Apparatus and method for managing a frame buffer for MPEG video decoding in a PC environment
First Claim
1. An apparatus for preparing video signals for display in a computer system comprising:
- a frame buffer memory including a plurality of frame buffers;
a video frame decoder coupled to the frame buffer memory, the video frame decoder decoding a frame data asynchronously with respect to a time frame; and
a frame buffer controller that controls storage of frame data in the plurality of frame buffers, the frame buffer controller storing a first reference frame and a second reference frame in two of the plurality of frame buffers and storing, when available, a first nonreference frame and a second nonreference frame in a further two of the plurality of frame buffers, the frame buffer controller generating data for display from a frame buffer selected from among the two frame buffers storing the reference frames and the two frame buffers storing the nonreference frames on the basis of the frame that is due to be displayed, the frame buffer controller determining when a frame data is obsolete and discarding a frame data when the frame data is obsolete.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A four-buffer MPEG decoder is provided for decoding MPEG video frames. A four-buffer frame controller and control method manage the four frame buffers including decoding, displaying and discarding of I-frames, P-frames and B-frames so that video data decoding is accelerated. The four-buffer frame controller and control method frees one frame buffer when the frame buffer contains obsolete data, defined as data which is no longer useful for decoding additional frames and for which storage is not necessary for displaying pictures in a correct temporal order. One example of an obsolete frame is a B-frame that is displayed. Another example is a P-frame for I-frame which is no longer used for motion compensation and has been displayed.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An apparatus for preparing video signals for display in a computer system comprising:
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a frame buffer memory including a plurality of frame buffers; a video frame decoder coupled to the frame buffer memory, the video frame decoder decoding a frame data asynchronously with respect to a time frame; and a frame buffer controller that controls storage of frame data in the plurality of frame buffers, the frame buffer controller storing a first reference frame and a second reference frame in two of the plurality of frame buffers and storing, when available, a first nonreference frame and a second nonreference frame in a further two of the plurality of frame buffers, the frame buffer controller generating data for display from a frame buffer selected from among the two frame buffers storing the reference frames and the two frame buffers storing the nonreference frames on the basis of the frame that is due to be displayed, the frame buffer controller determining when a frame data is obsolete and discarding a frame data when the frame data is obsolete. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of displaying video signals in a computer system comprising:
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decoding a video frame data asynchronously with respect to a time frame; controlling storage of video frame data in a plurality of frame buffers including; storing a first reference frame and a second reference frame in two of the plurality of frame buffers and storing, when available, a first nonreference frame and a second nonreference frame in a further two of the plurality of frame buffers, generating data for display from a frame buffer selected from among the two frame buffers storing the reference frames and the two frame buffers storing the nonreference frames on the basis of which frame is due to be displayed; determining when a video frame data is obsolete; and discarding a video frame data when the frame data is obsolete. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A multimedia system comprising:
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a processor; a frame buffer memory including a plurality of frame buffers; a video frame decoder coupled to the frame buffer memory, the video frame decoder decoding a frame data asynchronously with respect to a time frame; and a frame buffer controller that controls storage of frame data in the plurality of frame buffers, the frame buffer controller storing a first reference frame and a second reference frame in two of the plurality of frame buffers and storing, when available, a first nonreference frame and a second nonreference frame in a further two of the plurality of frame buffers, the frame buffer controller generating data for display from a frame buffer selected from among the two frame buffers storing the reference frames and the two frame buffers storing the nonreference frames on the basis of which frame is due to be displayed, the frame buffer controller determining when a frame data is obsolete and discarding a frame data when the frame data is obsolete. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of providing multimedia system comprising:
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providing a processor; providing a frame buffer memory including a plurality of frame buffers; a video frame decoder coupled to the frame buffer memory, the video frame decoder that decodes a frame data asynchronously with respect to a time frame; and providing a frame buffer controller that controls storage of frame data in the plurality of frame buffers, the frame buffer controller storing a first reference frame and a second reference frame in two of the plurality of frame buffers and storing, when available, a first nonreference frame and a second nonreference frame in a further two of the plurality of frame buffers, the frame buffer controller that generates data for display from a frame buffer selected from among the two frame buffers storing the reference frames and the two frame buffers storing the nonreference frames on the basis of which frame is due to be displayed, the frame buffer controller that determines when a frame data is obsolete and discards a frame data when the frame data is obsolete.
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23. An apparatus for preparing video signals for display in a computer system comprising:
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a frame buffer memory including a plurality of frame buffers; a video frame decoder coupled to the frame buffer memory, the video frame decoder that decodes a frame data asynchronously with respect to a time frame; and a frame buffer controller that controls storage of frame data in the plurality of frame buffers, the frame buffer controller storing up to four frames of frame data in the plurality of frame buffers, a decoded data frame being stored in a vacant frame buffer that has previously discarded frame data, the frame buffer controller generating data for display from a frame buffer holding frame data that is due to be displayed, the frame buffer controller determining when a frame data is obsolete and discarding a frame data when the frame data is obsolete. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification