System and method for providing transparent windows of a display
First Claim
1. In a computing system including a central processing unit, a main memory, and a display memory coupled together via a system bus, a method for displaying transparent windows of a display, the method comprising:
- monitoring messages exchanged between a program and an operating system;
in response to a first message indicating that a window should be transparent;
transferring window data for the window from the display memory to an off-screen memory that is local to the display memory; and
displaying the window using a transparent display mode; and
in response to a second message indicating that the window should no longer be transparent, no longer displaying the window using the transparent display mode.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for managing window transparency for a computer display, making windows wholly transparent or semi-transparent, on a window-by-window basis. Window transparency is triggered by monitoring messages exchanged between a program and an operating system, or by a user action. Upon detection of a first message indicating that a window of the display should be transparent, a layered display mode for the window is initiated. Upon detection of a second message indicating that the window should no longer be transparent, the layered display mode for the window is terminated. The layered mode can be controlled by the operating system or by a graphics processor.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. In a computing system including a central processing unit, a main memory, and a display memory coupled together via a system bus, a method for displaying transparent windows of a display, the method comprising:
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monitoring messages exchanged between a program and an operating system;
in response to a first message indicating that a window should be transparent;
transferring window data for the window from the display memory to an off-screen memory that is local to the display memory; and
displaying the window using a transparent display mode; and
in response to a second message indicating that the window should no longer be transparent, no longer displaying the window using the transparent display mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. In a computing system including a central processing unit, a main memory, and a display memory coupled together via a system bus, a method for displaying transparent windows of a display, the method comprising:
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monitoring messages exchanged between a program and an operating system;
in response to a first message indicating that a window should be transparent;
transferring window data for the window from the display memory to an off-screen memory; and
displaying the window using a transparent display mode; and
in response to a second message indicating that the window should no longer be transparent, no longer displaying the window using the transparent display mode, wherein under a first operating condition, the off-screen memory is local to the display memory, and wherein under a second operating condition, the off-screen memory is local to the main memory. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A graphics processing subsystem for generating transparent windows of a display of a computer system having a central processing unit, the graphics processing subsystem comprising:
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a display memory configured to store window data for windows of a display;
an off-screen memory local to the display memory;
a graphics processor coupled to the display memory and the off-screen memory and configured to control a transparent display mode for windows of the display, wherein window data for a window is stored in the off-screen memory while the window is in the transparent display mode; and
a driver module configured to communicate with the central processing unit and the graphics processor, the driver module further configured to monitor messages exchanged between a program and an operating system executing on the central processing unit, wherein, in response to a first message, the driver module instructs the graphics processor to initiate the transparent display mode for a window and wherein, in response to a second message, the driver module instructs the graphics processor to terminate the transparent display mode for the window. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification