Multi-GPU Frame Buffer Segmentation for Six High-Resolution Displays
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing information handling systems are limited by GPU memory size, which restricts the maximum number of high-resolution display devices that can be supported, typically allowing only four 4k displays due to a maximum texture size of 16384 pixels and 1 GB buffer allocation.
Innovation Solution
Enhancing the information handling system with increased buffer memory capacity and leveraging the maximum number of display ports supported by graphics processing units (GPUs) to dynamically detect and utilize multiple display ports, creating multiple frame buffers to support more than four 4k display devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If GPU buffer memory capacity is increased to support more display devices, then the number of supported high-resolution displays increases, but system complexity and memory resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the frame buffer memory into multiple separate buffers, with each buffer dedicated to a specific display device. This segmentation allows the system to support multiple high-resolution displays simultaneously by allocating dedicated memory resources to each display, thereby increasing adaptability while managing complexity through structured memory organization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-frame-buffer architecture to a multi-frame-buffer architecture, adding a dimensional aspect to memory management. By creating multiple instance structures (one per display device), the system expands the memory management dimension from scalar to vector, enabling support for more display devices without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If the maximum texture size is increased beyond 16384 pixels to support higher resolution displays, then display resolution capability improves, but memory requirements and processing load increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single large buffer that would require increased texture size limits, the patent segments the display output into multiple smaller buffers, each corresponding to a specific display device. This allows the system to support high-resolution displays by distributing the pixel data across multiple manageable buffer structures, thereby maintaining display resolution capability while controlling individual buffer memory requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the buffer allocation parameters from a single large buffer to multiple smaller buffers with optimized size configurations. By adjusting the number and size of buffer instances based on the specific requirements of each display device, the system can support high resolutions without uniformly increasing the maximum texture size limit across all displays.
Data Source
AI summary
An information handling system includes first and second graphics processing units, and a processor. The first graphics processing unit includes first, second, and third display ports. The second graphics processing unit includes fourth, fifth, and sixth display ports. The processor receive a buffer request that identifies a number of frame buffers to be created. The processor call a graphics multiple buffer render create buffer command to divide a graphics multiple buffer render buffer into multiple buffers. The multiple buffers of the graphics multiple buffer render buffer are based on the number of frame buffers identified in the buffer request. The processor create multiple frame buffers. The number of the frame buffers is the same as a number of the buffers of the graphics multiple buffer render buffer. Each of the frame buffers provide data to a different one of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth display ports.