Dynamic Cache Allocation for Display Pixel Data

Solution Overview

Problem

The display subsystem in compute systems consumes significant system memory bandwidth, leading to increased power consumption, reduced battery life, and adverse thermal behavior, especially when displaying unchanged content at regular refresh rates.

Innovation Solution

Implementing dynamic cache allocation for display pixel data caching, which involves writing pixel data associated with a previously displayed frame to a system cache and using cached data to generate subsequent frames when the content is unchanged, thereby reducing memory access events and conserving power.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If the display subsystem fetches frame data at regular intervals to refresh the display device, then the display device can be refreshed at the configured refresh rate, but the system memory bandwidth is substantially consumed and power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay refresh rateVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-fetching and storing frame data in a local frame buffer before it is needed for display. The display subsystem fetches frame data from system memory in advance and stores it locally, so that subsequent display refreshes can use the cached data without requiring additional system memory accesses. This reduces the frequency and volume of memory bandwidth usage while maintaining the required display refresh rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements copying by creating a local copy of frame data in a dedicated frame buffer memory within the display subsystem. Instead of repeatedly accessing the original frame data in system memory for each display refresh, the system creates and maintains a local copy that can be read repeatedly without impacting system memory bandwidth. This copying mechanism allows the display to refresh at the configured rate while minimizing power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Duration of action of stationary object

If the display subsystem keeps the memory subsystem active to fetch frame data at regular intervals, then the display can be continuously refreshed, but the memory subsystem cannot enter low power states and battery life is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous display refreshVSAvoidbattery life

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-fetching and storing frame data in a local frame buffer before it is needed for display. The display subsystem fetches frame data from system memory in advance and stores it locally, so that subsequent display refreshes can use the cached data without requiring additional system memory accesses. This reduces the frequency and volume of memory bandwidth usage while maintaining the required display refresh rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements copying by creating a local copy of frame data in a dedicated frame buffer memory within the display subsystem. Instead of repeatedly accessing the original frame data in system memory for each display refresh, the system creates and maintains a local copy that can be read repeatedly without impacting system memory bandwidth. This copying mechanism allows the display to refresh at the configured rate while minimizing power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If frame data is fetched from system memory at regular intervals, then the display content can be updated, but thermal behavior of the compute system is adversely affected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveframe data fetching rateVSAvoidthermal behavior

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-fetching and storing frame data in a local frame buffer before it is needed for display. The display subsystem fetches frame data from system memory in advance and stores it locally, so that subsequent display refreshes can use the cached data without requiring additional system memory accesses. This reduces the frequency and volume of memory bandwidth usage while maintaining the required display refresh rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements copying by creating a local copy of frame data in a dedicated frame buffer memory within the display subsystem. Instead of repeatedly accessing the original frame data in system memory for each display refresh, the system creates and maintains a local copy that can be read repeatedly without impacting system memory bandwidth. This copying mechanism allows the display to refresh at the configured rate while minimizing power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS20250203125A1Dynamic cache allocation for display pixel data caching

Publication Date: 2025.06.19 INTEL CORP

AI summary

Systems, apparatus, articles of manufacture, and methods to implement dynamic cache allocation for display pixel data caching are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein compresses pixel data fetched from memory to determine compressed pixel data associated with a first frame to be displayed by a display device. The disclosed example apparatus also writes at least a portion of the compressed pixel data to a cache based on an amount of the cache allocated to display buffering, the cache different from the memory. The disclosed example apparatus further generates a second frame based on the at least the portion of the compressed pixel data in the cache, the second frame to be displayed by the display device after the first frame.