Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

Disclosed is a bit mapped raster display video game that includes a Direct Memory Access ('DMA') co-processor especially adapted for providing real-time animation of the image data. The DMA co-processor is adapted for combining multiple overlapping planes of image data occupying an addressable image area greater than that displayable on a video display during the time interval of a single video raster scan. As the image data is being combined, the DMA co-processor can also manipulate it to produce real-time animation. The DMA co-processor includes a Source Address Generation ('SAG') functional unit that generates the addresses of locations in an image memory from which image data is to be retrieved. Retrieved image data is manipulated within a Data Pipe ('DP') functional unit to provide images that move smoothly across the screen. Manipulated image data is stored into a bit map memory at address locations specified by a Destination Address Generation ('DAG') functional unit. A Control Section ('CS') functional unit receives image processing commands from a supervisory ditigal computer included in the video game to control the operation of the SAG, DP and DAG functional units.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim