Integrated Circuit (e.g., Single Chip Semiconductor Device) Patents (Class 345/519)
  • Patent number: 6864891
    Abstract: Systems and methods of switching between internal and external display adapters in a portable computer system are described. In one aspect, a graphics controller is configured to convert video output signals that are received from a processing unit into locally-generated video control signals and to selectively transmit to a local video display the video control signals that are generated locally or video control signals that are received from a docking station interface. In this way, when undocked, a portable computer unit may drive the local video display with a local adapter that is optimized for mobile usage (e.g., enhanced power management) and, when docked, the portable computer unit may drive the local video display with a higher performance external display adapter, which typically is not constrained by power management considerations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company L.P.
    Inventor: Robert L. Myers
  • Patent number: 6853385
    Abstract: A video, audio and graphics system uses multiple transport processors to receive in-band and out-of-band MPEG Transport streams, to perform PID and section filtering as well as DVB and DES decryption and to de-multiplex them. The system processes the PES into digital audio, MPEG video and message data. The system is capable of decoding multiple MPEG SLICEs concurrently. Graphics windows are blended in parallel, and blended with video using alpha blending. During graphics processing, a single-port SRAM is used equivalently as a dual-port SRAM. The video may include both analog video, e.g., NTSC/PAL/SECAM/S-video, and digital video, e.g., MPEG-2 video in SDTV or HDTV format. The system has a reduced memory mode in which video images are reduced in half in horizontal direction only during decoding. The system is capable of receiving and processing digital audio signals such as MPEG Layer 1 and Layer 2 audio and Dolby AC-3 audio, as well as PCM audio signals. The system includes a memory controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander G. MacInnis, Chengfuh Jeffrey Tang, Xiaodong Xie, Greg A. Kranawetter, Vivian Hsiun, Francis Cheung, Sandeep Bhatia, Ramanujan Valmiki, Sathish Kumar
  • Patent number: 6853551
    Abstract: A telecommunications chassis includes one or more vents on a first side of the chassis and one or more vents in a second side of the chassis, one or more fans mounted inside the chassis and oriented to direct air flow inside the chassis from side to side, one or more open card slots inside the chassis between the one or more fans and the first side, and one or more hot-swappable power supplies inside the chassis between the one or more fans and the second side. One or more replaceable air filters over the one or more side vents, as optional are also included. The open card slots may be cPCI compliant. The chassis may also include an alarm card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: GNP Computers, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas W. Baar, Gregorio Derobles, Dennis V. Martin, Alfredo T. Bernardo
  • Patent number: 6839063
    Abstract: The basic section of the multimedia data-processing system includes a CPU 1100, an image display unit 2100, a unified memory 1200, a system bus 1920, and devices 1300, 1400, and 1500 connected to the system bus. In this configuration, the CPU is formed on an LSI mounted on a single silicon wafer including instruction processing unit 1110 and display control unit 1140. Main storage area 1210 and display area 1220 are stored within the unified memory. Unified memory port 1910 for connecting the corresponding LSI and the unified memory is provided independently of the system bus intended to connect the LSI and the input/output devices. The unified memory port can be driven faster than system bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Nakatsuka, Tetsuya Shimomura, Manabu Jyou, Yuichiro Morita, Takashi Hotta, Kazushige Yamagishi, Yutaka Okada
  • Patent number: 6833832
    Abstract: A controller (15) for a display system (10) that uses a spatial light modulator (15) to display data formatted in bit-planes. The controller (15) receives at least some of the bit-plane data from a frame memory. It has local memory that buffers data transfer and stores data for bit-planes having multiple accesses, thereby increasing the bandwidth of data transfers from the frame memory (14) to the SLM (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Gary S. Wolverton
  • Patent number: 6831634
    Abstract: An inexpensive and simple circuit for improving an image quality of a dynamic image, with appropriate processing flexibly performed for dynamic image qualities also for a plurality of input signal sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Shigeta
  • Patent number: 6825841
