., 2D display generation and/or non-interactive display), but the capability of displaying quality 3D images very quickly can be used to create very realistic and exciting game play or other graphical interactions.
To play a video game or other application using system 50, the user first connects a main unit 54 to his or her color television set 56 or other display device by connecting a cable 58 between the two. Main unit 54 produces both video signals and audio signals for controlling color television set 56. The video signals are what controls the images displayed on the television screen 59, and the audio signals are played back as sound through television stereo loudspeakers 61L, 61R.
The user also needs to connect main unit 54 to a power source. This power source may be a conventional AC adapter (not shown) that plugs into a standard home electrical wall socket and converts the house current into a lower DC voltage signal suitable for powering the main unit 54. Batteries could be used in other implementations.
The user may use hand controllers 52 a, 52 b to control main unit 54. Controls 60 can be used, for example, to specify the direction (up or down, left or right, closer or further away) that a character displayed on television 56 should move within a 3D world. Controls 60 also provide input for other applications (e.g., menu selection, pointer/cursor control, etc.). Controllers 52 can take a variety of forms. In this example, controllers 52 shown each include controls 60 such as joysticks, push buttons and/or directional switches. Controllers 52 may be connected to main unit 54 by cables or wirelessly via electromagnetic (e.g., radio or infrared) waves.
To play an application such as a game, the user selects an appropriate storage medium 62 storing the video game or other application he or she wants to play, and inserts that storage medium into a slot 64 in main unit 54. Storage medium 62 may, for example, be a specially encoded and/or encrypted optical and/or magnetic disk. The user may operate a power switch 66 to turn on main unit 54 and cause the main unit to begin running the video game or other application based on the software stored in the storage medium 62. The user may operate controllers 52 to provide inputs to main unit 54. For example, operating a control 60 may cause the game or other application to start. Moving other controls 60 can cause animated characters to move in different directions or change the user's point of view in a 3D world. Depending upon the particular software stored within the storage medium 62, the various controls 60 on the controller 52 can perform different functions at different times.
Example Electronics of Overall System
In this example, main processor 110 (e.g., an enhanced IBM Power PC 750) receives inputs from handheld controllers 108 (and/or other input devices) via graphics and audio processor 114. Main processor 110 interactively responds to user inputs, and executes a video game or other program supplied, for example, by external storage media 62 via a mass storage access device 106 such as an optical disk drive. As one example, in the context of video game play, main processor 110 can perform collision detection and animation processing in addition to a variety of interactive and control functions.
In this example, main processor 110 generates 3D graphics and audio commands and sends them to graphics and audio processor 114. The graphics and audio processor 114 processes these commands to generate interesting visual images on display 59 and interesting stereo sound on stereo loudspeakers 61R, 61L or other suitable sound-generating devices.
Example system 50 includes a video encoder 120 that receives image signals from graphics and audio processor 114 and converts the image signals into analog and/or digital video signals suitable for display on a standard display device such as a computer monitor or home color television set 56. System 50 also includes an audio codec (compressor/decompressor) 122 that compresses and decompresses digitized audio signals and may also convert between digital and analog audio signaling formats as needed. Audio codec 122 can receive audio inputs via a buffer 124 and provide them to graphics and audio processor 114 for processing (e.g., mixing with other audio signals the processor generates and/or receives via a streaming audio output of mass storage access device 106). Graphics and audio processor 114 in this example can store audio related information in an audio memory 126 that is available for audio tasks. Graphics and audio processor 114 provides the resulting audio output signals to audio codec 122 for decompression and conversion to analog signals (e.g., via buffer amplifiers 128L, 128R) so they can be reproduced by loudspeakers 61L, 61R.
Graphics and audio processor 114 has the ability to communicate with various additional devices that may be present within system 50. For example, a parallel digital bus 130 may be used to communicate with mass storage access device 106 and/or other components. A serial peripheral bus 132 may communicate with a variety of peripheral or other devices including, for example:
3D graphics processor 154 performs graphics processing tasks. Audio digital signal processor 156 performs audio processing tasks. Display controller 164 accesses image information from main memory 112 and provides it to video encoder 120 for display on display device 56. Audio interface and mixer 160 interfaces with audio codec 122, and can also mix audio from different sources (e.g., streaming audio from mass storage access device 106, the output of audio DSP 156, and external audio input received via audio codec 122). Processor interface 150 provides a data and control interface between main processor 110 and graphics and audio processor 114.
