Rendering Processing Unit Offloads GUI Tasks from Microcomputer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Embedded devices like air conditioners face high processing loads and increased development complexity due to the need for complex graphical user interfaces (GUIs) on low-performance microcomputers, which are resource-intensive and delay the execution of control application programs.
Innovation Solution
A state display device with a dedicated rendering processing unit that performs GUI rendering tasks independently from the central processing unit, using a liquid crystal display unit, central processing unit, and storage means to reduce the processing load on the microcomputer and improve rendering efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If full dot liquid crystal display is used to realize high-degree-of-freedom display, then display flexibility is improved, but processing load on microcomputer increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the display system into two independent parts: a microcomputer that generates display data and a dedicated liquid crystal display device that performs rendering. This segmentation allows the microcomputer to offload rendering tasks, reducing its processing load while the display device handles the computationally intensive rendering operations independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a dedicated liquid crystal display device as an intermediary between the microcomputer and the final display output. This intermediary device receives display data from the microcomputer and performs rendering operations, acting as a mediator that handles the computationally intensive tasks while the microcomputer focuses on control logic.
2Speed
If GUI process is performed using dedicated hardware, then rendering speed is improved, but microcomputer processing load remains heavy due to rendering requests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the rendering request generation and processing functions from the microcomputer and relocates them to the dedicated liquid crystal display device. The microcomputer only sends high-level display commands, while the display device independently generates and processes detailed rendering requests, eliminating the processing bottleneck.
Solution Approach 2:
The dedicated liquid crystal display device is designed to autonomously generate rendering requests and perform rendering operations without continuous microcomputer intervention. The display device self-manages the rendering process by interpreting display data and generating appropriate rendering commands independently.
3Device complexity
If microcomputer performs all GUI processes, then system simplicity is maintained, but execution of control application programs is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the system into a control portion (microcomputer) and a display portion (dedicated liquid crystal display device). This segmentation allows parallel execution of control application programs and GUI rendering operations, eliminating the time conflict where GUI processing would delay control program execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the microcomputer and liquid crystal display device into a single integrated unit with shared memory and communication interfaces. This merging maintains system simplicity while enabling independent operation of the display rendering functions, allowing both control and display tasks to proceed simultaneously without interference.
Data Source
AI summary
A state display device capable of reducing a processing load applied to a microcomputer by performing part of a GUI process by hardware and a display method of the state display device are obtained. A rendering processing device starts a process in response to a rendering request stored in a rendering request region when a starting command is stored in a start/end instruction register. When a rendering request specified by an instruction address is a rendering termination request, the rendering processing means terminates the process performed in response to the rendering request, stores a termination factor in an interruption factor register, and issues an interruption to a central processing device.