Logical partitioning of gamma ramp frame buffer for overlay or animation
US5600773A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 16, 1994 |
| Grant date | Feb 4, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 16, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG09G2340/12
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods, systems and programs for partitioning an RGB gamma ramp frame buffer of a workstation into groupings of bit planes to isolate for independent generation the images of multiple objects displayed on a common video screen. According to a preferred practice, groups of bit planes are masked while others are written with scaled and off-set data suitable to represent shaded three-dimensional images. A matching partition of the color palettes in the digital to analog converters ensures consistency in the translation from digital frame buffer data to analog red-green-blue (RGB) color signals. The images as stored in the frame buffer can be arranged in any order of overlay priority. Retention of static image data in a partition reduces the graphics processor load by eliminating the need for regenerating the static component of a complex animation, thereby faciliting real-time motion or user interaction. Losses in color bandwidth resolution are substantially offset through the use of dithering techniques.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.