Human Interface Device Latency Measurement and Segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems for measuring end-to-end latency in computing systems, particularly for high-performance applications like gaming and virtual reality, rely on specialized equipment and produce only a single latency value, making it difficult to identify and address individual contributors to latency such as peripheral, application, render, and display latencies.
Innovation Solution
The system determines the latency contribution of human interface devices (HIDs) by using data generated and transmitted by the HID devices, eliminating the need for specialized hardware and allowing for more granular latency measurements. This includes computing peripheral latency and incorporating it into end-to-end latency determinations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional systems use specialized equipment to measure end-to-end latency, then measurement reliability is improved, but device complexity increases and measurement precision decreases due to inability to isolate individual latency contributors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the end-to-end latency measurement into distinct components by having the HID device separately measure and report peripheral latency (time from input registration to data transmission) and by having the computing device measure processing latency. This segmentation allows identification of individual latency contributors without requiring complex specialized measurement equipment, thereby improving measurement precision while reducing device complexity.
2Measurement precision
If conventional systems use specialized equipment for latency measurement, then measurement capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to requirement for specialized hardware setup
Solution Approach 1:
The HID device performs self-measurement of peripheral latency by internally timing the interval between input registration and data transmission, then automatically includes this measurement in transmitted data packets. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external specialized measurement equipment and complex setup procedures, significantly improving ease of operation while maintaining measurement precision through the device's own high-resolution timing capabilities.
3Device complexity
If conventional systems measure only end-to-end latency, then system simplicity is maintained, but loss of information occurs regarding individual latency contributor contributions
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by having the HID device measure and report peripheral latency values within transmitted data packets, and by having the computing device measure and report processing latency. This feedback mechanism provides complete information about individual latency contributors (peripheral latency, processing latency, transmission latency) without adding significant system complexity, enabling comprehensive latency analysis and targeted optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
In various examples, latency of human interface devices (HIDs) may be accounted for in determining an end-to-end latency of a system. For example, when an input is received at an HID, an amount of time for the input to reach a connected device may be computed by the HID and included in a data packet transmitted by the HID device to the connected device. The addition of the peripheral latency to the end-to-end latency determination may provide a more comprehensive latency result for the system and, where the peripheral latency of an HID is determined to have a non-negligible contribution to the end-to-end latency, a new HID component may be implemented, a configuration setting associated with the HID component may be updated, and/or other actions may be taken to reduce the contribution of the peripheral latency to the overall latency of the system.