Video Adapter Alignment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016358301-A1
Application number	US-201514730313-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 4, 2015
Priority date	Jun 4, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The embodiments relate to a computer system, and management of an operating mode of a general-purpose computing on graphics processing unit (GPGPU) adapter. A tool is provided to control the function of the GPGPU adapter. The tool includes an input/output (I/O) interface operatively coupled to the GPGPU adapter. The tool further includes basic input/output system (BIOS) to determine presence of the GPGPU adapter and to interrogate the GPGPU adapter to automatically set an operating mode of the GPGPU adapter. At least two modes of the GPGPU adapter are provided. The GPGPU adapter is set to a first mode in response to determining that the GPGPU adapter is in communication with the visual display, and set to the second mode in response to determining that the GPGPU is not in communication with a visual display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a computer system comprising a processing unit operatively coupled to memory, a video device for outputting video data, and a basic input/output system (BIOS); a general-purpose computing on graphics processing unit (GPGPU) adapter; a visual display; and a tool in communication with the processing unit to control the function of the GPGPU adapter, the tool comprising:
an input/output (I/O) interface operatively coupled to the processing unit, wherein the GPGPU adapter and visual display are in communication with the I/O interface, wherein the GPGPU adapter is in communication with the I/O interface via a communication bus; and
the BIOS to determine presence of the GPGPU adapter, interrogate the GPGPU adapter, and automatically set an operating mode of the GPGPU adapter, the mode including a first mode and a second mode;
wherein interrogation includes determining that the GPGPU adapter is in communication with the visual display, and wherein the GPGPU adapter is set to the first mode in response to determining that the GPGPU adapter is in communication with the visual display and automatically set to the second mode if the adapter is not in communication with the visual display.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first mode of the GPGPU adapter is a graphics mode to output video data at a first resolution, and the second mode of the GPGPU adapter is a computational mode to accelerate mathematical operations and to output video data at a second resolution.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising the BIOS to automatically re-initialize the GPGPU adapter to operate in the first mode following reading of extended display identification data (EDID) information provided to the BIOS by the visual display.

4 . The system of claim 3 , further comprising the GPGPU adapter to output video at the first resolution from the GPGPU adapter, and the BIOS to disable the video device.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the on-board video device is a video application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)

6 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising the BIOS setting the GPGPU adapter to the second mode in response to determining that the GPGPU adapter is not in communication with the visual display.

7 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising, in response to the GPGPU adapter being set to the second mode, the video device to output video data and the GPGPU adapter performing computations.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein setting the GPGPU adapter to the second mode includes the BIOS to automatically re-initialize the GPGPU adapter to operate in the second mode.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication bus is a PCIe bus.

10 . A method comprising:
a basic input/output system (BIOS) determining presence of a general-purpose computing on graphics processing unit (GPGPU) adapter; interrogating the GPGPU adapter, including determining that the GPGPU adapter is in communication with a visual display; and automatically setting an operating mode of the GPGPU adapter, the mode including a first mode and a second mode; wherein the GPGPU adapter is set to the first mode in response to determining that the GPGPU adapter is in communication with the visual display and automatically set to the second mode if the adapter is not in communication with the visual display.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first mode of the GPGPU adapter is a graphics mode to output video data at a first resolution, and the second mode of the GPGPU adapter is a computational mode to accelerate mathematical operations and to output video data at a second resolution.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising the BIOS automatically re-initializing the GPGPU adapter to operate in the first mode following reading of extended display identification data (EDID) information provided by the visual display.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising outputting video at the first resolution from the GPGPU adapter, and the BIOS disabling a video device for outputting video data.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further wherein setting the GPGPU adapter to the second mode includes the BIOS automatically re-initializing the GPGPU adapter to operate in the second mode.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising outputting video associated with the video device, and using the GPGPU adapter to perform computations.

16 . A computer program product for controlling a function of a general-purpose computing on graphics processing unit (GPGPU) adapter, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device having program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by a processing unit to:
determine, by a basic input/output system (BIOS), presence of a general-purpose computing on graphics processing unit (GPGPU) adapter; interrogate the GPGPU adapter, including determining that the GPGPU adapter is in communication with a visual display; and automatically set an operating mode of the GPGPU adapter in response to the interrogation, the mode including a first mode and a second mode; wherein the GPGPU adapter is set to the first mode in response to determining that the GPGPU adapter is in communication with the visual display and automatically set to the second mode in response to determining that the adapter is not in communication with the visual display.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the first mode of the GPGPU adapter is a graphics mode to output video data at a first resolution, and the second mode of the GPGPU adapter is a computational mode to accelerate mathematical operations and to output video data at a second resolution.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising the BIOS automatically re-initializing the GPGPU adapter to operate in the first mode following reading of extended display identification data (EDID) information provided by the visual display.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising outputting video at the first resolution from the GPGPU adapter, and the BIOS disabling a video device for outputting video data.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein setting the GPGPU adapter to the second mode includes the BIOS automatically re-initializing the GPGPU adapter to operate in the second mode.

Assignees

• Lenovo Entpr Solutions Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Alshinnawi Shareef F
• Cudak Gary D
• Fanchiang Samuel
• Suffern Edward S
• Weber John M

Classifications

• G09G2370/22

  Detection of presence or absence of input display information or of connection or disconnection of a corresponding information source · CPC title

• G09G2370/042

  for monitor identification · CPC title

• G09G2360/121

  using a cache memory · CPC title

• G09G2360/08

  Power processing, i.e. workload management for processors involved in display operations, such as CPUs or GPUs · CPC title

• G06F3/1407 Primary

  General aspects irrespective of display type, e.g. determination of decimal point position, display with fixed or driving decimal point, suppression of non-significant zeros · CPC title