Patent ID: 6366687
Filing Date: 2002-04-02
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
Data converter apparatus for converting in essentially real time pattern data stored in an input compact format representing a design database into a pixel output expanded real time format, the pattern data including a plurality of pattern groups and different instances of the same pattern group, each pattern group including a plurality of basic geometric figures; the data converter comprising:a processor adapted to receiving the pattern data stored in the compact format, selecting a pre-defined division of the received data, which division includes a plurality of said groups, dividing each group into at least one bin of basic geometric figures, determining the number of instances that each bin is present in a respective division and describing an instance of a bin only once in a database store, and for said respective division determining a set of locations wherein the locations correspond to each instance of each bin, and outputting a list of different bins and the location of the bins in the respective division from said set of locations; a partial expander adapted to receiving, expanding and sorting said list of bins in each respective division, according to scan order; and a final expander adapted to sub-dividing, according to scan order, each division into a plurality of sub-divisions, processing and allocating each basic geometric figure in a respective bin into a sub-division according to the location of the respective basic geometric figure in the bin and the location of the bin in the sub-division, generating a sub-division data stream representative of the plurality of basic geometric figures in a respective sub-division by outputting a pixel output expanded real time format image for said plurality of basic geometric figures, and combining said sub-division data streams into one data stream in said pixel output expanded real time format, which data stream is representative of the plurality of basic geometric figures in the respective division.