Integrated video and graphics blender
First Claim
1. An integrated computer graphics card comprising a. a local bus;
- b. an MPEG decoder communicating with the local bus;
c. a first video frame buffer communicating with the MPEG decoder;
d. a graphics processor communicating with the MPEG decoder;
the graphics processor further communicating with the local bus;
e. a second frame buffer communicating with the graphics processor, for blending video data and graphics data in the second frame buffer according to alpha data from the host computer system;
f. a video output port connected to the graphics processor, for outputting video frames comprising blended video and graphics; and
, g. a bridge between the local bus and a host computer bus for accepting commands to the integrated computer graphics card from the host computer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method provides for blending video data with graphics data and outputting video frames comprising blended video and graphics. There is a host computer capable of communicating with one or more integrated computer graphics cards, and at least one integrated computer graphics card. The integrated computer graphics card comprises a local bus; an MPEG decoder communicating with the local bus; a first video frame buffer communicating with the MPEG decoder; and a graphics processor communicating with the MPEG decoder by means of a dedicated digital video bus. The graphics processor further communicates with the local bus and a second frame buffer communicates with the graphics processor, for blending video data and graphics data in the second frame buffer according to alpha data from the host computer system. An analog TV decoder communicates with the graphics processor by means of the dedicated digital video bus, and a video output port connects to the graphics processor, for outputting video frames comprising blended video and graphics.
42 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An integrated computer graphics card comprising
a. a local bus; -
b. an MPEG decoder communicating with the local bus;
c. a first video frame buffer communicating with the MPEG decoder;
d. a graphics processor communicating with the MPEG decoder;
the graphics processor further communicating with the local bus;
e. a second frame buffer communicating with the graphics processor, for blending video data and graphics data in the second frame buffer according to alpha data from the host computer system;
f. a video output port connected to the graphics processor, for outputting video frames comprising blended video and graphics; and
,g. a bridge between the local bus and a host computer bus for accepting commands to the integrated computer graphics card from the host computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for blending video data with graphics data and outputting video frames comprising blended video and graphics, the system comprising:
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a. a host computer;
the host computer capable of communicating with one or more integrated computer graphics cards;
b. at least one integrated computer graphics card;
the integrated computer graphics card comprising;
(1) a local bus;
(2) an MPEG decoder communicating with the local bus;
(3) a first video frame buffer communicating with the MPEG decoder;
(4) a graphics processor communicating with the MPEG decoder by means of a first dedicated digital video bus;
the graphics processor further communicating with the local bus;
(5) a second frame buffer communicating with the graphics processor, for blending video data and graphics data in the second frame buffer according to alpha data from the host computer system;
(6) a video output port connected to the graphics processor by a second dedicated digital video bus, for outputting video frames comprising blended video and graphics; and
,(7) a bridge between the local bus and a host computer bus for accepting commands to the integrated computer graphics card from the host computer. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In an integrated computer graphics card connected to a host computer;
- the card having an MPEG decoder, a graphics processor and a graphics frame buffer, a method for blending video and graphics data on the same display, comprising the steps of;
(a) transferring MPEG data and commands to an MPEG decoder from a host computer;
(b) transferring graphics data and commands to a graphics processor from the host processor;
(c) transferring alpha data from the host processor to the graphics processor;
(d) decoding and scaling MPEG data in the MPEG processor;
(e) transferring decoded and processed MPEG data from the MPEG decoder to the graphics processor;
(f) blending the video and graphics data in the graphics frame buffer according to the alpha data; and
,(g) outputting the blended video data. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
- the card having an MPEG decoder, a graphics processor and a graphics frame buffer, a method for blending video and graphics data on the same display, comprising the steps of;
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15. An application programming interface (API) for providing a plurality of procedures that allow an application program executed by a host computer to communicate with an integrated computer graphics card, the API functions comprising:
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a. a function to create a device interface between an application program running on the host computer and an integrated computer graphics card. b. a function to create and initially position one or more non-blended browser windows and a single video window on a given display. c. a function to control the visibility, position and translucency of a blended browser window;
d. a function to control the position and visibility of a non-blended browser controlled window;
e. a function to control the position and visibility of a display video window, and to create one or more blended browser-controlled overlay windows;
f. a function to control the visibility, position, scroll rate and translucency of a blended scrolling bitmap window; and
,g. a function to interface to control the visibility, position, scroll rate and translucency of a non-blended scrolling bitmap window.
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16. A computer-readable medium embodying an application programming interface (API) for providing a plurality of procedures that allow an application program executed by a host computer to communicate with an integrated computer graphics card, the API functions comprising:
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a. a function to create a device interface between an application program running on the host computer and an integrated computer graphics card. b. a function to create and initially position one or more non-blended browser windows and a single video window on a given display. c. a function to control the visibility, position and translucency of a blended browser window;
d. a function to control the position and visibility of a non-blended browser controlled window;
e. a function to control the position and visibility of a display video window, and to create one or more blended browser-controlled overlay windows;
f. a function to control the visibility, position, scroll rate and translucency of a blended scrolling bitmap window; and
,g. a function to interface to control the visibility, position, scroll rate and translucency of a non-blended scrolling bitmap window.
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Specification