Foveated Rendering Gaze Tracking Display Bandwidth Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Achieving high display frame rates for light field or multi-focal plane 3D optics in near eye headsets is challenging due to the increased power and cost of circuitry required for higher bandwidth, which affects battery runtime and headset heating.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a gaze tracking display system with foveated rendering, where the graphics processor generates foveated image data that is directly transferred to the display controller, reducing the need for image reconstruction and minimizing bandwidth, power consumption, and complexity by using foveated data reconstruction circuitry to produce images at the display device's resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If higher frame rates are used to support light field or multi-focal plane 3D optics, then display realism and 3D quality are improved, but power consumption and circuitry cost increase due to higher bandwidth requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display into multiple focal planes, with each plane updated at a lower frame rate (60 Hz) while the overall system achieves higher effective bandwidth through time-multiplexed switching between planes. This segmentation allows the graphics processor to operate at lower individual frame rates while still supporting high-quality 3D display.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic time-multiplexed switching between multiple focal planes, cycling through each plane in sequence at 60 Hz intervals. This periodic action creates the perception of higher frame rates and better 3D quality while the actual processing occurs at lower, more power-efficient rates.
2Reliability
If higher frame rates are used to support light field or multi-focal plane 3D optics, then display realism and 3D quality are improved, but circuitry cost increases due to higher bandwidth requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The display system is segmented into multiple focal planes that can be processed and updated independently at lower frame rates. This segmentation reduces the bandwidth requirements for each processing stage while maintaining overall display quality through the combination of multiple planes.
Solution Approach 2:
Time-multiplexed periodic switching between focal planes reduces the instantaneous bandwidth requirements compared to simultaneous high-rate updates of all planes. The circuitry only needs to handle 60 Hz updates for each plane sequentially, reducing overall complexity and cost.
3Measurement precision
If full-resolution images are rendered for the entire display area, then image quality is improved, but power consumption increases due to processing and transferring more data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies foveated rendering that renders the central foveal region at full resolution while rendering peripheral regions at lower resolutions. This local quality approach maintains perceived image quality in the most important viewing area while significantly reducing the total data processing and power consumption for the entire display.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of rendering the entire display area at full resolution, the system applies partial action by focusing computational resources only on the foveal region where the user's gaze is directed. This selective rendering maintains quality where needed while reducing overall power consumption.
4Use of energy by moving object
If foveated rendering is used to reduce power consumption, then bandwidth and power are reduced, but image quality may deteriorate in peripheral regions
Solution Approach 1:
The display is segmented into multiple focal planes, with each plane containing foveated-rendered content. By distributing the foveal region across multiple planes and using time-multiplexed switching, the system maintains high perceived quality while benefiting from reduced bandwidth requirements of foveated rendering.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing stage that reconstructs full-resolution images from foveated-rendered data. This intermediary reconstruction process recovers peripheral detail information that would otherwise be lost in foveated rendering, maintaining overall image quality while preserving the power and bandwidth savings.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and method for image generation in a gaze tracking display. A gaze tracking display system includes a graphics processor and display circuitry. The graphics processor is configured to perform foveated rendering of image data, and to output foveated image data. The display circuitry is coupled to the graphics processor. The display circuitry includes a display device and a display controller. The display device is configured to produce a viewable image. The display controller is configured to drive the display device. The display controller includes foveated data reconstruction circuitry configured to produce an image at a resolution of the display device based on the foveated image data received from the graphics processor.