Circular Buffering for Video Frame Rate Doubling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing video systems face challenges in driving video displays with a frame rate that is half the frame rate of the video source, leading to visual artifacts and inefficiencies, particularly when using low-cost hardware.
Innovation Solution
A video buffering and frame rate doubling device that includes a video input, memory unit, buffer control unit, and display control unit, which uses a circular buffering scheme to read image data units from a frame buffer at twice the source frame rate, effectively doubling the frame rate of the video stream and generating a target video stream with a frame rate twice that of the source.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a video buffer is used to drive a display with a frame rate twice that of the video source, then the display frame rate can be doubled, but the buffer size required becomes excessively large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the buffer into multiple smaller sub-buffers (first buffer, second buffer, third buffer, fourth buffer) that are accessed in a circular manner. This segmentation allows the system to achieve frame rate doubling with a much smaller total buffer size compared to a single large buffer, as each sub-buffer only needs to hold a fraction of the video frames at any given time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic access patterns to the buffer sub-buffers, where the display controller reads from buffers in a repeating cycle (first buffer, second buffer, third buffer, fourth buffer, then back to first buffer). This periodic action enables the system to maintain a continuous stream of frames at double the source frame rate while using minimal buffer memory.
2Speed
If a large buffer is used to store video frames for frame rate doubling, then the display can run at higher frame rates, but the hardware cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the buffer into multiple small sub-buffers with simple address pointers, the patent reduces hardware complexity compared to managing a single large buffer. Each sub-buffer can be independently accessed with simple pointer arithmetic, and the circular access pattern is easily implemented with basic counter logic, avoiding the need for complex memory management hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent effectively creates multiple virtual copies of the same physical buffer memory through the circular access pattern. The display controller reads the same physical memory locations repeatedly in a structured sequence, creating the effect of multiple buffer copies without actually duplicating the physical memory, thereby reducing hardware cost and complexity.
3Speed
If video frames are read from the buffer at twice the source frame rate, then the target video stream achieves higher frame rate, but visual artifacts may occur without proper buffering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-loads and maintains video frames in the buffer sub-buffers before they are needed for display. The circular buffering scheme ensures that frames are prepared and positioned in the appropriate buffer segments in advance, allowing the display controller to read frames at twice the source frame rate without causing visual artifacts or display disruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer sub-buffers act as a cushion that absorbs the timing differences between the video source frame rate and the display frame rate. By maintaining frames in advance in the buffered sub-buffers, the system prevents timing mismatches from causing visual artifacts, ensuring smooth display at the higher frame rate.
Data Source
AI summary
A frame buffer having a size of one video frame of a video stream is provided. The video stream has a source frame rate. Image data units of the video stream are written consecutively to the frame buffer in accordance with a circular buffering scheme and in real-time response to the video stream. Image data units are read from the frame buffer in accordance with the circular buffering scheme with a frame rate that is twice the source frame rate so as to generate a target video stream having a frame rate which is twice the source frame rate. The frame buffer can be used in a real-time video system, for example in a vehicle.