Shared Codec Bus Access for Data Processing Efficiency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current data processing systems, particularly graphics processing systems, face inefficiencies in compression and decompression operations, leading to increased hardware costs and energy consumption, especially in resource-limited devices like mobile phones and tablets.

Innovation Solution

A data processing system that includes a codec unit accessible via a communications bus, allowing processing units to initiate bus transactions for compression and decompression, enabling flexible and efficient control of compression and decompression operations, with the codec being able to read or write compressed data and metadata, and supporting various encoding schemes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If each processing unit has its own dedicated codec for compression and decompression operations, then processing speed and efficiency are improved, but hardware cost and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidhardware cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The codec is designed as a shared resource that can be accessed by multiple processing units through the communications bus. The codec performs compression and decompression operations for different processing units sequentially, making the single codec unit universal and multi-functional, thereby reducing hardware cost while maintaining processing capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The communications bus acts as an intermediary between processing units and the shared codec. It enables multiple processing units to access the single codec resource without direct dedicated connections, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining system productivity through efficient resource sharing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Use of energy by moving object

If data is compressed before being written to memory, then the amount of data transferred and power consumption are reduced, but compression and decompression operation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcompression and decompression operation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Data is compressed in advance before being written to memory, so that when the graphics processor needs the data, it is already in compressed form ready for storage. This preliminary compression action reduces the amount of data that needs to be transferred and stored, offsetting the initial compression time by reducing subsequent transfer and processing time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system alternates between compression operations when writing data to memory and decompression operations when reading data for processing. This periodic alternation allows the system to manage compression and decompression time efficiently, ensuring data is compressed before storage and decompressed only when needed for processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS20240086340A1Data processing systems

Publication Date: 2024.03.14 ARM LTD

AI summary

A data processing system that comprises a processing unit and a communications bus over which bus transactions to access memory can be performed is disclosed. The system includes a codec, and the processing unit can initiate over the communications bus, bus transactions that comprise the codec accessing the memory.