A hardware-like high-level language based environment for 3D graphics architecture exploration

The high complexity and the short lifetime of 3D graphics acceleration hardware increase the necessity of an environment for hardware development. For easy modification and fast testing of architecture, a high-level language based environment is desirable. Therefore, in this paper we propose a Graphics Architecture Testing Environment (GATE) that is based on Microsoft Visual C++. GATE models overall graphics hardware architecture through a modular approach, supports OpenGL, and offers easy modification and rapid testing of architecture. It also gathers computational statistics. A layered approach and Hardware Description Macro (HDM) support hardware modeling and architecture modification. Pre-defined types and operations provide statistical information. Several case studies of 3D graphics architecture on GATE show the capability of our environment.