US5717440A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Graphic processing having apparatus for outputting FIFO vacant information
Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corp
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Filing: 1994-12-06
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Granted: 1998-02-10
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Expires: 2014-12-06
Abstract
Abstract A graphic processing system including a main memory for storing a program and information correspond to pixels, a main processor for effecting an execution processing of a program transferred from the main memory or from an external device so as to control the system, display/output devices such as a CRT device and a printer for outputting graphic information attained by controlling pixels arranged in a plurality of dimensions, a frame buffer for storing information corresponding to pixels outputted to the display/output devices, and a graphic processor for receiving a command and parameter information transferred from the main memory and/or the main processor, for generating character and graphic data in accordance with a predetermined processing procedure and for performing a transfer control including an execution of a drawing processing to transfer generated data through first and second address buses and first and second data buses to the main memory and/or the frame buffer, respectively. The system includes a bus connection switch circuit to be controlled by the graphic processor to effect a connection control between the first and second address buses and between the first and second data buses so as to enable execution of a drawing processing in the main memory connected to a bus on the main processor side and a data transfer between the main memory and the frame buffer.
Inventors
- 👤 Koyo Katsura
- 👤 Shigeru Matsuo
- 👤 Jun Sato
- 👤 Takashi Sone
- 👤 Yoshikazu Yokota
- 👤 Masahiko Kikuchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 16:09
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/20; G06T11/23; G06T1/00; G06T1/20; G09; G09G; G09G5/00; G09G5/02; G09G5/024; G09G5/36; G09G5/39; G09G5/393; G09G5/399
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
A graphic processing system for controlling a display, comprising: a central processing unit (CPU) which controls said graphic processing system by outputting commands and parameters for causing a character and graphics to be drawn on said display or an operation to be performed on data to be displayed on said display; and a processor which receives said commands and parameters and draws a character and graphics on said display or performs an operation on data to be displayed on said display in response to said commands and parameters; wherein said processor includes a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer for storing said commands and parameters received from said CPU, said FIFO buffer includes a plurality of storage areas, and wherein said processor reads out said commands and parameters from said FIFO buffer, draws a character and graphics on said display or performs an operation on data to be displayed on said display in response to said commands and parameters and outputs information to said CPU representing a number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer thereby requesting said CPU to output an amount of commands and parameters corresponding to the number of said empty storage areas represented by said information so as to fill all of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
213 words
A graphic processing system for controlling a display, comprising: a central processing unit (CPU) which controls said graphic processing system by outputting commands and parameters for causing a character and graphics to be drawn on said display or an operation to be performed on data to be displayed on said display; and a processor which receives said commands and parameters and draws a character and graphics on said display or performs an operation on data to be displayed on said display in response to said commands and parameters; wherein said processor includes a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer for storing said commands and parameters received from said CPU, said FIFO buffer includes a plurality of storage areas, and wherein said processor reads out said commands and parameters from said FIFO buffer, draws a character and graphics on said display or performs an operation on data to be displayed on said display in response to said commands and parameters and outputs information to said CPU representing a number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer thereby requesting said CPU to output an amount of commands and parameters corresponding to the number of said empty storage areas represented by said information so as to fill all of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
74 words
A graphic processing method according to claim 1, wherein said CPU includes a FIFO status register for holding information relating to the number of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer from said FIFO buffer, said information being used to control the reading out of the commands and parameters in accordance with the number of said empty storage areas which varies with inputting and outputting of data into or from said FIFO buffer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A graphic processing method according to claim 2, wherein said information relating to the number of said empty storage areas in the FIFO buffer represents a storage capacity of an area in which data are not held in the FIFO buffer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A graphic processing method according to claim 3, wherein said storage capacity is defined by the number of words of data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
174 words
A graphic processing method of controlling a display in response to commands and parameters output from a central processing unit (CPU), said commands and parameters cause a character and graphics to be drawn on said display or an operation to be performed on data to be displayed on said display, said graphic processing method comprising the steps of: storing in a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer said commands and parameters from said CPU, said FIFO buffer includes a plurality of storage areas; reading out said commands and parameters from said FIFO buffer, drawing a character or graphics on said display or performing an operation on data to be displayed on said display in response to said commands and parameters; and outputting information to said CPU representing a number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer thereby requesting said CPU to output an amount of commands and parameters corresponding to the number of said empty storage areas represented by said information so as to fill all of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
174 words
A graphic processing method of controlling a display in response to commands and parameters output from a central processing unit (CPU), said commands and parameters cause a character and graphics to be drawn on said display or an operation to be performed on data to be displayed on said display, said graphic processing method comprising the steps of: storing in a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer said commands and parameters from said CPU, said FIFO buffer includes a plurality of storage areas; reading out said commands and parameters from said FIFO buffer, drawing a character or graphics on said display or performing an operation on data to be displayed on said display in response to said commands and parameters; and outputting information to said CPU representing a number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer thereby requesting said CPU to output an amount of commands and parameters corresponding to the number of said empty storage areas represented by said information so as to fill all of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
