SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DOUBLE BUFFERING GRAPHICS IMAGE DATA WITH COMPRESSED FRAME BUFFERS

The present invention allows the frame buffer to be dynamically reconfigurable during the processing of graphics data. Lower resolution double buffer mode is used when objects are moving, and higher resolution single buffer mode is used when objects are stationary. The user gets the benefits of double buffering while objects are in motion, and the benefit of a higher quality image when objects are stationary. No image tears appear in this case because the graphics processing system redraws the exact same image when motion ceases, however the image has more bits per pixel. The visual effect is that the picture becomes clearer when motion ceases. The graphics processor quickly switches frame buffer modes during execution, and is not constrained to specifying one mode at the start of processing.