Apple Inc.

Mohammed Sriti

Anthony D Masterson

James A Lundblad

An apparatus and method for taking data that is presented on a NUBUS in NUBUS format and writing it into a video memory in chunky planar format, is described. The present invention is also useful for performing RGB reads wherein video data is read from the video memory in chunky planar format and is translated into NUBUS format for transmission across the NUBUS. The apparatus comprises a data format translator which is coupled to the NUBUS for translating the RGB data from NUBUS format to chunky planar format. The translated RGB data in chunky planar format is compressed and rearranged as compared to the NUBUS format--resulting in a more efficient utilization of video memory space. An address generator is also coupled to the video memory for calculating the address location in the video memory where the translated RGB data is to be written. The address location is derived from the NUBUS address according to the formula N.sub.start =(3*NAD/4) where N.sub.start is the start address in video memory and NAD represents the NUBUS address from which the RGB data to be translated is obtained.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Mohammed Sriti