    Abstract: A memory device includes multiple data I/O lanes and corresponding lane or column decoders. Instead of providing the same address to each column decoder, decoder logic calculates potentially different column addresses depending on the needs of the device utilizing the memory. For example, the column addresses might be based on a received CAS address and an accompanying offset. This allows data access at alignments that do not necessarily correspond to CAS alignments. The technique is utilized in conjunction with graphics systems in which tiling is used. In systems such as this, memory offsets are specified in terms of pixel columns and rows. The technique is also used in conjunction with a router such as a TCP/IP router, in which individual packets are aligned at CAS boundaries. In this situation, the decoder logic is alternatively configurable to allow access of either an information packet or a plurality of packet headers during a single memory access cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Craig E. Hampel, Richard E. Warmke, Frederick A. Ware
  • Patent number: 6822654
    Abstract: At least one chip of a chipset in a computer system having at least one host processor and a host memory are described herein. In one aspect of the invention, an exemplary chip includes an interconnect, a memory interface coupled to the interconnect, the memory interface providing access to the host memory and controlling memory refresh and memory access, a host interface coupled to the interconnect, the host interface providing access to the host processor, and a programmable media processor coupled to the interconnect, the media processor accessing the host through the host interface and the media processor accessing the host memory through the memory interface, wherein the media processor processes time based media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Apple Computer, Inc.
    Inventors: Sushma Shrikant Trivedi, Joseph P. Bratt, Jack Benkual, Vaughn Todd Arnold, Yutaka Takahashi, Steven Todd Weybrew, Derek Fujio Iwamoto, David Ligon
  • Patent number: 6816162
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for management of sample data to enable video rate anti-aliasing convolution. Sample data may be moved simultaneously from a sample buffer to a bin scanline cache and from the bin scanline cache to an array of N2 processor—memory units (e.g. 25 for N=5). Pixel data may be convolved from an N×N sample bin array that may be approximately centered on the pixel location. Since each sample bin contains Ns/b samples, Ns/b×N2 samples may be filtered for each pixel (e.g. 400 for N=5 and Ns/b=16). Each processor—memory unit convolves the sample data for one sample bin in the N×N sample bin array and supports a variety of filter functions. Pixel data may be output to a real time video data stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Nimita J. Taneja, Nathaniel David Naegle, Michael F. Deering
  • Patent number: 6806881
    Abstract: A graphics controller for high speed transmission for memory read commands. The graphics controller chip includes a logic circuit coupled to a first memory. The logic circuit is adapted to respond to a first issued command from a CPU by determining whether the condition that a first command is a memory read command is true. If the condition is true, the logic circuit causes the graphics controller chip to store the first command in the first memory and to begin carrying out the first command. If the condition is false, the logic circuit causes the graphics controller chip to check whether the graphics controller chip is ready to carry out the first command. If the graphics controller chip is not ready to carry out the first command, the logic circuit causes the graphics controller chip to continue checking and to send a signal to the CPU indicating that the graphics controller chip is ready to receive a second command from the CPU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Barinder Singh Rai
  • Publication number: 20040201590
    Abstract: A 3-D graphics chip includes independent internal DRAM buffers each having a wide bandwidth access bus for connection to a 3-D texture rendering drawing engine. The 3-D drawing engine takes advantage of a flexible embedded memory interface to reduce the traditional 3-D pipeline delay by a factor of 3. In a specific embodiment, each of three drawing processes—texture, Z, pixel—retrieves and stores information in a separate embedded drawing buffer via separate wide bandwidth access busses. Access to an external memory is provided via a separate external access bus. In another specific embodiment, the 3-D drawing engine accesses the embedded drawing buffers via read and write FIFO's to maximize the drawing process throughput.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Tsailai Terry Wu, Yudianto Halim
  • Patent number: 6798418
    Abstract: A graphics subsystem including a RAMDAC for connection to a graphics bus implemented on an integrated circuit chip separate from a graphics processor. In one embodiment, the graphics processor is configured to render digital image information in response to graphics commands and to store the digital image information in a memory. The RAMDAC IC includes a conversion unit, which includes a color mapping unit and a digital-to-analog converter and is configured to convert a representation of the digital image information into one or more analog signals for driving a video display. The graphics subsystem further includes a Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller implemented on the second integrated circuit chip. The DMA controller is configured to generate read requests to retrieve the digital image information stored in the memory to thereby cause the digital image information to be provided to the conversion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriele Sartori, Dale E. Gulick
