Patent ID: 6947051
Filing Date: 2005-09-20
Classification: G06F,G09G

Abstract:
1. A video memory manager for a computer environment having a main processing unit for executing an operating system and an application, a system memory, and a graphics processing unit having a local video memory and an aperture that maps between a portion of the system memory and the graphics processing unit, the video memory manager comprising: a physical memory manager that manages the physical memory of the local video memory and at least of portion of the physical memory of the system memory; a graphics processing unit aperture manager that manages the memory mappings between a portion of system memory and the graphics processing unit, such that video data in the system memory is accessible to the graphics processing unit via the aperture; and a virtual memory manager that allocates virtual memory and maintains mappings between the allocated virtual memory and the physical memory of the local video memory, the physical memory of the system memory, and the physical memory of the system memory via the aperture.