Graphics processor with enhanced memory control circuitry for use in a video game system or the like
First Claim
1. In a video game system having a main console including a game microprocessor for executing a video game program stored in an external memory system and a picture processing unit coupled to said game microprocessor and a video random access memory, coupled to said picture processing unit, for storing data for use in generating a video display, said video game external memory system comprising:
- a cartridge for removable connection to said main console, said cartridge providing a housing for at least;
a program memory for storing said video game program;
an additional memory for storing at least video graphics data; and
a graphics processor, coupled to said program memory, and said additional memory, and coupled to said game microprocessor when said cartridge is connected to said main console for executing at least part of said video game program, said external memory system including a program memory controller for controlling access to said program memory and an additional memory controller for controlling access to said additional memory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fully programmable, graphics microprocessor is embodied in a removable external memory unit for connection with a host information processing system. In an exemplary embodiment, a video game system is described including a host video game system and a pluggable video game cartridge housing the graphics microprocessor. The game cartridge also includes a read-only program memory (ROM) and a random-access memory (RAM). The graphics coprocessor operates in conjunction with a three bus architecture embodied on the game cartridge. The graphics processor using this bus architecture may execute programs from either the program ROM, external RAM or its own internal cache RAM. The fully user programmable graphics coprocessor has an instruction set which is designed to efficiently implement arithmetic operations associated with 3-D graphics and, for example, includes special instructions executed by dedicated hardware for plotting individual pixels in the host video game system'"'"'s character mapped display which, from the programmer'"'"'s point of view, creates a "virtual" bit map by permitting the addressing of individual pixels--even though the host system is character based. The graphics coprocessor interacts with the host coprocessor such that the graphics coprocessor'"'"'s 16 general registers are accessible to the host processor at all times.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. In a video game system having a main console including a game microprocessor for executing a video game program stored in an external memory system and a picture processing unit coupled to said game microprocessor and a video random access memory, coupled to said picture processing unit, for storing data for use in generating a video display, said video game external memory system comprising:
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a cartridge for removable connection to said main console, said cartridge providing a housing for at least; a program memory for storing said video game program; an additional memory for storing at least video graphics data; and a graphics processor, coupled to said program memory, and said additional memory, and coupled to said game microprocessor when said cartridge is connected to said main console for executing at least part of said video game program, said external memory system including a program memory controller for controlling access to said program memory and an additional memory controller for controlling access to said additional memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A programmable graphics processor, for use with a host information processing system having an address bus and a data bus and having a program memory for storing a videographics program, said programmable graphics processor comprising:
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a host interface bus coupled to at least one of said address bus and said data bus; a cache memory, coupled to said host interface bus, for storing at least some of the instructions of said videographics program; means for executing instructions stored in said cache memory and said program memory; and cache control means for loading instructions from said program memory into said cache memory. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A graphics processor for use with a host processing system having a host address bus and host data bus and a program memory for storing a videographics program, said graphics processor comprising:
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an arithmetic and logic unit for executing instructions stored in said program memory; a host interface bus coupled to at least one of said host address bus and said host data bus; and a program memory controller coupled to said host interface bus for controlling access to said program memory and for selectively enabling at least one of said host processing system and said graphics processor to access said program memory. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A graphics processor for use with a host processing system having a host address bus and a host data bus, a program memory for storing a videographics program, and a random access memory (RAM), said graphics processor comprising:
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a host interface bus coupled to at least one of said host address bus and host data bus; means, coupled to said host interface bus, for receiving a RAM address from said host processing system; graphics processing means for generating RAM addresses; and a RAM controller for selecting between a host processing system RAM address and a graphics processing means generated RAM address and for coupling same to said RAM. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. In an information processing apparatus having a main processing unit including a first processing device for executing a first portion of a program stored in an external memory system, a removable external memory system comprising:
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a cartridge removably connectable to said main processing unit, providing said cartridge a housing for at least; a program memory for storing said first portion of said program and a second portion of said program; and an external processing unit, coupled to said program memory, for executing said second portion of said program, said processing unit including a cache memory for receiving at least some instructions of said second portion of said program from said program memory. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55)
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56. In an information processing system having a host processing unit for executing a program stored in an external memory system, said external memory system, comprising:
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a program memory for storing said program, a plurality of registers; and a remote processor for executing instructions stored in said program memory, including means for automatically initiating data fetches from said program memory in response to one of said plurality of registers being accessed, said remote processor being operable to execute at least one instruction while said data fetch is taking place.
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57. In an information processing system having a host processing system, an external memory system removably coupled to said host system, said external memory system comprising:
a cartridge removably connected to said host processing system for housing at least; a program memory; an additional memory; and a graphics processor coupled to said program memory and said additional memory; said graphics processor including; a program memory controller for controlling access to said program memory; and an additional memory controller for controlling access to said additional memory. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59)
Specification