System and method for data planarization

A data planarizer comprising:

• a plurality of data input terminals for receiving n-bit data words;
• a plurality of data output terminals for outputting planarized m-bit data words;
• a first storage bank having an input terminal set coupled to said plurality of data input terminals, an output terminal set coupled to said plurality of data output terminals, and a bit-depth less than m, for receiving and accumulating said n-bit data words, and for outputting said accumulated data as first portions of said m-bit planarized data words;
• and
• a second storage bank having an input terminal set coupled to said plurality of data input terminals, an output terminal set coupled to said plurality of data output terminals, and a bit-depth less than m, for receiving and accumulating said n-bit data words, and for outputting said accumulated data as second portions of said m-bit planarized data words;
• and wherein
• said first storage bank and said second storage bank have a combined capacity of less than one frame of data,
• said first storage bank comprises a bi-directional shift register, adapted to shift said n-bit data words into said first storage bank in a first direction and to shift said first portions of said m-bit data words out of said first storage bank in a different direction, and having a clock-input terminal for receiving a data shift signal, and a direction terminal for receiving a direction control signal, and
• said second storage bank comprises a bi-directional shift register, adapted to shift said n-bit data words into said second storage bank in said first direction and to shift said second portions of said m-bit data words out of said second storage bank in said different direction, and having a clock-input terminal for receiving a data shift signal, and a direction terminal for receiving a direction control signal.

A method for planarizing n-bit data into m-bit planarized data, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a first group of (p) n-bit data words, where p<m, and where n>1;
• storing said first group of (p) data words in a first storage bank;
• and
• transferring said first group of (p) data words into a device comprising (n) different memory locations, by transferring a p-bit data word comprising one bit from each of said first group of (p) n-bit data words into a first portion of each of said memory locations;
• and wherein
• said step of storing said first group of (p) data words in a first storage bank comprises the step of shifting said (p) data words into said first storage bank along a first direction, (n) bits at a time, and
• said step of transferring said first group of (p) data words into a device comprising (n) different memory locations comprises the steps of shifting said (p) data words out of said first storage bank along a second direction, (p) bits at a time.