3D Window System Texture Memory Redirection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional 3D window systems face inefficiencies in processing speed and memory usage due to the slow strategy of rendering 2D graphics to host virtual memory and then copying to texture memory, which burdens the host computer and increases memory consumption.

Innovation Solution

A 3D window system that directs 2D rendering directly into texture memory of a graphics device, using a window server to convert 2D graphics API commands and leveraging hardware acceleration, thereby reducing memory footprint and processing time by eliminating the need for intermediate memory copies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If 2D graphics are rendered to host virtual memory and then copied to texture memory, then the rendering can be performed using conventional 2D window systems, but the processing speed is slow and memory consumption is high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverendering speedVSAvoidmemory consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the intermediate host virtual memory step from the traditional rendering pipeline. By using render-to-texture functionality, 2D graphics are rendered directly into texture memory without being first created in host virtual memory, thereby eliminating the need for the intermediate copy operation and reducing memory consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the graphics device's texture memory serve dual purposes: it functions both as texture storage for 3D graphics and as the target buffer for 2D graphics rendering. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate host virtual memory allocation for 2D rendering, improving both speed and memory efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If 2D graphics are rendered to host virtual memory and then copied to texture memory, then compatibility with conventional 2D window systems is maintained, but the host computer bears the computational burden of 2D rendering

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility with conventional 2D window systemsVSAvoidcomputational burden on host computer

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a modified device driver as an intermediary layer between the conventional 2D window system and the graphics device. This driver translates conventional 2D rendering commands into render-to-texture operations, maintaining compatibility with conventional applications while offloading the actual rendering computation to the graphics device's hardware.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the software-based 2D rendering mechanism (which runs on the host CPU) with hardware-based rendering using the graphics device's dedicated rendering engine. This substitution transfers the computational burden from the host computer to the specialized graphics hardware, significantly reducing the host's processing load.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS7583269B2Window system 2D graphics redirection using direct texture rendering

Publication Date: 2009.09.01 ORACLE AMERICAN INC

AI summary

The 3D window system utilizes hardware accelerated window system rendering to eliminate the pixel copy step of 3D window system output redirection. The 3D window system includes a window server that directs the window system device driver graphics routines to render into the texture memory of a graphics device.