Abstract: A system and method for an asynchronous media fabric service. The system includes at least one host configured with the asynchronous media fabric service. The asynchronous media fabric service is configured to: create and delete shared memory pools that are used to allow processes running on a single host direct access to grain data; send and receive grains from other hosts; and serve as an API end-point for asynchronous media fabric function processes to create, delete and obtain references to streams.

Abstract: A method for managing requests for input streams associated with at least one incoming network stream received from a network interface. The input streams include at least one of video data, audio data and ancillary data. The method includes receiving a request for an input stream associated with a network stream identifier and determining whether the network stream identifier associated with the input stream matches an existing network stream identifier, the existing network stream identifier associated with at least one existing input stream. The method further includes: if a match is found, associating the input stream and the at least one existing input stream with a common area of memory; and if a match is not found, associating the input stream with a first area of memory that differs from a second area of memory that is associated with the at least one existing input stream.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling compression of a stream of pictures according to a target bit rate are described. A first configuration parameter for a first portion is determined based at least in part on a first relative weight of the first portion with respect to a first set of N portions, where the first set of N portions includes the first portion and N-1 portions which succeed the first portion. A second configuration parameter for a second portion of a second picture is determined based at least in part on a second relative weight of the second portion with respect to a second set of M portions of pictures, where the second set of M portions includes a subset of the N-1 portions from the first set and zero or more additional portions of pictures from the stream of pictures.

Abstract: A method and system for displaying graphics on a display of a second module remotely connected with a first module via a data communications medium. A first controller interfaces between a first graphics processor and the first module. A second controller interfaces between a second graphics processor and the first module via the data communications medium and the first controller. The first controller duplicates data returned to the first graphics processor by the first module in response to data requests, and transmits the duplicated data to the second controller. The second controller intercepts data requests by the second graphics processor to the first module, correlates the intercepted requests with the duplicated data received from the first controller and transmits the duplicated data to the second graphics processor based on this correlation. The second graphics processor uses the received duplicated data to generate graphics for display at the second module.

Abstract: A system and method for cryptographically securing a graphics system connectable via an external bus to a computing system, the graphics system including a graphics processor, a video memory and a memory controller for controlling the flow of data to and from the video memory. The graphics system further includes a copy engine for copying data between a system memory of the computing system and the video memory, where this copy engine acts independently of the graphics processor of the graphics system. The present invention enables the copy engine of the graphics system to decrypt encrypted data in the course of copying data from the system memory to the video memory and to encrypt unencrypted data in the course of copying data from the video memory to the system memory. Thus, cryptographic protection of secure content may be assured by the graphics system without the excessive usage of its primary resources for this non-graphical purpose.

Abstract: A method of memory management using a page table is provided where the method supports memory pages having a plurality of page sizes including a first page size and a second page size, where the second page size is a multiple (N) of the first page size. If the page table does not include an entry for a memory page of the first page size, the method includes reducing a size of the page table by eliminating at least one of a plurality of sections of the page table.

Abstract: There is described a method and circuit for independently processing a plurality of regions of an image to be displayed on a display device. The circuit comprises a plurality of transformation modules; a multiplexer having a plurality of inputs and an output for selectively transmitting one of the output values from one of the plurality of transformation modules, and a selector line; and a selection module operatively connected to the selector line of the multiplexer and configured to determine a position of the pixel in the image and identify a transformation module corresponding to a region with a highest priority level for a pixel position, and cause the multiplexer to output the output value from the identified transformation module as the post-transformation pixel for display on the display device.

Abstract: There is described an image compressing/decompressing method and device that provides the lossless data compression/decompression scheme in two separate modules. Partially entropy encoded/decoded data is written to memory by a first module after a first part of the process and retrieved by a second module to perform the second part of the lossless compression/decompression scheme.

Abstract: A system and method for cryptographically securing a graphics system connectable via an external bus to a computing system, the graphics system including a graphics processor, a video memory and a memory controller for controlling the flow of data to and from the video memory. The graphics system further includes a copy engine for copying data between a system memory of the computing system and the video memory, where this copy engine acts independently of the graphics processor of the graphics system. The present invention enables the copy engine of the graphics system to decrypt encrypted data in the course of copying data from the system memory to the video memory and to encrypt unencrypted data in the course of copying data from the video memory to the system memory. Thus, cryptographic protection of secure content may be assured by the graphics system without the excessive usage of its primary resources for this non-graphical purpose.

