A Two-Dimensional Frame Buffer Processor

Abstract

The two-dimensional Frame Buffer Processor (FBP) is part of a proposed raster graphics computer architecture. It is a hardware-oriented organisation of a variation of a bitblt engine with a much richer repertoire. In addition, the FBP gives support to window management, transformations, and assists in some image operations ordinarily performed in software. The introduction of the FBP as a co-processor to geometry and video processors would increase efficiency and speed of graphics systems and bitmap workstations. A special skewed frame-buffer organisation, which allows parallel memory access, further improves system performance.