Script Animation Callback Alignment with Display Refresh
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Solution Overview
Problem
Script-based animations in web browsers often result in over-notification and high power consumption due to callbacks occurring too frequently, leading to unnecessary work and choppy animations, as authors lack knowledge of the ideal update frequency.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an API that aligns callbacks with the system's refresh notifications, allowing the scripting component to update animations only when the system receives a refresh notification, rather than relying on specified time values or intervals, using the requestAnimationFrame() method.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If callbacks are scheduled with small time values to achieve smooth animations, then animation smoothness is improved, but power consumption increases due to unnecessary work
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by scheduling animation callbacks to occur at regular intervals that match the display's refresh rate. Instead of using continuous or overly frequent callbacks, the system waits for specific periodic events (vertical sync signals) before executing animation updates. This ensures animations are updated at optimal intervals that match when the display actually refreshes, eliminating wasted computational work while maintaining smooth visual output.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by monitoring the display's vertical sync status and refresh rate to dynamically adjust callback timing. The animation system receives feedback about when the display is actually ready to render new content, and uses this information to schedule the next animation callback. This closed-loop approach ensures callbacks occur only when necessary, preventing unnecessary computations while maintaining animation quality.
2Manufacturing precision
If callbacks occur too rapidly to ensure smooth animations, then animation quality is improved, but visual choppiness occurs due to work being replaced by subsequent updates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by synchronizing animation callbacks with the display's natural refresh cycle. Instead of allowing callbacks to occur at arbitrary rapid intervals, the system waits for periodic vertical sync events that mark when the display is ready for new content. This periodic timing prevents multiple callbacks from accumulating and being discarded, ensuring each animation update is stable and visible.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies preliminary action by preparing animation frames in advance during the display's refresh cycle, but only executing the callback when the display is actually ready to render. This allows the animation logic to be prepared without immediately forcing an update, ensuring that work is not wasted if the display is not ready or if a more recent update has already been scheduled.
3Ease of operation
If the author specifies a fixed callback interval without knowledge of ideal frequency, then ease of implementation is improved, but efficiency deteriorates due to unnecessary updates in background or minimized states
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the animation system to automatically determine its own optimal update timing without requiring author intervention. The system monitors the display's vertical sync status and refresh rate, then autonomously schedules callbacks at appropriate intervals. This eliminates the need for authors to manually calculate or specify ideal callback frequencies, while still achieving high efficiency by adapting to the actual display state and page visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies dynamics by making the callback interval adaptive rather than fixed. Instead of using a static time value specified by the author, the system dynamically adjusts the timing of callbacks based on real-time conditions such as display refresh rate, vertical sync status, and page visibility. This allows the animation system to automatically optimize its update frequency for different contexts without requiring author knowledge or manual configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments align callbacks to a scripting component that enable the scripting component to update animation, with a system's refresh notifications. Specifically, an application program interface (API) is provided and implemented in a manner that generates and issues a callback to the scripting component when the system receives a refresh notification. This provides the scripting component with a desirable amount of time to run before the next refresh notification.