US4471464A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Data processing system with programmable graphics generator
Assignee: ATARI CORP
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Filing: 1983-04-29
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Granted: 1984-09-11
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Expires: 2003-04-29
Abstract
Abstract A microprocessor based data processing system including a microprocessor, a memory unit, and a display unit is provided with a programmable graphics generator that transfers graphics information from the memory unit to the display unit in response to and control of a set of display instructions also stored in the memory unit. The graphics generator includes a first addressing unit for sequentially accessing the display instructions from the memory unit; a control unit for receiving, storing and decoding such instruction and for issuing supervisory and control signals in response to the binary state of each instruction; a second addressing unit for accessing graphics information from the memory unit in response to the supervisory signals from the control unit; and a third addressing unit for accessing movable object graphics stored in the memory unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven T. Mayer
- 👤 Jay G. Miner
- 👤 Douglas G. Neubauer
- 👤 Joseph C. Decuir
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 19:18
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0484; G06F3/04845; A; A63; A63F; A63F13/00; G06T; G06T15/00; G06T15/005; G09; G09G; G09G5/00; G09G5/02; G09G5/024; G09G5/42; A63F2300/00; A63F2300/20; A63F2300/203
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
207 words
Apparatus for providing serial graphics information corresponding to a movable object displayed on a raster display scanned in successive frames along a first number of horizontal display lines, said apparatus comprising: a digital memory for storing a number of graphics segments corresponding to the movable object, each graphics segment being stored in the digital memory in a separately addressable memory location and each being associated with a horizontal display line of the raster display and having less than the number of bits associated with a horizontal display line; a horizontal position means for storing position data indicative of the horizontal position of the movable object on the raster display; address circuitry coupled to a digital memory for addressing the graphics segment corresponding to each horizontal line prior to display of that horizontal line; a horizontal storage means coupled to the digital memory for storing the addressed graphics segment; a digital counter for providing a position signal corresponding to the scan position along each horizontal line; and control means coupled to said horizontal storage means, to said digital counter, and responsive to said position data for serially transferring the graphics segment from the horizontal storage means to the raster display in timed relationship relative to the position signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
207 words
Apparatus for providing serial graphics information corresponding to a movable object displayed on a raster display scanned in successive frames along a first number of horizontal display lines, said apparatus comprising: a digital memory for storing a number of graphics segments corresponding to the movable object, each graphics segment being stored in the digital memory in a separately addressable memory location and each being associated with a horizontal display line of the raster display and having less than the number of bits associated with a horizontal display line; a horizontal position means for storing position data indicative of the horizontal position of the movable object on the raster display; address circuitry coupled to a digital memory for addressing the graphics segment corresponding to each horizontal line prior to display of that horizontal line; a horizontal storage means coupled to the digital memory for storing the addressed graphics segment; a digital counter for providing a position signal corresponding to the scan position along each horizontal line; and control means coupled to said horizontal storage means, to said digital counter, and responsive to said position data for serially transferring the graphics segment from the horizontal storage means to the raster display in timed relationship relative to the position signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the graphics segment is transferred in response to the position data of the movable object corresponding to the position signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 or 2 wherein the first number equals the number of graphics segments.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus as in claim 3, wherein each graphics segment is one byte.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus as in claim 3, wherein the first number equals 256.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 or 2 further comprising a microprocessor coupled to the digital memory and to the horizontal position means for providing the graphics segments and the position data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 or 2 wherein said address circuitry comprises a presettable digital counter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the microprocessor is further coupled to the address circuitry for presetting the presettable digital counter.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
249 words
Apparatus for providing serial graphics information corresponding to a plurality of movable objects displayed on a raster display scanned in successive frames along a first number of horizontal lines, said apparatus comprising: a digital memory, including a plurality of separately addressable memory locations, for storing a plurality of graphics segments corresponding to each of the movable objects, each graphics segment being stored in one of the separately addressable memory locations and each being associated with a horizontal line of the raster display and having less than the number of bits associated with a horizontal line; a plurality of horizontal position means each corresponding to one of the movable objects for storing position data indicative of the horizontal position of the corresponding movable object on the raster display; address circuitry coupled to the digital memory for addressing the graphics segment associated with each movable object corresponding to each horizontal line prior to display of that horizontal line; a plurality of horizontal storage means each coresponding to one of the movable objects and coupled to the digital memory for storing the addressed graphics segments; a digital counter for providing a position signal corresponding to the scan position along each horizontal line, and control means coupled to said horizontal position means, to said horizontal storage means and to said digital counter for serially transferring the graphics segment from each of the horizontal storage means to the raster display in timed relationship relative to comparison between the position data and the position signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
249 words
Apparatus for providing serial graphics information corresponding to a plurality of movable objects displayed on a raster display scanned in successive frames along a first number of horizontal lines, said apparatus comprising: a digital memory, including a plurality of separately addressable memory locations, for storing a plurality of graphics segments corresponding to each of the movable objects, each graphics segment being stored in one of the separately addressable memory locations and each being associated with a horizontal line of the raster display and having less than the number of bits associated with a horizontal line; a plurality of horizontal position means each corresponding to one of the movable objects for storing position data indicative of the horizontal position of the corresponding movable object on the raster display; address circuitry coupled to the digital memory for addressing the graphics segment associated with each movable object corresponding to each horizontal line prior to display of that horizontal line; a plurality of horizontal storage means each coresponding to one of the movable objects and coupled to the digital memory for storing the addressed graphics segments; a digital counter for providing a position signal corresponding to the scan position along each horizontal line, and control means coupled to said horizontal position means, to said horizontal storage means and to said digital counter for serially transferring the graphics segment from each of the horizontal storage means to the raster display in timed relationship relative to comparison between the position data and the position signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein there are a number of graphics segments equal to the first number.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus as in claim 10, wherein each graphics segment is one byte.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
Apparatus as in claim 10, wherein the first number equals 256.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, further comprising a microprocessor coupled to the digital memory and to the horizontal position means for providing the graphics segments and the position data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said address circuitry comprises a presettable digital counter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as in claim 14, wherein the microprocessor is further coupled to the address circuitry for presetting the presettable digital counter.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-09-11 | 1988-03-12 | 1988-09-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-09-11 | 1992-03-12 | 1992-09-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-09-11 | 1996-03-12 | 1996-09-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |