Auxiliary display system architecture

• US 20050243021A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fuller, Andrew J., Rhoten, Matthew P., Perez, Juan, Chandley, Adrian, Steeb, Curt A., Schoppa, Christopher A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,660,914 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/165 the additional display being small, e.g. for presenting status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/001 Arbitration of resources in a display system, e.g. control of access to frame buffer by video controller and/or main processor

Abstract

Described is an architecture by which application programs can provide data to auxiliary display devices of essentially any type for display to a user. A defined application layer (e.g., accessed via interfaces) allows programs to provide data to a service that controls the output of data to an auxiliary display device, and returns navigational data to the application upon appropriate user interaction with the device via actuators. Enumeration allows applications to discover the capabilities of a device, while arbitration determines which application has input-output rights to the device. The architecture further provides a protocol layer including pluggable protocol proxies that allow various types of displays to serve as an auxiliary display. This platform-like model allows program developers the ability provide programs that leverage auxiliary displays when available, and provides display manufacturers the ability to provide displays with extensible capabilities.

Claims

1. In a computer system, a system comprising:

an auxiliary device coupled to the computer system to present auxiliary information;

an auxiliary device service that runs on the computer system and is accessed through an interface by computer programs that are running on the computer system, the auxiliary device service configured to receive from the computer programs data that are related to presenting information on the auxiliary device; and

a mediation component of the auxiliary device service that determines which of the computer programs can have output data presented on the auxiliary device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the mediation component communicates information corresponding to the output capability of the auxiliary device to the computer programs.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a protocol component set containing at least one selectable protocol component, and wherein the auxiliary device service communicates with the auxiliary device via a protocol component selected from the set that corresponds to a protocol used by that auxiliary device.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein each protocol component of the set plugs into an interface of the auxiliary device service.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the data received from the computer programs that are related to presenting information on the auxiliary device includes registration data.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the data received from the computer programs that are related to presenting information on the auxiliary device includes information that corresponds to displayable data.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the data received from displayable data comprises a bitmap.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the data received from displayable data comprises data that can be interpreted for rendering into a page.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the data received from displayable data comprises rendering instructions.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer programs each includes a mechanism for receiving events related to the auxiliary device.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein an event received by a computer program corresponds to a request to provide data for presentation.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the auxiliary device has associated actuators, and wherein an event received by a computer program corresponds to a navigation command.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the auxiliary device has associated actuators, and wherein the mediation component determines which of the computer programs receives events corresponding to actuation of an actuator.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one characteristic of the auxiliary device is configurable by the computer system.

15. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one other auxiliary device coupled to the computer system to present auxiliary information.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein one auxiliary device becomes coupled the computer system at a later time than another auxiliary device has coupled.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary device is coupled to the computer system via a wireless connection.

18. In a computer system, a method comprising:

receiving at a service layer function calls from computer programs, the function calls being directed to writing information to an auxiliary device coupled to the computer system;

receiving a navigation command from the auxiliary device; and

determining information to present to on the auxiliary device based on the function calls and the navigation command.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein receiving the function calls includes receiving a request to register a computer program for coupling to the auxiliary device.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein receiving the function calls includes receiving a request to enumerate capabilities of the auxiliary device.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising receiving an event and determining information to present to on the auxiliary device based on the event.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the navigation command corresponds to a selection of a computer program, and wherein determining information to present to on the auxiliary device comprises determining which computer program was selected and sending data to the selected computer program to request that the selected computer program provide data for presenting information on the auxiliary device.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising receiving the requested data and communicating the data to the auxiliary device for presentation.

24. The method of claim 18 wherein the navigation command corresponds to navigation within the data of a selected computer program, and wherein determining information to present to on the auxiliary device comprises sending the navigation command to the selected computer program.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising, selecting the selected computer program via mediation.

26. The method of claim 18 further comprising, receiving data from a computer program for presentation on the auxiliary device, and communicating the data to the auxiliary device for presentation via a pluggable protocol component corresponding to a communications protocol used by the auxiliary device.

27. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform the method of claim 18.

28. In a computer system, a system comprising:

an auxiliary device that presents information and that is coupled for communication with the computer system via a protocol for that auxiliary device;

a protocol component set containing at least one selectable protocol component; and

an auxiliary device service that runs on the computer system and communicates with the auxiliary device via a selected protocol component from the set that corresponds to the protocol for that auxiliary device.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the auxiliary device service receives program data from a computer program running on the computer system and uses the selected protocol component to communicate the data to the auxiliary display for presenting information on the auxiliary device.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the auxiliary device receives a command corresponding to an actuator associated with the auxiliary device, and uses the selected protocol component to communicate the command to program data to a computer program running on the computer system.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein the auxiliary device uses the selected protocol component to communicate at least one characteristic of the auxiliary device to the computer system.

32. The system of claim 28 wherein the computer system uses the selected protocol component to configure at least one configurable characteristic of the auxiliary device.

33. The system of claim 28 further comprising at least one other auxiliary device coupled to the computer system to present auxiliary information.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the other auxiliary device communicates with the auxiliary device service via the selected protocol component.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein the other auxiliary device communicates with the auxiliary device service via a second selected protocol component.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein the auxiliary device is coupled to the computer system via a wireless connection.