GPU Frame Buffer Compression for Mobile Screen Refresh Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
High performance mobile computing devices consume significant power during screen refreshes due to frequent read operations from main memory, reducing battery life.
Innovation Solution
Configuring a graphics processing unit to store and compress display and cursor data in local memory, allowing preferential reading from local memory when data has not changed, and updating only when changes occur in main memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If display data is read from main memory for each screen refresh, then screen refresh performance is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-fetching and storing display data into the frame buffer before it is needed for screen refresh. The system reads display data from main memory in advance and stores it in the frame buffer, so that during screen refresh operations, the graphics adapter can retrieve data from the frame buffer without needing to access main memory, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining refresh performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the frame buffer as an intermediary component between main memory and the graphics adapter. The frame buffer acts as a buffer memory that stores display data temporarily, allowing the graphics adapter to perform screen refresh operations by reading from the frame buffer rather than directly from main memory, thus reducing the frequency of high-power main memory accesses
2Quantity of substance
If display data is compressed before storage, then storage space is reduced, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by transforming the display data from an uncompressed state to a compressed state before storage in the frame buffer. The compression process changes the parameter of data density, allowing more display information to be stored in less space. The system includes compression logic that encodes the display data using compression algorithms, reducing the amount of storage space required while maintaining the ability to reconstruct the original data for display
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the invention sets forth a technique for compressing and storing display data and optionally compressing and storing cursor data in a memory that is local to a graphics processing unit to reduce the power consumed by a mobile computing device when refreshing the screen. Compressing the display data and optionally the cursor data also reduces the relative cost of the invention by reducing the size of the local memory relative to the size that would be necessary if the display data were stored locally in uncompressed form. Thus, the invention may improve mobile computing device battery life, while keeping additional costs low.