Abstract: An integrated graphics processor provides a type of universal programmable synchronization signal generation that provides a plurality of different formats of display synchronization signals. In one embodiment, the integrated graphics processor includes a graphic and video blender that mixes image layers together prior to output for display. The graphics and video blender receives graphics and video data obtained from a frame buffer that may contain multiple formats of data, such as data in different color spaces, such as in a YUV color space (i.e., as per ITU-R BT709 or ITU-R BT 601), and in RGB color space. The integrated graphics processor also includes an integrated (internal or on-chip) programmable embedded synchronization signal generator operatively coupled to the graphic and video blender, to provide a plurality of different formats of display synchronization signals for blended information based on a type of display device.

Abstract: A composite rotary tool includes at least first and second regions comprising first and second materials, respectively. The first and second regions are autogenously bonded and differ with respect to at least one characteristic such as, for example, modulus of elasticity, hardness, wear resistance, fracture toughness, tensile strength, corrosion resistance, coefficient of thermal expansion, or coefficient of thermal conductivity. A method for producing the composite rotary tool includes placing a first metallurgical powder into a first region of a void of a mold, and placing a second metallurgical powder into a second region of the void. The first metallurgical powder differs from the second metallurgical powder, and at least a portion of the first metallurgical is brought into contact with the second metallurgical powder. The mold is compressed to consolidate the first and second metallurgical powders to form a compact, and the compact subsequently is sintered.

Abstract: An apparatus for compensating a projected image employs a projected image compensator, such as a suitably programmed graphics processor or other processing device, and receives projection display compensation parameters to perform electronic projected image correction based on the received projection on display compensation parameters. The projected image compensator obtains stored final image data, such as data finally rendered by a 2D or 3D graphics engine, that has been stored in a frame buffer, and performs scaling of the final image data to produce projection compensated final image data. In one embodiment, the projection compensated final image data is stored back in the frame buffer memory and then output under control of a display controller. In another embodiment, the projection compensated final image data is not returned back to the frame buffer memory.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining attributes of an object-element using barycentric coordinates includes processing that begins by obtaining a barycentric coordinate for a vertex of an object-element. The object-element is clipped with respect to a clipping plane where a first component of the barycentric coordinate corresponds to a first original vertex of the object-element, a second component of the barycentric coordinate corresponds to a second original vertex of the object-element and a third component of the barycentric coordinate corresponds to a third vertex of the object-element. The processing continues by, for each non-zero component of the barycentric coordinate, determining whether at least one attribute of the corresponding vertex of the non-component is substantially similar. The processing continues by setting the at least one corresponding attribute of the vertex to substantially equal the attribute for the other vertex when the at least one attribute is substantially similar.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for clipping an object element include processing that begins by ascribing barycentric coordinates to each original vertices of an object-element wherein each barycentric coordinate is a weighting factor with respect to a corresponding original vertex. The processing continues by obtaining clipping distances for each original vertex with respect to a clipping plane. For a new vertex of an object-element that represents an intersection of an edge of the object-element with the clipping plane, the process continues by determining a barycentric coordinate for the new vertex. The determination of the new vertex is based on the barycentric coordinates of the original vertices defining the edge and the clipping distances. Having determined the barycentric coordinates for the new vertices corresponding to a clipping plane, the process is repeated for each of a plurality of other clipping planes that intersect the object-element.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying DVD and/or application data is accomplished by detecting selection of a user interaction request that is requesting the display of a DVD subpicture or an application subpicture. Once the user interaction request is detected, the system determines the particular type of the request; i.e., whether the request is for a DVD data stream or an application data stream. Note that the DVD data stream includes DVD video data, DVD audio data, and DVD subpicture data. Simliarly, the application data stream includes at least one of application video data, application audio data, and application subpicture data. When the user interaction request relates to the application data stream, the application data stream is displayed only or merged with the DVD data stream.

Abstract: A main memory scheduler includes a store, and stores therein requests for accessing main memory (such as a read request, a write request, or a refresh request). Normally, the main memory scheduler issues requests from the store to the main memory in an order different from the order in which the requests are received, for example, to avoid bank conflicts. In this example, the main memory scheduler issues a first request to a first memory bank that is not coincident with (and in case of dependent banks, not adjacent to) a second memory bank (that is being currently accessed) prior to issuing a second request to a memory bank that is coincident with the (or adjacent to) second memory bank. Moreover, the main memory scheduler issues a refresh request prior to issuing a read request or a write request even if the refresh request was most recently received, thereby to prioritize the refresh request ahead of read and write requests.

