System, method, and apparatus for display manager
View Patent ↗A system, method, and apparatus for decoding and displaying images utilizing two processors and two memory units. The decode process receives images which are encoded according to a predetermined standard. Included with the encoded images are parameters which facilitate the decode and display processes. The decode process decodes the encoded images and the encoded parameters and stores each image in a separate image buffer, and each set of associated parameters in a buffer descriptor structure associated with the image buffer. The decode process is carried on by the first processor. The display process utilizes the parameters associated with the image to determine the appropriate display order for each image, and then display the image accordingly on a display device, based on the associated parameters. The first processor carries on the display of the image on the display device. The second processor determines the display order for the images. The second processor and the second memory are off-chip.
1. A system for displaying images, said system comprising:
a first processor for decoding the images in a decoding order;
a first memory for storing a first plurality of instructions that are executed by the first processor;
a second processor for determining a display order for the images, wherein the display order is different from the decoding order;
a second memory for storing a second plurality of instructions that are executed by the second processor; and
wherein the first processor prepares the decoded images for display in the display order determined by the second processor.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first processor provides parameters associated with the images, and wherein the second processor determines the display order based on the parameters associated with the images that are provided by the first processor.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second memory stores parameters provided by the first processor, and wherein the second processor determines the display order based on the parameters stored in the second memory.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second memory stores the decoded images.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first memory comprises an SRAM, and wherein the second memory comprises a DRAM.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein between a vertical synchronization signal and a next vertical synchronization signal, the first processor decodes a particular one of the images, and wherein the second processor selects a display image for display following the next vertical synchronization signal.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the first processor provides parameters associated with the particular one of the images, and wherein the second processor selects the display image based on the parameters associated with the particular one of the images.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the second processor notifies the first processor of the display images, and wherein the first processor prepares the display image for display following the next vertical synchronization signal.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the images are selected from a group consisting of pictures, frames, top fields, and bottom fields.
10. A circuit for displaying images, said circuit comprising:
a processor; and
a memory connected to the processor, said memory storing a plurality of instructions that are executable by the processor, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes:
decoding the images in a decoding order, wherein decoding the images comprises decoding a particular image between a vertical synchronization signal and a next vertical synchronization signal;
receiving an indication from another processor between the vertical synchronization signal and the next vertical synchronization signal, said indication indicating a display image in a display order, wherein the display order is different from the decoding order; and
preparing the display image for display following the next vertical synchronization signal.
11. The circuit of claim 10 , wherein execution of the instructions also causes:
writing the decoded images to another memory.
12. The circuit of claim 10 , wherein execution of the instructions also causes:
writing the parameters to the another memory.