Memory interface 152 provides a data and control interface between graphics and audio processor 114 and memory 112. In this example, main processor 110 accesses main memory 112 via processor interface 150 and memory interface 152 that are part of graphics and audio processor 114. Peripheral controller 162 provides a data and control interface between graphics and audio processor 114 and the various peripherals mentioned above. Audio memory interface 158 provides an interface with audio memory 126.
Example Graphics Pipeline
Command processor 200 receives display commands from main processor 110 and parses them—obtaining any additional data necessary to process them from shared memory 112. The command processor 200 provides a stream of vertex commands to graphics pipeline 180 for 2D and/or 3D processing and rendering. Graphics pipeline 180 generates images based on these commands. The resulting image information may be transferred to main memory 112 for access by display controller/video interface unit 164—which displays the frame buffer output of pipeline 180 on display 56.
Command processor 200 performs command processing operations 200 a that convert attribute types to floating point format, and pass the resulting complete vertex polygon data to graphics pipeline 180 for rendering/rasterization. A programmable memory arbitration circuitry 130 (see
Transform unit 300 performs a variety of 2D and 3D transform and other operations 300 a (see
Setup/rasterizer 400 includes a setup unit which receives vertex data from transform unit 300 and sends triangle setup information to one or more rasterizer units (400 b) performing edge rasterization, texture coordinate rasterization and color rasterization.
Texture unit 500 (which may include an on-chip texture memory (TMEM) 502) performs various tasks related to texturing including for example:
Texture unit 500 outputs filtered texture values to the texture environment unit 600 for texture environment processing (600 a). Texture environment unit 600 blends polygon and texture color/alpha/depth, and can also perform texture fog processing (600 b) to achieve inverse range based fog effects. Texture environment unit 600 can provide multiple stages to perform a variety of other interesting environment-related functions based for example on color/alpha modulation, embossing, detail texturing, texture swapping, clamping, and depth blending.
Pixel engine 700 performs depth (z) compare (700 a) and pixel blending (700 b). In this example, pixel engine 700 stores data into an embedded (on-chip) frame buffer memory 702. Graphics pipeline 180 may include one or more embedded DRAM memories 702 to store frame buffer and/or texture information locally. Z compares 700 a′ can also be performed at an earlier stage in the graphics pipeline 180 depending on the rendering mode currently in effect (e.g., z compares can be performed earlier if alpha testing is not required). The pixel engine 700 includes a copy operation 700 c that periodically writes on-chip frame buffer 702 to main memory 112 for access by display/video interface unit 164. This copy operation 700 c can also be used to copy embedded frame buffer 702 contents to textures in the main memory 112 for dynamic texture synthesis effects. Anti-aliasing and other filtering can be performed during the copy-out operation. The frame buffer output of graphics pipeline 180 (which is ultimately stored in main memory 112) is read each frame by display/video interface unit 164. Display controller/video interface 164 provides digital RGB pixel values for display on display 102.
Example Configurations for the Embedded Frame Buffer
As generally shown in
Example RGB(A) Formats for the Embedded Frame Buffer
In this example, the embedded frame buffer (EFB) has a memory capacity of approximately 2 MB. The maximum pixel width and height of the frame buffer is determined by the size of each pixel. In accordance with the invention, and as shown in
The 48-bit format for the embedded frame buffer (EFB) is preferably intended for non-anti-aliasing, and has the following features:
In this non-anti-aliasing mode, the 48-bit format can, in this example, support a maximum resolution of 640�528. Thus, the width must be between 0–640 and the EFB stride is fixed at 640 pixels. This non-antaliasing mode is based on a single point sample within each pixel. As indicated above, the point sample of each pixel is given a 24-bit color value and a 24-bit Z value. The color value may have 8 bits each for red, green and blue values when no alpha is used, or it may have 6 bits each for red, green, blue and alpha.
