Abstract: A method and apparatus for motion estimation for encoding sequential frames is described. One embodiment of the invention provides efficiency by checking only four points surrounding a given point. Scores may be calculated corresponding to a level of difference between the given point in a reference frame and the points in a candidate frame. The efficiency may be further enhanced by storing scores of previously examined points for later use. The scores may be stored in a table. The table may be initialized to have invalid scores or scores corresponding to a great difference along search window boundaries to prevent searching outside of the search window boundaries. One embodiment of the invention implements a sliding window technique for efficient computation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing cache memory is described. The invention improves the efficiency of cache usage by monitoring parameters of multiple caches, for example, empty space in each cache or the number of cache misses of each cache, and selectively assigns elements of data or results to a particular cache based on the monitored parameters. Embodiments of the invention can track absolute values of the monitored parameters or can track values of the monitored parameters of one cache relative to one or more other caches. Embodiments of the invention may be scaled to accommodate larger numbers of caches at a particular cache level and may be implemented among multiple cache levels.

Abstract: The invention features furnishing a representation of the quadrature amplitude modulation of two input signals (e.g., U and V video signals) based on the phase of a reference signal (e.g., a color burst reference signal). The two input signals are scaled based on the phase of the reference signal, and the scaling is synchronized to the phase of the reference signal.

Abstract: The invention features a method and apparatus for use with a computer system having a memory and a bus (e.g., a PCI bus). The bus is monitored for detection of a bus cycle intended for a controller (e.g., a DMA controller) used to transfer data between a bus device and the memory. After detection, the bus device is used to claim the bus cycle and to emulate the response of the controller to the bus cycle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reconfiguring an integrated circuit based on testing results is accomplished by an integrated circuit that includes a first circuit, a second circuit, and configuration circuitry deposited on a single die. After testing of the die, the configuration circuitry configures the integrated circuit based on the results of the testing. If both circuits passed the testing, the configuration circuitry couples, where appropriate, the first and second circuits together. If, however, the first circuit failed the testing and the second circuit passed the testing, the configuration circuitry configures the integrated circuit as if only the second circuit were present on the die. If, however, the second circuit failed the testing and the first circuit passed the testing, the configuration circuitry configures the integrated circuit as if only the first circuit were present on the die.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that automatically scales the channel display area (i.e., thumbnails of the channels) based on the number of channels and displaying characteristics and that provides the user with options to customize the plurality of channels displayed in the multi-channel display is accomplished by determining whether all of the channels in the user's customized list can be displayed within the given display area, which may be the full screen or a portion thereof. If all of the channels can be displayed in the given display area, another determination is made to determine the size of each of channel display areas (i.e., thumbnail). Having made this determination, visual representations of each channel in the user's customized list is displayed. While the multi-channel display is being presented, the user can select one of them for customized editing.

Abstract: A rasterizer is used with a system capable of furnishing raster data representative of a string of characters to be formed on a display. The rasterizer has an input interface that is connected to receive the raster data from the system. A graphics engine is connected to use the raster data to simultaneously store representations of portions of at least two of the characters in a memory. An output interface is connected to use the representations stored in the memory to form an output signal which is used by the display to form the characters.