  • Patent number: 6798419
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for displaying data on a video display that is controlled by a video controller, the video controller is coupled to a high-speed memory and a low-speed memory. The memories have separate data paths. A video address corresponding to a location on the video display is received. If a specified address bit is in a first state, then data is displayed from the high-speed memory. If the specified address bit is in a second state, then data is displayed from the low-speed memory. The specified address bit may be a high order address bit that is not utilized by a conventional VGA controller to transmit address information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Dean A. Klein
  • Patent number: 6795077
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated circuit and a method of processing graphic patterns comprising pixels. The circuit (CH) is integrated in a video output co-processor. The circuit comprises, on the one hand, a random access memory (RAM) intended to save the patterns and, on the other hand, extraction means (PE) intended to extract pixels as a function of an indication of the number of bits per pixel from the selected pattern and apply them to encoding means (CM). The pixels are then color-characterized by encoding means (CM) for display on a video screen. The circuit avoids the use of an external memory (SDRAM) and thus cluttering of the passband of the video bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Laurent Charles Pasquier
  • Publication number: 20040179015
    Abstract: A CMOS integrated circuit that comprises a graphics controller system that consists of a graphics engine and video memory together with some interface blocks, a PCMCIA host adapter, an infrared interface for generating video images on a LCD or CRT display unit, and a video stream interface for receiving video signals. Since the video memory is integrated on the same integrated circuit as the graphics controller, no package pins are required for the memory interface. The pins thus saved are used to provide access to an on-chip PCMCIA host adapter. The internal memory interface is 128 bits wide. Simultaneous performance improvement and power dissipation reduction is achieved because of the wide memory interface and the elimination of the large parasitic capacitances associated with a package pin connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Applicant: NEOMAGIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Deepraj S. Puar, Ravi Ranganathan
  • Patent number: 6791554
    Abstract: An I/O node for a computer system including an integrated graphics engine. An input/output node is implemented upon an integrated circuit chip. The I/O node includes a first transceiver unit, a second transceiver unit, a packet tunnel, a graphics engine and a graphics interface. The first transceiver unit may receive and transmit packet transactions on a first link of a packet bus and the second transceiver unit may receive and transmit packet transactions on a second link. The packet tunnel may convey selected packet transactions between the first and the second transceiver unit. The graphics engine may receive graphics packet transactions from the first transceiver unit and may render digital image information in response to receiving the graphics transactions. The graphics interface may receive additional graphics packet transactions from the first transceiver unit and may translate the additional graphics packet transactions into transactions suitable for transmission upon a graphics bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: James Mergard, Dale E. Gulick, Larry D. Hewitt
  • Patent number: 6774918
    Abstract: A method of video overlay processing and a system thereof. On-screen display (OSD) data for generating an image on a display device are downloaded to an OSD unit on an integrated circuit. The OSD data are downloaded in bursts separated by gaps. During the gaps, overlay data for generating an overlay on the image are downloaded to an overlay unit on the integrated circuit. The overlay data are divided into portions so that the overlay data can be downloaded in the time between bursts of OSD data. Generally, the amount of overlay data downloaded during a gap is sufficient for generating enough of the overlay until the next gap occurs and the next portion of overlay data is downloaded. Consequently, the size of the memory residing on the integrated circuit for storing overlay data can be reduced to the size needed to store only a portion of the overlay. Furthermore, the bus bandwidth for the OSD is more efficiently utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Peter Valentine Muth
  • Patent number: 6765563
    Abstract: A monolithic integrated circuit for use in a digital display unit. The circuit may include an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a scaler and a clock recovery circuit. The present invention enables the integration of at least these components into a single monolithic integrated circuit while maintaining reasonable display quality. Specifically, the monolithic integrated circuit is designed for substantial immunity from noise, which may otherwise result from integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Genesis Microchip Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Julian Eglit, Tzoyao Chan, John Lattanzi
  • Patent number: 6766332
    Abstract: There is disclosed an album type image display device. The image display device reads out album data, including image data and album manager data for arranging images in a style of an album, from a memory card and displays an electronic album page by page on the basis of the album data. When a second set of electronic images are read out from a second memory card while successive two pages of the electronic album are displayed, additional pages having the second set of electronic images pasted thereon are interposed between the displayed two pages. Upon pressing an automatic play button, the image display device starts displaying respective pages of the electronic album turn by turn in a predetermined sequence. A respective page is displayed for a time that is determined based on a data volume of that page.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Miyazaki, Keiji Tsubota
  • Patent number: 6760033
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for graphical processing. A logic core to perform pixel fragment manipulation and processing is instantiated on a single substrate with one or more memory units. The memory units are dynamically segmentable into frame buffer and texture memory. Because the logic core is on the same substrate as the memory units, the bandwidth between the core and the memory is greatly increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Edward C. Chen, Mark S. Grossman, Chi-Shung Wang, John S. Montrym, Mark M. Leather
  • Patent number: 6760031
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for allowing two graphics controllers to cooperate on a single screen and for modifying the AGP protocol to provide symmetric capabilities for both AGP targets and AGP masters. According to one embodiment of the present invention two graphics controllers may cooperate as one virtual graphics controller. A first graphics controller renders a first subset of pixels of a display to a local memory of the first graphics controller. A second graphics controller renders a second subset of pixels of the display to a local memory of the second graphics controller. Then, after both the first graphics controller and the second graphics controller have completed their respective rendering, merging the content of the local memory of the first graphics controller and the content of the local memory of the second graphics controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Brian K. Langendorf, Thomas A. Piazza
  • Patent number: 6753868
    Abstract: A CPU including a CPU-side signal line for connecting each of CPU-side memory device, OSD device, and OSD-side memory device to the CPU, and switching means for disconnecting the OSD device and OSD-side memory device from the CPU-side signal line when the CPU erases or rewrites memory contents of the CPU-side memory device through the CPU-side signal line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignees: Renesas Technology Corp., Mitsubishi Electric System LSI Design Corporation
    Inventor: Izumi Takaishi
  • Patent number: 6744443
    Abstract: A method and apparatus employing lookup tables in a time sequential manner. A substrate has a display, a digital to analog converter, and a lookup table (LUT) formed thereon. The LUT is loaded with a LUT data set corresponding to an image subframe to be driven to the display. Successive LUT data sets corresponding to the next subframe are loaded after each subframe is driven to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Brillian Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas J. McKnight, Douglas J. Gorny, Lowell F. Bohn, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6744437
    Abstract: The present invention can be introduced to an architecture such as a personal computer or an amusement equipment for realizing a high-speed graphic processing. In the case where a frame buffer, a command memory and an image processor are integrated in one chip in order to improve the drawing performance of an image processing device, each of the frame buffer and the command memory is constructed by a plurality of identical memory modules and the same row address is allotted to each memory module, thereby increasing the memory address depth. Thereby, it is possible to realize an incorporated frame buffer and an incorporated command memory each of which has a large capacity when seen from the image processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Renesas Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Kazushige Yamagishi, Jun Sato, Takashi Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 6738068
    Abstract: An interface between an accelerated graphics port graphics controller (AGP-GC) and a core controller to prevent entry into a low power state from interfering with transfers to or from the AGP-GC that have been requested but not completed. The core controller can communicate to the AGP-GC an intent to enter a low power state, while the AGP-GC can communicate to the core controller the busy status of the AGP-GC. When the AGP-GC receives notice of an intent to enter a low power state, it can stop issuing requests to the core controller. When the core controller detects that the AGP-GC is busy, the core controller can postpone entry into the low power state until the AGP-GC completes any requests that are in progress. In an alternate use of the interface, if the AGP-GC wishes to make a request during a low power state, it can signal the core controller of this need by indicating a busy status, which can trigger the core controller to initiate an exit from the low power state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Debra T. Cohen, Leslie E. Cline, Barnes Cooper, Satchit Jain, Anil V. Nanduri
