Parameter FIFO

A method for controlling the displaying of image frames on a display device, the method comprising:

• writing frame packets into system memory, wherein each frame packet of the frame packets comprises respective parameter settings to control displaying an image frame;
• writing direct memory access (DMA) descriptors into the system memory, each DMA descriptor associated with a respective memory location that contains a frame packet;
• issuing a DMA request from a display pipe to transfer a next frame packet of the frame packets from the system memory into a parameter buffer in the display pipe, wherein the display pipe is configured to provide image frames to a display controller;
• in response to the DMA request, transferring the next frame packet to the parameter buffer according to the DMA descriptor associated with the memory location that contains the next frame packet.

A graphics system comprising:

• a display pipe configured to generate image frames according to image frame information;
• a plurality of frame buffers configured to store the image frame information;
• a plurality of packet buffers, wherein each respective packet buffer of the plurality of packet buffers is:
• associated with a respective frame buffer of the plurality of frame buffers;
• and
• configured to store respective one or more parameter settings corresponding to a respective image frame represented by the image frame information stored in the respective frame buffer that is associated with the respective packet buffer;
• and
• a plurality of transfer buffers, wherein each transfer buffer of the plurality of transfer buffers is:
• associated with a respective packet buffer;
• and
• configured to store a respective direct memory access (DMA) descriptor for transferring the respective one or more parameter settings stored in the respective packet buffer associated with the transfer buffer;
• wherein the graphics system is configured to transfer the respective one or more parameter settings from each given packet buffer to the display pipe according to the respective DMA descriptor stored in the respective transfer buffer associated with the given packet buffer.