Patent ID: 8471861
Filing Date: 2013-06-25
Classification: G06F,G09G

Abstract:
1. A method for updating and refreshing an image in an image display system having a processor configured as a central processing unit (CPU), a main memory associated with the processor, and a display, the CPU being a microcode-controlled processor having a CPU-internal micro program memory for storing microcode words and execution circuitry for executing the microcode words, the CPU-internal micro program memory comprising microcode words for controlling an internal operation of the CPU, and a special sequence of microcode words for performing compression, the method comprising: storing image data relating to the image in an uncompressed image area of said main memory of the processor, the uncompressed image area being divided into segments; performing compression according to a first transformation process to ensure a specific level of compression by executing, after changes have been made in the uncompressed image area, said special sequence of microcode words in said CPU-internal micro program memory, for reading and compressing segments of the uncompressed image area that are subject to said changes, each segment able to be independently compressed and decompressed; performing further compression, when there is available processing time, according to a second transformation process to improve the compression level by selecting one or more segments to work on and further compress the data; storing the compressed segments of the image data in a compressed image area of the main memory of the processor, each segment having a dedicated space; fetching compressed image data from the compressed image area; decompressing the compressed image data fetched from the compressed image area, and generating an appropriate image signal based on the compressed image area; and applying the generated image signal to said display to refresh said image, wherein the processor enables refreshing of the image only with the compressed image data in the main memory of the processor.