Graphics layer reduction for video composition

• US 8,063,916 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Herrick, Jason, Neuman, Darren
• Primary Examiner(s): Amini; Javid A
• Application Number:
  US10/961,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20050088446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,601 Days
• Field of Search: 345/629, 345/589
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/503 Blending, e.g. for anti-aliasing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/10 Mixing of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of an operation, e.g. adding, on the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/397 Arrangements specially adapted for transferring the contents of two or more bit-mapped memories to the screen simultaneously, e.g. for mixing or overlay G09G5/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system that blend graphics layers and a video layer. The graphics layers may be above and below the video layer, which may be a streaming video. The graphics layers may be stored in memory, blended and stored back in memory. The blended graphics layers may be combined with streaming video and output on a display. Blending the graphics in memory may be done offline and may save processing time and improve real-time combining with streaming video. In an embodiment of the present invention, there may be several layers of graphics below the video layer, and several graphics layers above the video layer. The top graphics layers may be blended into one top graphics layer, and the bottom graphics layers may be blended into one bottom graphics layer. The top and bottom graphics layers may be then blended into one graphics layer and combined with the video layer.

Claims

1. A method that blends graphics layers and a video layer, wherein the graphics layers are stored in a memory, the method comprising:

retrieving a plurality of graphics layers from the memory;

blending the plurality of graphics layers, using an alpha value of only one of the graphics layers;

blending the at least a portion of the graphics layers above the video layer into a top graphics layer;

blending the at least a portion of the graphics layers below the video layer into a bottom graphics layer; and

blending the top graphics layer and the bottom graphics layer into one graphics layer;

storing the blended graphics layers in the memory;

reading the stored blended graphics layers from the memory; and

and combining the blended graphics layers with a streaming video layer; and

wherein at least a portion of the graphics layers is above the video layer and at least a portion of the graphics layers is below the video layer.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising outputting the combined graphics and video onto a display device.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising combining the blended graphics layers and the streaming video in raster format.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein each layer comprises a buffer and an alpha.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the buffer contains pixel values for the layer.

6. The method according to claim 4 wherein the alpha is constant for the whole layer.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the alpha is different for each pixel.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the blending the graphics layers comprises blending only graphics layers.

8. A system that blends graphics layers and a video layer, wherein the graphics layers are stored in a memory, the system comprising:

a memory;

at least one processor capable of retrieving a graphics layers from the memory;

the at least one processor capable of blending the graphics layers, wherein the blending the graphics layers comprises;

the at least one processor capable of blending the at least a portion of the graphics layers above the video layer into a top graphics layer;

the at least one processor capable of blending the at least a portion of the graphics layers below the video layer into a bottom graphics layer; and

the at least one processor capable of blending the top graphics layer and the bottom graphics layer into one graphics layer;

the at least one processor capable of storing the blended graphics layers in the memory;

the at least one processor capable of reading the stored blended graphics layers from the memory;

the at least one processor capable of combining the blended graphics layers with a streaming video layer; and

the at least one processor capable of combining the blended graphics layers and the streaming video in raster format;

wherein at least a portion of the graphics layers is above the video layer and at least a portion of the graphics layers is below the video layer.

9. The system according to claim 8 further comprising the at least one processor capable of outputting the combined graphics and video onto a display device.

10. The system according to claim 8 wherein each layer comprises a buffer and an alpha.

11. The system according to claim 8 wherein the buffer contains pixel values for the layer.

12. The system according to claim 10 wherein the alpha is constant for the whole layer.

13. The system according to claim 10 wherein the alpha is different for each pixel.

22. The system on claim 8, wherein the blending the graphics layers comprises blending only graphics layers.

14. A computer-readable memory having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section that blends graphics layers and a video layer, wherein the graphics layers are stored in a memory, the at least one code section being executable by a computer for causing the computer to perform steps comprising:

retrieving graphics layers from the memory;

blending the graphics layers, wherein the code for blending the graphics layers comprises;

code for blending the at least a portion of the graphics layers above the video layer into a top graphics layer;

code for blending the at least a portion of the graphics layers below the video layer into a bottom graphics layer; and

code for blending the top graphics layer and the bottom graphics layer into one graphics layer;

storing the blended graphics layers in the memory;

reading the stored blended graphics layers from the memory; and

combining the blended graphics layers with a streaming video layer; and

wherein at least a portion of the graphics layers is above the video layer and at least a portion of the graphics layers is below the video layer.

15. the computer-readable memory according to claim 14 further comprising code for outputting the combined graphics and video onto a display device.

16. The computer-readable memory according to claim 14 further comprising code for combining the blended graphics layers and the streaming video in raster format.

17. The computer-readable memory according to claim 14 wherein each layer comprises a buffer and an alpha.

18. The computer-readable memory according to claim 17 wherein the buffer contains pixel values for the layer.

19. The computer-readable memory according to claim 18 wherein the alpha is constant for the whole layer.

20. The computer-readable memory according to claim 17 wherein the alpha is different for each pixel.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the blending the graphics layers comprises blending only graphics layers.