US6864900B2
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US
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Panning while displaying a portion of the frame buffer image
Assignee: Oracle America Inc
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Filing: 2001-05-18
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Granted: 2005-03-08
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Expires: 2021-05-18
Abstract
Abstract A graphics system and method for panning from one portion of a stored image to another portion of the image includes a frame buffer, one or more display devices, one or more raster parameter registers, and one or more raster parameter updaters. The image is stored in the frame buffer and each display device is configured to display less than the entire image. A panning operation is initiated by requesting an update of one or more of the raster parameter registers during a next blanking period.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael A. Wasserman
- 👤 Michael G. Lavelle
- 👤 Elena M. Ing
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 21:27
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G5/00; G09G5/36; G09G5/363; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/14; G06F3/1423; G06F3/1431; G09G5/34; G09G5/346
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
A graphics system, comprising: a frame buffer configured to store an image; one or more display devices each configured to display a portion of an image; one or more raster parameter registers, wherein the raster parameter registers are configured to store a plurality of control values that specify what portion of the image will be displayed on a respective one of the display devices; one or more raster parameter register updaters, wherein each raster parameter register updater is configured to update a respective one of the raster parameter registers by waiting for a current frame or field to end and, once the current frame or field has ended, writing an updated control value to the respective one of the raster parameter registers; and one or more shadow registers, wherein each shadow register corresponds to a respective one of the raster parameter registers, and wherein each of the raster parameter register updaters is configured to update its respective raster parameter register by copying a value from each shadow register to a respective raster parameter register.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
174 words
A graphics system, comprising: a frame buffer configured to store an image; one or more display devices each configured to display a portion of an image; one or more raster parameter registers, wherein the raster parameter registers are configured to store a plurality of control values that specify what portion of the image will be displayed on a respective one of the display devices; one or more raster parameter register updaters, wherein each raster parameter register updater is configured to update a respective one of the raster parameter registers by waiting for a current frame or field to end and, once the current frame or field has ended, writing an updated control value to the respective one of the raster parameter registers; and one or more shadow registers, wherein each shadow register corresponds to a respective one of the raster parameter registers, and wherein each of the raster parameter register updaters is configured to update its respective raster parameter register by copying a value from each shadow register to a respective raster parameter register.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The graphics system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more raster parameter register updaters are configured to update the respective one of the raster parameter registers in response to a user initiating a panning operation for a respective one of the display devices.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The graphics system of claim 1 , wherein each raster parameter register updater is configured to update its respective raster parameter register in response to receiving an end of field token.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The graphics system of claim 1 , wherein each raster parameter register updater is configured to update its respective raster parameter register in response to receiving an end of frame token.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The graphics system of claim 1 , wherein a first raster parameter register comprises a screen address register that is configured to store a value that indicates whether a next frame of display information for a respective one of the display devices starts on an even or an odd line in the frame buffer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The graphics system of claim 5 , wherein a first raster parameter register updater is comprised in a frame buffer interface, and where the first raster parameter updater is configured to update the first raster parameter register.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The graphics system of claim 1 , wherein a first raster parameter register comprises a display address generator register that is configured to store the starting address of a respective display device's portion of the image within the frame buffer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The graphics system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said raster parameter registers comprises a margin trimming register.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The graphics system of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the raster parameter registers affect display information in a first display channel and a second portion of the raster parameter registers affect display information in a second display channel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
86 words
The graphics system of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the shadow registers corresponds to a first display channel that outputs data to a first display device and a second portion of the shadow registers corresponds to a second display channel that outputs data to a second display device, and further comprising a computer readable medium that comprises computer-executable instructions configured to update the first portion of the shadow registers in response to a user initiating a panning operation for the first display device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
121 words
The graphics system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of control values for each display comprise: a horizontal burst count value, a margin trimming value, a screen address value, and a display address generator value, wherein the horizontal burst count specifies a number of bursts of display information to request to provide a single scan line for the specified portion of the image, the margin trimming value specifies where the portion of the image begins and ends within the bursts, the screen address value specifies whether the next frame of display information starts on an even or odd line, and the display address generator value specifies the starting address in the frame buffer for the specified portion of the image.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of panning, comprising: storing an image in a frame buffer; displaying a first portion of the image on a display, wherein the first portion is less than the entire image; receiving an indication that initiates a panning operation to display a second portion of the image of the display, wherein performing the panning operation comprises updating one or more raster parameter registers; writing one or more raster parameter register values to one or more corresponding shadow registers, in response to said receiving: waiting for a current frame or field to finish; and in response to the current frame or field finishing, updating the raster parameter registers during a next blanking interval.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of panning, comprising: storing an image in a frame buffer; displaying a first portion of the image on a display, wherein the first portion is less than the entire image; receiving an indication that initiates a panning operation to display a second portion of the image of the display, wherein performing the panning operation comprises updating one or more raster parameter registers; writing one or more raster parameter register values to one or more corresponding shadow registers, in response to said receiving: waiting for a current frame or field to finish; and in response to the current frame or field finishing, updating the raster parameter registers during a next blanking interval.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein said waiting comprises waiting to receive an end of field token.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein said waiting comprises waiting to receive an end of frame token.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein a first raster parameter register comprises a screen address register that is configured to store a value that indicates whether a next frame of display information for a respective one of the display devices starts on an even or an odd line in the frame buffer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein a first raster parameter register comprises a display address generator register that is configured to store the starting address of a respective display device's portion of the image within the frame buffer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein a raster parameter register comprises a margin trimming register.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein a first portion of the one or more raster parameter registers affect display information in a first display channel and a second portion of the one or more raster parameter registers affect display information in a second display channel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the first display channel is configured as a controlling display channel, and wherein said waiting comprises waiting for a current frame or field in the controlling display channel to finish.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The graphics system of claim 9 , wherein a first portion of the raster parameter updaters are configured to update the first and the second portion of the raster parameter registers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
55 words
The graphics system of claim 20 , wherein the first display channel is a controlling display channel, and wherein the raster parameter registers are configured to wait for a current frame or field in the first display channel to end before writing the updated control value to the respective one of the raster parameter registers.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
47 words
The graphics system of claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause a first portion of the raster parameter register updaters to update the first portion of the raster parameter registers with the values stored in the first portion of the shadow registers.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
120 words
The graphics system of claim 12 , wherein the raster parameter register values for each display comprise: a horizontal burst count, a margin trimming value, a screen display value, and a display address generator value, wherein the horizontal burst count specifies a number of bursts of display information to request to provide a single scan line for the specified portion of the image, the margin trimming value specifies where the portion of the image begins and ends within the bursts, the screen address value specifies whether the next frame of display information starts on an even or odd line, and the display address generator value specifies the starting address in the frame buffer for the specified portion of the image.
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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) | 2008-03-07 | 2008-09-06 | 2009-03-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-03-07 | 2012-09-06 | 2013-03-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-03-07 | 2016-09-06 | 2017-03-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |