Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

University of Texas System

Advanced Micro Systems, Inc.

Mike Webb

Dale E Gulick

Larry David Hewitt

Brian C Barnes

Andy Lambrecht

Alan C Bovik

Casen Hunger

Mitchell Crooks

Mark Meserve

Zichong Li

Edward Mora

A method, system and computer program product for improving the recording of classroom lectures or other such presentations. A video frame containing a whiteboard image is converted into a black and white image for the detection of boundaries. These boundaries are classified as horizontal or vertical lines. Quadrangles are then formed using spatial arrangements of these lines. The quadrangles that are most likely to spatially coincide with the boundaries of the whiteboard image are identified. The quadrangles are then sorted (ranked) based on specific characteristics, such as size and position. The area corresponding to the identified quadrangle in the video frame is then cropped. Furthermore, the speaker in the video frame can be removed based on detecting changes that are characteristic of movements of a speaker. In this manner, the visual and educational experience involved in the recording of classroom lectures or other such presentation is improved.

Detecting and correcting whiteboard images while enabling the removal of the speaker

A computer system and method optimized for real-time multimedia applications are presented. The computer system, including a dedicated multimedia engine coupled directly to a real-time data cache, provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The multimedia engine includes at least one DSP engines which couple through at least one I/O channels to I/O ports. Obtaining multimedia commands and data from main memory and/or the real-time data cache, the multimedia engine performs a number of multimedia operations including audio and video functions. A CPU, coupled through a chip set logic or bridge logic to the main memory, generates multimedia commands and data. The CPU groups multimedia commands and data into separate command and data elements, and writes the command and data elements to a multimedia address space in main memory. The CPU also writes element structure information to the multimedia address space. The element structure information includes location information used to retrieve multimedia commands and data from main memory. The real-time data cache allows multimedia data from an external source to be stored in a location other than main memory, and allows this multimedia data to be shared by the CPU and the multimedia engine. The real-time data cache may also store multimedia commands and data for use by the multimedia engine.

Computer system with a data cache for providing real-time multimedia

A computer system and method for transferring multimedia commands and data to a dedicated multimedia engine and/or multimedia memory, wherein the multimedia engine provides increased performance for real-time applications over current computer architectures. The system includes a dedicated multimedia engine coupled directly to the main memory which performs real-time operations, including audio and video function, as well as others. The multimedia engine includes multimedia memory and one or more DSP engines. The CPU writes video and/or audio commands and data to the main memory. The CPU also preferably writes data structure information to the DMA engine which includes the main memory address where the commands and data reside. The DMA engine uses this information to retrieve the commands and data from main memory into the multimedia memory. The DMA engine preferably operates concurrently with the multimedia engine, thus allowing for improved performance. In an alternate embodiment, the CPU writes the main memory address space information to the multimedia engine, and the multimedia engine retrieves the commands and data from main memory into the multimedia memory prior to performing operations using the data.

Computer system and method for transferring commands and data to a

A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. The PCI bus and the multimedia bus are comprised on the motherboard and include connector slots for receiving add-in cards. Multimedia device expansion cards each include two connectors which correspond to the PCI bus and the multimedia bus. Thus multimedia devices such as video cards, audio cards, etc., as well as communications devices, transfer real-time data through a separate bus without requiring arbitration for the PCI bus. The computer system of the present invention thus provides much greater performance for real-time applications than prior systems.

Computer system which includes a local expansion bus and a dedicated

A computer system including separate digital and analog system chips which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The computer system of the present invention includes a digital system chip which performs various digital functions, including multimedia functions and chipset functions, and a separate analog chip which performs analog functions, including digital to analog and analog to digital conversions. Thus the present invention optimizes silicon use and design by splitting up digital and analog functions on separate chips. The system of the present invention also separates digital noise from analog noise, allowing a higher degree of integration while increasing stability.

Computer system having an improved digital and analog configuration

A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a standard local bus, such as the PCI bus, and also includes a dedicated real-time bus or multimedia bus. The PCI bus and the multimedia bus are comprised on the motherboard. One or more PCI devices or multimedia devices are comprised on the motherboard and are coupled to the PCI bus and the multimedia bus. In one embodiment, the motherboard includes PCI bus and multimedia bus connector slots for receiving add-in cards. In this embodiment, multimedia device expansion cards each include two connectors which correspond to the PCI bus and the multimedia bus. Thus multimedia devices such as video cards, audio cards, etc., as well as communications devices, transfer real-time data through a separate bus without requiring arbitration for the PCI bus. The computer system of the present invention thus provides much greater performance for real-time applications than prior systems.

System for increasing multimedia performance and other real time

Computer system having separate digital and analog system chips for

A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance for real-time applications over current computer architectures. The system includes a dedicated multimedia engine coupled directly to the main memory which performs real-time operations, including audio and video functions, as well as others. The multimedia engine includes one or more DSP engines which couple through one or more I/O channels to respective video, audio and communication ports. The multimedia engine includes video ports for coupling to a video monitor, audio ports for coupling to speakers and one or more communication ports. Multimedia memory is coupled to the local memory bus and stores data for the multimedia engine. The multimedia memory in the multimedia engine comprises a portion of the main memory address space. Thus the multimedia is used for real-time or multimedia data and is also used by the CPU as overflow memory space.

Computer system having a dedicated multimedia engine and multimedia

A computer system optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance for real-time applications over current computer architectures. The system includes a dedicated multimedia engine coupled directly to the main memory which performs real-time operations, including audio and video functions, as well as others. The multimedia engine includes multimedia memory and one or more DSP (digital signal processor) engines. The DSP engines may comprise either dedicated audio or video engines or general purpose DSP engines. The DSP engines couple through one or more I/O channels to respective video, audio and communication ports. The multimedia engine includes video ports for coupling to a video monitor, audio ports for coupling to speakers and one or more communication ports. The multimedia memory in the multimedia engine comprises a portion of the main memory address space. Thus the multimedia is used for real-time or multimedia data and is also used by the CPU as overflow memory space.

Computer system having a dedicated multimedia engine including

The present invention comprises a computer system and method optimized for real-time applications which provides increased performance over current computer architectures. The system includes a dedicated multimedia engine and dedicated multimedia memory coupled directly to the main memory. The computer system includes a data path to the main memory and the multimedia memory, and includes a separate command path to the multimedia engine. In one embodiment, the CPU includes a separate command path through the chipset logic to the multimedia engine. In an alternate embodiment, the CPU includes a separate command path to the multimedia engine through the PCI bus. In this alternate embodiment, the multimedia engine includes a PCI interface which couples to the PCI bus. The multimedia engine executes commands and data from the multimedia memory to perform a number of real-time operations, including audio and video functions, as well as others. Thus the computer system of the present invention provides greater performance for real-time applications than prior systems.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Mike Webb