A method to switch a scalable magnetoresistive memory cell including the steps of providing a magnetoresistive memory device sandwiched between a word line and a digit line so that current waveforms can be applied to the word and digit lines at various times to cause a magnetic field flux to rotate the effective magnetic moment vector of the device by approximately 180°. The magnetoresistive memory device includes N ferromagnetic layers that are anti-ferromagnetically coupled. N can be adjusted to change the magnetic switching volume of the device.

Method of writing to scalable magnetoresistance random access memory element

A computer-implemented method of image generation that makes efficient use of reprojective techniques to reduce the cost of image generation. The method employs a technique of primitive reprojection in which convex graphics primitives are the reprojected elements. The visibility of elements known to be visible in a previous frame is first determined by transformation and depth-comparison rasterization of these elements. Regions of the image that may contain newly visible elements are located by occlusion-exposure transitions in the depth buffer and from incremental view volume motion. In these regions a depth-prioritized, data-access method of visible surface determination, spatial-subdivision ray casting, is employed to identify newly visible primitives which are added to the list of previously visible primitives for rasterization. The method employs a system of classifying objects based on their dynamic occlusive properties to increase the accuracy, efficiency and versatility of the reprojective approach. Because the method employs a hybrid approach to visible surface determination in which newly visible primitives are identified for each frame it can be implemented as a graphics server employing an efficient on-demand, progressive geometry transmission protocol for client-server image generation. This client-server system employs a method of visibility event encoding in which data representing newly visible and newly invisible primitives for each frame are transmitted to a client unit which is a conventional graphics display system. The visibility event codec method can also be used to encode and store information representing a computer animation for later interactive playback.

System and method of image generation and encoding using primitive reprojection

A computer implemented method of image generation that employs adaptive, progressive, perception-based spatio-temporal importance sampling to reduce the cost of image generation. The method uses an adaptive approach to sampling which employs refinement criteria based on specific spatio-temporal limits of human vision. By using these refinement criteria the method produces an image with a spatio-temporal structure that is closely matched to the spatio-temporal limits of human vision. Using one sampling criteria the spatial sampling density is adjusted in proportion to the sampled region's exposure duration in a manner that substantially reflects the visual systems's increase in acuity as a function of exposure time. Using other criteria the spatial and temporal sampling frequencies of a region of the image stream are adjusted based on the measured or estimated retinal velocity of the sampled element in a manner that substantially reflects both dynamic visual acuity limits of vision and the critical temporal sampling frequency for the perception of smooth motion. The method includes image parallel, shared-memory multiprocessor implementations based on sample reprojection and primitive reprojection, the latter using a technique of adaptive rasterization. In these implementations the natural temporal image coherence and temporal visibility coherence of the image stream produce a temporal locality of data reference that enhances performance of the system. Because temporal image coherence and temporal visibility coherence increase the spatial resolving performance of the human visual system, the performance of the present method parallels the performance of human vision making performance degradations relatively invisible to the user.

System and method of perception-based image generation and encoding

A pipeline video decoder and decompression system handles a plurality of separately encoded bit streams arranged as a single serial bit stream of digital bits and having separately encoded pairs of control codes and corresponding data carried in the serial bit stream. The pipeline system employs a plurality of interconnected stages to decode and decompress the single bit stream, including a start code detector. When in a search mode, the start code detector searches for a specific start code corresponding to one of multiple compression standards. The start code detector responding to the single serial bit stream generates control tokens and data tokens. A respective one of the tokens includes a plurality of data words. Each data word has an extension bit which indicates a presence of additional words therein. The data words are thereby unlimited in number. A token decode circuit positioned in certain of the stages recognizes certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and passes unrecognized control tokens to a succeeding stage. A reconfigurable decode and parser processing means positioned in certain of the stages is responsive to a recognized control token and reconfigures a particular stage to handle an identified data token. Methods relating to the decoder and decompression system include processing steps relating thereto.

Multistandard video decoder and decompression system for processing encoded bit streams including a video formatter and methods relating thereto

A pipeline video decoder and decompression system handles a plurality of separately encoded bit streams arranged as a single serial bit stream of digital bits and having separately encoded pairs of control codes and corresponding data carried in the serial bit stream. The pipeline system employs a plurality of interconnected stages to decode and decompress the single bit stream, including a start code detector. When in a search mode, the start code detector searches for a specific start code corresponding to one of multiple compression standards. The start code detector responding to the single serial bit stream generates control tokens and data tokens. A respective one of the tokens includes a plurality of data words. Each data word has an extension bit which indicates a presence of additional words therein. The data words are thereby unlimited in number. A token decode circuit positioned in certain of the stages recognizes certain of the tokens as control tokens pertinent to that stage and passes unrecognized control tokens to a succeeding stage. A reconfigurable decode and parser processing means positioned in certain of the stages is responsive to a recognized control token and reconfigures a particular stage to handle an identified data token. Methods relating to the decoder and decompression system include processing steps relating thereto

Data pipeline system and data encoding method

A sequential process-pipeline (12) has a first processing stage (30) coupled to a CODEC (24) through a plurality of buffers, including an image data input buffer (28), an image data output buffer (26), and an address buffer (34). The address buffer stores addresses, each of which identifies an initial address of a block of addresses within an image memory (22). Each block of addresses in the image memory stores a block of decompressed image data. A local controller (18) is responsive to the writing of an address into the address buffer to initiate the operation of the CODEC to execute a Discrete Cosine Transformation Process and a Discrete Cosine Transformation Quantization Process.

A process-pipeline architecture for image/video processing

A hierarchical memory system for use with a high speed data processor characterized by having separate dedicated cache memories for storing data and instructions and further characterized by each cache having a unique cache directory containing a plurality of control bits for assisting line replacement within the individual cache memories and for eliminating many accesses to main memory and to insure that unnecessary or incorrect data is never stored back into said main memory. The present cache architecture and control features render broadcasting between the data cache and instruction cache unnecessary. Modification of the instruction cache is not permitted. Accordingly, control bits indicating a modification in the cache directory for the instruction cache are not necessary and similarly it is never necessary to store instruction cache lines back into main memory since their modification is not permitted. The cache architecture and controls permit normal instruction and data cache fetches and data cache stores. Additionally, special instructions are provided for setting the special control bits provided in both the instruction and data cache directories, independently of actual memory accessing OPS by the CPU and for storing and loading cache lines independently of memory OPS by the CPU.

Norman Henry Kreitzer

Papers

A process-pipeline architecture for image/video processing

A hierarchical memory system including separate cache memories for storing data and instructions

Hierarchisches Speichersystem mit getrennten Cachespeichern zur Daten- und Befehlssteuerung

Prozess-Fliessbandarchitektur zur Videobildverarbeitung