16-Bit Data Decompression for Signed, Unsigned, and Floating-Point Formats

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional compression techniques do not support the decompression of 16-bit unsigned, signed, or floating-point data formats, limiting their applicability in representing 16-bit data.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for decompressing 16-bit data represented in compressed formats, utilizing an extraction unit, sign extension unit, and pixel computation unit to extract and process values, enabling support for floating-point, signed, and unsigned fixed-point formats, with specific compression schemes providing efficient hardware-based decompression.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional compression techniques (e.g., DXTC) are used, then compression ratio is achieved, but support for 16-bit unsigned, signed, or floating-point data formats is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompression ratioVSAvoiddata format support

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The decompression system is designed to handle multiple data formats (16-bit unsigned, signed, and floating-point) through a unified architecture. The extraction unit, sign extension unit, and pixel computation unit work together to process different format types using the same hardware pipeline, enabling one system to serve multiple format requirements without sacrificing compression efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If conventional decompression methods are used, then processing speed is maintained, but capability to decompress 16-bit data in floating-point or signed/unsigned formats is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedecompression speedVSAvoidformat compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces software-based decompression routines with dedicated hardware circuits. The extraction unit, sign extension unit, and pixel computation unit form a hardware pipeline that processes 16-bit data in parallel, providing both high speed and format versatility through fixed-function hardware blocks designed to handle multiple data types

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If hardware decompression is implemented, then processing efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehardware processing efficiencyVSAvoiddecompression system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The decompression system is divided into three distinct functional units: an extraction unit that retrieves compressed data, a sign extension unit that handles signed data representation, and a pixel computation unit that reconstructs the final 16-bit values. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while working together in a coordinated pipeline, managing complexity through modular functional decomposition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS7599975B1Decompression of compressed 16 bit data

Publication Date: 2009.10.06 NVIDIA CORP

AI summary

Systems and methods compress and decompress 16 bit data. The 16 bit data may be signed or unsigned and represented in a fixed point or floating point format. A fixed block size of data is compressed into a fixed length format. Data compressed using a medium quality compression scheme may be efficiently decompressed in hardware. Data may be efficiently compressed and decompressed in hardware using a high quality compression scheme. The high quality compression scheme has a lower compression ratio compared with the medium quality compression scheme, but is near lossless in terms of quality.