96-Bit Pixel Size Configuration
The 96-bit super-sampling pixel format is preferably used for anti-aliasing and has the following features:
This 96-bit format can support a maximum resolution of 640�264. The width is preferably between 0–640 and the stride is fixed at 640.
In this example, the 96-bit format is used for anti-aliasing. However, this format may be used to achieve functionality other than anti-aliasing where three supersamples per pixel are desired. In other words, the 96-bit format provides the ability to store three samples (super-samples) for each pixel, as opposed to the single point sample per pixel as used in the 48-bit configuration.
As can be seen from the above, there are inherent tradeoffs between the 48-bit and 96-bit pixel formats. While the 96-bit anti-aliasing format enables an increase visual quality on the polygon edges and intersections, it does cost performance and Z quality. The 96 bit super-sampling EFB format requires twice as much memory as 48-bit point sampled pixels. This mode also reduces Z buffering precision to 16 bits rather than 24 bits in other formats. In this example, anti-aliasing also reduces peak fill rate from 800 Mpixels/s to 400 Mpixels/s. However, if more than one stage is employed in the texture environment unit (TEV), this reduction is hidden, in that, in this example, using two TEV stages also reduces the fill rate to 400 Mpixels/s.
In one embodiment, the rendering rate with anti-aliasing activated drops down to two pixels/clock due to the embedded frame buffer 702 bandwidth limitations. However, if two or more textures are turned on, the rate at which pixel quads are sent to the pixel engine 700 drops down to less than or equal to one pixel quad every two clocks in this particular embodiment. In this case, turning on anti-aliasing will not impact fill rate. Thus, if a particular scene is geometry-limited, then anti-aliasing will not adversely impact rendering performance. On the other hand, if a particular scene is fill-limited, rendering performance may be substantially adversely impacted by activating anti-aliasing as opposed to using the point sampled mode. The same application can activate and deactivate anti-aliasing for different scenes and different images depending on whether the scenes or images are geometry-limited or fill-limited—or depending upon the image quality required in a particular scene or image. The ability to dynamically change the pixel format in the frame buffer to, for example, activate and deactivate anti-aliasing, on a frame-by-frame basis provides great flexibility in allowing an application programmer to make tradeoffs between image quality and speed performance.
Anti-Aliasing Using the 96-Bit Configuration
The particular and preferred anti-aliasing methods and arrangements for use in connection with the instant invention are disclosed in commonly owned and co-pending application Ser. No. 09/726,226, filed Nov. 28, 2000 and entitled "Method and Apparatus For Anti-Aliasing In A Graphics System", which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. A brief explanation of this anti-aliasing is provided below, in order to give a more complete understanding of the 96-bit pixel format for the embedded frame buffer.
In accordance with the anti-aliasing embodiment, anti-aliasing is performed in two main phases. In the first phase, data is loaded into the embedded frame buffer using three supersamples per pixel and the 96-bit pixel EFB format. In the second phase the data is read (or copied out) from the embedded frame buffer and further processed by the copy pipeline. The 96-bit format is particularly advantageous for achieving the first phase of anti-aliasing, however, it can be used for any other suitable purpose as well.
In this example anti-aliasing use of the 96-bit format, the first anti-aliasing phase occurs when the rasterizer is performing edge rasterization into the embedded frame buffer (EFB) 702. Preferably, this rasterizer is an edge and z rasterizer which generates x, y, z and coverage mask values for programmable super-sample locations within every visible pixel quad contained by the current triangle or other primitive being rendered. The pixel quads have three programmable subpixel locations within each pixel. The pixel quad includes 4 pixels in a 2�2 configuration. Within each pixel in the quad, three super-sample locations are programmably selected and specified. Preferably, the programmer can set the subsample locations by writing global registers. Since the location of each of the super-samples in each pixel is programmable in the example embodiment, the particular sampling locations for each quad can be changed as desired for the particular application. On the other hand, in alternative embodiments, a particularly optimal multisample location values could be fixed (e.g., set in hardware) so the application programmer does not need to worry about it. Thus, while the locations are programmable in the example embodiment, a hardwired optional pattern could be used in lieu of programmability. Whatever pattern is selected, it can be repeated across a certain number of neighboring pixels in a frame.
