Visual display system having low energy data storage subsystem with date compression capabilities, and method for operating same
US5512921A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 22, 1994 |
| Grant date | Apr 30, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 22, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG09G2340/02
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A visual display system for use in computers includes a frame buffer for holding visual information data in a particular format for ready input to a visual display device. The system also includes a compressed frame buffer for storing the visual information data in a compressed format which can be rapidly decompressed in real-time and used in the visual display device. The data is compressed by a microprocessor during idle times and decompressed by a decompression circuit on the fly. In some circumstances, the power consumed by compressing and then repeatedly handling the compressed data is less than the power used to repeatedly handle the full uncompressed data set. The visual display system analyzes the visual information data and determines whether compression would help save energy. In the event that the handling of compressed data saves energy, the visual display system will use the compressed data set until the information is changed or updated. In this manner, the visual display system reduces power consumption which helps improve battery life in portable computers. A method for operating a visual display system using this energy saving compression technique is also describe…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.