Platform-Independent Shader Compilation for Vehicle Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for displaying three-dimensional graphic effects in vehicles require platform-specific shaders for each device type, leading to increased development effort and limited flexibility, making it difficult to support newly developed control units or consumer terminals.
Innovation Solution
A method to generate a platform-independent model of graphic effects at runtime, which is then compiled into a platform-dependent representation for display on various devices, allowing graphic effects to be developed without knowledge of the target hardware and enabling display on a wide range of devices, including newly developed ones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If platform-specific shaders are developed for each device type, then graphic effects can be displayed on specific devices, but development effort increases and flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal shader development approach where a single platform-independent shader code can be compiled for multiple different devices. The system uses a platform-independent model that describes graphic effects without referencing specific hardware, allowing the same shader to work across various device types through compilation rather than separate development for each platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a compiler as an intermediary component that translates platform-independent shader code into platform-specific executable code. This mediator handles the conversion process, eliminating the need for developers to write separate shaders for each device while ensuring proper hardware-specific optimization through the compilation step.
2Reliability
If platform-specific shaders are developed for each device type, then graphic effects work on intended devices, but flexibility to support newly developed devices is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The platform-independent shader model enables the same shader code to be adapted to newly developed devices without modification. When a new device is introduced, the existing shader code can be compiled for the new platform, automatically supporting the new device type without requiring separate development efforts or restricting the system to pre-planned device configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts to new devices through the compilation process. Rather than being statically bound to predetermined device types, the shader compilation mechanism can generate appropriate code for any new device that emerges, making the system flexible and adaptable to future hardware developments.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a layer-based architecture is used to display three-dimensional content, then content from different applications can be displayed on a common display, but graphic effects require platform-specific implementation for each device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the universal shader model to the layer-based architecture context, allowing graphic effects to be applied consistently across multiple application layers on different devices. The platform-independent shader code can handle three-dimensional content from various applications while being compiled appropriately for the target device, eliminating the need for separate shader implementations for each device type within the layered architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the shader development process into two distinct segments: the platform-independent model creation (handled by developers) and the platform-specific compilation (handled by the compiler). This segmentation allows the layer-based architecture to maintain its multi-application capability while the shader implementation becomes device-agnostic during development, with hardware-specific optimizations applied automatically during compilation.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The following steps are used to generate a graphic effect, in particular for a plurality of electronic devices: - determining the graphic content in which the graphic effect is to be used (20); - calculating the graphic effect (22); - generating a platform-independent model of the calculated graphic effect during run time (24); - compiling the platform-independent model into a platform-dependent representation of the graphic effect (26); and - displaying the platform-dependent representation of the graphic effect on a display device (30).