Once all of the primitives have been rendered for a frame, the embedded frame buffer will contain super-sampled pixel information for an entire frame. Due to the fact that three supersamples are provided for each pixel, and each sample includes 16 bit color values and a 16 bit z value, each pixel is represented by 96-bits in the embedded frame buffer. The embedded frame buffer is then ready for use by the copy pipeline, wherein the second phase of anti-aliasing can be performed. This second phase will be described in more detail below in connection with the copy pipeline. Further details regarding anti-aliasing are provided in the co-pending applications identified above.
YUV Embedded Frame Buffer Configuration
The preferred location of the images are shown in
Example Pixel Format Command
As explained above, the embedded frame buffer 702 can be selectively configured to support two RGB(A) pixel formats (48-bit and 96-bit) and a YUV format. The desired pixel format can preferably be set on a frame-by-frame basis using the API. An example API function for this purpose is as follows:
This function sets the format of the embedded frame buffer. The function is called before any drawing operations are performed. The pixel format cannot be changed in the middle of a frame in the example embodiment. The 16 bit Z values (in multisample or anti-aliasing mode) can be uncompressed or compressed. The compressed values give a better precision and range. The Ztop flag can be used to perform depth comparisons before texture mapping (Z-before-texture). This can improves the texture bandwidth because less texels need to be fetched and filtered.
Interface Between the Pixel Engine and the Embedded Frame Buffer
An exemplary interface between the pixel engine 700 and the embedded frame buffer 702 is shown in
Copy out operations, implemented in this example through what is referred to as the copy pipeline, is used to further process the pixel data from the embedded frame buffer (EFB) and to ultimately write the frame data in a selected format into the external frame buffer (XFB) 113 of main memory 112 as display data for display by the video interface or as texture data for later use by the graphics pipeline (see
A general block diagram of the copy pipeline, as it mainly relates to the processing of data from the EFB when in either of the two RGB(A) pixel configurations, is shown in
A more complete block diagram of the copy out pipeline for all EFB configurations (i.e. RGB(A) and YUV) is shown in
Referring now more particularly to
If the embedded frame buffer is configured for and contains data in any of the RGB(A) formats describe above, the copy pipeline performs anti-aliasing/deflickering operations, preferably using a programmable 7-tap vertical filter, as illustrated by block 628 in
If the embedded frame buffer is configured for and holds data in YUV420 format as described above, the copy pipeline has a slightly different operation as shown by the lower portion of
Textures can be created by copying the Embedded Frame Buffer (EFB) to main memory using the GXCopyTex function. This is useful when creating dynamic shadow maps, environment maps, motion blur effects, etc.
All non-color index texture types except compressed textures (GX_TF_CMPR) can be created during the copy. The texture copy operation will create the correct tiling and formatting of the texture so it can be read directly by the hardware. Optionally, a box filter can be applied to the image in the EFB in order to create a lower level of detail (LOD) texture. The box filter can be used to create mipmaps from the EFB data. The following table shows exemplary texture copy formats and conversion notes.
Normally, the source and destination rectangles would have the same size. However, when copying small textures that will be composited into a larger texture the source and destination rectangles may differ. The format GX_TF_A8 is used specifically to copy the alpha channel from the EFB into a GX_TF_I8 formatted texture. The GX_TF_I8 will copy the luminance of the EFB into a GX_TF_I8 texture. When reading a texture, GX_TF_A8 and GX_TF_I8 are equivalent. When color textures are converted from an GX_PF_RGB8_Z24 pixel format to a lower-resolution color format, like GX_TF_RGB565, the least significant bits (LSBs) of the 8-bit colors are truncated. When color textures are converted from a lower resolution pixel format, such as GX_PF_RGB565_Z16, to a higher resolution texture format, such as GX_TF_RGB8, the most significant bits (MSBs) of each pixel are replicated in the LSBs of each texel. This conversion process distributes the estimation error evenly and allows each texel to represent the minimum or maximum value. In general, one should only copy textures containing alpha from an EFB with format GX_PF_RGBA6_Z24. When copying texture containing alpha from an EFB without alpha, alpha will be set to its maximum value. The GX_TF_Z24X8 format can be used to copy the 24-bit Z buffer to a 32-bit texture (equivalent format to GX_TF_RGBA8). To copy a texture, the application preferably first allocates a buffer in main memory the size of the texture to be copied. This size can be determined using, for example, a GXGetTexBufferSize function. This function preferably takes into account texture padding and texture type in its calculations.
