System and method for dynamic video mode switching
AssigneenComputing Inc.
InventorsFranco Eulogio Mau, Sangyong Park, Anita Chowdhry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The video output system in a computer system reads pixel information from a frame buffer to generate a video output signal. However, the video output system must often compete with other memory users in order to access a frame buffer in a shared memory system. When memory bandwidth resources are limited, the performance of a computer system will suffer. To reduce the performance drop, a dynamic color mode switching system has been introduced. The dynamic color mode switching system detects when memory bandwidth resources are limited and then instructs the video output system to switch to a color mode that reduces the amount of reads from the memory system without any user intervention.
Claims20
A digital video display system, the digital video display system comprising:
- a first memory buffer, the first memory buffer configured to store a set of most significant bits for a set of pixels;
- a second memory buffer, second memory buffer configured to store a set of least significant bits for the set of pixels;
- a video output generator, the video output generator for reading pixel data from the first and second memory buffers and generating video output;
- and
- a resource monitor, the resource monitor configured to:
- monitor memory resources of the digital video display system, the memory resources including memory bandwidth of the digital video display system;
- instruct the video output generator to read the set of pixels from the first memory buffer and the second memory buffer, and
- detect a memory bandwidth limitation in the memory resources;
- responsive to detecting the memory bandwidth limitation, instruct the video output generator to read from the first memory buffer, and concurrently ceasing to read the second memory buffer for the set of pixels;
- detect the memory bandwidth limitation has ended;
- and
- responsive to detecting the memory bandwidth limitation has ended, providing the timer controlled hysteresis and instructing the video output generator to concurrently read from the first memory buffer and the second memory buffer.
A method of reading pixel information in a computer system, the method comprising:
- monitoring a memory bandwidth in the computer system with a resource monitor;
- reading pixel information from both a first memory buffer comprising a set of most significant bits for a set of pixels and a second memory buffer comprising a set of least significant bits for the set of pixels
- detect a memory bandwidth limitation in the memory resources;
- responsive to detecting the memory bandwidth limitation in the memory resources, instructing a video output generator to read from the first memory buffer, and concurrently instructing the second memory buffer to cease reading the second memory buffer for the set of pixels;
- detect the memory bandwidth limitation has ended;
- and
- responsive to detecting the memory bandwidth limitation has ended, providing the timer controlled hysteresis and instructing the video output generator to concurrently read from the first memory buffer and the second memory buffer.
A method of reading pixel information in a computer system, the method comprising:
- monitoring a memory resource usage in the computer system with a resource monitor;
- detecting a memory bandwidth limitation in the memory resource;
- responsive to detecting the memory bandwidth limitation, instructing a video output generator to read most significant bits from a first memory buffer, and concurrently instructing a second memory buffer to cease reading lease significant bits
- detect the memory bandwidth limitation has ended;
- and
- responsive to detecting the memory bandwidth limitation has ended, providing a timer controlled hysteresis and instructing the video output generator to concurrently read from the first memory buffer and the second memory buffer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.