Abstract: A method and apparatus dealing with optimizing the arbitration between clients requesting data. In particular, a set of rules determining which client request will provide an optimized subsequent memory access is implemented. The highest rule recognizes a client in urgent need of data, generally because it has not been services by the arbiter. The next highest-ranking rules would recognize data accesses of the same operation, such as read or write, and to the same page of memory, or requests to a different bank of memory. The next highest ranking rules would be for data accesses on the same page currently being accessed, but for a different operation, and for a different operation and to a different bank. Finally, any other client requests to a different page on the same bank/ would have the lowest priority. Such a request optimizes bandwidth of the memory bus.

Abstract: An apparatus and method allows efficient processing of vertex data received in any suitable format. The method and apparatus accesses stored vertex data that may be stored in a plurality of different formats. A single copy of the received vertex data is stored in memory so that the system does not require a block of memory containing differing formats of the vertex data. The apparatus and method utilizes a universal vertex data fetching mechanism which controls retrieval of vertex data stored in the first format in memory based on multi-format description data. As such, the vertex data that may be received in one of a plurality of formats, is effectively coded so that a data fetcher may appropriately fetch vertex parameter data from suitable addresses independent of the format in which the vertex data was received.

Abstract: A graphics processing system includes an initial processing system that receives a command to render an image component polygon and generates parameters for calculating image values for the image component polygon. The graphics processing system also includes a backtrack register capable of storing a pixel location. A rasterization engine scans a pixel span in a selected direction and determines whether the pixel span is to be scanned in a direction opposite the selected direction. The rasterization engine stores a backtrack location in the backtrack register in response to a determination that the pixel span is to be scanned in a direction opposite the selected direction, and stores a location to begin scanning a subsequent pixel span in the backtrack register in response to a determination that a backtrack location is not stored in the backtrack register. The rasterization engine also calculates image values for each pixel in the pixel span in the current scan direction.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for an anti-aliasing process that allows for super-sampling at a high subpixel resolution, but does not require the process and memory resources typically required for conventional super-sampling at this subpixel resolution. Each pixel is partitioned into an array that provides for a large number of subpixels, and a smaller set of super-samples from this set of subpixels are sampled and used to determine the resultant pixel values. Because the set of super-samples is substantially smaller in number (less than half) than the number of subpixels, the processing and memory requirements are substantially reduced. The set of super-samples are preferably determined so as to provide for a uniform sampling frequency in each of the major axes, and along each diagonal, even though the super-samples may not provide an uniform sampling of each pixel area.

Abstract: A specific embodiment is disclosed for a method and apparatus for processing data access requests from a requesting device, such as a graphics processor device. Data access commands are provided at a first rate, for example 200M command per second, to a memory bridge. In response to receiving the access requests the memory bridge will provide its own access requests to a plurality of memories at approximately the first rate. In response to the memory bridge requests, the plurality of memories will access a plurality of data a second data rate. When the data access between the memory bridge and the memories is a read request, data is returned to the requesting device at a third data rate which is greater than the first data rate by approximately four times or more. Noise and power reduction techniques can be used on the data bus between the accessing device and the data bridge.

Abstract: A data bus bandwidth allocation apparatus and method uses buffer entry feedback data from a buffer, such as an overflow buffer, that receives requested data over an unregulated bus. The data bus bandwidth allocation method and apparatus generates data issue delay data based on the buffer entry feedback data to adjust data commands to a data source, such as frame buffer memory used to feed a regulated bus. In one embodiment, the data issue rate regulator utilizes a programmable threshold corresponding to a threshold of data entries in an overflow. The overflow FIFO has feedback indicating, for example, the number of free entries or the number of full entries. The data issue rate regulator provides data rate regulation information to an adjustable delay sequencer. The adjustable delay sequencer selectively sequences data reads from the frame buffer memory so that data collisions do not occur over the memory read backbone.