As can be seen from the above description, the copy out process in accordance with the instant invention enables various data formats to be used and various conversions/operations to be performed such that significant flexibility and functionality is provided thereby. By supporting YUV formats and enabling copy out as a texture, the copy pipeline line can be used to, for example, assist the main processor in performing motion compensation. The copy out process as described above can be used not only to efficiently move and process data from the embedded frame buffer to the external frame buffer for display or as texture, but it also enables, for example, streaming video to be superimposed on a polygon by using the texture copy feature based on MPEG data which uses the YUV color space.
Each of the copy pipeline operations described above are explained in greater detail below.
Exemplary Anti-Aliasing During Copy Out
As briefly explained above, when anti-aliasing is desired and the embedded frame buffer is configured for the 96-bit anti-aliased pixel data (e.g. R5G6B5 and Z16), a second stage of anti-aliasing can be performed during copy out. Specifically, the second stage of anti-aliasing is performed by the anti-aliasing/deflicker section 622 during copy-out from the embedded frame buffer (EFB) 702 to the external frame buffer (XFB) 113.
The anti-aliasing/deflickering section 622 of the copy pipeline preferably applies a 7 tap vertical filter 628 (see
In order to avoid the use of full line buffers, the copy operation preferably uses anti-aliasing (AA) buffering, wherein the copy is performed in strips of 32 pixels wide (X axis). The data-path for the strip-buffers in this exemplary AA buffering is shown in the block diagram of
It is noted that additional details regarding anti-aliasing/de-flickering techniques and arrangements are provided in the commonly owned and co-pending application identified above. Inasmuch as this invention is directed to the embedded frame buffer and the overall copy out operation, regardless of the specific anti-aliasing operation used, further details regarding anti-aliasing are not provided herein.
Exemplary De-Flicker Filtering During Copy Out
The same vertical filter can be used during copy-out in a non-anti-aliasing mode to achieve a de-flickering function using point sampled pixels. In this mode, the sample patterns are not programmable. As shown in
Example RGB to YUV Conversion During Copy Out
A luma/chroma (YUV) format stores the same visual quality pixel as RGB, but requires only two-thirds of the memory. Therefore, during the copy operation, the RGB(A) format in the EFB is converted to a YUV format in the XFB, in order to reduce the amount of main memory used for the external frame buffer (XFB). This conversion is done by the RGB to YUV section 624. An illustration of the conversion operation is shown in
Vertical (Y) Scaling During Copy Out
The Y scale section 626 in the copy pipeline enables arbitrary scaling of a rendered image in the vertical direction. Horizontal scaling is preferably done during video display. A Y scale factor is defined in the API and determines the number of lines that will be copied, and can be used to compute the proper XFB size. A block diagram for the preferred vertical scaling in accordance with the instant invention is shown in
Gamma Correction During Copy Out
The gamma correction section 623 is used to correct for the non-linear response of the eye (and sometimes the monitor) to linear changes in color intensity values. Three choices of gamma may be provided (such as 1.0, 1.7 and 2.2). The default gamma is preferably 1.0 and is set in, for example, a GXInit command in the API.
Example Conversion Operations Usable During Copy Out
RGB to YCrCb(4:4:4) Conversion
This conversion is used to reduce the amount of external frame-buffer needed by ⅓. The following equations are used for the conversion:
Four pixels in a scan-line are converted in one cycle.