A graphic processing method according to claim 5, wherein said CPU includes a first-in first-out (FIFO) status register for holding information relating to the number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer, said information being used to control the reading out of the commands and the parameters in accordance with the number of empty storage areas which varies with inputting and outputting of data into or from said FIFO buffer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A graphic processing method according to claim 6, wherein said information relating to the of empty storage areas in the FIFO represents a storage capacity of area in which data are not held in the FIFO buffer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A graphic processing method according to claim 7, wherein said storage capacity is defined by the number of words of data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
82 words
A graphic processing method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of: providing an indication of the status of the number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer wherein the number empty storage areas varies with inputting and outputting of data to or from the FIFO buffer; and holding in a FIFO status register the indication of status; wherein said CPU controls the reading out of the commands and parameters based on the information held in said FIFO status register.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
A graphic processing method according to claim 9, wherein said information relating to the number of empty storage areas in the FIFO represents a storage capacity of an area in which data are not held in the FIFO buffer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
A graphic processing method according to claim 10, wherein said storage capacity is defined by the number of words of data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
172 words
A graphic processor for controlling a display in response to commands and parameters output from a central processing unit (CPU), said commands and parameters cause a character and graphics to be drawn on said display or an operation to be performed on data to be displayed on said display, said graphic processor comprising: a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer for storing said commands and parameters from said CPU, said FIFO buffer includes a plurality of storage areas; and means for reading out said commands and parameters from said FIFO buffer, drawing a character and graphics on said display or performing an operation on data to be displayed on said display in response to said commands and parameters, and outputting information to said CPU representing a number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer thereby requesting said CPU to output an amount of commands and parameters corresponding to the number of said empty storage areas represented by said information so as to fill all of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
172 words
A graphic processor for controlling a display in response to commands and parameters output from a central processing unit (CPU), said commands and parameters cause a character and graphics to be drawn on said display or an operation to be performed on data to be displayed on said display, said graphic processor comprising: a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer for storing said commands and parameters from said CPU, said FIFO buffer includes a plurality of storage areas; and means for reading out said commands and parameters from said FIFO buffer, drawing a character and graphics on said display or performing an operation on data to be displayed on said display in response to said commands and parameters, and outputting information to said CPU representing a number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer thereby requesting said CPU to output an amount of commands and parameters corresponding to the number of said empty storage areas represented by said information so as to fill all of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
70 words
A graphic processor according to claim 12, wherein said CPU includes a first-in first-out (FIFO) status register for holding information relating to the number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer, said information being used to control the reading out of the commands and the parameters in accordance with the number of empty storage areas which varies with inputting and outputting of data into or from said FIFO buffer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
A graphic processor according to claim 13, wherein said information relating to the number of empty storage areas in the FIFO buffer represents a storage capacity of an area in which data are not held in the FIFO buffer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A graphic processor according to claim 14, wherein said storage capacity is defined by the number of words of data.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
82 words
A graphic processor according to claim 12, further comprising: a counter for providing an indication of the status of the number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer, wherein the number of empty storage areas varies with inputting and outputting of data to or from the FIFO buffer; and a FIFO status register for holding the indication of status; wherein said CPU controls the reading out of the commands and parameters based on the information held in said FIFO status register.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
A graphic processor according to claim 16, wherein said information relating to the number of empty storage areas in the FIFO buffer includes information indicating a storage capacity representing an area in which data are not held in the FIFO buffer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
A graphic processor according to claim 17, wherein said storage capacity is defined by the number of words of data.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
139 words
A graphic processor for responding to commands and parameters output from a central processing unit (CPU), comprising: an execution unit for drawing a character and graphics or performing an operation in response to said commands and parameters; a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer for storing commands and parameters from said CPU, said FIFO buffer includes a plurality of storage areas; and means for reading out said commands and parameters stored in said FIFO buffer, supplying said read out commands and parameters to said execution unit, and outputting information to said CPU representing a number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer thereby requesting said CPU to output an amount of commands and parameters corresponding to the number of said empty storage areas represented by said information so as to fill all of said empty area in said FIFO buffer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
139 words
A graphic processor for responding to commands and parameters output from a central processing unit (CPU), comprising: an execution unit for drawing a character and graphics or performing an operation in response to said commands and parameters; a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer for storing commands and parameters from said CPU, said FIFO buffer includes a plurality of storage areas; and means for reading out said commands and parameters stored in said FIFO buffer, supplying said read out commands and parameters to said execution unit, and outputting information to said CPU representing a number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer thereby requesting said CPU to output an amount of commands and parameters corresponding to the number of said empty storage areas represented by said information so as to fill all of said empty area in said FIFO buffer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
