HDR Buffer Interception for Legacy Game Applications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy game applications that support high dynamic range (HDR) graphical output face challenges in accessing HDR rendered images for display on HDR displays, as standard displays only support 8-bit buffers, and user interface elements need to be integrated into HDR frames without exposing the HDR intermediate buffer location.
Innovation Solution
A system intercepts graphics driver calls to identify the HDR intermediate buffer location, uses a neural network model to process HDR rendered data and user interface content from standard dynamic range (SDR) frames, synthesizing HDR frames that preserve luminance and dynamic range for display on HDR devices without modifying the legacy application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If legacy applications render HDR data to an intermediate buffer for display on standard displays, then compatibility with standard displays is maintained, but direct access to HDR rendered images for output to HDR displays becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a buffer interception mechanism that acts as an intermediary between the legacy application's rendering pipeline and the HDR display output. The system intercepts the intermediate buffer containing HDR rendered images without requiring modifications to the legacy application, enabling HDR output while maintaining compatibility with the original rendering architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the intermediate buffer containing HDR rendered images. By copying the buffer data rather than requiring direct access to the original buffer, the system enables HDR output to modern displays while preserving the original rendering pipeline's operation for standard displays
2Ease of operation
If user interface elements are added to SDR frames before display, then UI functionality is preserved, but UI elements are not properly integrated into HDR frames
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary extraction of user interface elements from SDR frames before the final HDR frame synthesis. By identifying and separating UI elements in advance, the system can then properly integrate them into the HDR frames with correct positioning and formatting, ensuring both UI functionality and visual quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the frame processing into distinct components: game rendered images, user interface elements, and HDR synthesis. By separating UI elements from the main game rendering and processing them independently, the system can accurately recombine them into HDR frames with proper integration
3Manufacturing precision
If post processing effects are applied to produce SDR frames, then visual quality for standard displays is optimized, but the same effects are not automatically applied to HDR frames
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal post-processing system that applies the same visual effects to both SDR and HDR frames. The post-processing effects are designed to work across different display formats, ensuring consistent visual quality whether the output is standard dynamic range or high dynamic range, thereby supporting multiple display formats with a single processing pipeline
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables legacy applications to produce HDR frames that take advantage of modern HDR display capabilities, enhancing color gamut and dynamic range without altering the source code of the legacy application, resulting in higher quality HDR output.
Implementation Method 1
a raw HDR frame is processed by a neural network model to generate an enhanced HDR format frame that comprises the user interface content and preserves at least one of a luminance or a dynamic range
Data Source
AI summary
High dynamic range (HDR) support is provided for legacy application programs, such as games that are configured to display standard dynamic range (SDR) frames. HDR frames may be synthesized without modifying the legacy application program. The buffer creation process of the legacy application program is intercepted and modified before creation of the SDR format buffer so that the buffer is configured to use an HDR format. A location of an intermediate buffer storing HDR rendered data is determined by intercepting and analyzing graphics driver calls in a command stream produced by the legacy application program. The HDR rendered data is combined with user interface content extracted from the SDR frames. Additionally, any post processing effects used by the legacy application program to produce the SDR frames may be predicted and applied to the HDR rendered data to synthesize the HDR frames for display on a modern HDR display device.