Systems and methods for updating a frame buffer based on arbitrary graphics calls
First Claim
1. A method for updating an image on a computer display device, said method comprising:
- logically dividing the image into a plurality of zones;
storing each zone of the plurality of zones by a starting point of each zone;
tracking revised zones using the starting point of each revised zone; and
updating only the revised zones on the image;
wherein each zone of said plurality of zones has the same dimensions and number of pixels as the other zones.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for dividing a display into zones at system initialization for tracking which zones have any pixels revised so that, when the time comes to update the display, only the zones requiring revision (that is, those zones in which any pixel has been revised) are copied from shadow memory to the frame buffer for display on the display device. The memory for tracking these zones can be allocated at initialization and held since it is relatively small. Consequently, a significant performance gain may be achieved by avoiding the shortcomings of the existing methods in the art notwithstanding the fact that some “clean” pixels in each zone having even a single changed pixel are also rewritten to the frame buffer.
36 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for updating an image on a computer display device, said method comprising:
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logically dividing the image into a plurality of zones; storing each zone of the plurality of zones by a starting point of each zone; tracking revised zones using the starting point of each revised zone; and updating only the revised zones on the image; wherein each zone of said plurality of zones has the same dimensions and number of pixels as the other zones. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions for updating an image on a computer display device, said computer-readable instructions comprising:
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instructions for logically dividing the image into a plurality of zones; instructions for storing each zone of the plurality of zones by a starting point of each zone; instructions for tracking revised zones using the starting point of each revised zone; instructions for updating only the revised zones on the image; and instructions for dividing the image into a plurality of zones each having the same dimensions and number of pixels. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for updating an image on a computer display device, said system comprising:
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a memory; a shadow memory in said memory, said shadow memory comprising a plurality of zones; a zone grid in said memory for tracking by a starting point of each zone whether changes occur in each zone of said plurality of zones; a processing unit for rendering revisions to said shadow memory and tracking by a starting point of each zone in said zone grid which zones of said plurality of zones are revised; a frame buffer to which the processing unit, based on the information stored in the zone grid, writes only those zones that have been revised from the shadow memory to said frame buffer; and a display device coupled to said frame buffer. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A system for updating an image on a computer display device, said system comprising:
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means for logically dividing the image into a plurality of zones; means for storing each zone of the plurality of zones by a starting point of each zone; means for tracking revised zones using the starting point of each revised zone; and means for updating only the revised zones on the image; wherein each zone of said plurality of zones has the same dimensions and number of pixels as the other zones.
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Specification