Texture Management Unit Slice-Major Data Organization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current graphics processing systems face inefficiencies in texture data management due to memory latency and inefficient storage of texture tile data, leading to delays in processing graphics data.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a graphics processing system with a texture management unit that organizes texture map data in a slice-major format, allowing slices with the same level of detail to be grouped together and stored in a texture cache, reducing memory access time by optimizing storage and retrieval of texture data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If texture data is stored in system memory, then memory capacity is sufficient, but memory access time increases due to shared resource contention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory access timeVSAvoidmemory capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The texture data is segmented into multiple mip levels (LOD 0-11), with each level containing slices of varying resolutions. This segmentation allows the texture management unit to selectively load only the required mip level slices into the texture cache based on current rendering needs, rather than loading all texture data at once

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a hierarchical nested structure where texture data is organized as mip levels containing slices, which contain tiles. The texture cache stores nested mip level slices within allocated memory regions. This nested organization enables efficient memory management by allowing the system to access specific nested levels without loading the entire texture hierarchy into memory

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Loss of time

If texture data is organized in traditional formats, then storage is simple, but memory latency increases due to inefficient retrieval patterns

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory latencyVSAvoiddata organization complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The texture data is pre-organized into a slice-major format during texture upload, with slices arranged in ascending order of their base texture coordinates. Mip level slices are pre-grouped and prepared in the texture management unit before being transferred to the texture cache. This preliminary organization eliminates the need for complex runtime reordering operations and enables direct mapping to cache memory addresses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the traditional texture data organization by introducing a slice-major ordering dimension. Instead of organizing data by traditional tile-based or row-major formats, the system reorganizes texture data along the slice dimension, creating a new organizational axis that optimizes for the specific access patterns required by the graphics rendering pipeline

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Loss of energy

If texture slices are stored in traditional formats, then memory addressing is straightforward, but smaller slices waste memory space by occupying entire tiles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewasted memory spaceVSAvoidmemory addressing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The texture cache allocation is customized for each mip level slice based on its specific size requirements. Rather than allocating fixed-size tiles for all slices, the system allocates memory regions that precisely match the dimensions of each mip level slice. This local customization ensures that small slices do not waste memory space while large slices receive adequate allocation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts memory allocation parameters based on the actual size of each mip level slice. The texture management unit calculates the precise memory requirements for each slice and adjusts the allocation accordingly, changing the memory parameters from fixed-size tiles to variable-size allocations that match the actual data dimensions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Productivity

If dedicated texture processing circuits are added, then texture processing capability improves, but hardware gate usage increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetexture processing capabilityVSAvoidhardware gate usage

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The texture management unit performs self-service by automatically organizing, sorting, and managing texture data in the slice-major format without requiring external intervention or complex dedicated processing circuits. The system uses the existing graphics processing pipeline resources efficiently, allowing the texture management unit to handle organization tasks that would otherwise require additional hardware

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS7965296B2Systems and methods for storing texture map data

Publication Date: 2011.06.21 VIA TECH INC

AI summary

Systems and methods for graphics data management are described. One embodiment includes a graphics processing system comprising a texture management unit configured to organize texture map data according to a slice major format, wherein the texture map data spans at least one mip level. Furthermore, the graphics processing system comprises a texture cache, wherein the texture cache is coupled to the texture management unit and configured to receive the organized texture map data from the texture management unit.