Memory Access Tracking Logger with Overlay Visualization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies face challenges in obtaining precise insights into memory access performance, which can lead to inaccurate measurement results and impact computation performance.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a logger that records performance and memory access statistics, generating visualizations in overlay or scene annotation modes to provide detailed insights into memory operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If detailed memory access statistics are collected to improve measurement precision, then insight into memory performance is improved, but computation performance deteriorates due to the overhead of tracking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory access measurement precisionVSAvoidcomputation performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a logger as an intermediary component that collects memory access statistics separately from the main computation pipeline. The logger operates as a dedicated tracking mechanism that records memory access patterns without directly interfering with the primary computation flow, thereby minimizing performance impact while still enabling detailed measurement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining memory access patterns and categories before detailed tracking begins. By establishing expected access patterns in advance, the system can efficiently categorize and measure actual accesses against these predefined patterns, reducing the computational overhead of real-time analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If memory access tracking is implemented to improve insight, then ability to improve performance is improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to performance impact skewing results

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinsight into memory access performanceVSAvoidmeasurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a copy of the computation execution environment specifically for tracking purposes. The logger records memory access statistics from this copied execution context, allowing detailed measurement without the tracking overhead directly affecting the original computation performance. This separation ensures that measurements reflect true performance characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Ease of operation

If visualization of memory access statistics is added to provide detailed insights, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of analyzing memory performanceVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex manual analysis mechanisms with automated visualization systems. Instead of requiring developers to manually examine raw memory access data through complex analytical processes, the system automatically generates visual representations of memory access patterns, making the data easily interpretable without increasing the core tracking complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The visualization component serves multiple functions simultaneously: it displays memory access patterns, identifies performance bottlenecks, and provides actionable insights all through a unified interface. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate analysis tools and simplifies the overall system architecture despite the added visualization capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250077379A1Performance and memory access tracking and visualization

Publication Date: 2025.03.06 ATI TECHNOLOGIES ULC

AI summary

Techniques for performing memory operations are disclosed herein. The techniques include obtaining statistics for operation of a device, the statistics including either or both of performance statistics and memory access statistics; generating a plurality of visualizations of the statistics in one of an overlay mode or a scene annotation mode; and displaying the plurality of visualizations.