  • Patent number: 6731292
    Abstract: An integrated circuit may include several components, one or more interfaces, an interconnect (e.g., a bus), and a controller. The components may each be configured to assert a read request to read data stored externally to the integrated circuit. The interfaces may be configured to output the read request asserted by one of the components and to receive data in response to outputting the request. The interconnect may be coupled to perform one or more data transactions to transmit the data from one of the interfaces to one or more of the components. In response to the read request asserted by one of the components, the controller may inhibit performance of a read transaction initiated by the read request dependent upon a comparison of a total number of outstanding data transactions to a maximum allowable number of outstanding data transactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne Eric Burk, Ewa M. Kubalska, Brian D. Emberling
  • Patent number: 6718455
    Abstract: The present invention proposes a multimedia-instruction acceleration device and a method thereof, which uses instruction strings having a floating-point value check field to execute commands of single-instruction/multi-data format. The present invention can effectively save executing time and simplify numerical calculation process, and can fully exploit memory space to achieve the object of increasing acceleration operation and execution of 3D multimedia instructions. Moreover, an instruction of another mode can be added among the multi-data pertaining to a single 3D instruction so that another program such as a voice-playing program can be executed during the process of 3D acceleration operation. The performance of the multimedia program can thus be enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Via Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Nai-Sheng Cheng
  • Publication number: 20040056865
    Abstract: In order to reduce degradation of the processing performance of the data processor due to use of a part of the main memory as a display frame buffer, when an access request to the memory 200 is generated from the CPU 310, the memory controller 400 holds it once, requests the display controller 560 to stop the access to the memory 200 which is in execution, when data to the access executed already is transferred from the memory 200, holds it, and transfers the access request from the CPU bus 310 which is held by the memory 200. When the access from the CPU bus 310 ends, the memory controller 400 restarts the access stopped in the display controller 560 and passes the held data to the display controller 560.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventors: Tetsuya Shimomura, Shigeru Matsuo, Koyo Katsura, Tatsuki Inuzuka, Yasuhiro Nakatsuka
  • Publication number: 20040046762
    Abstract: A personal computer system includes a core logic unit, a graphics accelerator, a first tile converter, a local memory, a second tile converter and a system memory. The core logic unit outputs first image data in a linear mode. The graphics accelerator is in communication with the core logic unit for processing the first image data into second image data in a linear mode. The first tile converter is in communication with the graphics accelerator for converting the second image data into third image data in a tile mode. The local memory is in communication with the first tile converter for storing therein the third image data. The second tile converter is in communication with the core logic unit for converting the first image data into fourth image data in a tile mode. The system memory is accessible by the core logic unit, and includes a graphics accelerating memory in communication with the second tile converter for storing therein the fourth image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventor: Eric Chuang
  • Patent number: 6704023
    Abstract: A 3-D graphics chip includes independent internal DRAM buffers each having a wide bandwidth access bus for connection to a 3-D texture rendering drawing engine. The 3-D drawing engine takes advantage of a flexible embedded memory interface to reduce the traditional 3-D pipeline delay by a factor of 3. In a specific embodiment, each of three drawing processes—texture, Z, pixel—retrieves and stores information in a separate embedded drawing buffer via separate wide bandwidth access busses. Access to an external memory is provided via a separate external access bus. In another specific embodiment, the 3-D drawing engine accesses the embedded drawing buffers via read and write FIFO's to maximize the drawing process throughput.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Silicon Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Tsailai Terry Wu, Yudianto Halim
  • Patent number: 6704022
    Abstract: In a specific embodiment of the present invention RGB video data is converted to a YUV video data representation. The YUV video data is compressed and transmitted over a data bus to a memory device. Also transmitted is a compression indicator. The memory device buffers arid decompresses the compressed data. The decompressed data is converted back into uncompressed RGB video, and stored in a memory array. During a read cycle, the RGB data is converted into YUV video data, and compressed at the memory before being transmitted to the graphics processor along with a compression indicator. The graphics processor decompresses the data and provides it to the requesting client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: ATI International SRL
    Inventor: Milivoje M. Aleksic
  • Publication number: 20040041813
    Abstract: A SOC processor for multimedia capable of improving three-dimensional graphic process speed includes a pre-processor circuit unit to convert an image signal transmitted from the outside into a compressed input signal for compressing the image signal, an encoder/decoder circuit unit to create a compressed data by compressing the compressed input signal, and to encode the compressed data, a post-processor to convert the coded image signal so that an image displaying apparatus can use the image signal, a graphic accelerator to process three-dimensional graphic computation with respect to the image signal output on the image displaying apparatus, a first system bus connected with the encoder/decoder circuit unit, a second system bus connected with the pre-processor, post-processor, and graphic accelerator, and a controlling unit to control the above circuit units. The first system bus and second system bus can communicate data each other by a bridge DMA circuit unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jae-Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 6700581
    Abstract: A specialized processing chip (e.g. a graphics accelerator) in which the host interface provides access to the diagnostic registers in most of the complex logic on the chip, except for the host interface itself. This advantageously permits the host CPU to obtain direct access to register contents in the specialized chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: 3D Labs Inc., Ltd.
    Inventors: David Robert Baldwin, Nicholas J. N. Murphy, Andrew Peter Maund, Paul Pontin, Steve Cooper
  • Patent number: 6690377
    Abstract: A 3-D rendering engine with embedded memory a graphics engine. A graphics engine is disclosed that includes a rendering engine for receiving graphics primitives and converting them to pixel information for transfer to a display, The rendering engine is operable to access memory locations with multiple memory access requests for a Read or a Write operation and operable in a first address space. A plurality of memory blocks are provided, each individually accessible and all configured in a virtual address space different than said first address space. A memory mapping device is provided for mapping each of the memory requests to the virtual address space. A pipeline engine is operable to pipeline the mapped memory access requests for both Read and Write operations in accordance with a predetermined pipelining scheme. The memory access requests are received in parallel and processed asynchronously, such that access to more than one of the memory blocks can occur at substantially the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Bitboys Oy
    Inventor: Mika Henrik Tuomi
  • Publication number: 20040012600
    Abstract: A high-speed ring topology. In one embodiment, two base chip types are required: a “drawing” chip, LoopDraw, and an “interface” chip, LoopInterface. Each of these chips have a set of pins that supports an identical high speed point to point unidirectional input and output ring interconnect interface: the LoopLink. The LoopDraw chip uses additional pins to connect to several standard memories that form a high bandwidth local memory sub-system. The LoopInterface chip uses additional pins to support a high speed host computer host interface, at least one video output interface, and possibly also additional non-local interconnects to other LoopInterface chip(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2003
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Inventors: Michael F. Deering, Michael G. Lavelle
  • Patent number: 6680736
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device of a high degree of freedom in column and a graphics display system using the semiconductor memory device as a mapping memory are provided. The semiconductor memory device according to the present invention is comprised of a plurality of memory arrays and each memory array is comprised of a plurality of memory cell groups. A plurality memory cell groups in each memory array are independently selected according to the information of a separate column address. Column decoders select the column of a corresponding memory array in response to common column addresses and first or second separate column addresses. The first or the second separate column addresses select one memory cell group among memory cell groups in each memory array. The common column addresses select predetermined numbers of columns in each memory cell group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ho-yeol Cho
