Extended range pixel display system and method

• US 6,731,289 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2000
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bowen, Andrew D., Airey, John M., Peercy, Mark S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chauhan, Ulka J.
• Application Number:
  US09/569,654
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/1.3, 345/3.1, 345/5, 345/501, 345/503, 345/506, 345/519, 345/520, 345/545, 345/77, 345/88, 345/89
• US Class Current: 345/503
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/005 General purpose rendering architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4092 Image resolution transcoding, e.g. by using client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 1/07 with combined raster scan and calligraphic display

Abstract

One aspect of the invention is a method for displaying extended range pixel values. The method includes the step of receiving a plurality of image pixel values each with at least one associated data value. The method also includes the steps of sending at least one of the plurality of image pixel values to a first display device (94) having a maximum display value; and sending at least one of the plurality of image pixel values exceeding maximum display value to a second display device (98). In a further embodiment, the at least one associated data value may be at least one of the group consisting of a pixel intensity, a color, and a location of the pixel value.

Claims

1. A method for displaying extended range pixel values, comprising:

receiving a plurality of image pixel values each with at least one associated data value, the plurality of image pixel values represented as floating point values that include a plurality of mantissa bits and a plurality of exponent bits;

sending at least one of the plurality of image pixel values not exceeding a maximum display value to a first display device having a limit of the maximum display value; and

sending at least one of the plurality of image pixel values exceeding the maximum display value to a second display device that is capable of displaying image pixel values exceeding the maximum display value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one associated data value includes at least one of the group consisting of a pixel intensity, a pixel color, and a location of the pixel value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of image pixel values is retrieved from a memory.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the memory is a frame buffer in a graphics pipeline.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the at least one associated data value in a second memory.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second display device is a calligraphic display.

7. A system for displaying extended range pixel values, comprising:

a graphics pipeline having a first memory that stores a plurality of image pixel values each with at least one associated data value; and

a display driver having a second memory that stores at least one of the plurality of image pixel values, the display driver operable to receive the plurality of image pixel values, to store at least one of the plurality of image pixel values in the second memory, and to send at least one of the plurality of image pixel values not exceeding a maximum display value to a first display device having a limit of the maximum display value and to send at least one of the plurality of image pixel values exceeding the maximum display value to a second display device that is capable of displaying image pixel values exceeding the maximum display value.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one associated data value includes at least one of the group consisting of a pixel intensity, a pixel color, and a location of the pixel value.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one of the plurality of image pixel values is represented as a floating point value that includes a sign bit, a plurality of mantissa bits, and a plurality of exponent bits.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the display driver is implemented in at least a portion of an application-specific integrated circuit.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the second memory comprises a random access memory.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first memory includes a frame buffer in a graphics pipeline.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the second display device is a calligraphic display.

14. An extended range pixel value display driver, comprising:

a first memory operable to receive from a graphics pipeline having a second memory, a plurality of image pixel values each with at least one associated data value; and

logic coupled to the first memory and operable to send at least one of the plurality of image pixel values not exceeding a maximum display value to a first display device having a limit of the maximum display value and to send at least one of the plurality of image pixel values exceeding the maximum display value to a second display device that is capable of displaying image pixel values exceeding the maximum display value.

15. The display driver of claim 14, wherein the second display device is a calligraphic display.

16. The display driver of claim 14, wherein the at least one of the plurality of image pixel values is represented as a floating point value that includes a sign bit, a plurality of mantissa bits, and a plurality of exponent bits.

17. The display driver of claim 14, wherein the logic is implemented in at least a portion of an application-specific integrated circuit.

18. The display driver of claim 14, wherein the at least one associated data value includes at least one of the group consisting of a pixel intensity, a pixel color, and a location of the pixel value.

19. The display driver of claim 14, wherein the first memory is a random access memory.