NVIDIA revealed plans to license its graphics cores and visual computing patents to other chip makers, as part of its efforts to widen its revenue base.
The move would allow customers to build their own products by using the chipmaker’s both existing and future graphics technology.
NVIDIA will also gain greater benefit of the booming market for smartphones and tablets, while reducing its reliance on PC graphics cards in the midst of slump in PC sales.
NVIDIA executive VP, general counsel and secretary David Shannon said that the company will start by licensing the GPU core based on the NVIDIA Kepler architecture, which is claimed to be the world’s most advanced, most efficient GPU.
"Its DX11, OpenGL 4.3, and GPGPU capabilities, along with vastly superior performance and efficiency, create a new class of licensable GPU cores," Shannon said.
"Through our efforts designing Tegra into mobile devices, we’ve gained valuable experience designing for the smallest power envelopes.
"As a result, Kepler can operate in a half-watt power envelope, making it scalable from smartphones to supercomputers."
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NVIDIA’s plan to offer licensing rights to its visual computing portfolio would enable licensees to create their own GPU functionality with design freedom under the company’s visual computing patent portfolio.
