Graphics Processor Descriptor Rings for Low-Latency State Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing graphics processing systems lack a dynamic and efficient mechanism for updating pipeline configuration information, often requiring static updates from the main processor, which can introduce latency and reduce throughput.
Innovation Solution
A graphics processor is configured to issue state update commands that incrementally update pipeline configuration information locally, allowing each pipeline stage to maintain a local copy of relevant configuration details, ensuring updated information is available without waiting for full pipeline updates, and dynamically manage descriptors for shared resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the main processor updates pipeline configuration information statically, then the system maintains simplicity in configuration management, but latency increases and throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The pipeline configuration information is segmented into multiple descriptor rings, where each ring contains a subset of configuration parameters. This allows incremental updates to specific descriptor rings without requiring full pipeline reconfiguration, thereby reducing latency and maintaining throughput while keeping the overall system manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
Descriptor rings are pre-configured with pipeline configuration information before execution. The main processor can update individual descriptor rings in advance, and these pre-configured descriptors are then consumed by the pipeline stages, eliminating the need for static full-pipeline updates and reducing operational latency.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the system waits for full pipeline updates, then configuration consistency is maintained, but processing latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The configuration update process is segmented into independent descriptor ring updates rather than requiring monolithic full-pipeline updates. Each pipeline stage can consume updated descriptors from its designated ring independently, maintaining local consistency while allowing other stages to continue processing without waiting.
Solution Approach 2:
The pipeline maintains continuous operation by allowing different stages to consume descriptors from different descriptor rings at different times. While one stage waits for its specific descriptor, other stages continue processing with their available descriptors, ensuring that useful action continues throughout the pipeline and minimizing overall latency.
3Productivity
If incremental updates are implemented, then throughput is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple descriptor rings serve universal purposes in the pipeline architecture. Each descriptor ring can be configured for different pipeline stages or update scenarios, and the same ring structure is reused throughout the pipeline. This multi-functional approach enables incremental updates without requiring entirely separate configuration mechanisms for each stage, thereby managing complexity while improving throughput.
4Device complexity
If static configuration updates are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but pipeline utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static full-pipeline configuration updates to dynamic incremental updates through descriptor rings. Pipeline stages can dynamically consume updated descriptors as they become available, allowing the pipeline to adapt its configuration over time without requiring complete reconfiguration. This dynamic approach increases pipeline utilization while maintaining manageable system architecture through the standardized descriptor ring structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A graphics processor comprising processing circuits to execute a plurality of pipeline stages for a graphics processing pipeline. To update some or all pipeline configuration information for the graphics processing pipeline, state update commands are issued to the graphics processing pipeline that cause respective local copies of relevant portions of the pipeline configuration information maintained by each pipeline stage to be updated, as required, and a copy of the full pipeline configuration information to be updated once the state update command has passed through the pipeline in full.