Video graphics module capable of blending multiple image layers
First Claim
1. A video graphics module comprises:
- a plurality of video graphics pipelines, wherein each of the plurality of video graphics pipelines is operable to process a corresponding image layer and wherein one of the plurality of video graphics pipelines processes a foremost graphics image layer and the video graphics pipelines is operable to process the corresponding image layers in parallel, wherein each of the foremost graphics image layer and the corresponding image layers are operatively received from at least one frame buffer; and
a blending module operably coupled to the plurality of video graphics pipelines, wherein the blending module is operable to blend the corresponding image layers in a predetermined blending order, thereby creating an intermediate blended image, and blending the intermediate blended image with the foremost graphics image layer, to produce an output image having the foremost graphics image layer blended in a foremost position with respect to the other corresponding image layers with negligible loss of information of the other corresponding image layers, wherein the blending module is selectably controllable to blend the intermediate blended image with the foremost graphics image layer in accordance with an alpha blending convention or an AND/XOR blending convention;
wherein the blending module comprises a first mixing module and a second mixing module, wherein the first mixing module is operable to blend at least two of the corresponding image layers to produce the intermediate blended image, and wherein the second mixing module is operable to blend the foremost graphics image layer with the intermediate blended image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A video graphics module capable of blending multiple image layers includes a plurality of video graphic pipelines, each of which is operable to process a corresponding image layer. One of the video graphic pipelines processes a foremost image layer. For example, the foremost image layer may be a hardware cursor. The video graphics module also includes a blending module that is operably coupled to the plurality of video graphic pipelines. The blending module blends, in accordance with a blending convention (e.g., AND/Exclusive OR blending and/or alpha blending), the corresponding image layers of each pipeline in a predetermined blending order to produce an output image. The blending module blends the foremost image layer such that it appears in a foremost position with respect to the other image layers.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A video graphics module comprises:
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a plurality of video graphics pipelines, wherein each of the plurality of video graphics pipelines is operable to process a corresponding image layer and wherein one of the plurality of video graphics pipelines processes a foremost graphics image layer and the video graphics pipelines is operable to process the corresponding image layers in parallel, wherein each of the foremost graphics image layer and the corresponding image layers are operatively received from at least one frame buffer; and a blending module operably coupled to the plurality of video graphics pipelines, wherein the blending module is operable to blend the corresponding image layers in a predetermined blending order, thereby creating an intermediate blended image, and blending the intermediate blended image with the foremost graphics image layer, to produce an output image having the foremost graphics image layer blended in a foremost position with respect to the other corresponding image layers with negligible loss of information of the other corresponding image layers, wherein the blending module is selectably controllable to blend the intermediate blended image with the foremost graphics image layer in accordance with an alpha blending convention or an AND/XOR blending convention; wherein the blending module comprises a first mixing module and a second mixing module, wherein the first mixing module is operable to blend at least two of the corresponding image layers to produce the intermediate blended image, and wherein the second mixing module is operable to blend the foremost graphics image layer with the intermediate blended image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A video graphics module comprises:
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a video graphics pipeline module operable to process at least one image layer; a hardware cursor pipeline operable to process a cursor image; wherein the at least one image layer and the cursor image are operably received from a frame buffer; and a blending circuit operably coupled to the video graphics pipeline and the hardware cursor pipeline, wherein the blending circuit is operable to blend, in accordance with an alpha blending convention, the at least one image layer and the cursor image, to produce an output image having the cursor image alpha blended in a foremost position with respect to the at least one corresponding image layer; wherein the blending circuit comprises a first mixing module and a second mixing module, wherein the first mixing module is operable to blend the at least one image layer to produce an intermediate blended image based on a determined alpha blending mode from a plurality of modes, and wherein the second mixing module is operable to blend the cursor image with the intermediate blended image. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A video graphics data blending circuit comprises:
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a first video graphics pipeline operable to produce a first image layer based on corresponding first image layer data from at least one frame buffer; a second video graphics pipeline operable to produce a second image layer based on corresponding second image layer data from the at least one frame buffer; a third video graphics pipeline operable to produce a third graphics image layer based on corresponding graphics image data from the at least one frame buffer; a first blending module operable to blend the first and second image layers based on an alpha calculation using a specified alpha value to generate an intermediate blended image; an alpha value calculation module operably coupled to the first blending module, wherein the alpha value calculation module generates the specified alpha value based on a determined alpha blending mode from a plurality of modes wherein the modes correspond to using at least one of;
a global alpha value, a per pixel value associated with at least one of the first and second image layers, and a non-alpha blend mode; anda second blending module operable to blend the intermediate blended image with the third graphics image layer using alpha blending to produce an output image such that the graphics image layer has a foremost position in the output image. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for determining an alpha calculation mode, the apparatus comprises:
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a blending module operative to; receive a first image layer from a first video graphics pipeline wherein the first image layer is based on corresponding first image layer data from at lease one frame buffer; receive a second image layer in parallel with the first image layer from a second video graphics pipeline wherein the second image layer is based on corresponding second image layer data from the at least one frame buffer; and receive a graphics image layer from a third video graphics pipeline wherein the graphics image layer is based on corresponding graphics image data from the at least one frame buffer; a processing module; memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to (a) determine an alpha blending mode from a plurality of modes, wherein each of the plurality of modes corresponds to at least one of utilizing a per pixel alpha blending value, utilizing a global alpha blending value, and utilizing a key alpha blending value;
(b) obtain blending information based on the alpha blending mode;
(c) generate a corresponding blending value based on the blending information; and
(d) provide the corresponding blending value to the blending module;wherein the blending module is further operable to blend the first and second image layers based on an alpha calculation using the corresponding alpha value to generate an intermediate blended image; and wherein the blending module is further operable to blend the intermediate blended image with the graphics image layer using alpha blending to produce an output image such that the graphics image layer has a foremost position in the output image. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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Specification