Virtual Hybrid Texture Mapping for Gaming Consoles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gaming consoles with static hardware resources are limited in their ability to render high-quality graphics, as they are not upgradeable, leading to constraints in computing power and graphics rendering capabilities.

Innovation Solution

A method that allocates graphical resources between local computing resources and external cloud computing resources to render graphical images, using 3D texture mapping to offload calculations to a data center for enhanced details, allowing for dynamic upgrading of graphics processing and redundancy in case of network loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If local computing resources are used for rendering, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision and rendering quality deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidrendering quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The rendering process is segmented into two parts: basic rendering performed locally on the gaming console and enhanced texture mapping performed remotely on cloud computing resources. This segmentation allows the system to maintain operational simplicity while achieving high rendering quality by distributing different rendering tasks to appropriate computing environments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A hybrid rendering system acts as an intermediary between local computing resources and cloud computing resources. This intermediary coordinates the division of rendering tasks, sending texture mapping requests to the cloud and combining results with locally rendered images, thereby resolving the contradiction between local operational simplicity and remote rendering quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If external cloud computing resources are used for texture mapping, then rendering quality is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverendering qualityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The gaming console is equipped with multi-functional capabilities that allow it to operate in both standalone mode (using only local resources) and hybrid mode (combining local and cloud resources). This universality enables the system to adapt to different operational scenarios without requiring completely different hardware configurations, thereby managing complexity while maintaining rendering quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The rendering architecture is designed to be dynamic, allowing the system to flexibly allocate rendering tasks between local and cloud resources based on available network connectivity, computational requirements, and performance targets. This dynamic allocation optimizes rendering quality while managing device complexity through adaptive resource management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If cloud computing resources are allocated for graphics rendering, then productivity is improved, but loss of information increases due to network dependency

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveproductivityVSAvoidloss of information
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements redundancy by maintaining local computing resources that can serve as a backup when cloud connectivity is unavailable. This beforehand cushioning ensures that critical rendering functions can continue locally using cached or previously processed data, preventing information loss and maintaining productivity during network disruptions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes operational parameters based on network availability. When network connectivity is reliable, the system maximizes cloud resource utilization for enhanced productivity. When connectivity deteriorates, the system adjusts by increasing local processing比重, thereby maintaining continuous operation and preventing information loss through adaptive parameter adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS10818068B2Virtual hybrid texture mapping
Publication Date: 2020.10.27 VMWARE INC
  • US10818068B2 patent drawing
  • US10818068B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A gaming device is configured to provide virtual hybrid texture mapping, which provides a type of virtual placeholder that can be filled in using cloud computing resources. The virtual placeholders are filled in to create more detailed textures whose calculated are offloaded to a cloud computing service provider data center's cluster.