External display simulator

• US 20070203682A1
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gummalla, Madhuri, Mishra, Abhishek
• Application Number:
  US11/364,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20070203682A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller

Abstract

An external display simulator is configured to internally verify data to be transmitted from a computing device to an output device by implementing display driver functionality. The external display simulator intercepts data output from an application executing on the computing device. The external display simulator supports many different display resolutions and modes. The external display simulator determines an appropriate display mode and forwards the data to a corresponding output destination. The data may then be compared to an expected result to determine whether the data is verified.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for simulating an external display, comprising:

generating display data to be displayed on an output device, wherein the display data is formatted in accordance with a display mode supported by the output device;

selecting an output destination to send the display data, wherein the output destination supports the display mode of the display data; and

sending the display data to the selected output destination, wherein the display data is verified at the output destination.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a new display mode that is supported by the output destination.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising verifying the display data by comparing the display data to an expected result.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising verifying the display data when the display data is properly rendered at the output destination.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting an output destination further comprises selecting an output destination based one or more of:

the display data, the display mode and programmed settings.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting an output destination further comprises selecting an internal output destination, and wherein the internal output destination comprises one of:

a file, a database, an application, a memory device and a primary display.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting an output destination further comprises selecting an external display.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating display data further comprises generating an animation/transition sequence such that the animation/transition sequence is verified at the output destination.

9. An external display simulator that is configured to:

receive display data from an application executing on a computing device, wherein the display data is formatted for display on an output device in accordance with a display mode supported by the output device,

select an output destination to send the display data, wherein the output destination supports the display mode of the display data, and

send the display data to the selected output destination, wherein the display data is verified at the output destination.

10. The external display simulator of claim 9, wherein the external display simulator is further configured to be programmable to generate a new display mode that is supported by the output destination.

11. The external display simulator of claim 9, wherein the display data is verified by comparing the data to an expected result.

12. The external display simulator of claim 9, wherein the display data is verified when the display data is properly rendered at the output destination.

13. The external display simulator of claim 9, wherein the output destination is selected based on at least one of:

the display data, the display mode and programmed settings.

14. The external display simulator of claim 9, wherein the output destination is selected by selecting an output destination located within the computing device, and wherein the output destination comprises one of:

a file, a database, an application, a memory device and a primary display.

15. The external display simulator of claim 9, wherein the output destination is selected by selecting a display that is external to the computing device.

16. The external display simulator of claim 9, wherein the display data is an animation/transition sequence.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for simulating an external display, the instructions comprising:

generating display data to be displayed on an output device, wherein the display data is formatted in accordance with a display mode supported by the output device;

selecting an output destination to send the display data based on the display data and the display mode, wherein the output destination supports the display mode of the display data, and wherein the output destination is not the output device; and

sending the display data to the selected output destination, wherein the display data is verified at the output destination.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising receiving a new display mode that is supported by the output destination.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein selecting an output destination further comprises selecting an internal output destination, and wherein the internal output destination comprises one of:

a file, a database, an application, a memory device and a primary display.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein selecting an output destination further comprises selecting an external display.