Abstract: A novel graphics system including workload detection software is disclosed. The novel graphics system increases the voltage and frequency of the graphics hardware in an integrated graphics chipset, depending on operations performed by the hardware, for either a performance advantage or a power savings advantage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reordering memory requests for page coherency. Various data streams are frequently found in separate areas of physical memory (i.e. each data stream is found in a separate memory “page”). Because these requests from different streams become intermixed, a certain amount of latency results from the resulting page “breaks.” These page breaks occur when consecutive requests are from different data streams, requiring accesses to different memory pages. When several separate streams of data are requested by a client, page coherency between requests diminishes. A reordering device regains lost page coherency, thereby reducing the amount of latency and increasing overall system performance.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for conserving power in an electronic device. In particular, embodiments of the present invention dynamically place the memory in self-refresh and chipset clock circuits in power down mode while keeping the isochronous streams (such as display) updated and servicing bus master cycles in a power savings mode.

Abstract: A cache memory system may be is organized as a set of numbered banks. If two clients need to access the cache, a contention situation may be resolved by a contention resolution process. The contention resolution process may be based on relative priorities of the clients.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating, updating, and using guest physical address (GPA) to host physical address (HPA) shadow translation tables for translating GPAs of graphics data direct memory access (DMA) requests of a computing environment implementing a virtual machine monitor to support virtual machines. The requests may be sent through a render or display path of the computing environment from one or more virtual machines, transparently with respect to the virtual machine monitor. The creating, updating, and using may be performed by a memory controller detecting entries sent to existing global and page directory tables, forking off shadow table entries from the detected entries, and translating GPAs to HPAs for the shadow table entries.

Abstract: A computer graphics system is provided that includes a memory to store image data, a bin pointer list to store information regarding a plurality of image subscenes, and a pointer cache system to maintain data regarding the plurality of image subscenes. The pointer cache system may include a tag array section, a data array section and a decoupling section.

Abstract: A controller is described that includes wiring to transport notification that a FIFO that holds data to be used to display content on a display has reached a threshold. The controller also includes first control circuitry to turn on a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit to cause logic circuitry within the controller downstream from the PLL to begin to receive a first clock in response to the notification. The logic circuitry is to transport data read from a memory toward the FIFO. The controller also includes second control circuitry to cause the memory to use a second clock provided by the controller in response to the notification.

Abstract: A method includes detecting a trigger condition, and in response to detecting the trigger condition, reducing a voltage applied to a graphics controller component of a memory controller. The reduction in voltage may cause the voltage to be reduced below a voltage level required to maintain context information in the graphics controller component.

Abstract: A method includes detecting a trigger condition, and in response to detecting the trigger condition, reducing a voltage applied to a graphics controller component of a memory controller. The reduction in voltage may cause the voltage to be reduced below a voltage level required to maintain context information in the graphics controller component.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, an integrated device is described that employs a mechanism to control power consumption of a graphics memory controller hub (GMCH) through both voltage and frequency adjustment of clock signal received from a clock generator. The GMCH comprises a graphics core and a circuit to alter operational behavior, such as the frequency of a render clock signal supplied to the graphics core. The circuit is adapted to monitor idleness of the graphics core and reduce a frequency level of the render clock signal if the idleness exceeds a determined percentage of time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of deprioritizing a high priority client. An isochronous data stream request is generally referred to as a “high priority” client. These high priority requests are sensitive to time, such that a certain amount of data must be retrieved within a certain amount of time. The fetching of this data will cause increased latencies on lower priority clients making requests for data. A method and apparatus for deprioritizing a high priority client is needed to improve the efficiency in handling data traffic requests from both high priority and lower priority clients.

Abstract: A method includes detecting a trigger condition, and in response to detecting the trigger condition, reducing a voltage applied to a graphics controller component of a memory controller. The reduction in voltage may cause the voltage to be reduced below a voltage level required to maintain context information in the graphics controller component.

Abstract: A cache memory system may be is organized as a set of numbered banks. If two clients need to access the cache, a contention situation may be resolved by a contention resolution process. The contention resolution process may be based on relative priorities of the clients.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for conserving power in an electronic device. In particular, embodiments of the present invention dynamically place the memory in self-refresh and chipset clock circuits in power down mode while keeping the isochronous streams (such as display) updated and servicing bus master cycles in a power savings mode.

Abstract: When a processor in a computer system is placed in a low power mode, power consumption of the computer system may be further reduced by reducing power consumption of one or more components of a memory coupled to the processor and by reducing power consumption of one or more components of a controller device coupled to the memory. The processor and the controller device may share the memory.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reordering memory requests for page coherency. Various data streams are frequently found in separate areas of physical memory (i.e. each data stream is found in a separate memory “page”). Because these requests from different streams become intermixed, a certain amount of latency results from the resulting page “breaks.” These page breaks occur when consecutive requests are from different data streams, requiring accesses to different memory pages. When several separate streams of data are requested by a client, page coherency between requests diminishes. A reordering device regains lost page coherency, thereby reducing the amount of latency and increasing overall system performance.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dedicating cache entries to certain streams for performance optimization are disclosed. The method according to the present techniques comprises partitioning a cache array into one or more special-purpose entries and one or more general-purpose entries, wherein special-purpose entries are only allocated for one or more streams having a particular stream ID.

Abstract: A computer graphics system is provided that includes a memory to store image data, a bin pointer list to store information regarding a plurality of image subscenes, and a pointer cache system to maintain data regarding the plurality of image subscenes. The pointer cache system may include a tag array section, a data array section and a decoupling section.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of deprioritizing a high priority client. An isochronous data stream request is generally referred to as a “high priority” client. These high priority requests are sensitive to time, such that a certain amount of data must be retrieved within a certain amount of time. The fetching of this data will cause increased latencies on lower priority clients making requests for data. A method and apparatus for deprioritizing a high priority client is needed to improve the efficiency in handling data traffic requests from both high priority and lower priority clients.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reordering memory requests for page coherency. Various data streams are frequently found in separate areas of physical memory (i.e. each data stream is found in a separate memory “page”). Because these requests from different streams become intermixed, a certain amount of latency results from the resulting page “breaks.” These page breaks occur when consecutive requests are from different data streams, requiring accesses to different memory pages. When several separate streams of data are requested by a client, page coherency between requests diminishes. A reordering device regains lost page coherency, thereby reducing the amount of latency and increasing overall system performance.