  • Patent number: 6674441
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving performance of an AGP device is provided. In one embodiment of the invention, a second-level cache is provided for a TLB, and part of the data or part of the address that is not otherwise used for determining a TLB entry is divided by a prime number to determine which TLB entry to allocate. One embodiment of the invention provides the ability to load multiple cache lines during a single memory access without incurring additional transfer, storage, or management complexities. The full number of bits of each memory access may be used to load cache lines. One embodiment of the invention loads multiple cache lines for translations of consecutive ranges of addresses. Since the translations included in the multiple cache lines cover consecutive ranges of addresses, the relationship between the multiple cache lines loaded for a single memory access is understood, and additional complexity for cache management is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: ATI International, SRL
    Inventor: Michael Frank
  • Publication number: 20030222879
    Abstract: A Procesor-In-Memory (PIM) includes a digital accelerator for image and graphics processing. The digital accelerator is based on an ALU having multipliers for processing combinations of bits smaller than those in the input data (e.g., 4×4 adders if the input data are 8-bit numbers). The ALU implements various arithmetic algorithms for addition, multiplication, and other operations. A secondary processing logic includes adders in series and parallel to permit vector operations as well as operations on longer scalars. A self-repairing ALU is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicants: University of Rochester, The Research Foundation of State University of New York
    Inventors: Rong Lin, Martin Margala
  • Publication number: 20030214506
    Abstract: A display driver integrated circuit is provided for connection to a small-area display, the integrated circuit including a hardware-implemented graphics engine for receiving vector graphics commands and rendering image data for display pixels in dependence upon the received commands, and also including display driver circuitry for driving the connected display in accordance with the image data rendered by the graphics engine. In another aspect the graphics engine is held within the display module, but not embedded in the display driver IC. The invention provides graphics acceleration that increases display performance, but does not significantly increase cost of manufacture. Power consumption in comparison to non-accelerated CPU graphics processing is lowered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Inventors: Metod Koselj, Mika Tuomi
  • Patent number: 6633296
    Abstract: In a specific embodiment, a system for providing video is disclosed, the system having a system bus, which in one embodiment is an Advanced Graphics Port (AGP) bus. The system bus is connected to a data bridge, which is connected to a second and third AGP bus. Each of the AGP busses are connected to graphics processors. The bridge routes data requests from one graphics processor to the second graphics processor without accessing the system AGP bus based upon a memory mapping information stored in a routing table or a register set. In another aspect of the present invention, the bridge responds to initialization requests using attributes that may vary depending on the specific mode of operation. Another aspect of the present invention allows for conversion between various AGP protocol portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: ATI International SRL
    Inventors: Indra Laksono, Milivoje Aleksic, Antonio Asaro, Andrew E. Gruber, Gordon Caruk, Brian Lee
  • Patent number: 6628288
    Abstract: A back end unit for use with a graphics processor includes an input for receiving graphics data streams from the graphics processor, an output for transmitting graphics data streams, and a plurality of paths, coupled with the input and output, that direct graphics data streams between the input and the output. The plurality of paths direct data between the various modules that are a part of the back end unit. To that end, among other things, the back end unit also includes a gamma correction module that applies gamma correction operations to graphics data streams, a cursor module that adds cursor data to graphics data streams, and a digital to analog converter that converts the graphics data streams from a digital format to an analog format. The plurality of paths thus permit graphics data streams to pass through no more than two of the gamma correction module, the cursor module, and the digital to analog converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: 3Dlabs, Inc., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Potter, Clifford A. Whitmore, Jeff S. Ford
  • Publication number: 20030164830
    Abstract: A graphics processing chip which includes parallel texturing pipelines, with task allocation units which can bypass inoperative ones of said pipelines. Chips which have some but not all pipelines operative can still have full functionality, although performance is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Applicant: 3Dlabs Inc., Ltd.
