Foveated Video Rendering for Power Reduction in Headsets

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing complexity of content processing components in devices leads to higher power consumption, thermal management issues, and reduced battery life, especially in smaller devices, as they strive to meet user expectations for enhanced processing capabilities.

Innovation Solution

A device with a content processing component that operates in multiple states based on eye positional data from sensors, performing foveated processing to generate high-quality video only in the foveal region and lower quality elsewhere, reducing graphics computing requirements and power consumption by dynamically adjusting video quality based on user eye movement and focus detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If content processing component complexity is increased to enhance processing capabilities, then user experience is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent processing capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies foveated rendering which renders high-quality graphics only in the foveal region (center of vision) and low-quality graphics in peripheral regions. This local differentiation of quality allows the system to maintain high processing capability where needed while reducing overall computational load and power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs partial rendering by generating low-quality video content for display outside the foveal region and only high-quality video content for the foveal region. This partial action approach reduces the total processing required while maintaining perceptual quality, thereby reducing power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Productivity

If content processing component complexity is increased to enhance processing capabilities, then user experience is improved, but thermal management issues increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent processing capabilityVSAvoidthermal management

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

By rendering high-quality content only in the foveal region and low-quality content in peripheral regions, the system reduces overall computational load and heat generation while maintaining user experience in the critical viewing area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs rendering partially by generating low-quality video content for display outside the foveal region and only high-quality video content for the foveal region, reducing total processing requirements and thermal output.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Volume of moving object

If device size is reduced to meet user expectations, then portability is improved, but thermal management becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice sizeVSAvoidthermal management

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs partial rendering by generating low-quality video content for display outside the foveal region and only high-quality video content for the foveal region, reducing total processing requirements and thermal output in the compact device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Productivity

If power consumption is increased to enhance processing capabilities, then content processing performance is improved, but battery life decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent processing performanceVSAvoidbattery life

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality differentiation by rendering high-quality graphics only in the foveal region and low-quality graphics in peripheral regions, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining processing performance where it matters most for user experience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

By performing partial rendering with low-quality video content outside the foveal region and high-quality content only where needed, the system reduces total power consumption and extends battery life while maintaining content processing performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11222394B2Devices and headsets

Publication Date: 2022.01.11 ARM LTD

AI summary

A device has a content processing component operable in first and second content processing states, a display, at least one sensor operable to output sensor data indicative of at least one eye positional characteristic of a user, and a processor. The processor is configured to process the data, and in the first processing state, determine a region of the display corresponding to a foveal region of an eye of a user, and perform foveated processing of content to be displayed on the display such that a relatively high-quality video content is generated for display in the region and a relatively low-quality video content is generated for display outside the region. The second processing state is entered in response to a trigger. In the second processing state, the foveated processing used is overridden such that relatively low-quality video content is generated for display in at least a portion of the region.