Method and system for cost-efficient, high-resolution graphics/image display system

An image display system, comprising:

• a display;
• a processor configured as a central processing unit (CPU), the CPU being a microcode-controlled processor having a CPU-internal micro program memory for storing microcode words and execution circuitry for executing the microcode words, the CPU-internal micro program memory comprising
• microcode words for controlling an internal operation of the CPU, and
• a special sequence of microcode words for performing compression;
• a main memory associated with the processor, the main memory having an uncompressed image area for storing image data, the uncompressed image area being divided into segments, and a corresponding compressed image area for storing compressed image data;
• and
• circuitry for decompression and video signal generation,
• wherein the processor is configured to perform compression according to a first transformation process to ensure a given level of compression by executing, after changes have been made in the uncompressed image area, said special sequence of microcode words in said CPU-internal micro program memory, for reading and compressing segments of the uncompressed image area that are subject to said changes, each segment able to be independently compressed and decompressed,
• wherein the processor is configured to perform further compression, when there is available processing time, according to a second transformation process to improve the compression level by selecting one or more segments to work on and further compress the data,
• wherein said processor is configured to store the compressed segments of the image data in said compressed image area of the main memory of the processor, each segment having a dedicated space,
• wherein the circuitry for decompression and video signal generation is configured to decompress compressed image data fetched from the compressed image area to generate an appropriate image signal based on data from the compressed image area and to apply the generated image signal to said display to refresh said image, and
• wherein the processor is configured to enable refresh of an image only with the compressed image data in the main memory of the processor.

A processor for use in an image display system and adapted for cooperating with a main memory having an uncompressed image area for storing image data, the uncompressed image area being divided into segments, and a compressed image area for storing compressed image data, the processor comprising:

• a central processing unit (CPU), the CPU being a microcode-controlled processor having
• a CPU-internal micro program memory for storing microcode words, and
• execution circuitry for executing the microcode words,
• wherein the CPU-internal micro program memory comprises microcode words for controlling an internal operation of the CPU, and a special sequence of microcode words for performing compression,
• wherein the processor is configured to perform compression according to a first transformation process to ensure a specific level of compression by executing, after changes have been made in the uncompressed image area, said special sequence of microcode words in said CPU-internal micro program memory, for reading and compressing segments of the uncompressed image area that are subject to said changes, compression of one of the segments being independent of the other segments,
• wherein the processor is configured to perform further compression, when there is available processing time, according to a second transformation process to improve the compression level by selecting one or more segments to work on and further compress the data,
• wherein said processor is configured to store the compressed segments of the image data in said compressed image area of the main memory of the process, each segment having a dedicated space, and
• wherein the processor is configured to enable refreshing of an image only with the compressed image data in the main memory of the processor.