Abstract: An image processing and display system employs a high speed image local area network (LAN) for transferring image data separate from control data. A general purpose LAN carries graphics data and control data of the system. One more image display controller than display monitor is used to provide off line processing of images prior to display of the images. An analog cross bar switch provides the necessary connections between image display controllers and the display monitors to provide the desired views of selected images. Images are initially provided to the system from an image archive in a compressed manner. The images are decompressed and held in a local cache. With respect to each word of image data, different bytes of the word are compressed by different compression schemes to optimize transfer time of image data. A method is employed for transparently sharing a high perfomance image archive processor among various workstations of display monitors.

Abstract: A multiple memory display controller provides simultaneous display of overlaid image and graphic data in a computer display system. A video random access memory (RAM) in the display controller stores display data corresponding to graphics to be displayed on the computer display monitor. And a series of dynamic RAMS in the display controller stores display data corresponding to images to be displayed on the computer display monitor. A data mixer receives and mixes signals from the video RAM and one of the dynamic RAMs to form signals which are used to drive the display monitor. The signals provide graphics displayed at one resolution overlaid on images displayed at a different resolution on the monitor. A first-in first-out (FIFO) buffer and rectangle loader provide efficient loading of blocks of display data in the display controller memories.

Abstract: An image processing and display system employs a high speed image LAN (Local Area Network) for transferring image data separate from control data. A general purpose LAN carries graphics data and control data of the system. One more image display controller than display monitor is used to provide off line processing of images prior to display of the images. An analog cross bar switch provides the necessary connections between image display controllers and the display monitors to provide the desired views of selected images. Images are initially provided to the system from an image archive in a compressed manner. The images are decompressed and held in a local cache. With respect to each work of image data, different bytes of the work are compressed by different compression schemes to optimize transfer time of image data. A method is employed for transparently sharing a high performance image archive processor among various workstations of display monitors.

Abstract: Encrypted digital information in a data processing system is decrypted using a key which is a word sequence. The key is generated in a hardware module which is a single chip microprocessor. Individual words of the key word sequence generated by the module are generated as a function of a plurality of words of the input key word sequence. To that end, the microprocessor is programmed as a finite state machine. The hardware module may be combined with a storage medium in a software package. The decryption routines and a key sequence to be applied to the key generator are stored with the application software on the storage medium. To decrypt the application software, the stored key sequence is applied to the key generator to obtain an output key sequence. A computer system may include an encryption/decryption module and a key generator module to encrypt software and data prior to outputting the software or data from the system.