EP0524468A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High definition multimedia display
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1992-07-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-07-03
Abstract
Abstract An image display system (10) includes an image buffer (20,22) having a plurality of addressable locations for storing image pixel data. The system further includes circuitry (24,34,36) coupled to an output of the image buffer for converting image pixel data read therefrom to electrical signals for driving an image display (18). The circuitry is responsive to signals generated by an image display controller (16) for generating one of a plurality of different timing formats for the electrical signals for driving an image display having a specified display resolution. The apparatus further includes circuitry (40,42) for configuring the image buffer in accordance with the specified display resolution. The image buffer is configurable, by example, as two, 2048 location by 1024 location by 24-bit buffers and one 2048 location by 1024 location by 16-bit buffer; or as two, 2048 location by 2048 location by 24-bit buffers and one 2048 location by 2048 location by 16-bit buffer. Each of the 24-bit buffers store R,G,B pixel data and the 16-bit buffers each store a color index (CI) value and an associated window identifier (WID) value. Circuitry at the output of the image buffer decodes CI and WID values into R,G,B pixel data and a Key value specifying pixel mixing.
Inventors
- 👤 Sung Min Choi
- 👤 Leon Lumelsky
- 👤 Alan Wesley Peevers
- 👤 John Louis Pittas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 20:56
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G5/00; G09G5/14; G09G5/02; G09G5/026; G09G5/36; G09G5/39; G09G2340/00; G09G2340/12; G09G2340/125
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
Image display apparatus, comprising: image buffer means having a plurality of addressable locations for storing image pixel data; means, having an input coupled to an output of said image buffer means, for converting image pixel data read therefrom to electrical signals for driving an image display means so as to display image pixels, said converting means including means, responsive to signals generated by an image display control means, for generating one of a plurality of different timing formats for the electrical signals for driving an image display means having a specified display resolution; and means, responsive to signals generated by the image display control means, for configuring said image buffer means in accordance with the specified display resolution.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
110 words
Image display apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said configuring means configures said image buffer means as two, 2048 location by 1024 location by 24-bit buffers and one 2048 location by 1024 location by 16-bit buffer; or as two, 2048 location by 2048 location by 24-bit buffers and one 2048 location by 2048 location by 16-bit buffer; or as four, 2048 location by 1024 location by 24-bit buffers and two 2048 location by 1024 location by 16-bit buffers and wherein the 24-bit buffers preferably each store R,G,B pixel data and wherein the 16-bit buffers each store a color index (CI) value and an associated window identifier (WID) value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
Image display apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said converting means includes means for decoding a CI value and an associated WID value, read from said image buffer means, for providing R,G,B pixel data at an output of the decoding means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
138 words
Image display apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and further comprising: first interface means having an input for receiving image pixel data expressed in a first format and having an output coupled to said image buffer means for storing the received image pixel data in a R,G,B format; second interface means having an input for receiving image pixel data expressed in a second format and having an output coupled to said image buffer means for storing the received image pixel data in a R,G,B format; and third interface means having an input coupled to the image display control means for receiving image pixel data expressed in the CI and WID format and having an output coupled to said image buffer means for storing the received image pixel data in the CI and WID format.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
Image display apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the decoding means further decodes the CI value and the associated WID value to provide a key signal specifying, for an associated image pixel, a contribution of the R,G,B data from the first interface means, a contribution of the R,G,B data from the second interface means, and a contribution of the R,G,B, data output by the decoding means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
Image display apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein said first interface means comprises means for coupling to a communications bus for receiving the image pixel data therefrom, wherein the communications bus transfers image pixel data to the first interface means in a raster scan order.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
67 words
Image display apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the communications bus further transfers information to the first interface means for specifying coordinates of an initial display screen location of the image pixel data, and wherein said first interface means includes means for causing said image buffer means to store the image pixel data beginning at an addressable location that corresponds to the coordinate specifying information.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
Image display apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein said second interface means includes means for coupling to a source of a High Definition Television (HDTV) signal, said coupling means including means for converting the HDTV signal to R,G,B.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
226 words
Image display apparatus, comprising: image buffer means having a plurality of addressable locations for storing image pixel data; means, having an input coupled to an output of said image buffer means, for converting image pixel data read therefrom to electrical signals suitable for driving an image display means so as to display the image pixels; first interface means having an input for receiving an image signal expressed in a first format and having an output coupled to said image buffer means for storing the received image signal therein; second interface means having an input for receiving an image signal expressed in a second format and having an output coupled to said image buffer means for storing the received image signal therein; and third interface means having an input for receiving an image signal expressed in a third format and having an output coupled to said image buffer means for storing the received image signal therein; wherein the image signal stored from said third interface means includes information for specifying, for each displayed image pixel, a contribution from the image signal received by each of the first interface means, the second interface means, and the third interface means; and wherein said converting means preferably comprises means for generating a plurality of different timing formats for the electrical signals for driving image display means having different display resolutions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
70 words
Image display apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said first interface means includes means for coupling to a communications bus, which preferably operates in accordance with an electrical specification known as a High Performance Parallel Interface (HPPI), for receiving the image signal expressed in the first format therefrom and wherein the communications bus transfers preferably image pixel data to the first interface means in a raster scan order.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
