System and method for handling display device requests for display data from a frame buffer

A graphics system comprising:

• a frame buffer, wherein the frame buffer comprises a plurality of banks of memory;
• a processing device coupled to the frame buffer and configured to access data in the frame buffer;
• a frame buffer interface coupled to the frame buffer;
• an output controller coupled to the frame buffer interface and configured to provide display data to a display device, wherein the output controller is configured to assert a first request for display data, wherein the first request for display data targets a first one of the banks of memory;
• wherein the frame buffer interface is configured to receive the first request for display data from the output controller and to delay providing the first request for display data to the frame buffer if the processing device is currently requesting access to the first one of the banks of the frame buffer targeted by the first request for display data;
• wherein the frame buffer interface is also configured to receive a second request from the output controller;
• wherein the frame buffer interface is configured to provide the second request to the frame buffer a pre-selected number of cycles after providing the first request to the frame buffer;
• and
• wherein the frame buffer interface is configured to initiate a second request timer in response to receiving the second request, wherein the frame buffer interface is configured to provide the second request to the frame buffer in response to the second timer expiring, wherein the processing device is requesting access to the portion of the frame buffer targeted by the second request when the second timer expires.

A graphics system comprising:

• means for storing graphics data;
• means for processing graphics data, wherein the means for processing graphics data are configured to assert a first request for graphics data stored in the means for storing graphics data;
• means for outputting graphics data to a display device, wherein the means for outputting graphics data are configured to assert a second request for graphics data stored in the means for storing graphics data;
• means for handling requests, wherein the means for handling requests are coupled to the means for storing graphics data, the means for processing graphics data, and the means for outputting graphics data;
• wherein if a first request is targeting a first portion of the means for storing graphics data and a second request is also targeting the first portion, the means for handling requests are configured to first provide the first request to the means for storing graphics data, then provide the second request to the means for storing graphics data a pre-selected number of cycles after providing the first request to the means for storing graphics data or after a timer initiated when the second request was received by the means for handling requests has expired.

A method of operating a graphics system, the method comprising:

• storing graphics data in a frame buffer;
• processing graphics data, wherein the processing device is configured to assert a first request for graphics data stored in the frame buffer;
• outputting graphics data to a display device, wherein said outputting is controlled by an output controller and is configured to assert a second request for graphics data stored in the frame buffer;
• handling requests in a frame buffer interface, wherein the frame buffer interface is coupled to the frame buffer, the processing device, and the output controller, wherein if a first request targets a first portion of the frame buffer and a second request also targets the first portion, the frame buffer interface is configured to first provide the first request to the frame buffer, then provide the second request to the frame buffer a pre-selected number of cycles after providing the first request or after a second request timer initiated when the second request was received by the frame buffer interface has expired.