Direct storage of compressed scan converted data

• US 7,580,041 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2006
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Callahan, Sean, Barrett, Peter T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sajous; Wesner
• Application Number:
  US11/532,838
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 345555-557, 345611-614, 345/619, 345/629, 345/668, 345536-538, 345/541, 345/545, 345/582, 345/421, 345/428, 345/581, 345/468, 382/232, 382/245, 382193-194, 382/254, 382/199, 382/266, 382/269, 382274-275
• US Class Current: 345/555
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 9/20 Contour coding, e.g. using detection of edges
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/02 Handling of images in compressed format, e.g. JPEG, MPEG
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/24 Generation of individual character patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/30 Control of display attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/393 Arrangements for updating the contents of the bit-mapped memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/423 characterised by memory arrangements H04N19/433 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/93 Run-length coding

Abstract

Systems and methods for scan converting data into compressed representations of pixel data are described. In one aspect, shape geometry including shape and/or position attributes of one or more objects are directly scan converted into compressed scan converted data. The compressed scan converted data is stored into memory for subsequent application access and rendering.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a computing device for scan converting data, the method comprising:

directly transforming shape geometry, scanline-by-scanline, into non-graphics device memory as compressed scan converted data, the shape geometry comprising one or more of shape and position attributes associated with one or more objects; and

wherein the compressed scan converted data is available to an application for subsequent decompression and copying into graphics device memory for rendering;

wherein directly transforming the shape geometry further comprises encoding blending-based anti-aliasing information to generate the compressed scan converted data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising copying, by the application, the compressed scan converted data from the memory to graphics device memory for rendering.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tuning, by an out-of-band tuner to a broadcast channel to receive the shape geometry;

receiving the shape geometry over the broadcast channel; and

wherein directly transforming the shape geometry is implemented responsive to receiving the shape geometry.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the compressed data is run-length encoded data.

5. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-program instructions for generating scan converted data, the computer-program instructions being executable by a processor for:

receiving shape geometry comprising multiple scanlines representing graphical attributes of an object;

for each scanline of the scanlines;

stepping across a corresponding portion of the shape geometry to identify pixel data;

directly scan converting the pixel data into non-graphics device memory as compressed data; and

wherein the compressed data is available for subsequent copying into a frame buffer representing graphics device memory upon application request;

wherein the computer-program instructions for directly scan converting the pixel data further comprise instructions for encoding anti-aliasing information into the compressed data.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the pixel data is associated with foreground and background color portions representing transparent pixel data.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the graphical attributes comprise one or more of shape and position attributes.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the compressed data is run-length encoded data.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein receiving the shape geometry, the shape geometry is received over a broadcast channel.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, further comprising computer-program instructions executable by the processor for:

copying, by an application, the compressed data for decompression and storing into the frame buffer; and

rendering, by the application, the compressed data from the frame buffer.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 5:

wherein the computer-program instructions for directly scan converting further comprise instructions for encoding, during scan conversion operations, one or more pixels associated with the shape geometry with a tag indicating that the one or more pixels are candidate(s) for anti-aliasing; and

wherein the computer-program instructions further comprise instructions for rendering, by the one or more applications, the scan converted data using anti-aliasing independent of any anti-aliasing analysis by the one or more applications of the one or more pixels.

12. A computing device comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising computer-program instructions, the computer-program instructions being executable by the processor for;

receiving shape geometry, the shape geometry comprising multiple scanlines that represent graphical attributes of an object; and

for each scanline of the scanlines, directly scan converting the scanline into a memory as compressed scan converted data, the memory not being graphics device memory such as a frame buffer;

wherein the compressed scan converted data is encoded with a lossless encoding algorithm that is different than a run-length encoding algorithm.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the compressed scan converted data is run-length encoded.

14. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the shape geometry is received over a broadcast channel.

15. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the computer-program instructions further comprise instructions for tuning, by an out-of-band tuner, to a broadcast channel to receive the shape geometry.

16. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the computer-program instructions for directly scan converting further comprise instructions for encoding anti-aliasing information into the compressed scan converted data such that the compressed scan converted data can be rendered by an application independent of any subsequent anti-aliasing based analysis of the shape geometry to determine if pixels should be blended with foreground and background colors.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the anti-aliasing information indicates that at least a subset of pixels associated with the shape geometry are translucent.