Variable Resolution Graphics Processing via Active Color Samples

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional graphics processing for wide field of view displays is inefficient due to uniform pixel density across the screen, leading to excessive processing in edge and corner regions compared to central regions, resulting in inefficiencies and suboptimal rendering quality.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a graphics processing system that varies the number of active color samples per pixel across different regions of the screen through metadata, allowing pixel shaders to be invoked only for active samples, thereby reducing processing load in low-resolution regions and maintaining high-quality rendering without modifying the underlying image data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If uniform pixel density is used across the entire screen, then rendering consistency is maintained, but processing efficiency deteriorates due to excessive computation in edge and corner regions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverendering efficiencyVSAvoidrendering consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by varying the number of color samples processed per pixel based on screen location. Central pixels process all 4 color samples while edge pixels process only 2-3 samples and corner pixels process only 1-2 samples. This creates location-dependent processing quality that matches human visual perception, improving rendering efficiency without sacrificing perceived image quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If full color sample count is processed for all pixels, then image quality is maintained, but processing load increases excessively in low-importance regions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidprocessing load

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements partial action by processing only the necessary number of color samples for each pixel based on its screen location. Instead of uniformly processing all 4 color samples across the entire screen, the system processes fewer samples in edge and corner regions where visual importance is lower, reducing overall processing load while maintaining adequate image quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If variable pixel density is implemented, then processing efficiency improves, but system complexity increases due to metadata management

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing metadata that defines the variable pixel density configuration before rendering begins. The metadata contains pre-determined information about which pixels should process how many color samples, eliminating the need for complex real-time calculations during rendering and reducing system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11302054B2Varying effective resolution by screen location by changing active color sample count within multiple render targets

Publication Date: 2022.04.12 SONY COMP ENTERTAINMENT EURO LTD

AI summary

A graphics processing unit (GPU) is configured to receive metadata specifying an active sample configuration for a particular region of a display device among a plurality of regions of the display device and receive pixel data for one or more pixels in the particular region. The pixel data specifies the same number of color samples for each pixel. For each pixel in the particular region, the GPU invokes a pixel shader only for color samples specified to be active samples by the configuration.