Abstract: Implantable seeds, comprising rod-shaped ferromagnetic elements with end caps that contain radioactive pellets, designed for,delivering both thermal radiation and ionizing radiation for treatment of tumorous tissue are described. The implantable seeds can also contain additional radioactive pellets positioned in hollow tubular sleeves that connect a series of ferromagnetic elements. The ferromagnetic material may be a palladium-cobalt (Pd—Co) alloy with a Curie temperature between about 40 C. and 100 C., and the end caps and tubular sleeves may be made of titanium. Alternatively, the ferromagentic elements may comprise rods with longitudinal channels in their outer surfaces, into which radioactive sources are positioned. This assembly is held together by an outer tubular sleeve or coating. The radioactive pellets comprise either palladium-103 or iodine-125. Methods of making the seeds and of delivering treatment to a patient are also described.

Abstract: A method for refining and casting metals and metal alloys includes melting and refining a metallic material and then casting the refined molten material by a nucleated casting technique. The refined molten material is provided to the atomizing nozzle of the nucleated casting apparatus through a transfer apparatus adapted to maintain the purity of the molten refined material. An apparatus including a melting and refining apparatus, a transfer apparatus, and a nucleated casting apparatus, in serial fluid communication, also is disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing compressed Z information in a video graphics system is described. Pixels in a display frame are grouped into a plurality of pixel blocks, where each pixel block includes a plurality of pixels. When possible, the Z information corresponding to the plurality of pixels in a pixel block is compressed and stored in a Z buffer in a compressed format. A Z mask value for each pixel block in the frame is stored in a Z mask memory, where the Z mask for each pixel block indicates a level of compression of the Z information for each of the pixel blocks. When Z information for a pixel block is required for processing operations, a cache is first examined to determine if the Z information for the pixel block is included in the cache. If the Z information is not included in the cache, the Z mask memory is consulted to determine the level of compression of the Z information for the particular pixel block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing object elements as they are being rendered begins by comparing geometric properties (e.g., the Z value) of at least one object element with a representative geometric property for a group of pixels. The group of pixels is determined based on physical coordinates (i.e., the coordinates of a display) that are inclusive of the physical coordinates of the object element. When the comparison of the geometric properties of the object element compares unfavorably with the representative geometric property for the group of pixels, the object-element is rendered and a Z buffer is updated with new Z buffer information. At a given point during the rendering of the object-element, a new representative geometric property is determined based on the updated Z value. Once the new representative geometric property is determined, the representative geometric property is updated with that new value.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for passing solid objects for use in a robotic tool changing system. The apparatus comprises a housing mounted on either a master assembly or a tool assembly. A tubular member is disposed in the housing and defines a passage through which solid objects can pass. The tubular member includes a head portion at one end and a stem portion at the other end that is connected to a solid objects feed tube. Means are provided for retaining the tubular member in the opening in the housing for movement relative to the housing during the coupling and uncoupling of the master and tool assemblies to accommodate misalignment of the master and tool assemblies. Another apparatus is disclosed for passing solid objects from a source to a work tool. The apparatus comprises first and second housings mounted on a master assembly and tool assembly, each housing tubular members.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of operating a cache memory so that operation is optimized. Instead of fetching data immediately upon a cache miss, the present invention continues with subsequent cache accesses. Decoupled from cache access, cache misses are fetched to cache. During operation, for each request in a sequence of data requests, it is determined if the requested data can be found in cache memory. If the data is not found in the cache, the next request in the sequence is processed without first retrieving the data pending from the earlier request. A miss list is generated for each of the requests in the sequence of requests whose data is not found in the cache. The data that is associated with the requests in the miss list is obtained from DRAM and used to satisfy the requests. Some cache lines may have one or more pending hits to data associated with the cache line. Those requests are kept in a pending hits list and processed in order as required.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for restricting privileged access to distributed content information, (e.g., audio data stored on a compact disk, audiocassette, etc., and video and/or audio data stored on a DVD disk, video cassette, etc.) begins by extracting a privileged indicator from the distributed content information to produce an extractive privilege indicator. The privileged indicator indicates whether the content data of the distributed content information can be displayed, displayed without copying, displayed with a single copy, displayed with multi-copies, copied once, or copied multiple times. The extracted privilege indicator is transmitted to a distributed content device (e.g., a monitor, a projector, a high definition television, a DVD recorder, a server, and/or a personal computer) via a control channel. Upon receiving the extracted privilege indicator, the distributed content device interprets it to determine the privileged access restrictions.