Graphics Data Processing with Compressed Block Metadata
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data processing systems in graphics processing face challenges in efficiently processing compressed data at high frame rates, particularly with increasing display resolutions and complex image processing requirements, leading to high computational intensity and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The method involves storing and processing compressed data blocks with associated meta-data, which is used to affect image processing, allowing for reduced processing intensity or enhanced processing complexity without decompression, thereby optimizing power usage and data transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If image processing is performed on decompressed data at frame refresh rate, then image quality can be processed, but power consumption and computational load become excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes metadata from compressed data blocks to perform image processing decisions without fully decompressing the data. The metadata contains sufficient information about data characteristics (e.g., entropy, color distribution) to enable selective processing, thereby avoiding the energy-intensive full decompression while still achieving image quality improvements where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies image processing selectively to specific data blocks based on their individual metadata characteristics rather than processing the entire frame uniformly. Blocks with high entropy or specific color properties undergo processing while low-entropy blocks are skipped, optimizing power consumption by applying processing only where locally needed.
2Measurement precision
If display resolution is increased to 4K, then image quality improves, but data processing complexity and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the image data into separate compressed blocks and processes each block independently based on its metadata. This segmentation allows the system to handle high-resolution 4K data by treating it as multiple manageable units, reducing overall processing complexity while maintaining high display resolution quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the processing approach by operating directly on compressed data blocks rather than requiring full decompression. By utilizing metadata parameters from the compressed format, the system can perform image processing at high resolutions without the exponential increase in complexity that would normally accompany 4K processing.
3Use of energy by moving object
If compressed data is processed without decompression, then power consumption reduces, but processing capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces metadata as an intermediary between the compressed data and the processing operations. The metadata acts as a mediator that provides sufficient information about the compressed blocks to enable various image processing operations without requiring full decompression, thus maintaining processing capability while reducing power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses metadata as a simplified copy or representation of the full compressed data characteristics. This metadata copy contains essential information about color distribution, entropy, and block properties, enabling processing decisions to be made on this lighter representation rather than the full data, preserving versatility while saving energy.
Data Source
AI summary
A data processing system comprises processing circuitry arranged to generate data to form an output array of data, processing circuitry arranged to store the generated data in an output buffer 15 by writing compressed blocks of data representing particular regions of the output array of data to the output buffer, processing circuitry 14 arranged to read a compressed block of data representing a particular region of the array of data from the output buffer, processing circuitry 16 arranged to acquire meta-data from the compressed block of data, and processing circuitry 21 arranged to process the block of data. The acquired meta-data is used to affect the processing of the block of data.