Computer-implemented process and computer system for raster displaying video data using foreground and background commands

A computer system for raster displaying two or more streams of video data, comprising:

• (a) a single processor for processing the two or more streams of video data:
• by implementing, using the single processor, a single background command list comprising one or more programmable background commands for each stream of video data;
• and
• by implementing, using the single processor, a single foreground command list comprising one or more programmable foreground commands for each stream of video data;
• and
• (b) a monitor for displaying the processed two or more streams of video data simultaneously in two or more windows on the monitor, wherein the single processor implements the foreground command list only during a vertical blanking interval of the display raster of the monitor.

A computer-implemented process for raster displaying two or more streams of video data on a monitor of a computer system, comprising the steps of:

• (a) raster displaying a display bitmap thereby displaying the two or more streams of video data simultaneously in two or more windows on the monitor;
• (b) processing the two or more streams of video data by implementing, using a single processor, a single background command list comprising one or more programmable background commands for each stream of video data during the raster display of the display bitmap, wherein the implementation of the background command list does not alter the display bitmap;
• (c) processing the two or more streams of video data, using the single processor, by implementing a single foreground command list comprising one or more programmable foreground commands for each stream of video data, wherein the single processor implements the foreground command list during a vertical blanking interval of the display raster of the monitor, wherein the implementation of the foreground command list alters the display bitmap;
• and
• (d) raster displaying the altered display bitmap after the vertical blanking interval thereby displaying the processed two or more streams of video data simultaneously in the two or more windows on the monitor.

A computer system for raster displaying two or more streams of video data, comprising:

• (a) a single processor for processing the two or more streams of video data to generate a display bitmap for display;
• and
• (b) a monitor for displaying the display bitmap, thereby displaying the two or more streams of video data simultaneously in two or more windows on the monitor, wherein:
• the single processor generates the display bitmap corresponding to the two or more streams of video data;
• the monitor raster displays the display bitmap in the two or more windows on the monitor;
• the single processor processes the two or more streams of video data by implementing a single background command list comprising one or more programmable background commands for each stream of video data during the raster display of the display bitmap, wherein the implementation of the background command does not alter the display bitmap;
• the single processor processes the two or more streams of video data by implementing a single foreground command list comprising one or more programmable foreground commands for each stream of video data only during a vertical blanking interval of the display raster of the monitor, wherein the implementation of the foreground command list alters the display bitmap;
• and
• the monitor raster displays the altered display bitmap after the vertical blanking interval thereby displaying the processed two or more streams of video data simultaneously in the two or more windows on the monitor.