Reducing power for 3D workloads
Various embodiments are presented herein that may reduce the workload of a system tasked with delivering frames of video data to a display generated by applications executing within the system. Applications executing within the system may generate new frames of video content at a specified frame rate known as frames per second (FPS). The CPU and/or GPU may be responsible for actually generating the frames at the specified FPS. These frames are then delivered to a display communicatively coupled with the system for rendering. Reducing the frame rate (FPS) may reduce the work being performed by the system because fewer frames may be generated within a given time period. This may be especially advantageous when the system is operating on battery power because it can extend the life of the battery.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a processor circuit; and
a graphics driver operative on the processor circuit to execute an application that generates frames of video content at a defined frame rate associated with a defined frame rate execution time, the graphics driver operative to:
calculate a time elapsed between a previous frame and a current frame to determine a current frame rate execution time;
calculate a time differential by subtracting the current frame rate execution time from the defined frame rate execution time; and
switch a processor thread associated with the application generating the current frame to a sleep state while the time differential is greater than zero (0).
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , the graphics driver operative to:
present the current frame to a display when the time differential reaches zero (0).
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , comprising:
a display communicatively coupled with the processor circuit, the display operative to render the current frame presented by the graphics driver.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a battery coupled to the processor circuit, the battery operative to provide power to the processor circuit.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , the defined frame rate being a minimum frame rate supportable by the application.
6. A apparatus comprising:
a processor circuit; and
a graphics driver operative on the processor circuit to execute an application that generates frames of video content at a defined frame rate associated with a defined frame rate execution time, the graphics driver operative to:
calculate a time elapsed between a previous frame and a current frame to determine a current frame rate execution time;
fix a reduced frame rate execution time that is between the defined frame rate execution time and the current frame rate execution time;
calculate a time differential by subtracting the current frame rate execution time from the reduced frame rate execution time; and
switch a processor thread associated with the application generating the current frame to a sleep state while the time differential is greater than zero (0).
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , comprising the graphics driver operative to:
present the current frame to a display when the time differential reaches zero (0).
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , comprising:
a display communicatively coupled with the graphics driver, the display operative to render the current frame presented by the graphics driver.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 , comprising a battery operative to power the processor circuit.
10. The apparatus of claim 6 , the graphics driver operative to determine a percentage level of remaining battery power.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , the graphics driver operative to adjust the reduced frame rate lower when the percentage level of remaining battery power is lower than a threshold percentage level.
12. The apparatus of claim 6 , the defined frame rate being a minimum frame rate supportable by the application.
13. A method, comprising:
executing an application on a central processing unit (CPU), the application operative to generate frames of video content at a defined frame rate associated with a defined frame rate execution time;
calculating a time elapsed between a previous frame and a current frame to determine a current frame rate execution time;
calculating a time differential by subtracting the current frame rate execution time from the defined frame rate execution time; and
switching a CPU thread associated with the application generating the current frame to a sleep state while the time differential is greater than zero (0).
14. The method of claim 13 , comprising:
switching the CPU thread to a sleep state only while the CPU is operating on battery power.
15. The method of claim 13 , comprising:
presenting the current frame to a display when the time differential reaches zero (0).
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the defined frame rate is a minimum frame rate supportable by the application.
17. A method, comprising:
executing an application on a central processing unit (CPU), the application operative to generate frames of video content at a defined frame rate associated with a defined frame rate execution time;
calculating a time elapsed between a previous frame and a current frame to determine a current frame rate execution time;
fixing a reduced frame rate execution time that is between the defined frame rate execution time and the current frame rate execution time;
calculating a time differential by subtracting the current frame rate execution time from the reduced frame rate execution time; and
switching a CPU thread associated with the application generating the current frame to a sleep state while the time differential is greater than zero (0).
18. The method of claim 17 , comprising:
switching the CPU thread to a sleep state only while the CPU is operating on battery power.
19. The method of claim 17 , comprising:
presenting the current frame to a display when the time differential reaches zero (0).
20. The method of claim 17 , comprising:
determining a percentage level of remaining battery power while the CPU is operating on battery power.
21. The method of claim 17 , comprising:
adjusting the reduced frame rate lower when the percentage level of remaining battery power is lower than a threshold percentage level.
22. The method of claim 17 , wherein the defined frame rate is a minimum frame rate supportable by the application.
23. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed cause a system to:
execute an application on a processor circuit, the application operative to generate frames of video content at a frame rate associated with a frame rate execution time;
determine a current frame rate execution time;
determine a time differential between the current frame rate execution time and the defined frame rate execution time; and
switch a CPU thread associated with the application generating the current frame to a sleep state for a period equal to the time differential.
24. The article of claim 23 containing instructions that when executed cause a system to:
switch the CPU thread to a sleep state only while the processor circuit is operating on battery power.
25. The article of claim 23 containing instructions that when executed cause a system to:
present the current frame to a display when the time differential reaches zero (0).
26. The article of claim 23 , wherein the defined frame rate is a minimum frame rate supportable by the application.
27. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that when executed cause a system to:
execute an application on a central processing unit (CPU), the application operative to generate frames of video content at a defined frame rate associated with a defined frame rate execution time;
determine a current frame rate execution time;
fix a reduced frame rate execution time that is lower than the current frame rate execution time;
determine a time differential between the current frame rate execution time and the reduced frame rate execution time; and
switch a CPU thread associated with the application generating the current frame to a sleep state for a period equal to the time differential.
28. The article of claim 27 containing instructions that when executed cause a system to:
switch the CPU thread to a sleep state only while the CPU is operating on battery power.
29. The article of claim 27 containing instructions that when executed cause a system to:
present the current frame to a display when the time differential reaches zero (0).
30. The article of claim 27 containing instructions that when executed cause a system to:
determine a percentage level of remaining battery power while the CPU is operating on battery power.
31. The article of claim 30 containing instructions that when executed cause a system to:
adjust the reduced frame rate lower when the percentage level of remaining battery power is lower than a threshold percentage level.
32. The article of claim 27 , wherein the defined frame rate is a minimum frame rate supportable by the application.