Scaling processor for raster images

Claim 1

A scaling processor, comprising: a graphics memory storing a plurality of digital pictures, each of the digital pictures comprising a plurality of run length encoded (RLE) transition segments, each RLE transition segment, having a length and a color code, indicative of color pixels in at least a portion of a raster scan line; a parameter memory storing a plurality of motion object specifiers, each of the specifiers referring to a selected one of the digital pictures in the graphics memory and having a scale factor, and wherein a center of mass for the selected digital picture is predefined as an ordered set of offset Cartesian coordinates, (X offset , Y offset ), the X offset coordinate defined as the horizontal offset and the Y offset defined as the vertical offset, the origin for the coordinates defined as a corner of the selected digital picture; a processor selecting one of the motion object specifiers in the parameter memory and selecting one of the RLE transition segments of the referenced digital picture in the graphics memory; a frame buffer; and a line fill state machine receiving the scale factor in the selected motion object specifier and receiving the selected RLE transition segment, wherein the length in the RLE transition segment is decremented while the color code in the RLE transition segment is written into the frame buffer at increasing addresses, the scale factor indicative of a growth or shrink operation thereby determinative of whether the decrementing of the length or the increasing of addresses is selectively disabled.

Claim 16

A method of scaling an object precompressed into a plurality of run length encoded segments and displayed by a computer having a processor, a memory and a video display, the object prestored in the memory of the computer, the method comprising the steps of: retrieving from the memory a selected transition segment having a length and color code indicative of at least a portion of a raster scan line; calculating a center of mass for the object; retrieving from the memory a scale factor; and selectively processing the length and address of the memory using the scale factor so as to display pixels associated with the color code on the video display, thereby resulting in the display of the object scaled about the center of mass.

Claim 17

A method of scaling an object precompressed into a plurality of run length encoded segments and displayed by a computer having a processor, a memory and a video display, the object prestored in the memory of the computer, the method comprising the steps of: retrieving from the memory a selected transition segment having a length and color code indicative of at least a portion of a raster scan line; calculating a center of mass for the object; retrieving from the memory a scale factor; and selectively processing the length and address of the memory using the scale factor so as to display pixels associated with the color code on the video display, thereby resulting in the display of the object scaled about the center of mass.

Claim 22

A system for scaling raster images, comprising: a memory having a plurality of prestored raster pictures, the memory also having a predefined center of mass for each picture, wherein the center of mass for each picture is predefined as a set of offset Cartesian coordinates, (X offset , Y offset ) with respect to a selected origin, the X offset coordinate defined as the horizontal offset and the Y offset coordinate defined as the vertical offset; processing means for generating a set of parameters which define an initial position and a scale of a selected one of the prestored raster pictures; and scaling means responsive to the processing means for scaling the selected picture into an object about a reference point, the start position of the object calculated as an offset from the initial position which corresponds to the center of mass of the selected raster picture; and a video display for displaying the object.

Claim 23

A system for scaling raster images, comprising: a memory having a plurality of prestored raster pictures, the memory also having a predefined center of mass for each picture, wherein the center of mass for each picture is predefined as a set of offset Cartesian coordinates, (X offset , Y offset ) with respect to a selected origin, the X offset coordinate defined as the horizontal offset and the Y offset coordinate defined as the vertical offset; processing means for generating a set of parameters which define an initial position and a scale of a selected one of the prestored raster pictures; and scaling means responsive to the processing means for scaling the selected picture into an object about a reference point, the start position of the object calculated as an offset from the initial position which corresponds to the center of mass of the selected raster picture; and a video display for displaying the object.

Claim 24

A system for scaling raster images, comprising: a memory having a plurality of prestored raster pictures, the memory also having a predefined center of mass for each picture; processing means for generating a set of parameters which define an initial position and a scale of a selected one of the prestored raster pictures; and scaling means responsive to the processing means for scaling the selected picture into an object about a reference point, the start position of the object calculated as an offset from the initial position which corresponds to the center of mass of the selected raster picture; and a video display for displaying the object, wherein the start position is calculated according to the following equations: X.sub.s =X.sub.i -SCALE×X.sub.offset ( 1) Y.sub.s =Y.sub.i -SCALE×Y.sub.offset ( 2) where: X s is the starting X coordinate to draw the object; Y s is the starting Y coordinate to draw the object; X i is the displayable X coordinate of the object's center of mass; Y i is the displayable Y coordinate of the object's center of mass; SCALE is the scaling factor for reduction/enlargement; X offset is the horizontal offset of the object origin from the center of mass; and Y offset is the vertical offset of the object origin from the center of mass.

Claim 25

A system for scaling raster images, comprising: a memory having a plurality of prestored raster pictures, the memory also having a predefined center of mass for each picture; processing means for generating a set of parameters which define an initial position and a scale of a selected one of the prestored raster pictures; and scaling means responsive to the processing means for scaling the selected picture into an object about a reference point, the start position of the object calculated as an offset from the initial position which corresponds to the center of mass of the selected raster picture; and a video display for displaying the object, wherein the start position is calculated according to the following equations: X.sub.s =X.sub.i -SCALE×X.sub.offset ( 1) Y.sub.s =Y.sub.i -SCALE×Y.sub.offset ( 2) where: X s is the starting X coordinate to draw the object; Y s is the starting Y coordinate to draw the object; X i is the displayable X coordinate of the object's center of mass; Y i is the displayable Y coordinate of the object's center of mass; SCALE is the scaling factor for reduction/enlargement; X offset is the horizontal offset of the object origin from the center of mass; and Y offset is the vertical offset of the object origin from the center of mass.