Graphics display method and apparatus

Claim 2

A graphics display apparatus including means for forming pixels of a display on a viewable surface, and bit map memory means for storing configurations of said pixels for display, said graphics display apparatus further comprising: means for addressing locations in said bit map memory means in accordance with a configuration it is desired to display, pattern memory means also responsive to said means for addressing, said pattern memory means storing one or more repeatable patterns descriptive of color comprising a plurality of pixels substantially smaller than a display, and means for coupling pixel information data from said pattern memory means to said bit map memory means at corresponding addresses.

Claim 3

A graphics display apparatus including means for portraying elemental parts of a display on a viewable surface, and map memory means for storing a map of said elemental parts of said display, said graphics display apparatus further comprising: means for receiving addresses of elemental parts of a display to be written into said map memory means including means for coupling said addresses in access relation to said memory means, and pattern memory means also accessed at least in part by the same addresses, said pattern memory means storing pixel words adapted for entry into said map memory means at corresponding addresses, said pixel words being stored in said pattern memory means in selectable color dither patterns wherein a selected pattern is small compared to a viewable surface.

Claim 4

A graphics display apparatus including means for portraying elemental parts of a display on a viewable surface, and map memory means for storing a map of said elemental parts of said display, said graphics display apparatus further comprising: means for receiving addresses of elemental parts of a display to be written into said map memory means including means for coupling said addresses in access relation to said memory means, and pattern memory means also accessed at least in part by the same addresses, said pattern memory means storing pixel words adapted for entry into said map memory means at corresponding addresses, said pixel words being stored in said pattern memory means in selectable color dither patterns wherein a selected pattern is small compared to a viewable surface.

Claim 7

The method according to claim 3 wherein the lower order bits of said addresses are employed to access pattern element data whereby the pattern element data provided is repeatable according to access by groups of said addresses.

Claim 8

The method according to claim 4 wherein said pattern element data comprises a matrix of color identifying color definitions for adjacent words for the purpose of providing a display having an apparent combined color.

Claim 9

The method according to claim 3 wherein said pattern element dat.a comprises a color dither pattern characterized hy element color definitions of different colors for adjacent elements over a limited range of addresses which are repeatably accessible by the addresses applied to said map memory.

Claim 10

A graphics display apparatus including means for portraying viewable information in the form of display elements, and map memory means for storing a map of said elements, said graphics display apparatus further comprising: means for receiving addresses of elements of a display, means for coupling said addresses in access relation to said map memory means for the purpose of identifying locations in said map memory means at which elements of a display are to be written, pattern memory means for storing color identifying data adapted for entry into specified locations in said map memory means, said data comprising color dither patterns, and means for coupling at least portions of the same addresses in access relation to said pattern means and for writing the accessed data from said pattern memory means at the corresponding locations in said map memory means.

Claim 11

A graphics display apparatus including means for portraying viewable information in the form of display elements, and map memory means for storing a map of said elements, said graphics display apparatus further comprising: means for receiving addresses of elements of a display, means for coupling said addresses in access relation to said map memory means for the purpose of identifying locations in said map memory means at which elements of a display are to be written, pattern memory means for storing color identifying data adapted for entry into specified locations in said map memory means, said data comprising color dither patterns, and means for coupling at least portions of the same addresses in access relation to said pattern means and for writing the accessed data from said pattern memory means at the corresponding locations in said map memory means.

Claim 12

The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said color dither patterns comprise a matrix of color identifying data words characterized by different color definitions for adjacent words, the lower order bits of said addresses being used to access data from said pattern memory means.

Claim 13

The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said pattern memory means stores a plurality of said color dither patterns separately selectable by higher order bits applied only to said pattern memory means.

Claim 14

The apparatus according to claim 7 including means for combining new data written into said map memory means with data theretofore written into said map memory means.

Claim 15

The apparatus according to claim 10 including means for identifying combinations of new and old data before re-entry into said map memory means.

Claim 16

The apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising character generator means for selectively enabling addressing to said map memory means and said pattern memory means for the purpose of writing characters in selected colors.