    Inventor: Osman Kent
  • Patent number: 6608625
    Abstract: A multimedia processor for performing three dimensional graphics processing in an integrated circuit comprises a microprocessor circuit which is configured to generate triangle set-up information corresponding to a plurality of triangles that define a three-dimensional object displayed on a screen. The screen is defined by a plurality of bins having a predetermined number of pixels. A data cache is coupled to the microprocessor and configured to store the set-up information. A three-dimensional triangle rasterizer is coupled to the data cache and configured to perform bin allocation to the triangles so as to identify all bins that intersect with a triangle on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Equator Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ken C. Chin, Masao Ishiguro, Keiji Kojima, Semyon Nisenzon
  • Publication number: 20030117404
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus capable of achieving an increase of capacity and consequently capable of achieving an improvement of processing capability without causing a drop in performance and an increase of the cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventor: Yujiro Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20030112246
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for a hardware implementation of a blending technique during graphics processing in a graphics pipeline. During processing in the pipeline, a plurality of matrices and a plurality of weight values are received. Also received is vertex data to be processed. A sum of a plurality of products may then be calculated by the multiplication of the vertex data, one of the matrices, and at least one of the weights.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: nVIDIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Erik Lindholm, Simon Moy, David B. Kirk, Paolo E. Sabella
  • Publication number: 20030115567
    Abstract: A method to compile images and data created on different software platforms into a platform-independent image begins when a PCB assembler utilizes a VRML interface to make a request to show an image of a PCB or any part of a PCB. The request is sent to a WWW server, which in turn, contacts a database interface, such as CGI. The requested image data is stored on at least one external database and is likely comprised of many individual elements created on many different software platforms, such as Gerber or CAD. The database interface retrieves the requested image data from the external databases and funnels it to the PCB assembler via the WWW server. Finally, the VRML interface software compiles all of the multi-platform data and generates a new, software- and processor-independent image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventors: Oleg Yurievich Gusikhin, Rexanne Michelle Owen, Charles F. Schweitzer
  • Patent number: 6573905
    Abstract: A display engine of a video and graphics system includes one or more processing elements and receives graphics from a memory. The graphics data define multiple graphics layers, and the processing elements process two or more graphics layers in parallel to generate blended graphics. Alpha values may be used while blending graphics. The processing elements may be integrated on an integrated circuit chip with an input for receiving the graphics data and other video and graphics components. The display engine may also include a graphics controller for receiving two or more graphics layers in parallel, for arranging the graphics layers in an order suitable for parallel processing, and for providing the arranged graphics layers to the processing elements. The blended graphics may be blended with HDTV video or SDTV video, which may be extracted from compressed data streams such as an MPEG Transport stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander G. MacInnis, Chengfuh Jeffrey Tang, Xiaodong Xie
  • Patent number: 6570579
    Abstract: A graphics integrated circuit is used in a set-top box for controlling a television display. The graphics chip processes analog video input, digital video input, a graphics input and an audio input simultaneously. The chip incorporates a unified memory architecture that provides a high level of system performance while conserving memory bandwidth and chip size. Video and graphics scaling capabilities as well as anti-flutter filtering capability are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander G. MacInnis, Chengfuh Jeffrey Tang, Xiaodong Xie
  • Patent number: 6567093
    Abstract: A single semiconductor chip is configured to better perform the functions which are conventionally provided by 3 semiconductor chips in a monitor for adapting video signals to the specification of the monitor for adequate displaying. Its configuration is characterized by storing main program, DDC data, and DFF data together in a storage circuit such as a REPROM, and by a novel arrangement of connection between its storage circuit and operating circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chiao-Yen Tai, Jeff Hsin
  • Publication number: 20030090492
    Abstract: An image processing integrated circuit including a CPU configured to supply an image data, frame information of the image data and a first write destination address indicating an address to which the image data is written; a latch circuit configured to receive the frame information from the CPU; an address scrambler configured to allocate second write destination addresses based on the first write destination address supplied from the CPU and the frame information supplied from the latch circuit; a RAM configured to store the image data supplied from the CPU according to the second write destination address supplied from the address scrambler; and a DA converter configured to perform the digital-analog conversion for the image data supplied from the RAM and for supplying a first read destination address corresponding to the first write destination address one to one, to the address scrambler after the conversion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Shigeki Yoshida, Yoshio Kaneko