Memory and graphics controller which performs pointer-based display list video refresh operations

A memory system for storing video data that is output to a video monitor, said memory system comprising:

• memory including a plurality of display memory areas for storing video data for a plurality of video objects, said memory also including an object workspace memory area including attributes for each of said video objects in said display memory area;
• and
• a memory controller coupled to said memory, wherein said memory controller comprises:
• an execution engine which receives display change information and which assembles a display list comprising a plurality of pointers, wherein said execution engine uses said attributes in said object workspace memory area in assembling said display list, wherein said display list includes said plurality of pointers for accessing said video data for said one or more video objects within said display memory area for display on the video monitor;
• and
• a display refresh list engine which uses said plurality of pointers comprising said display list for accessing said video data stored in said display memory area and for providing video signals to the video monitor.

A memory controller for performing memory control and video functions, comprising:

• one or more memory controllers adapted for coupling to memory for controlling functions of the memory;
• an execution engine which is adapted to maintain a plurality of pointers in memory which reference video data corresponding to video objects, wherein said execution engine receives display change information and assembles a display list comprising said plurality of pointers;
• and
• a display refresh list engine which uses said plurality of pointers comprising said display list for accessing video data stored in memory and for providing video signals to the video monitor.

A method for displaying video data on a display screen of a video monitor, wherein the display screen comprises a plurality of scan lines presenting video images, the method comprising:

• storing video data in a plurality of different memory areas in a memory for a plurality of objects which appear on said display screen;
• maintaining a display list of pointers which reference video data in said plurality of different memory areas for said plurality of objects, wherein said pointers are ordered in said display list to reference said video data for respective scan lines on said display screen as said scan lines are drawn on said display screen;
• and
• executing said display list to present said video data on the computer screen, wherein said executing comprises using said pointers to access said video data in said plurality of different memory areas in said memory for respective scan lines as said scan lines are drawn on the display screen, wherein said executing further comprises generating video signals to said monitor for display on said display screen in response to said accessed video data.

A computer system including a graphics controller which performs video functions, comprising:

• a CPU;
• a video monitor for displaying video output;
• memory coupled to the CPU which stores video data, wherein the memory includes a plurality of memory areas storing video data for a plurality of objects;
• and
• a graphics controller coupled to said CPU, said memory, and said video monitor which performs video functions, wherein said graphics controller obtains said video data in said memory and provides video signals to said video monitor;
• wherein said graphics controller maintains a display list comprising a plurality of pointers which point to plurality of different areas in said memory storing said video data;
• wherein said graphics controller uses said plurality of pointers comprised in said display list to obtain video data from said memory and provide said video signals to said video monitor.