Abstract: A wireless drawing command transmitting unit includes a wireless transmitter operative to transmit drawing commands associated with a master image renderer. A wireless drawing command receiving unit includes a wireless receiver operative to receive the transmitted drawing commands and generates an image for a display device using the drawing commands transmitted wirelessly. In addition, the wireless drawing command receiving unit transmits drawing command throttle data back to the wireless drawing command transmitting unit to throttle transmission of drawing commands that are sent by the drawing command transmitting unit. A method for providing wireless display of images is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for deinterlacing interlaced video using a graphics processor includes receiving at least one instruction for a 2D/3D engine to facilitate creation of an adaptively deinterlaced frame image from at least a first interlaced field. The method also includes performing, by the 2D/3D engine, at least a portion of adaptive deinterlacing based on at least the first interlaced field, in response to the at least one instruction to produce at least a portion of the adaptively deinterlaced frame image. Once the information is deinterlaced, the method includes retrieving, by a graphics processor display engine, the stored adaptively deinterlaced frame image generated by the 2D/3D engine, for display on one or more display devices. The method also includes issuing 2D/3D instructions to the 2D/3D engine to carry out deinterlacing of lines of video data from interlaced fields. This may be done, for example, by another processing device, such as a host CPU, or any other suitable processing device.

Abstract: A dynamic component to input signal mapping system is disclosed that receives different types of input signals applied to a number of components and provides resultant output signals. The system includes input ports receiving the input signals, output ports providing the output signals, and a number of components processing the input signals, each of the components having at least one input and one output. The system includes a test signal source coupled to the components. Additionally, a signal analyzer coupled to an output of components analyzes response signals output from the components in response to test signals. The system is operative to map at least one component to receive at least one input signal based on the analyzed response. The system allows components on a semiconductor chip to be dynamically reconfigured for optimal processing of different types of signals, such as video and audio signals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for compressing image data for storage in a memory device is presented. This is accomplished by separating the image data into a plurality of pixel sets where each pixel set is of a predetermined pixel set size. A discrete cosine transform is then performed on each of the pixel sets to produce a plurality of transform coefficients. These transform coefficients are then compressed to produce a compressed data set. Compressing the transform coefficients preferably includes determining a coefficient set that includes a portion of the transform coefficients that reasonably approximate the pixel set. These coefficients are then mapped to known ranges such that a limited number of bits can encode values throughout these predetermined ranges. The mapped coefficients resulting from the mapping step are then manipulated to fit within a limited number of bits assigned to each coefficient. The limited number of bits is determined partially based on the coefficient set to be compressed.

Abstract: An adapter (e.g., connector, dongle) is used to connect a component video television, such as an SDTV or HDTV, to a video providing unit, such as a computer or any other suitable video providing unit, that includes a plurality of video input pins, a plurality of video output pins, a plurality of control pins and a circuit. The circuit is operative to identify to a video providing unit through the control pins, that the component video input television is not of a display type that the video providing unit expects.

Abstract: An improved deinterlacing technique reconstructs regions of an image that change monotonically in the vertical direction (i.e., vertical deinterlacing). The present invention adapts to the image content without using spatio-temporal interpolation techniques. Rather, deinterlacing in accordance with the teachings of the present invention uses, for example, four localized input pixel values to produce an output pixel value that minimizes spatial artifacts (i.e., accurately reconstructs regions that change monotonically in the vertical direction). In another embodiment, an overlay scaler shares overlay scaling circuitry and deinterlacing circuitry to provide a cost effective implementation of a unique deinterlacing circuit. In another embodiment, a plurality of offsets are used in addition to three or more pixels.

Abstract: A digitally programmable gain control circuit and method of operating the same is disclosed. The gain control circuit includes a programmable gain amplifier having an amplifier structure represented by a plurality of discrete monotonic transfer functions, wherein a point of non-monotonicity occurs between at least a plurality of the discrete monotonic transfer functions, and a gain segment translator circuit operative to translate a binary monotonic gain control code to a segmented binary code to match the non-monotonic characteristics of the programmable gain amplifier. The programmability of the gain amplifier is provided by a coarse gain control circuit and a fine gain control circuit.

Abstract: A display system employs a set top box and an associated method of operation to facilitate display of locally sourced display data. The set top box includes a radio signal receiver, a wireless receiver, a display interface, and one or more optional decoders. The radio signal receiver receives a broadcast signal from a remote broadcast source over an associated communication link. The wireless receiver receives a wireless signal from a local source over a wireless communication link. Both the broadcast signal and the wireless signal include encoded display data, such as MPEG-encoded video and/or graphics. The decoder(s), when used, decodes the encoded data contained in both signals to extract the respective display data, and the display interface provides the extracted display data to a display device. Alternatively, the decoder may reside in the display device, in which case, the display interface provides the encoded data directly to the display device.

Abstract: A video processing device and method receives data from a common data source, such as a frame buffer and outputs first overlay information in a first color space from a first port and outputs second overlay information in a second color from a second port to facilitate output of multiple overlay images in different color spaces from common memory through different ports. In one embodiment a bidirectional port is used to allow a set of common signal pads or a bus to function as a flexible bidirectional video data port.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that includes processing for restricting usage of video signals in accordance with associated access restriction data begins by detecting the presence of the associated access restriction data as video signals are being received. The processing continues by interpreting usage instructions regarding the video signal. Such usage instructions may be requesting a digital copy of the video signals be made, sending the video signals to a television output, and/or sending a file of the digital video signal to another party via a file transfer. The processing continues by restricting usage of these video signals as requested by the usage instruction when prohibited by the associated access restriction data.

