Data buffer apparatus and method for storing graphical data using data encoders and decoders
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsIan Gibson, Wing Yan Chung
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Abstract
A data buffer apparatus stores first data objects containing a plurality of first data items and second data objects containing one or more second data items in a number of different ways depending upon a mode of operation. The apparatus includes an encoder (1290) for rearranging the order of the first data items within the first data objects in accordance with first arranging mode, prior to storing in the buffer (1293). The apparatus also includes a decoder (1291) for rearranging the order of a plurality first data items read from the buffer, in accordance with a second arranging mode.
Claims34
A data store apparatus adapted to store first data objects comprised of a plurality of first data items and to store second data objects comprised of one or more second data items, said data store apparatus comprising:
- an encoder unit adapted to receive the first data objects and the second data objects during a first operating mode and a second operating mode, respectively, of said data store apparatus, to encode the first data objects by rearranging an order of the plurality of first data items of the first data objects during the first operating mode of said data store apparatus, and to encode the second data objects by not rearranging an order of the one or more second data items of the second data objects during the second operating mode of said data store apparatus;
- a storage unit adapted to store the encoded first data objects and the encoded second data objects during the first operating mode and the second operating mode, respectively;
- a decoder unit adapted to rearrange an order of an output of said storage unit during the first operating mode, and not to rearrange an order of an output of said storage unit during the second operating mode of said data store apparatus;
- an address generator unit adapted to generate read and write addresses for said storage unit in accordance with the first operating mode and the second operating mode;
- and
- a controller unit adapted to generate control signals dependent upon the first operating mode and the second operating mode for controlling an order of data items encoded by said encoder unit, storage of the encoded first data objects or the encoded second data objects in said storage unit, an output operation of said decoder unit, and generation of the read and write addresses by said address generator unit.
A data store apparatus for storing first data objects comprised of a plurality of first data items and for storing second data objects comprised of one or more second data items, said apparatus comprising:
- a first rearrangement unit for rearranging an order of the plurality of first data items of the first data objects in accordance with a first rearranging mode, and for outputting the rearranged first data objects;
- a storage unit comprising a plurality of separately addressable memory banks, said storage unit organized as a plurality of memory lines with each memory line including a memory location from each memory bank;
- a write unit for writing the rearranged first data objects in the plurality of memory banks in accordance with a first write mode, such that the first data objects are stored in separate memory lines, and for writing the second data objects in the plurality of memory banks in accordance with a second write mode;
- a read unit for simultaneously and separately reading the plurality of first data items, each from a different one of the first data objects, from the plurality of memory banks in accordance with a first read mode, and for reading the one or more second data items from the plurality of memory banks in accordance with a second read mode;
- a second rearrangement unit for rearranging an order of the plurality of read first data items in accordance with a second arranging mode;
- and
- a controller unit for generating control signals for controlling the first and second rearranging modes, the first and second write modes, and the first and second read modes.
A method for storing a plurality of first data objects comprised of a plurality of first data items and for storing second data objects comprised of one or more second data items in a storage unit comprised of a plurality of separately addressable memory banks, the storage unit organized as a plurality of memory lines with each memory line including a memory location from each memory bank, said method comprising the steps of:
- rearranging an order of the first data items of the first data objects in accordance with a first rearranging mode, and outputting the rearranged first data objects;
- writing the rearranged first data objects in the plurality of memory banks in accordance with a first write mode, such that the first data objects are stored in separate memory lines, and writing the second data objects in the plurality of memory banks in accordance with a second write mode;
- simultaneously and separately reading the plurality of first data items, each from a different one of the first data objects, from the plurality of memory banks in accordance with a first read mode, and reading the one or more second data items from the plurality of memory banks in accordance with a second read mode;
- rearranging an order of the plurality of read first data items in accordance with a second arranging mode;
- and
- generating control signals for controlling the first and second rearranging modes, the first and second write modes, and the first and second read modes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.