Graphics Processor Asynchronous Image Processing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for high-resolution moving images in computer graphics is challenging existing hardware, as improvements such as high-speed CPUs and large memory are hindered by cost and design constraints, making real-time image displaying difficult.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus with a graphics processor that switches between two image processing tasks, one generating a base image and the other generating a display image, allowing for variable processing time control and asynchronous switching to minimize overhead and ensure real-time performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If hardware improvements such as high-speed CPU and large memory are introduced to meet high-resolution real-time image displaying requirements, then image processing capability is improved, but cost and design complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The image processing system is segmented into two distinct processors: a main processor that handles control functions and a graphics processor that handles image processing tasks. This segmentation allows each processor to be optimized for its specific function, improving overall image processing capability without requiring the main processor to be excessively powerful or complex.
Solution Approach 2:
A frame memory is introduced as an intermediary component between the main processor and graphics processor. The frame memory stores image data and serves as a buffer, allowing the graphics processor to access image data independently without requiring the main processor to be continuously involved in data transfer operations.
2Productivity
If the graphics processor executes multiple tasks in time-sharing manner, then system resource utilization is improved, but processing time variability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic task execution with fixed time slots allocated to different tasks. The graphics processor alternates between executing image processing tasks and control tasks in a predetermined periodic manner, ensuring that each task receives guaranteed processing time and reducing jitter in processing completion times.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor dynamically changes its operational parameters by switching between different processing modes. During image processing periods, the graphics processor operates at high performance for rendering; during control task periods, it switches to handling input/output operations. This parameter switching allows efficient resource utilization while maintaining predictable timing characteristics.
Data Source
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AI summary
In Fig.3, an arithmetic processing unit 106 in a graphics processor 100 alternately executes a process of a first image processing which generates a main image of an application, i.e., a base image and a process of a second image processing which generates a display image eventually displayed by performing a desired processing of the base image. Processing time A for the process of the first image processing is designated by a first process executing unit 202 in a main processor 200 which requests execution of the process of the first image processing. Processing time B for the process of the second image processing is predetermined. The first process executing unit 202 further determines an address of storage area in a frame buffer 109 storing the base image and, upon determination, transmits to the second process executing unit 204 which requests execution of the process of the second image processing.