Host Device Memory Map for Display Control Data Management

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge is to manage memory efficiently for storing compressed display data in a display control device, particularly when handling higher definition video inputs and higher resolution display devices, while keeping costs low and ensuring seamless connectivity through limited bandwidth technologies like USB.

Innovation Solution

A method at a host device to manage the memory of a display control device by maintaining a map indicating data storage locations, determining the size and location of variable-sized data portions, and sending addresses and compressed data portions to the display control device, while adjusting compression parameters to optimize quality and fit within available memory space.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If compressed display data is stored in the frame buffer store without decompression, then memory bandwidth is reduced and transmission efficiency is improved, but memory management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission efficiencyVSAvoidmemory management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The host device acts as an intermediary that maintains a virtual frame buffer map and manages compressed data storage. Instead of the display control device directly managing complex memory operations, the host device handles compression, memory allocation, and data organization, then transmits the prepared compressed data to the display control device which simply stores it at the provided addresses.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The host device performs preliminary actions by pre-compressing display data before transmission and pre-calculating the frame buffer memory addresses where the compressed data should be stored. This preliminary preparation simplifies the display control device's task to merely storing data at specified locations without needing to perform compression or complex memory management themselves.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Quantity of substance

If variable size portions of display data are sent to the display control device, then bandwidth usage is optimized, but memory allocation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebandwidth usageVSAvoidmemory allocation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the size of display data portions transmitted to the display control device based on available bandwidth and frame buffer capacity. The host device divides the frame buffer into variable-sized portions and sends only the necessary data for each portion, optimizing bandwidth utilization while adapting to changing system conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The display data is segmented into variable-sized portions corresponding to different regions or frames of the display. Each segment is independently managed with its own compression and transmission parameters, allowing flexible optimization of bandwidth usage while simplifying the memory allocation task for each individual segment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Manufacturing precision

If higher definition video inputs and higher resolution display devices are supported, then display quality is improved, but memory requirements and data transmission load increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay qualityVSAvoidmemory requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the compression parameters and data portion sizes based on the display resolution and quality requirements. For higher definition and higher resolution displays, the host device adjusts the compression level and divides the data into appropriately sized portions, optimizing the balance between maintaining high display quality and managing memory requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4535159A1Management of memory for storing display data
Publication Date: 2025.04.09 DISPLAYLINK (UK) LTD
  • EP4535159A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4535159A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4535159A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method, at a host device (10), of managing memory (28) of a display control device (16), the memory (28) being used for storing display data sent from the host device (10) to the display control device (16) for display. The method involves maintaining a map (18) at the host device (10) corresponding to the memory (28) at the display control device, the map (18) indicating locations corresponding to addresses of the memory (28) at which data is stored or not. The map (18) is used to determine a size of a portion of the display data, and a location on the map (18) where the portion of display data would fit into the memory. An address in the memory (28) corresponding to the determined location on the map (18), together with the portion of display data, is then sent to the display control device (16), and the location on the map (18) corresponding to the address in the memory (28) is updated to indicate that the address has data stored in it. The data may be compressed using compression parameters, which can be selected so that the compressed portion of display data will fit into a free space in the memory (28) of the display control device (16).