Method and apparatus for converting monochrome pixel data to color pixel data

A graphics controller circuit for converting a plurality of monochrome pixel data into a corresponding set of color pixel data, the graphics controller circuit comprising:

• a memory interface circuit for receiving the plurality of monochrome pixel data;
• and
• a convertor coupled to receive the plurality of monochrome pixel data from the memory interface circuit, the convertor converting the plurality of monochrome pixel data into the corresponding set of color pixel data, the converter packing a plurality of color pixel data comprised in the set of color pixel data into a plurality of color pixel words,
• wherein one portion of a first color pixel data is stored in a first color pixel word and another portion of the first color pixel data is stored in a second color pixel word, and
• wherein the memory interface circuit provides to the converter a subset of the monochrome pixel data during each clock cycle, wherein the converter generates a color pixel word from the subset of monochrome pixel data during each clock cycle.

A graphics controller circuit for converting a stream of monochrome pixel data into a corresponding set of color pixel data, the graphics controller circuit comprising:

• a memory comprising a plurality of data units for storing the stream of monochrome pixel data;
• a register coupled to the memory for storing at least two data units of the stream of monochrome pixel data;
• a convertor coupled to receive the at least two data units of the stream of monochrome pixel data stored in the register, the converter converting a successive subset of the stream of monochrome pixel data to a corresponding set of color pixel data during a corresponding successive clock cycle;
• and
• a state machine for generating control signals to the memory and the register, the state machine causing the register to replace a first data unit of the two data units of monochrome pixel data with a subsequent data unit of monochrome pixel data in the memory after the convertor completes generating color pixel data from the first data unit such that the convertor will have available during each successive clock cycle the corresponding subset of stream of monochrome pixel data to generate corresponding color pixel data.

A computer system for displaying a video image corresponding to a set of monochrome pixel data, the computer system comprising:

• a frame buffer for receiving and storing the set of monochrome pixel data;
• a display unit for displaying the video image corresponding to the monochrome pixel data;
• and
• a graphics controller circuit for receiving the set of monochrome pixel data and converting each of the set of monochrome pixel data into a corresponding set of color pixel data, each set of color pixel data comprising groups of pixel elements, the graphics controller circuit packing a plurality of color pixel data sets into a plurality of color pixel words,
• wherein one element of a first color pixel data is stored in a first color pixel word and another element of the first color pixel data is stored in a second color pixel word, the graphics controller circuit generating a set of display signals to the display unit from the plurality of color pixel words to display the video image in color.

A computer system for displaying a video image corresponding to a set of monochrome pixel data, the computer system comprising:

• a frame buffer for receiving and storing the set of monochrome pixel data;
• a display unit for displaying the video image corresponding to the monochrome pixel data;
• and
• a graphics controller circuit for receiving the set of monochrome pixel data and converting the set of monochrome pixel data into a corresponding set of color pixel data, the graphics controller circuit packing a plurality of color pixel data comprised in the set of color pixel data into a plurality of color pixel words, wherein one portion of a first color pixel data is stored in a first color pixel word and another portion of the first color pixel data is stored in a second color pixel word, the graphics controller circuit generating a set of display signals to the display unit from the plurality of color pixel words to display the video image in color,
• wherein the memory interface circuit provides to the converter a subset of the monochrome pixel data during each clock cycle, wherein the converter generates a color pixel word from the subset of monochrome pixel data during each clock cycle.

A method for converting a plurality of monochrome pixel data into a corresponding sets of color pixel data, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving the plurality of monochrome pixel data;
• converting each of the plurality of monochrome pixel data into a corresponding set of color pixel data, each set of color pixel data comprising groups of pixel elements;
• and
• packing a plurality of color pixel data comprised in the set of color pixel data into a plurality of color pixel words, wherein one element of a first color pixel data is stored in a first color pixel word and another element of the first color pixel data is stored in a second color pixel word.

A method for converting a plurality of monochrome pixel data into a corresponding set of color pixel data, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving the plurality of monochrome pixel data;
• converting the plurality of monochrome pixel data into the corresponding set of color pixel data;
• packing a plurality of color pixel data comprised in the set of color pixel data into a plurality of color pixel words, wherein one portion of a first color pixel data is stored in a first color pixel word and another portion of the first color pixel data is stored in a second color pixel word;
• and
• providing to the step of converting during each clock cycle one of a sequence of subsets of monochrome pixel data,
• wherein the step of converting generates a color pixel word from the subset of monochrome pixel data received during each clock cycle.