YCrCb(4:4:4) to YCrCb(4:2:2)
An illustration of the YUV444 to YUV422 conversion is shown in
YCrCb(4:2:0) to YCrCb(4:4:4)
This conversion is done in two parts, as illustrated in
The second part of this YUV420 to YUV444 conversion, as shown in
YcbCr (4:4:4) to RGB Conversion
MPEG2 operates in YCbCr (YUV) color space. This conversion can be used to convert the YUV data to RGB data during copy out. The following equations are used for this conversions:
Four pixels in a scan-line are converted in one cycle.
Example Copy Out Commands
The EFB source and destination of the display copy operation is specified using an exemplary API function as follows:
This function copies the contents of the embedded frame buffer (EFB) to the display buffer 113 in main memory. By the term "copy out" we don't mean simply a transfer of all the information; rather, we mean that the contents of the embedded frame buffer are read out, further processed (e.g., filtered, resampled, scaled, etc.) and that the resulting data is then sent elsewhere (e.g., to an external point sample type frame buffer). The origin of the rectangle is defined by SrcLeft(X) and SrcTop(Y). The Clear flag enables clearing of the color and z buffer to the current clear color and z values. The clearing of the embedded frame buffer preferably occurs simultaneously with the copy operation.
The following exemplary function can be used to set controls for the copy operations:
This function sets the controls used during copy from the embedded frame buffer to the display buffer. These controls are set once and then multiple copy commands can be issued.
The following is an exemplary API command for copying data out of the embedded frame buffer as a texture:
This function copies the embedded frame buffer to a texture image buffer in main memory in order to generate texture images for subsequent use by the graphics pipeline.
The following lists exemplary parameters that can be designated using the exemplary API commands above:
Control Register Bits:
Bits 0–2 designate the pixel type for the copy operation. Writing to this control register causes the graphics pipe stages between the edge rasterizer (RAS0) and the pixel engine (PE) to be flushed. In this example, this will can take a minimum of 90 cycles. Writing to this register can also be used to sync up copy texture with rendering a primitive that uses the texture.
Texture Copy Register Bits:
00: gamma=1.0
01: gamma=1.7
10: gamma=2.2
11: reserved
9: mip_map_filter
0: no filtering (1:1)
1: box filtering (2:1)
11: clr (should be set to 0 for rgb_aa)
0: do not clear Z and Color efb
1: clear Z and color efb
13:12 intlc
00: progressive
01: reserved
10: interlaced (even lines)
11: interlaced (odd lines)
16:15 ccv_mode
0x: automatic color conversion, based on pixtype and texture format
10: color conversion off (rgb to yuv)
11: color conversion on (rgb to yuv)
The pixel types allowed for this operation are RGB8, RGBA6, RGB_AA (i.e. anti-aliasing (R5G6B5)), YUV8 and YUV420. Bits 3–6 determine the format of the texture stored by the copy command in texture buffer. In this example, this texture formatting is done in the texture format section 640 shown in
Display Copy Register Bits:
The pixel types allowed for this operation are RGB8, RGBA6, RGB_AA (anti-aliasing) and YUV420. Clr is not supported for pixel type YUV420 and should be set to 0. Gamma correction is also not supported for pixel type YUV420 in this example.
Other Example Compatible Implementations
Certain of the above-described system components 50 could be implemented as other than the home video game console configuration described above. For example, one could run graphics application or other software written for system 50 on a platform with a different configuration that emulates system 50 or is otherwise compatible with it. If the other platform can successfully emulate, simulate and/or provide some or all of the hardware and software resources of system 50, then the other platform will be able to successfully execute the software.
As one example, an emulator may provide a hardware and/or software configuration (platform) that is different from the hardware and/or software configuration (platform) of system 50. The emulator system might include software and/or hardware components that emulate or simulate some or all of hardware and/or software components of the system for which the application software was written. For example, the emulator system could comprise a general purpose digital computer such as a personal computer, which executes a software emulator program that simulates the hardware and/or firmware of system 50.
