Polymorphic graphic device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for polymorphically managing pixel data comprising:
- an object-oriented operating system for interfacing with a user;
a data processor controlled by the operating system;
display device controlled by the data processor for displaying a plurality of pixels to form a graphic image, each of the plurality of pixels having pixel data for controlling the display device to display an appearance for each of the plurality of pixels;
storage means with a plurality of locations for storing the pixel data;
an array having cells representing a plurality of pixels which display in a contiguous region on the display device;
a reference to selected ones of the plurality of locations, the selected ones corresponding to pixels represented by the array;
an attribute stored in the storage means and specifying an encoding format for display on the display device and applicable to each of the pixels represented by the array; and
means responsive to the stored attribute for creating a painter object which modifies pixel data in the selected ones of the plurality of locations in order to change the appearance of the plurality of pixels in a predetermined manner based on the stored attribute.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus providing a polymorphic pixel buffer. An object-oriented system design provides a robust and extensible pixel specification which allows for new methods, data types, and operation to be added to a digital pixel representation and processing system.
102 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An apparatus for polymorphically managing pixel data comprising:
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an object-oriented operating system for interfacing with a user; a data processor controlled by the operating system; display device controlled by the data processor for displaying a plurality of pixels to form a graphic image, each of the plurality of pixels having pixel data for controlling the display device to display an appearance for each of the plurality of pixels; storage means with a plurality of locations for storing the pixel data; an array having cells representing a plurality of pixels which display in a contiguous region on the display device; a reference to selected ones of the plurality of locations, the selected ones corresponding to pixels represented by the array; an attribute stored in the storage means and specifying an encoding format for display on the display device and applicable to each of the pixels represented by the array; and means responsive to the stored attribute for creating a painter object which modifies pixel data in the selected ones of the plurality of locations in order to change the appearance of the plurality of pixels in a predetermined manner based on the stored attribute. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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16. In a computer system having an object-oriented operating system for interfacing with a user, a data processor controlled by the operating system, a display device controlled by the data processor for displaying a plurality of pixels to form a graphic image, each of the plurality of pixels having pixel data for controlling the display device to display an appearance for each of the plurality of pixels and storage means with a plurality of locations for storing the pixel data, a method for polymorphically managing the pixel data, the method comprising the steps of:
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A. creating an array with cells representing a plurality of pixels which display in a contiguous region on the display device; B. creating a reference between the array cells and selected ones of the plurality of locations, the selected ones corresponding to pixels represented by the array; C. selecting an attribute from a plurality of attributes and storing the selected attribute, each attribute specifying an encoding format for displaying each of the pixels represented by the array on the display device; D. modifying pixel data in the selected ones of the plurality of locations in order to change the appearance of the plurality of pixels in a predetermined manner and in response to the attribute selected in step C; and E. creating a polymorphic painter object which modifies pixel data in response to the color attribute selected in step C.
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Specification