Abstract: A pixel shader program for execution by a processing unit in a graphics processing module is designed to execute a color space processing function on individual pixels of a video image. The color space processing function is broken down into series of steps, each of which is amenable to representation by an individual instruction taken from an instruction set. The instructions cause the processor to load pixel color data into first memory elements, to read the first memory elements as well as second memory elements containing pre-loaded parameters representative of the color space processing function and to generate a processed set of color data for each pixel by manipulating the first and second memory elements. In this way, color space processing functionality, such as color space conversion and procamp controls, is provided without the need for specialized hardware and without encroaching upon the computational efficiency of the host CPU.

Abstract: A method and system for displaying graphics on a display of a second module remotely connected with a first module via a data communications medium. A first controller for the first module and a second controller for the second module are connected to first and second graphics processors, respectively, both graphics processors being operative to request data from the first module when ready to process data. The first controller interfaces between the first graphics processor and the first module. The second controller interfaces between the second graphics processor and the first module via the data communications medium and the first controller. The first controller duplicates data returned to the first graphics processor by the first module in response to data requests, and transmits the duplicated data to the second controller via the data communications medium.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a display controller is included in a graphics processing system where the display controller includes a plurality of look up tables in a data path. According to one embodiment, each of the plurality of look up tables is configured to be coupled to a source of surfaces, each of the plurality of look up tables includes circuitry that is physically separate from circuitry included in others of the plurality of look up tables, and the display controller is configured to employ a combination including at least two of the plurality of look up tables to process a first component of a plurality of pixels included in a surface received from the source of surfaces.

Abstract: There is described a method and circuit for independently processing a plurality of regions of an image to be displayed on a display device. The circuit comprises a plurality of transformation modules; a multiplexer having a plurality of inputs and an output for selectively transmitting one of the output values from one of the plurality of transformation modules, and a selector line; and a selection module operatively connected to the selector line of the multiplexer and configured to determine a position of the pixel in the image and identify a transformation module corresponding to a region with a highest priority level for a pixel position, and cause the multiplexer to output the output value from the identified transformation module as the post-transformation pixel for display on the display device.

Abstract: A method and display system for displaying compressed video streams from a plurality of video sources. The display system comprises an input module for decompressing a compressed video stream in an intermediate data format, an intermediate module for receiving the video stream in the intermediate data format incompatible with a display device, and an output module for converting the video stream in the intermediate format into a final data format to be displayed on the display device.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment a graphics processing system is configured to switch from a processing of a primitive associated with a first context to a processing of a command list associated with a second context where the primitive includes a plurality of regions. The system includes a plurality of processing modules and at least one module of the plurality of processing modules is configured to receive a request to switch to the second context.

Abstract: There is described a method and system for inputting/outputting multiple data streams of variable widths. Input/output pins are grouped together via a plurality of transfer blocks, each transfer block being controlled by an independent clock. Data streams can therefore be input/output using asynchronous clocks. Two data streams can also be input/output on a single pin using the rising and falling edge of the clock.

Abstract: There is described a method and system for inputting/outputting multiple data streams of variable widths. Input/output pins are grouped together via a plurality of transfer blocks, each transfer block being controlled by an independent clock. Data streams can therefore be input/output using asynchronous clocks. Two data streams can also be input/output on a single pin using the rising and falling edge of the clock.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect, a display controller is included in a graphics processing unit. In some embodiments, the display controller includes a read memory requester configured to provide a data request to a source of image data, a data path configured to be coupled to the source of image data, an output coupled to the data path and a control unit in electrical communication with the read memory requester and the data path. In accordance with one embodiment, the output is configured to provide image data processed by the display controller and the control unit is configured to stop an output of image data processed by the display controller. In accordance with a further embodiment, the control unit includes a stop-output register configured to provide information employed by the control unit to stop the output of image data processed by the display controller.

Abstract: A display controller system is controlled to provide a display surface zoom using hardware scaling from user input at the operating system, application program or hardware level. User input defining coordinates of a frame portion within a frame buffer memory is obtained, and a resolution of the zoom display device is determined. An aspect ratio of the zoom portion defined by the user input is adjusted to correspond to the zoom display device resolution. The display controller system is programmed to implement the display surface zoom to provide a full screen view of the zoom portion on the zoom display device. In the display controller system, the zoom portion of the frame buffer memory is scaled, converted into a display signal and output.

Abstract: Multiple independent displays from one graphics controller can be driven in a wide variety of modes using multiple display controllers. This invention incorporates a unique combination of enhancement building on a generic single multi-display graphics subsystem. Digital video is gaining vast popularity in the worldwide consumer, professional and commercial market. The applications of this invention cover all these market segments and include (but are not limited to) Digital Content Creation, Digital video playback, digital entertainment, DVD Authoring etc etc.