Steering Display Configuration Between Motherboard and Discrete GPUs
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current multi-GPU systems lack a seamless mechanism for transitioning between integrated and enhanced graphics subsystems, requiring cumbersome rebooting and re-enumeration of display devices, and are unable to detect hot-plug events or access display configuration information when the discrete GPU is powered down.
Innovation Solution
A method that asserts a select signal to steer display configuration information from a discrete GPU to a motherboard GPU when the discrete GPU is unavailable, allowing the motherboard GPU to access and validate the display configuration, enabling seamless switching and access to external display devices even when the discrete GPU is powered down.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the discrete GPU is powered down to reduce power consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but access to display configuration information and hot-plug event detection is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a select signal mechanism that acts as an intermediary, allowing the mGPU to access display configuration information from the dGPU even when the dGPU is powered down. The select signal steers the display configuration information routing to enable the mGPU to read the information without requiring the dGPU to remain powered on.
2Adaptability or versatility
If switching between graphics subsystems is implemented in conventional multi-GPU systems, then graphics subsystem flexibility is improved, but system complexity and operation difficulty increase due to rebooting and re-enumeration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent validates display configuration information in advance before the actual switch between graphics subsystems occurs. This preliminary validation ensures that when switching from dGPU to mGPU (or vice versa), the system already has verified configuration data ready, eliminating the need for rebooting and re-enumeration during the switch.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the dGPU is powered down to save energy, then power efficiency is improved, but the add-on display device becomes inaccessible
Solution Approach 1:
The select signal mechanism serves as an intermediary that allows the mGPU to access the add-on display device through the dGPU's display configuration information even when the dGPU is powered down. This enables continuous display device accessibility without requiring the dGPU to remain powered on.
4Reliability
If seamless transition between graphics subsystems is implemented, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional steering and validation mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The select signal mechanism is designed to be a universal steering solution that can route display configuration information between multiple graphics subsystems (mGPU and dGPU) using a single standardized approach. This multi-functional design reduces overall system complexity compared to implementing separate switching mechanisms for each graphics subsystem.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for accessing display configuration information in a multi-graphics-processing-unit (multi-GPU) system, which includes the steps of asserting a select signal to steer the display configuration information of a display device, which is coupled to a discrete GPU (dGPU), to a motherboard GPU (mGPU) in the multi-GPU system if dGPU is unavailable, and validating the display configuration information prior to availing the dGPU or the display device as an option to be selected.