Method of and apparatus for utilizing video buffer in a multi-purpose fashion to extend the video buffer to multiple windows

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10142562-B2
Application number	US-201414175815-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2014
Priority date	Mar 27, 2003
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

The present invention includes a method and device that allows efficient mixing of multiple video images with a graphics screen while utilizing only one video buffer. The present invention partitions the sole video buffer, pre-scales the plurality of video images and inserts them into the partitioned video buffer in a predetermined range of buffer addresses. The present invention mixes the partitioned video including the pre-scaled video images with the graphics screen to produce a video display including both a video screen and a graphics screen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of producing a display frame, the method comprising:
a. partitioning a video buffer into a plurality of sub-buffers wherein a size of each sub-buffer corresponds to a display size of a corresponding display window;
b. scaling a first set of video data and a second set of video data, wherein the first set of video data represents a first video image, further wherein the first set of video data is scaled to be loaded in a corresponding one of the plurality of sub-buffers; and
c. loading the first set of video data in to one of the plurality of sub-buffers of the video buffers, wherein the number of the plurality of sub-buffers generated is predetermined by a user, further wherein the sub-buffers are defined by an address range.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising displaying the display frame on a display device.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the display device is a television.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second set of video data are received from a source device by an input/output interface in a playback device.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first set of data is loaded in to a predetermined sub-buffer according to the desired location of the first video image in the display frame.

6. A method of producing a display frame, the method comprising:
a. partitioning a video buffer into a plurality of sub-buffers wherein a size of each sub-buffer corresponds to a display size of a corresponding display window;
b. scaling a first set of video data and a second set of video data, wherein the first set of video data represents a first video image, further wherein the first set of video data is scaled to be loaded in a corresponding one of the plurality of sub-buffers;
c. loading the first set of video data in to one of the plurality of sub-buffers of the video buffers; and
d. mixing a graphics frame and the video buffer for display, wherein when the graphics frame and the video buffer are mixed, the second set of video data is scaled, further wherein the second set of video data represents a second video image.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising displaying the display frame on a display device.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the display device is a television.

9. The method according to claim 6 wherein the first and second set of video data are received from a source device by an input/output interface in a playback device.

10. A method of producing a display frame, the method comprising:
a. partitioning a video buffer into a plurality of sub-buffers wherein a size of each sub-buffer corresponds to a display size of a corresponding display window;
b. scaling a first set of video data and a second set of video data, wherein the first set of video data represents a first video image, further wherein the first set of video data is scaled to be loaded in a corresponding one of the plurality of sub-buffers;
c. loading the first set of video data in to one of the plurality of sub-buffers of the video buffers; and
d. mixing a graphics frame and the video buffer for display, wherein the number of the plurality of sub-buffers generated is predetermined by a user, further wherein the sub-buffers are defined by an address range.

11. A method of producing a display frame, the method comprising:
a. partitioning a video buffer into a plurality of sub-buffers wherein a size of each sub-buffer corresponds to a display size of a corresponding display window;
b. scaling a first set of video data and a second set of video data, wherein the first set of video data represents a first video image, further wherein the first set of video data is scaled to be loaded in a corresponding one of the plurality of sub-buffers;
c. loading the first set of video data in to one of the plurality of sub-buffers of the video buffers; and
d. mixing a graphics frame and the video buffer for display, wherein the first set of data is loaded in to a predetermined sub-buffer according to the desired location of the first video image in the display frame.

12. A playback device to produce a display frame, the playback device comprising:
a. a partitioning circuit configured to partition a video buffer into a plurality of sub-buffers wherein a size of each sub-buffer corresponds to a display size of a corresponding display window; and
b. a processor configured to scale a first set of video data and a second set of video data to be loaded in a corresponding one of the plurality of sub-buffers,
wherein the processor is also configured to mix a graphics frame and the video buffer, wherein the number of the plurality of sub-buffers generated by the partitioning circuit is predetermined by a user, further wherein the sub-buffers are defined by an address range.

13. The playback device according to claim 12 wherein when the processor mixes the graphics from and the video buffer, the processor will begin if the second set of video data exists.

14. The playback device according to claim 12 further comprising means for displaying the display frame on a display device.

15. The playback device according to claim 14 wherein the display device is a television.

16. The playback device according to claim 12 wherein the first and second set of video data are received from a source device by an input/output interface in the playback device.

17. The playback device according to claim 12 wherein when the processor loads the first set of data, the first set of data is loaded in to a predetermined sub-buffer according to the desired location of the first video image in the display frame.

Assignees

• Sony Corp
• Sony Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Dunn Ted
• Amendolagine James

Classifications

• H04N5/147

  Scene change detection · CPC title

• G09G5/393 Primary

  Arrangements for updating the contents of the bit-mapped memory · CPC title

• H04N5/2624 Primary

  for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen · CPC title

• H04N5/45

  Picture in picture {, e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen} · CPC title

• G09G2340/0421

  Horizontal resolution change · CPC title