A multiprocessor multiwindow visualization subsystem

Abstract

Multiprocessor systems are available at moderate costs, but they generally lack high-speed multiwindow colour image visualization capabilities. A multiprocessor multiwindow parallel visualization subsystem is presented which can he hooked onto parallel processor arrays or high-speed network interfaces (FDDI, ATM broadband). Thanks to its well-balanced triple transputer architecture, the multi-window display subsystem is capable of simultaneously transferring, clipping and displaying 24bit/pixel colour images at a rate of 18 Mbytes/s. Under optimal conditions it is able to receive, clip and display six full-screen 1024×1024 or twenty-four 512×512 full-colour images/s. Such a display subsystem is one order of magnitude faster than X-window systems running on standard workstations. It satisfies the need for browsing through image data bases and for fast visualization of uncompressed image sequences (scientific data produced by supercomputers, photogrammetry, civil engineering, biology, medicine, etc.).