Abstract: A method and arrangement for separating interleaved luminance and chrominance color space components data in a single data stream with minimum CPU intervention is provided. In the separating circuit, the separating circuit receives as input a series of graphics/video image data composed of interleaved luminance and chrominance color space components at successive clock cycles. The separating circuit directs selected bytes of the graphics/video image data representing the luminance color space component to a first path wherein luminance component data received at two successive clock cycles are combined. Likewise, selected bytes of the graphics/video image data representing the chrominance color space component are directed to a second path wherein chrominance component data received at two successive clock cycles are combined. Then, the combined luminance and chrominance component data are output alternately.

Abstract: Instruction methods for moving data between memory and a vector register file while performing data formatting. The methods are processed by a processor having a vector register file and a memory unit. The methods are useful in the graphics art because they allow more efficient movement and processing of raster formatted graphics data. The vector register file has a number of vector registers (e.g., 32) that each contain multi-bits of storage (e.g., 128 bits). In one class of instructions, eight byte locations within memory are simultaneously loaded into eight separate 16 bit locations within a register of the register file. The data can be integer or fraction and signed or unsigned. The data can also be stored from the register file back to memory. In a second class of instructions, alternate locations of a memory qaudword are selected and simultaneously loaded in the register file.