Partial Frame Buffer Updating via Region Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional graphics processing systems face inefficiencies in managing and updating frame buffers, particularly in triple buffering scenarios, where repeated pixel data is stored across multiple buffers, leading to unnecessary memory usage and bandwidth consumption.
Innovation Solution
The method involves dividing render surfaces into regions, tracking changes in pixel data, and creating mappings between surface regions and memory segments, allowing for efficient storage and retrieval of pixel data by referencing unchanged regions and updating only changed regions, thereby optimizing memory usage and bandwidth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional triple buffering is used to store complete frame data in multiple buffers, then frame display continuity is ensured, but memory bandwidth consumption increases due to repeated transmission of unchanged pixel data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the frame buffer into multiple independent regions, each capable of being updated independently. Instead of treating the entire frame buffer as a single unit that must be completely rewritten, the system divides it into segments that can be selectively updated based on change detection, reducing redundant memory bandwidth usage while maintaining display continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and identifies only the changed regions within the frame buffer, separating them from unchanged regions. This extraction allows the system to transmit and update only the necessary portions of the frame buffer, eliminating the need to repeatedly transmit unchanged pixel data across memory bandwidth.
2Reliability
If complete frame data is written to multiple buffers in triple buffering, then buffer readiness for display is ensured, but memory usage increases due to storage of repeated pixel data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the unchanged regions from the previous frame buffer with the newly rendered changed regions to form the complete current frame. This combining approach allows the system to maintain complete frame data in the buffer while avoiding redundant storage of unchanged pixel data, as these regions are inherited from the previous buffer state.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary identification of changed regions before completing the frame buffer update. By detecting and marking changed regions in advance, the system can efficiently allocate memory resources and prepare buffer updates without unnecessarily copying or storing repeated pixel data, thus optimizing memory usage while ensuring buffer readiness.
3Stability of the object's composition
If entire frame buffers are updated in conventional systems, then data consistency is maintained, but processing time increases due to unnecessary updates of unchanged regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic update behavior to the frame buffer system, where the update process adapts based on the actual changes detected in the rendered content. Instead of static complete-buffer updates, the system dynamically identifies and updates only the changed regions, maintaining data consistency where needed while reducing processing time for unchanged areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The rendering system performs self-service by automatically detecting and identifying changed regions without requiring external intervention or complete buffer processing. This self-detection mechanism enables the system to maintain data consistency in changed regions while skipping unchanged regions, thereby reducing processing time autonomously.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects include a pixel source that produces data for a rendered surface divided into regions. A mapping identifies memory segments storing pixel data for each region of the surface. The mapping can identify memory segments storing pixel data from a prior rendered surface, for regions that were unchanged during rendering the rendering. Such changed/unchanged status is tracked on a region by region basis. A counter can be maintained for each memory segments to track how many surfaces use pixel data stored therein. A pool of free memory segments can be maintained. Reading a surface, such as to display a rendered surface by a display controller, includes identifying and reading the mapping to identify each memory segment storing pixel data for regions of the surface, reading such, and updating the counters for the memory segments that were read.