System, method, and computer program product for applying different transport mechanisms for user interface and image portions of a remotely rendered image

• US 20040221004A1
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics International Corporation (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Chalfin, Alexander, Peercy, Mark, Kaulgud, Alpana
• Granted Patent: US 8,291,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/16 involving adaptation to the client's capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/165 Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor

Abstract

A system and method for remote rendering of computer graphics wherein user transactions are reliable and the transmission of rendered graphics is relatively fast. The invention is implemented in a client server context, where a computer graphics application and rendering resources are located at a server. A user controls the graphics application through a client machine connected to the server through a computer network. The user'"'"'s commands are sent from the client to the server, while rendered computer graphics are transmitted from the server to a display at the client. Different transport protocols are used, depending on the requirements of a particular transmission. Data related to user interactions is transmitted using a relatively reliable transport protocol, such as TCP. Rendered subject graphics data is transmitted from the server to the client using a less reliable but faster transport protocol, such as UDP.

Claims

1. A system for remote rendering of graphics data, the system comprising:

a client; and

a server in communication with said client,

wherein said client transmits rendering commands to a graphics application at said server using a reliable transport protocol, and said server transmits rendered subject graphics data using an unreliable transport protocol.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said client comprises an output device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said output device comprises a display.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said server comprises a plurality of rendering pipelines.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein a first rendering pipeline renders graphical user interface (GUI) graphics data, and a second rendering pipeline renders subject graphics data.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said server further comprises a compositor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said server further transmits rendered GUI graphics data using the reliable transport protocol.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said server transmits rendered GUI graphics data to said client using the reliable transport protocol.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said client comprises a compositor, implementation of which comprises hardware.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said client comprises a compositor, implementation of which comprises software.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said reliable transport protocol is a TCP transport protocol.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said unreliable transport protocol is a UDP transport protocol.

13. A system for remote rendering of graphics data, the system comprising:

a client; and

a server in communication with said client,

wherein said client transmits rendering commands to a graphics application at said server using a first transport protocol, and said server transmits rendered subject graphics data using a second transport protocol

wherein said first transport protocol is more reliable than said second transport protocol, and said second protocol is faster than said second protocol.

14. A method by which a server communicates with a client, comprising:

a) receiving rendering commands that are transmitted from the client using a TCP transport protocol; and

b) transmitting rendered subject graphics data using a UDP transport protocol.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

c) transmitting rendered GUI graphics data using the TCP transport protocol.

16. A method by which a clients communicates with a server, comprising:

a) transmitting rendering commands to the server using a TCP transport protocol; and

b) receiving rendered subject graphics data that is transmitted from the server using a UDP transport protocol.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:

c) receiving rendered GUI graphics data using the TCP transport protocol.

18. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a server to communicate with a client, the computer control logic comprising:

a) first computer readable program code means for causing the server to receive rendering commands that are transmitted from the client using a TCP transport protocol; and

b) second computer readable program code means for causing the server to transmit rendered subject graphics data using a UDP transport protocol.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

c) third computer readable program code means for causing the server to transmit rendered GUI graphics data using the TCP transport protocol.

20. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a client to communicate with a server, comprising:

a) first computer readable program code means for causing the client to transmit rendering commands to the server using a TCP transport protocol; and

b) second computer readable program code means for causing the client to receive rendered subject graphics data that is transmitted from the server using a UDP transport protocol.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising:

c) third computer readable program code means for causing the client to receive rendered GUI graphics data using the TCP transport protocol.