70 words
A graphic processor according to claim 19, wherein said CPU includes a first-in first-out (FIFO) status register for holding information relating to the number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer, said information being used to control the reading out of the commands and the parameters in accordance with the number of empty storage areas which varies with inputting and outputting of data into or from said FIFO buffer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
A graphic processor according to claim 20, wherein said information relating to the number of empty storage areas in the FIFO buffer represents a storage capacity of an area in which data are not held in the FIFO buffer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
A graphic processor according to claim 21, wherein said storage capacity is defined by the number of words of data.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
82 words
A graphic processor according to claim 19, further comprising: a counter for providing an indication of the status of the number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer wherein the number of empty storage areas varies with inputting and outputting of data to or from the FIFO buffer; and a FIFO status register for holding the indication of status; wherein said CPU controls the reading out of the commands and parameters based on the information held in said FIFO status register.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
39 words
A graphic processor according to claim 23, wherein said information relating to the number of empty storage areas in the FIFO buffer represents a storage capacity representing an area in which data are not held in the FIFO buffer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
A graphic processor according to claim 24, wherein said storage capacity is defined by the number of words of data.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
116 words
A graphic processing system comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); and a processor for receiving commands and parameters supplied from said CPU for drawing a character and graphics and performing an operation; wherein said processor includes a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer for storing said commands and parameters therein, said FIFO buffer includes a plurality of storage areas, and said CPU reads out information from said FIFO buffer representing a number of empty storage areas, in said FIFO buffer and outputs an amount of commands and parameters corresponding to the number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer represented by said information so as to fill all of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
116 words
A graphic processing system comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); and a processor for receiving commands and parameters supplied from said CPU for drawing a character and graphics and performing an operation; wherein said processor includes a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer for storing said commands and parameters therein, said FIFO buffer includes a plurality of storage areas, and said CPU reads out information from said FIFO buffer representing a number of empty storage areas, in said FIFO buffer and outputs an amount of commands and parameters corresponding to the number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer represented by said information so as to fill all of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
73 words
A graphic processor according to claim 26, wherein said CPU includes a FIFO status register for holding information relating to the number of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer from said FIFO buffer, said information being used to control the reading out of the commands and parameters in accordance with the number of said empty storage areas which varies with inputting and outputting of data into or from said FIFO buffer.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
40 words
A graphic processor according to claim 27, wherein said information relating to the number of said empty storage areas in the FIFO buffer represents a storage capacity of an area in which data are not held in the FIFO buffer.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
A graphic processor according to claim 28, wherein said storage capacity is defined by the number of words of data.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
82 words
A graphic processor according to claim 26, further comprising: a counter for providing an indication of the status of the number of empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer wherein the number of empty storage areas varies with inputting and outputting of data to or from the FIFO buffer; and a FIFO status register for holding the indication of status; wherein said CPU controls the reading out of the commands and parameters based on the information held in said FIFO status register.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
41 words
A graphic processor according to claim 30, wherein said information relating to the number of empty storage areas in the FIFO buffer includes information indicating a storage capacity representing an area in which data are not held in the FIFO buffer.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
A graphic processor according to claim 31, wherein said storage capacity is defined by the number of words of data.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
145 words
A graphic processing system comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); and a graphic processor for receiving commands and parameters supplied from said CPU for drawing a character and graphics and performing an operation; wherein said graphic processor, including a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer for storing said commands and parameters therein, said FIFO buffer includes a plurality of storage areas, determines whether an empty storage area exists in said FIFO buffer and a number of said empty storage areas, and outputs information indicating that an empty area exists in said FIFO buffer and the number of said empty storage areas to said CPU thereby requesting said CPU to output an amount of commands and parameters corresponding to the number of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer represented by said information so as to fill all of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
145 words
A graphic processing system comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); and a graphic processor for receiving commands and parameters supplied from said CPU for drawing a character and graphics and performing an operation; wherein said graphic processor, including a first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer for storing said commands and parameters therein, said FIFO buffer includes a plurality of storage areas, determines whether an empty storage area exists in said FIFO buffer and a number of said empty storage areas, and outputs information indicating that an empty area exists in said FIFO buffer and the number of said empty storage areas to said CPU thereby requesting said CPU to output an amount of commands and parameters corresponding to the number of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer represented by said information so as to fill all of said empty storage areas in said FIFO buffer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-02-09 | 2001-08-11 | 2002-02-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-02-09 | 2005-08-11 | 2006-02-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-02-09 | 2009-08-11 | 2010-02-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |