Display Controller Blending Stage Offline Memory
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Display controllers face limitations in maximum graphic content complexity due to the number of input channels in the blending stage, requiring additional hardware components to handle more complex graphics, which is costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A display controller with a blending stage that includes a controllable switch and offline blending memory, allowing for predictive allocation of blending resources to perform offline blending tasks when not needed for real-time processing, enabling the creation of more complex images with fewer input channels by storing and reusing blending results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional hardware components (input channels and blenders) are added to handle more complex graphics, then the maximum complexity of graphic content is improved, but the cost and size of the components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing blending operations in advance during vertical blanking intervals or periods when the display output is stable. The blending controller predicts future blending needs and pre-computes blended images, storing them in frame buffers for later use. This allows the system to handle more complex graphics without adding hardware by utilizing idle time periods for preparatory processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the blending stage configurable and adaptable at runtime. The blending controller dynamically adjusts the number of active input channels and blenders based on the actual complexity of the displayed content. When content is simple, fewer resources are used; when content becomes more complex, the system can allocate additional blending resources temporarily, optimizing both performance and resource utilization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the number of input channels in the blending stage is increased, then the maximum complexity of graphic content is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a time dimension to the blending process by performing operations across different time periods (real-time display updates versus offline pre-processing). By utilizing the time dimension during vertical blanking intervals and stable display periods, the system can achieve higher layer complexity without proportionally increasing the number of simultaneous input channels and blenders required.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces frame buffers as intermediary storage elements between the input channels and the final display output. These buffers allow blended images to be stored and reused, enabling the system to handle more complex multi-layer graphics by recomposing displays from pre-blended components rather than requiring all layers to be processed simultaneously through multiple input channels.
3Productivity
If additional blenders are added to combine more layers, then the blending capacity is improved, but the cost and size of hardware components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the blending controller and blenders to perform multiple functions. The same blending hardware is used both for real-time display updates and for offline pre-processing of complex blended images. The blending controller dynamically allocates the same physical blenders to different tasks based on timing and content requirements, eliminating the need for separate dedicated hardware for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action by utilizing vertical blanking intervals and stable display periods as regular time windows for performing offline blending operations. During these periodic intervals when the display is not changing, the blending stage processes and stores pre-blended images that will be needed for future displays, creating a rhythmic pattern of real-time and offline processing that maximizes resource utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A display controller comprising a blending stage and a blending controller. The blending stage is provided for blending multiple image layers into one display output image and comprises a plurality of input channels for receiving pixel data for the multiple image layers. The blending stage further comprises multiple blenders for combining the pixel data received by at least two input channels of the plurality of input channels. The blending controller is coupled to the blending stage for controlling operation of the blending stage. The blending stage further comprises a controllable switch for coupling an output of at least one blender of the multiple blenders to a display output of the blending stage for regular on-the-fly blending or to an offline blending memory for storing a result of an offline blending task. The blending controller comprises an input for receiving layer data describing locations and/or properties of the multiple image layers and a predictor for, based on the layer data, predicting an availability of the at least one blender. The blending controller is further operative to control the blending stage to perform the offline blending task in dependence of the predicted availability.