External memory system having programmable graphics processor for use in a video game system or the like
US5850230A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 7, 1995 |
| Grant date | Dec 15, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 7, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA63F2300/203
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A fully programmable, graphics microprocessor is embodied in a removable external memory unit for connection with a host information processing system. In an exemplary embodiment, a video game system is described including a host video game system and a pluggable video game cartridge housing the graphics microprocessor. The game cartridge also includes a read-only program memory (ROM) and a random-access memory (RAM). The graphics coprocessor operates in conjunction with a three bus architecture embodied on the game cartridge. The graphics processor using this bus architecture may execute programs from either the program ROM, external RAM or its own internal cache RAM. The fully user programmable graphics coprocessor has an instruction set which is designed to efficiently implement arithmetic operations associated with 3-D graphics and, for example, includes special instructions executed by dedicated hardware for plotting individual pixels in the host video game system's character mapped display which, from the programmer's point of view, creates a "virtual" bit map by permitting the addressing of individual pixels--even though the host system is character based. The graphics copro…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.