Automatic detection of performance bottlenecks in a graphics system

A non-transitory memory medium comprising program instructions for analyzing a graphics application executing on a target device, wherein during execution the graphics application generates graphics commands to a graphics system for generation of graphics on a display, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

• perform low cost measurement of graphics performance of the graphics application during execution of the graphics application using the graphics system;
• determine if the measured graphics performance indicates a performance issue;
• and
• in response to determination of the performance issue, perform high cost measurement of the graphics performance of the graphics application using the graphics system,
• wherein the high cost measurement of the graphics performance of the graphics application using the graphics system is used to improve graphics performance of the graphics application.

A device, comprising:

• a display for presenting graphics;
• a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to the display;
• a graphics processing unit (GPU) coupled to the CPU and display;
• and
• at least one memory coupled to each of the CPU and the GPU, wherein the memory stores a graphics application, a graphics framework, and a measurement application, wherein the graphics application executes on the CPU and provides graphics framework commands to the graphics framework, wherein execution of the graphics application invokes operation of the GPU in generating graphics data for presentation on the display,
• wherein the measurement application is executable on the CPU to:
• measure graphics performance of the graphics application during execution of the graphics application, wherein said measuring is performed at a first level;
• and
• in response to a trigger, record a command stream of graphics framework commands provided to the graphics framework,
• wherein the command stream is usable to identify performance issues of the graphics application.

A method performed on a host device for analyzing a graphics application executing on a target device, wherein the target device is coupled to the host device, the method comprising:

• initiating execution of the graphics application on the target device, wherein the graphics application generates graphics commands to the graphics system for generation of graphics on a display;
• initiating low cost measurement of graphics performance of the graphics application executing on the target device;
• receiving low cost measurement data from the target device after said initiating the low cost measurement, wherein the low cost measurement data indicates graphics performance during execution of the graphics application using the graphics system;
• analyzing the low cost measurement data to determine presence of a performance issue;
• and
• initiating high cost measurement of graphics performance of the graphics application executing on the target device, wherein said initiating high cost measurement is performed in response to determining presence of a performance issue;
• wherein the high cost measurement is used to improve graphics performance of the graphics application.

A non-transitory memory medium storing program instructions for analyzing a graphics application executing on a target device, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

• initiate execution of the graphics application on the target device, wherein the graphics application generates graphics commands to the graphics system for generation of graphics on a display;
• initiate measurement of graphics performance of the graphics application executing on the target device at a first level;
• receive user input to initiate measurement of the graphics performance of the graphics application at a second level;
• and
• initiate measurement of graphics performance of the graphics application executing on the target device at a second level, wherein said initiating measurement at the second level is performed in response to the user input, wherein measurement of the graphics performance at the second level is more intrusive than measurement of the graphics performance at the first level;
• wherein the measurement of the graphics performance at the second level is used to improve graphics performance of the graphics application.