System and method for improving pixel update performance
First Claim
1. A computer graphics system for displaying dynamic images on a display device using multiple sample pixel data representative of said dynamic images, comprising:
- a processor to generate multiple samples of data per pixel;
a coverage mask control unit to manage coverage masks associated with said multiple samples of data per pixel;
a data memory for storing said coverage masks and said multiple samples of data per pixel;
a display device for displaying dynamic images represented by said multiple samples of data per pixel stored in said memory.
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Abstract
A system and method improves pixel update performance in computer graphics systems. Pixel sample coverage masks and data record memory locations are assigned to each pixel. The data record memory locations store pixel sample data for one or more pixel samples. A coverage mask is associated with each data record and contains mask bits which identify the pixel samples that are assigned the data contained in the data record memory location. In another embodiment, the pixels are also assigned versions which are compared with a current version. In response to the version comparison, predefined alternate pixel data or pixel data stored in a frame buffer is blended with new pixel data. The blended pixel data is written to the frame buffer from which it is retrieved and displayed by a display device. In another embodiment, pixel data memory is dynamically allocated to reduce the dedicated memory requirements while still providing high quality images.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A computer graphics system for displaying dynamic images on a display device using multiple sample pixel data representative of said dynamic images, comprising:
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a processor to generate multiple samples of data per pixel; a coverage mask control unit to manage coverage masks associated with said multiple samples of data per pixel; a data memory for storing said coverage masks and said multiple samples of data per pixel; a display device for displaying dynamic images represented by said multiple samples of data per pixel stored in said memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer graphics system for displaying dynamic images on a display device having an array of pixels, comprising:
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a rendering processor to generate multiple samples of data per pixel representative of said dynamic images; a pixel processor to process said multiple samples of data per pixel, said pixel processor including a coverage mask control unit to manage coverage masks associated with said multiple samples of data per pixel and a pixel data blender to blend said multiple samples of data per pixel to provide pixel data for display; a frame buffer for storing said multiple samples of data per pixel, said coverage masks and said pixel data for display; and a display device for displaying said pixel data for display.
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15. In a computer graphics system with a display device having an array of pixels, a process for displaying a dynamic image represented by multiple samples of data per pixel, comprising the steps of:
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generating multiple samples of data per pixel; generating at least one coverage mask for said multiple samples of data per pixel; storing said multiple samples of data per pixel in a memory; storing said at least one coverage mask in a memory; generating pixel data for display using said multiple samples of data per pixel; generating an electrical signal corresponding to said pixel data for display to actuate a pixel associated with said dynamic image; and displaying said dynamic image on said display device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification