Method and apparatus for processing video and graphics data to create a composite output image having independent and separate layers of video and graphics

A method of generating an output image based on a first image and a second image, the method comprising:

• determining whether a first display position on a display panel at which a pixel of the output image is to be displayed is within an active display region of the display panel;
• performing active display processing to generate the pixel of the output image if the first display position is within the active display region of the display panel;
• and
• performing blanking processing to generate the pixel of the output image if the first display position is not within the active display region of the display panel;
• wherein the first image and the second image comprise a tiled graphics image.

A method of composing an output image to be displayed on a display panel based upon multiple input images, the multiple input images comprising a first image, a second image, a third image and a fourth image, the method comprising:

• determining whether the display panel is in a blanking display mode at a first display location on the display panel, the first display location corresponding to a location on the display panel where an output pixel is to be displayed;
• performing active display processing to compose the output image if the display panel is not in the blanking display mode;
• and
• performing blanking display processing to compose the output image if the display panel is in the blanking display mode;
• wherein the first image comprises a background tiled graphics image.

A method of generating an output image based on a plurality of images, including a first image and a second image, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a display processing system, the plurality of images in a plurality of formats and from a plurality of sources, wherein the plurality of sources includes a video data source and a graphics data source;
• and
• processing the plurality of images in said display processing system to generate the output image in response to a processing control input, wherein said processing control input is formulated based on determining whether a first display position on a display panel at which a pixel of the output image is to be displayed is within an active display region of the display panel, wherein said processing includes
• performing active display processing to generate the pixel of the output image if the first display position is within the active display region of the display panel, wherein said active display processing includes
• performing selective display processing if the first image and the second image are not both active at the first display position, and
• performing composite display processing if the first image and the second image are both active at the first display position, wherein said composite display processing includes selecting, as the pixel of the output image, either a pixel of the first image, a pixel of the second image, or a blending of the pixel of the first image and the pixel of the second image, based upon the processing control input, the processing control input indicating whether the first image is transparent or opaque, whether the second image is transparent or opaque, and whether the first image is on top of the second image;
• and
• performing blanking processing to generate the pixel of the output image if the first display position is not within the active display region of the display panel;
• wherein the processing control input comprises a first control signal, the first control signal is set if the first image is transparent and not set if the first image is opaque, a second control signal, the second control signal is set if the second image is transparent and not set if the second image is opaque, and a third control signal, the third control signal is set if the first image is on top of the second image and not set if the second image is on top of the first image.

A method of generating an output image based on a plurality of images, including a first image and a second image, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a display processing system, the plurality of images in a plurality of formats and from a plurality of sources, wherein the plurality of sources includes a video data source and a graphics data source;
• and
• processing the plurality of images in said display processing system to generate the output image in response to a processing control input,
• wherein said processing control input is formulated based on
• determining whether a first display position on a display panel at which a pixel of the output image is to be displayed is within an active display region of the display pane, and
• performing blanking processing, to generate the pixel of the output image if the first display position is not within the active display region of the display panel, and
• wherein the first image and the second image comprise a tiled graphics image.