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Quadrant-based two-dimensional memory manager

  • US 5,461,712 A
  • Filed: 04/18/1994
  • Issued: 10/24/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In a computer graphics system, a memory manager for storing a plurality of variable-sized two-dimensional storage areas, comprising:

  • a two-dimensionally addressed graphics memory having a size equal to or greater than the largest of said two-dimensional storage areas;

    a quadtree for storing data regarding the state of said graphics memory and having a plurality of nodes, each of said nodes directly corresponding to a portion of said graphics memory;

    an allocation attribute for each of said nodes, each allocation attribute being selected from the group consisting of free, partially-allocated, or full, where said free attribute corresponds to a completely empty portion of said graphics memory, said partially-allocated attribute corresponds to a partially full portion of said graphics memory, and said full attribute corresponds to a completely allocated portion of said graphics memory, wherein said partially-allocated attribute further indicates a mip map storage orientation for a base texture map having square mip maps associated and stored therewith in said graphics memory; and

    allocation means for storing said two-dimensional storage areas within said graphics memory responsive to said state of said graphics memory stored in said quadtree.

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