Patent · US Active

Memory management system and method

US8836710B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
4References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 18, 2011
Grant dateSep 16, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 20, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06T17/20
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

There is provided a method and apparatus for managing memory in a system for generating 3-dimensional computer images. The image is subdivided into a plurality of rectangular areas. A memory is provided and a page of the memory is allocated for storing object data for objects in the image. Object data for objects in the image are then written to the allocated page of memory. Finally, a bit mask for the allocated page of memory is compiled, the bit mask indicating the rectangular areas having object data stored in the allocated page of memory. A rectangular area of the image can then be rendered by deriving data for display from the object data stored in the memory, for objects in that rectangular area. Once the rectangular area has been rendered, the bit mask for each page of memory which stored, before the step of rendering, object data for that rectangular area, is updated so that the bit mask no longer indicates that rectangular area.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.