Image display apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein the communications bus further transfers information to the first interface means for specifying coordinates of an initial display screen location of the image pixel data, and wherein said first interface means includes means for causing said image buffer means to store the image pixel data beginning at an addressable location that corresponds to the coordinate specifying information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
87 words
Image display apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein said second interface means includes means for coupling to a source of a High Definition Television (HDTV) signal, said coupling means including means for converting the HDTV signal to a R,G,B digital signal prior to the storage of the received image signal within said image buffer means and wherein said coupling means preferably further comprises means for coupling the converted HDTV signal to means for transmitting the converted HDTV signal to a communications bus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
66 words
Image display apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said first interface means includes means for coupling to a communications bus for receiving the image signal expressed in the first format therefrom, and wherein the transmitted converted HDTV signal is received by means external to the image display apparatus and is subsequently transmitted from the external means to the first interface means for reception thereby.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
Image display apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the first format is a R,G,B format, wherein said second interface means includes means for coupling to a source of a High Definition Television (HDTV) signal, and wherein said second interface means for converting the HDTV signal to the first format prior to the storage of the received image signal within said image buffer means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
Image display apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the first format is a R,G,B format, wherein the third format includes information for specifying a color index, and wherein said converting means includes means for converting the color index to the first format.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
166 words
Image display apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 15, wherein the first format is a R,G,B format, wherein second interface means includes means for converting the received image signal to the R,G,B format prior to the storage of the received image signal within said image buffer means, wherein the third format includes information for specifying a color index (CI) and an image display means display screen window identifier (WID), wherein said image buffer means is partitioned into a first buffer means for storing pixel data that specifies two colors of the R,G,B format, and wherein said image buffer means is partitioned into a second buffer means for storing a third color of the R,G,B format and also for storing the information specifying the CI and the WID and wherein said converting means preferably comprises means for decoding a CI value and an associated WID value, read from the second buffer means, for providing R,G,B pixel data at an output of the decoding means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
68 words
Image display apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein the decoding means further decodes the CI value and the associated WID value to provide a key signal specifying, for an associated image pixel, a contribution of the R,G,B data from the first interface means, a contribution of the R,G,B data from the second interface means, and a contribution of the R,G,B, data output by the decoding means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
171 words
Image display apparatus according to any one of claims 9 to 17, wherein the first format is a R,G,B format, wherein second interface means includes means for converting the received image signal to the R,G,B format prior to the storage of the received image signal within said image buffer means, wherein the third format includes information for specifying a color index (CI) and an image display means display screen window identifier (WID), and further including means, having outputs coupled to said image buffer means, for configuring said image buffer means as two, 2048 location by 1024 location by 24-bit buffers and one 2048 location by 1024 location by 16-bit buffer; or as two, 2048 location by 2048 location by 24-bit buffers and one 2048 location by 2048 location by 16-bit buffer; or as four, 2048 location by 1024 location by 24-bit buffers and two 2048 location by 1024 location by 16-bit buffers; wherein the 24-bit buffers store R,G,B pixel data and the 16-bit buffers store the CI and the WID data.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
80 words
Image display apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said image buffer means is configured as two, 2048 location by 1024 location by 24-bit buffers and one 2048 location by 1024 location by 16-bit buffer; or as two, 2048 location by 2048 location by 24-bit buffers and one 2048 location by 2048 location by 16-bit buffer; or as four, 2048 location by 1024 location by 24-bit buffers and two 2048 location by 1024 location by 16-bit buffers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
58 words
Image display apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein the decoding means further decodes the CI value and the associated WID value to provide a key signal specifying, for an associated image pixel, a contribution of the R,G,B data from each of the 24-bit buffers and a contribution of the R,G,B, data output by the decoding means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
123 words
Image display apparatus as set forth in claim 19 or 20 and further including means for receiving, from a communications channel, image pixel data therefrom, and further including means, having an input coupled to an output of the receiving means, and an output coupled to the image buffer means, for providing the image pixel data for storage within at least one of the 24-bit buffers and wherein said communications channel preferably further transfers information for specifying coordinates of an initial display screen location of the image pixel data, and preferably comprising interface means, responsive to said coordinate specifying information, for causing said image buffer means to store the image pixel data beginning at an addressable location that corresponds to the coordinate specifying information.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
152 words
Image display apparatus according to any one of claims 19 to 21 and further including means for coupling to a source of a High Definition Television (HDTV) signal, said coupling means including means for converting the HDTV signal to image pixel data, and further including means, having an input coupled to an output of the coupling means, and an output coupled to the image buffer means, for providing the image pixel data for storage within at least one of the 24-bit buffers and preferably further comprising means for interfacing to the image display control means for receiving from said image display control means information for specifying coordinates of an initial display screen location of the image pixel data, and including interface means, responsive to said coordinate specifying information, for causing said image buffer means to store the image pixel data beginning at an addressable location that corresponds to the coordinate specifying information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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