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US5784571A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for reducing the bandwidth requirement in a system including a video decoder and a video encoder

Assignee: Minerva Systems Inc
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Filing: 1995-12-14
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Granted: 1998-07-21
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Expires: 2015-12-14
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Abstract

Abstract In a video system having an encoder and multiple decoders, a snooping circuit in each decoder compares an address on a common data bus to determine whether encoded video data is read or written by a host computer. When the address on the common data bus is detected to be an address within a predetermined range, the read or write data on the common data bus is latched into a first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory. A decoding circuit in each decoder decodes from the FIFO memory to provide a decoded video data output stream. In this manner, multiple decoders can be supported by the video system without additional bandwidth demand on the host computer.

Inventors

  • 👤 Thierry Mantopoulos
  • 👤 Fabrice Quinard
  • 👤 Kevin Grundy

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 01:23
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N19/00; H04N19/42; H04N19/60; H04N19/61

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 124 words
A video system including one or more decoders for decoding encoded video data, each decoder comprising: an interface to an external bus having an address portion and a data portion; a memory unit coupled to said external bus for receiving said encoded video data on said data portion of said external bus, said memory unit receiving said encoded video data when an asserted enable signal is received; a snooping circuit coupled to receive an address on said address portion of said external bus, said snooping circuit providing said asserted enable signal when said address is an address within a predetermined address range; and a video data circuit for decoding said encoded video data received in said memory unit into a decoded video data stream.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 124 words
A video system including one or more decoders for decoding encoded video data, each decoder comprising: an interface to an external bus having an address portion and a data portion; a memory unit coupled to said external bus for receiving said encoded video data on said data portion of said external bus, said memory unit receiving said encoded video data when an asserted enable signal is received; a snooping circuit coupled to receive an address on said address portion of said external bus, said snooping circuit providing said asserted enable signal when said address is an address within a predetermined address range; and a video data circuit for decoding said encoded video data received in said memory unit into a decoded video data stream.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 83 words
A video system as in claim 1, further comprising: a video data encoder, being assigned said address in said predetermined address range, for encoding a video data stream to provide said encoded video data; and a host computer for controlling said video system, said host computer causing said encoded video data to be placed on said data portion of said external bus in a read operation of said external bus effectuated by placing said address on said address portion of said external bus.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 81 words
A video system as in claim 1, wherein each decoder further comprising: a mass storage system for storing said encoded video data; and a host computer for controlling said video system, said host computer retrieving said encoded video data from said mass storage system and causing, in a write operation on said external bus, said encoded video data and said address to be placed on said data portion of said external bus and said address portion of said external bus, respectively.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
A video system as in claim 1, wherein each decoder further comprises an analog video output circuit for providing an analog output signal from said decoded video data stream.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 16 words
A video system as in claim 1, wherein said memory unit comprises a first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 130 words
A method for providing one or more decoders to decode video data, said method comprising, in each decoder, the steps of: interfacing said decoder to an external bus, said external bus having an address portion and a data portion; coupling a memory unit to receive from said external bus said encoded video data on said data portion of said external bus, said memory unit receiving said encoded video data when an asserted enable signal is received; comparing an address on said address portion of said external bus with selected bits of a stored address within a predetermined address range, said snooping circuit comparison confirms that said address is within said predetermined address range; and decoding said encoded video data received in said memory unit into a decoded video data stream.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 130 words
A method for providing one or more decoders to decode video data, said method comprising, in each decoder, the steps of: interfacing said decoder to an external bus, said external bus having an address portion and a data portion; coupling a memory unit to receive from said external bus said encoded video data on said data portion of said external bus, said memory unit receiving said encoded video data when an asserted enable signal is received; comparing an address on said address portion of said external bus with selected bits of a stored address within a predetermined address range, said snooping circuit comparison confirms that said address is within said predetermined address range; and decoding said encoded video data received in said memory unit into a decoded video data stream.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 86 words
A method as in claim 6, further comprising the steps of: assigning a video encoder said address in said predetermined address range, said video encoder encoding a video data stream to provide said encoded video data; and providing a host computer to control said video system, said host computer causing said encoded video data to be placed on said data portion of said external bus in a read operation of said external bus effectuated by placing said address on said address portion of said external bus.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 81 words
A method as in claim 6, wherein each decoder further comprising: storing said encoded video data in a mass storage system; and providing a host computer to control said video system, said host computer retrieving said encoded video data from said mass storage system and causing, in a write operation on said external bus, said encoded video data and said address to be placed on said data portion of said external bus and said address portion of said external bus, respectively.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method as in claim 6, further comprising the step of providing said decoded video data stream as an analog video output signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 15 words
A method as in claim 6, wherein said memory unit comprises a first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5115309A Cited
US5351129A Cited
US5488695A Cited
US5369617A Cited
US5586264A Cited
US5603058A Cited
US5598222A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-07-20 2002-01-19 2002-07-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-07-20 2006-01-19 2006-07-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-07-20 2010-01-19 2010-07-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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