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EP0456411A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Graphics display system

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1991-05-01
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2011-05-01
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Abstract

Abstract Apparatus and methods for selectively controlling by graphics environment window the characteristics of an overlay common to multiple-windows while operating within the context of a conventional RAMDAC overlay control architecture. Window specific overlay control is accomplished by concatenating the window, masking and overlay data as an address to a mapping memory (8). The bit content of the mapping memory is controlled directly by the general purpose processor (9) to selectively refine the relationship between the concatenated input as an address and the mapping memory output as the state conveyed to the overlay control of the RAMDAC (4). A common overlay is thus selectively modifiable by window.

Inventors

  • 👤 Mark Alan Einkauf
  • 👤 Michael Martin Klock
  • 👤 Ngocha Thi Le

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 16:06
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G5/00; G09G5/14

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 65 words
A computer display apparatus for associating overlay patterns with regions in a video display, comprising means (6 - window planes) for defining first and second regions in a pattern subject to display; means (6) for defining overlay characteristics common to the first and second regions; and means (8, 9) for selectively controlling the operation of the defined overlay characteristics in the first and second regions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 29 words
Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said regions are windows further comprising a frame buffer 2 for storing background and window characteristics in the pattern subject to display.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 23 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the means for defining overlay characteristics comprises a memory for storing window address and overlay characteristics.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the means for selectively controlling comprises a means for mapping window address and overlay characteristics to overlay control signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 36 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 to claim 4, wherein the window address and overlay characteristics subject to mapping are related to addresses for selecting the background and window characteristics stored in the frame buffer memory.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 31 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 including means for combining selectively mapped stored window address and overlay characteristics in synchronism with a scan of the pattern in the frame buffer memory.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the overlay control signals and frame buffer memory stored characteristics are combined in a RAMDAC.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 90 words
A method for selectively controlling overlap in a windowed graphic display system, comprising the steps of: storing background and window patterns in a frame buffer memory; storing window location and overlay characteristics in a first memory; storing in a second memory mapping information for relating window location and overlay characteristics to background and window patterns; selectively modifying information stored in the second memory; and generating a composite graphics display system signal by synchronously combining window location and overlay characteristics as modified in the second memory with background and window patterns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said step of generating is accomplished by synchronously scanning the memories for combination in a RAMDAC.

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