Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

John C Liu

Edward H Frank

James A Gosling

Patrick J Naughton

Michael L Fuccio

Luke Y Chang

Gordon Max Elder

A system and method are disclosed for parallel compression and decompression of a bitstream. For compression, the bitstream is separated into a plurality of components, and the components are encoded using a compression algorithm. Packets are then constructed from the encoded components. At least one packet is associated with each encoded component and comprises header information and encoded data. The packets are combined into a packetized encoded bitstream. For decompression, the packets are separated from the packetized encoded bitstream using the header information. The packets are then decoded in parallel using a decompression algorithm to recover the encoded data. The plurality of components are reconstructed from the recovered encoded data and combined to-recover the bitstream.

System and method using a packetized encoded bitstream for parallel compression and decompression

A system and method are disclosed for parallel compression and decompression of a bitstream. For compression, the bitstream is separated into a plurality of components, and the components are encoded using a compression algorithm. Packets are then constructed from the encoded components. At least one packet is associated with each encoded component and comprises header information and encoded data. The packets are combined into a packetized encoded bitstream. For decompression, the packets are separated from the packetized encoded bitstream using the header information. The packets are then decoded in parallel using a decompression algorithm to recover the encoded data. The plurality of components are reconstructed from the recovered encoded data and combined to recover the bitstream.

A central processing unit (CPU) is provided and is coupled to a display for displaying graphic and other data in multiple overlapping windows. The CPU is further coupled to one or more input devices which permits a user to selectively position a cursor and input and manipulate data within each of the windows on the display. The windows include defined areas having window features such as text, icons and buttons corresponding to functions to be executed by the CPU. Multiple applications may be executed concurrently by the CPU such that each application is associated with one or more windows. Each display element (&ldquo;pixel&rdquo;) comprising the display is represented by multiple bits in a computer frame buffer memory coupled to the CPU. An alpha value (&agr;) is associated with the intensity of each pixel of the display, such that multiple images may be blended in accordance with a predefined formula utilizing the alpha values. By setting the alpha values appropriately, transparency may be accomplished such that data associated with underlying windows may be rendered visible to the user. Effectively, the present invention merges multiple images through alpha &ldquo;blending&rdquo; such that several images appear transparently on top of one another. The present invention, through the selective use of alpha blending, permits underlying windows to display data visible to the user through windows which are overlaid above an underlying window.

Method and apparatus for presenting information in a display system using transparent windows

A central processing unit (CPU) is provided and is coupled to a display for displaying graphic and other data in multiple overlapping windows. The CPU is further coupled to one or more input devices which permits a user to selectively position a cursor and input and manipulate data within each of the windows on the display. The windows include defined areas having window features such as text, icons and buttons corresponding to functions to be executed by the CPU. Multiple applications may be executed concurrently by the CPU such that each application is associated with one or more windows. Each display element ('pixel') comprising the display is represented by multiple bits in a computer frame buffer memory coupled to the CPU. An alpha value (.alpha.) is associated with the intensity of each pixel of the display, such that multiple images may be blended in accordance with a predefined formula utilizing the alpha values. By setting the alpha values appropriately, transparency may be accomplished such that data associated with underlying windows may be rendered visible to the user. Effectively, the present invention merges multiple images through alpha 'blending' such that several images appear transparently on top of one another. The present invention, through the selective use of alpha blending, permits underlying windows to display data visible to the user through windows which are overlaid above an underlying window.

Method and apparatus for presenting information in a display system

A central processing unit (CPU) is provided and is coupled to a display for displaying graphic and other data in multiple overlapping windows. The CPU is further coupled to one or more input devices which permits a user to selectively position a cursor and input and manipulate data within each of the windows on the display. The windows include defined areas having window features such as text, icons and buttons corresponding to functions to be executed by the CPU. Multiple applications may be executed concurrently by the CPU such that each application is associated with one or more windows. Each display element ('pixel') comprising the display is represented by multiple bits in a computer frame buffer memory coupled to the CPU. An alpha value (.alpha.) is associated with the intensity of each pixel of the display such that multiple images may be blended in accordance with a predefined formula utilizing the alpha values. By setting the alpha values appropriately, transparency may be accomplished such that data associated with underlying windows may be rendered visible to the user. Effectively, the present invention merges multiple images through alpha 'blending' such that several images appear transparently on top of one another. The present invention, through the selective use of alpha blending, permits underlying windows to display data visible to the user through windows which are overlaid above an underlying window.

Growing community of inventors

Cupertino, CA, United States of America

John C Liu