Microcode Processor Image Compression for Display Memory Bandwidth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image display systems face challenges in balancing cost and efficiency, particularly in high-resolution displays where the high data rate required for refresh reduces main memory bandwidth, leading to potential image distortions and increased costs due to the need for separate frame buffer memories.
Innovation Solution
A microcode-programmed processor is used to compress only the changed parts of the image data in the main memory, allowing for efficient refresh using compressed data without the need for additional memory, thus reducing system cost and maintaining high resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a separate frame buffer memory is used to store image data for display refresh, then the display system can maintain high resolution and steady data rate, but the system cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the frame buffer functionality into the main memory by allocating a specific area within the existing main memory to store compressed image data. This eliminates the need for a separate frame buffer memory, reducing system cost while maintaining the ability to store and refresh high-resolution images. The main memory serves dual purposes: general processing and frame buffering.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies data compression to reduce the amount of memory needed to store image data. By compressing image data before storing it in the main memory, the system can maintain high-resolution displays with fewer memory resources. The compression ratio dynamically changes the effective storage capacity available for frame buffering within the same physical memory.
2Device complexity
If main memory bandwidth is reduced to lower system cost, then separate frame buffer memory becomes necessary, but this increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses data compression to reduce the bandwidth requirements for memory operations. By compressing image data, the amount of data that needs to be transferred between main memory and the display system is significantly reduced, allowing the system to maintain high-resolution displays without requiring high memory bandwidth or additional frame buffer memory.
3Speed
If uncompressed image data is stored in main memory for processor access, then processing speed is improved, but memory bandwidth consumption increases, causing image distortions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent stores compressed image data in main memory instead of uncompressed data. This reduces the bandwidth consumption for memory operations while maintaining the ability to quickly access and decompress image data when needed for display. The compression allows the system to store more image data in the same memory space with lower bandwidth requirements.
4Quantity of substance
If the complete image is compressed and stored, then memory usage is reduced, but the time required to compress and update the image increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the image into multiple blocks or segments that can be independently compressed and stored. When an image needs to be updated, only the changed blocks need to be recompressed and updated in memory, rather than compressing the entire image. This segmentation reduces the time required for image updates while maintaining the memory space savings of compression.
Data Source
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AI summary
An image display system comprises a processor 10, a main memory 20 and a display panel 30, where the main memory 20 includes an uncompressed image area 24 for storing image data relating to an image and a compressed image area 26 for storing compressed image data. The processor is microcode-programmed, and executes, after changes have been made in the uncompressed image area, a special sequence of microcode words in a micro program memory 12 of the processor for compressing at least those parts of the uncompressed image area that are subject to changes. The microcode-compressed parts of the image data are then stored in the compressed image area 26 of the main memory. Compressed image data may then be fetched from the compressed image area 26 and decompressed for enabling generation of an appropriate image signal. The generated image signal can finally be applied to the display 30 for refreshing the image.