GPU Display Data Compression via RGB to YCbCr Conversion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing display data compression methods for mobile computing devices are inefficient, as they do not effectively minimize memory usage in GPUs, leading to higher costs and power consumption.

Innovation Solution

Converting display data from RGB format to YCbCr format before difference encoding for storage in embedded memory, followed by decompression and conversion back to RGB for display frame generation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If display data are compressed using difference encoding in RGB format, then memory usage is reduced, but compression efficiency is insufficient leading to larger memory requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory usageVSAvoidcompression efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms display data from RGB color space to YCbCr color space before applying difference encoding. This parameter transformation exploits the properties of YCbCr format where adjacent pixels exhibit less variation, thereby improving compression efficiency and reducing memory usage requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces YCbCr color space transformation as an intermediary step between the original RGB display data and the final compressed storage format. This intermediary transformation enables more effective difference encoding by reducing pixel variation in the transformed space

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If more local memory is allocated on the GPU, then display data can be stored without compression, but GPU cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocal memory sizeVSAvoidGPU cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

By transforming display data to YCbCr format and applying difference encoding, the patent achieves higher compression ratios, thereby reducing the amount of local memory required on the GPU and lowering overall system cost

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Use of energy by moving object

If display data are stored locally on the GPU, then power consumption is reduced, but memory size and cost increase without efficient compression

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidmemory size

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies YCbCr transformation and difference encoding to compress display data stored locally on the GPU, reducing the memory size required while maintaining the power consumption benefits of local storage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10002586B1Compression of display data stored locally on a GPU

Publication Date: 2018.06.19 NVIDIA CORP

AI summary

Display data used in display frame generation are compressed for efficient storage in a local memory within a graphics processing unit. The compression technique used is difference encoding and before performing difference encoding, display data in RGB format are converted into YCbCr format. Since the component values of adjacent pixels in YCbCr format typically vary less than the component values of the same adjacent pixels in RGB format, converting the display data to YCbCr format before performing difference encoding improves the compression efficiency.