The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 01, 1998
Filed:
Apr. 25, 1996
Craig G Eisler, Kirkland, WA (US);
G Eric Engstrom, Kirkland, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A method for generalized flipping of pixmaps and other arrays of image data in a software display device interface for computer generated graphics applications. The display device interface enables application programs to create flipping surface structures representing on and offscreen pixmaps, textures, sprites, overlays, etc. The display device interface includes a flip function to control the flipping of these flipping structures. It also includes functions to synchronize access to the surfaces represented by the flipping structure. Applications and other processes can use these access synchronization functions to manipulate surfaces represented by the flipping structure without conflicting with a client's use of the surface. Clients other than the display controller can act as clients of the flipping operation. For instance, flipping structures can be used to implement video texture mapping, where the client of a texture flipping structure is a 3D rendering system.