Abstract: Multiple Video Graphic Adapters (VGAs) are used to render video data to a common port. In one embodiment, each VGA will render an entire frame of video and provide it to the output port through a switch. The next adjacent frame will be calculated by a separate VGA and provided to an output port through the switch. A voltage adjustment is made to a digital-to-analog converter(DAC) of at least one of the VGAs in order to correlate the video-out voltages being provided by the VGAs. This correlation assures that the color being viewed on the screen is uniform regardless of which VGA is providing the signal. A dummy switch receives the video-output from each of the VGAs. When a VGA is not providing information to the output port, the dummy switch can be selected to provide the video-output of the selected VGA a resistance path which matches the resistance at the video port. This allows the video graphics controller to maintain a constant thermal state.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a digital representation of a YCbCr video signal data stream is received that represents a video image or a series of video images. Received Y data values are linearly transformed and used to provide an RGB signal. The RGB signal is non-linearly adjusted to provide an adjusted RGB signal that enhances the viewed brightness of the data. In a specific embodiment, the non-linear adjusting adjusts the brightness of data near a mid-range of the video image more than other ranges of data.

Abstract: A system and method are described for providing an improved ratiometric expansion of video images. Source video images are set to a lower resolution than the full resolution of a pixelated display device. The source video images are up-scaled to match the display resolution of the display device. Pixels in the source video image are replicated to form a partially up-scaled video image that has frequency content well below the Nyquist rate of the image. The replicated image is then re-sampled through the use of a two-tap filter to generate a video image with the same resolution as the display device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus locks a plurality of display synchronization signals, such as horizontal synchronization signals and a vertical synchronization signals, from a plurality of display output devices, such as a plurality of graphics processors. The method and apparatus digitally adjusts a vertical synchronization signal associated with a first display output device, with respect to a vertical synchronization signal associated with a second graphic output device until a crossover is detected between the first and second vertical synchronization signals. This provides a type of coarse synchronization. In response to detection of the first crossover, the method and apparatus digitally adjusts a horizontal synchronization signal associated with the first display output device with respect to a horizontal synchronization signal associated with the second display device to align the synchronization signals. The adjustment of the horizontal synchronization signals provides a fine synchronization adjustment.

Abstract: A wireless drawing command transmitting unit includes a wireless transmitter operative to transmit drawing commands associated with a master image renderer. A wireless drawing command receiving unit includes a wireless receiver operative to receive the transmitted drawing commands and generates an image for a display device using the drawing commands transmitted wirelessly. In addition, the wireless drawing command receiving unit transmits drawing command throttle data back to the wireless drawing command transmitting unit to throttle transmission of drawing commands that are sent by the drawing command transmitting unit. A method for providing wireless display of images is also disclosed.

Abstract: A wireless display system and method decompresses a compressed video stream, such as obtained from suitable video sources such as a cable modem, DVD player or other suitable source, to produce a decompressed video stream locally. The decompressed video stream, such as frames, is stored in a local frame buffer, such as an on-chip frame buffer, system memory, or any other suitable memory. The system and method then recompresses the stored frames and wirelessly transmits the recompressed frames using a short range wireless transmitter, such as a radio frequency-based short range transmitter, an infrared short range wireless transmitter, or any other suitable short range transmitter that may provide, for example, local area networking.

Abstract: Multiple Video Graphic Adapters (VGAs) are used to render video data to a common port. In one embodiment, each VGA will render an entire frame of video and provide it to the output port through a switch. The next adjacent frame will be calculated by a separate VGA and provided to an output port through the switch. A voltage adjustment is made to a digital-to-analog converter(DAC) of at least one of the VGAs in order to correlate the video-out voltages being provided by the VGAs. This correlation assures that the color being viewed on the screen is uniform regardless of which VGA is providing the signal. A dummy switch receives the video-output from each of the VGAs. When a VGA is not providing information to the output port, the dummy switch can be selected to provide the video-output of the selected VGA a resistance path which matches the resistance at the video port. This allows the video graphics controller to maintain a constant thermal state.

Abstract: A multistage A/D converter and conversion method includes generating a partial A/D bit result of a complete A/D result at a first bit/clock rate based on the received analog input signal and generating remaining A/D bits of the complete A/D result from the partial A/D bit result, at a second and slower bit/clock rate. Accordingly, the partial A/D result output from the first stage is used as input to determine remaining A/D bits to generate a complete A/D result.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting an interrupt request in a video graphics or other system are accomplished by reading or polling a shared interrupt request flag stored in one of multiple potentially interrupting devices and determining whether a pending interrupt request exists based on a status of the shared interrupt request flag. In the event that a pending interrupt request exists, a notification of the pending interrupt request is provided to an interrupt service routine. In the event that a pending interrupt request does not exist the circuitry that is reading or polling the shared interrupt request flag delays for a polling interval and then repeats reading or polling the shared interrupt request flag and determining whether a pending interrupt request exists.

Abstract: An adaptive video filter and method utilizes a first filter coupled to receive a composite video signal and generate a filter luminance output signal. An amplitude detector receives the filtered luminance output signal and generates an amplitude level to an amplitude threshold analyzer. The amplitude threshold analyzer has a selectable threshold to provide a selected range of false color filter coefficients to a programmable filter. The programmable filter may be part of a programmable false color filter bank and receives the luminance information and adaptively filters the luminance information based on the selected false color filter coefficients to facilitate false color compensation by attenuating false color frequency components in the filter means information.