Some general purpose digital computers (e.g., IBM or MacIntosh personal computers and compatibles) are now equipped with 3D graphics cards that provide 3D graphics pipelines compliant with DirectX or other standard 3D graphics command APIs. They may also be equipped with stereophonic sound cards that provide high quality stereophonic sound based on a standard set of sound commands. Such multimedia-hardware-equipped personal computers running emulator software may have sufficient performance to approximate the graphics and sound performance of system 50. Emulator software controls the hardware resources on the personal computer platform to simulate the processing, 3D graphics, sound, peripheral and other capabilities of the home video game console platform for which the game programmer wrote the game software.
As one example, in the case where the software is written for execution on a platform using an IBM PowerPC or other specific processor and the host 1201 is a personal computer using a different (e.g., Intel) processor, emulator 1303 fetches one or a sequence of binary-image program instructions from storage medium 62 and converts these program instructions to one or more equivalent Intel binary-image program instructions. The emulator 1303 also fetches and/or generates graphics commands and audio commands intended for processing by the graphics and audio processor 114, and converts these commands into a format or formats that can be processed by hardware and/or software graphics and audio processing resources available on host 1201. As one example, emulator 1303 may convert these commands into commands that can be processed by specific graphics and/or or sound hardware of the host 1201 (e.g., using standard DirectX, OpenGL and/or sound APIs).
An emulator 1303 used to provide some or all of the features of the video game system described above may also be provided with a graphic user interface (GUI) that simplifies or automates the selection of various options and screen modes for games run using the emulator. In one example, such an emulator 1303 may further include enhanced functionality as compared with the host platform for which the software was originally intended.
System 1201 further includes various drives and associated computer-readable media. A hard disk drive 1209 reads from and writes to a (typically fixed) magnetic hard disk 1211. An additional (possible optional) magnetic disk drive 1213 reads from and writes to a removable "floppy" or other magnetic disk 1215. An optical disk drive 1217 reads from and, in some configurations, writes to a removable optical disk 1219 such as a CD ROM or other optical media. Hard disk drive 1209 and optical disk drive 1217 are connected to system bus 1207 by a hard disk drive interface 1221 and an optical drive interface 1225, respectively. The drives and their associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, game programs and other data for personal computer system 1201. In other configurations, other types of computer-readable media that can store data that is accessible by a computer (e.g., magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks, Bernoulli cartridges, random access memories (RAMs), read only memories (ROMs) and the like) may also be used.
A number of program modules including emulator 1303 may be stored on the hard disk 1211, removable magnetic disk 1215, optical disk 1219 and/or the ROM 1252 and/or the RAM 1254 of system memory 1205. Such program modules may include an operating system providing graphics and sound APIs, one or more application programs, other program modules, program data and game data. A user may enter commands and information into personal computer system 1201 through input devices such as a keyboard 1227, pointing device 1229, microphones, joysticks, game controllers, satellite dishes, scanners, or the like. These and other input devices can be connected to processing unit 1203 through a serial port interface 1231 that is coupled to system bus 1207, but may be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, game port Fire wire bus or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor 1233 or other type of display device is also connected to system bus 1207 via an interface, such as a video adapter 1235.
System 1201 may also include a modem 1154 or other network interface means for establishing communications over a network 1152 such as the Internet. Modem 1154, which may be internal or external, is connected to system bus 123 via serial port interface 1231. A network interface 1156 may also be provided for allowing system 1201 to communicate with a remote computing device 1150 (e.g., another system 1201) via a local area network 1158 (or such communication may be via wide area network 1152 or other communications path such as dial-up or other communications means). System 1201 will typically include other peripheral output devices, such as printers and other standard peripheral devices.
In one example, video adapter 1235 may include a 3D graphics pipeline chip set providing fast 3D graphics rendering in response to 3D graphics commands issued based on a standard 3D graphics application programmer interface such as Microsoft's DirectX 7.0 or other version. A set of stereo loudspeakers 1237 is also connected to system bus 1207 via a sound generating interface such as a conventional "sound card" providing hardware and embedded software support for generating high quality stereophonic sound based on sound commands provided by bus 1207. These hardware capabilities allow system 1201 to provide sufficient graphics and sound speed performance to play software stored in storage medium 62.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims.
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