Method and apparatus for processing data for a visual-output device with reduced buffer memory requirements

摘要

A system for processing data objects each representing display data for a display area and each having a data type and a location in the display area including a divider for dividing the display area into a plurality of non-overlapping regions containing the data objects where each region has a location and a region type derived from data types of the data objects in the region. A plurality of compression mechanisms and decompression mechanisms are provided where each compression mechanism has an associated decompression mechanism. A compressor selects one of the compression mechanisms for each of the regions according to its region type and then uses the selected compression mechanism to compress those portions of the data objects found in the region, thereby producing compressed object data. A memory is coupled to the compressor for storing compressed object data. A decompressor is coupled to the memory to decompress compressed object data in each region to produce uncompressed object data by applying to the compressed object data for each region a decompression mechanism associated with the compression mechanism used to create the compressed object data.