Interface Device Emulating Mass Storage for Cloud Gaming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud gaming faces challenges in adapting video game consoles and embedded platforms to cloud streaming services due to compatibility issues and high computational demands, particularly in rendering graphics and gaming computations, which traditional storage server and storage virtualization techniques cannot effectively address.
Innovation Solution
An interface device with a specialized processing unit and mass storage device controller, coupled with a DMA engine, is used to emulate a mass storage device for terminal systems, allowing seamless data access and processing without modifying the terminal platform's hardware or software architecture, enabling efficient cloud gaming by offloading computational loads and providing virtualized storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional storage server and storage virtualization techniques are used, then storage functionality can be provided, but compatibility issues arise with applications designed for specialized embedded platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an interface device as an intermediary component between the host system and terminal systems. This interface device includes a specialized processing unit with a mass storage device controller and DMA engine that translates and adapts storage requests, enabling compatibility with specialized embedded platforms without modifying the terminal platform's hardware or software architecture.
2Ease of operation
If cloud gaming services are implemented, then access to video games is improved, but latency increases due to remote computing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cloud gaming system into distinct functional components: terminal systems that execute applications locally, interface devices that handle storage virtualization and data transfer, and host systems that provide remote computing resources. This segmentation allows local execution of game logic while offloading storage and computational tasks, reducing latency compared to fully remote cloud gaming.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface device performs preliminary actions by pre-fetching and caching data in local memory before it is needed by the terminal system. The DMA engine prepares data transfer operations in advance, and the storage virtualization layer pre-loads game assets and computational data, reducing wait times and latency during gameplay.
3Ease of operation
If computational loads are offloaded to remote servers, then resource requirements at client devices are reduced, but computational resource consumption at servers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts storage virtualization and data transfer management functions from the host system into a separate interface device. This extraction allows the host system to focus on computational tasks while the interface device handles storage I/O operations independently via DMA, improving overall system efficiency and reducing the computational resource consumption at servers.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface device provides self-service capabilities through its integrated DMA engine that autonomously manages data transfer between storage devices and memory without requiring continuous host system intervention. The device controller independently handles storage protocol translation and data buffering, reducing the computational burden on remote servers.
4Productivity
If mass storage data requests are processed through traditional interfaces, then data access is achieved, but computational overhead and latency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional CPU-mediated storage I/O processing with a hardware-based DMA (Direct Memory Access) engine. This substitution eliminates the need for software drivers and CPU intervention in data transfer operations, significantly reducing computational overhead and latency while improving data access speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface device implements a universal architecture that can handle multiple storage protocols and terminal system types through its specialized processing unit. The device controller and DMA engine work together to provide multi-functional storage virtualization capabilities, reducing processing overhead by handling diverse storage operations through a unified hardware interface.
Data Source
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AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for virtualizing mass storage using an interface card, or other special hardware unit, operatively coupled to a host system. In various implementations, the interface device and host system may collectively emulate a mass storage device for another terminal computing system in a manner that is transparent to the terminal system. Moreover, in various implementations, a mass storage device may be emulated in a manner that is transparent to the terminal system, without requiring modifications to the terminal platforms hardware or software architecture.