Intelligent video graphics switcher

• US 20080068287A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RGB Spectrum, Inc.
• Original Assignee: RGB Spectrum, Inc.
• Inventors: Day, Don, Haycock, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,893,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/042 for monitor identification
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/047 using display data channel standard [DDC] communication
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/20 Details of the management of multiple sources of image data
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for efficiently and intelligently communicating characteristic information in video graphics switcher environments. An intelligent video graphics switcher obtains display device characteristic information associated with multiple display devices and maintains updated characteristic information. When an event such as a connection/disconnection or switching event occurs between the video graphics switcher and a display device, the characteristic information is communicated to an appropriate host by triggering a connection/disconnection event with the host.

Claims

1. A video graphics switcher, comprising:

a plurality of input interfaces connected to a plurality of hosts;

a plurality of output interfaces connected to a plurality of display devices, the plurality of output interfaces operable to obtain display device characteristic information from the plurality of display devices;

control logic operable to map an input interface associated with a host to an output interface associated with a display device and provide display device characteristic information associated with the display device to the host by triggering a hotplug event on the input interface.

2. The video graphics switcher of claim 1, wherein the plurality of hosts include a plurality of graphics adapters.

3. The video graphics switcher of claim 1, wherein the plurality of output interfaces are a plurality of Digital Visual Interfaces (DVI).

4. The video graphics switcher of claim 1, wherein the plurality of output interfaces are analog interfaces.

5. The video graphics switcher of claim 3, wherein display device characteristic information is Extended Display Identification Data (EDID).

6. The video graphics switcher of claim 5, wherein the display device characteristic information is obtained over a Display Data Channel (DDC).

7. The video graphics switcher of claim 1, wherein the display device characteristic information is stored in memory associated with control logic.

8. The video graphic switcher of claim 1, wherein the display device characteristic information stored in memory associated with control logic is user configurable.

9. The video graphics switcher of claim 8, wherein the display device characteristic information stored in memory is accessible even when one or more of the plurality of display devices are disconnected.

10. The video graphics switcher of claim 1, wherein the display device characteristic information is obtained from programmable read only memories (PROMs) associated with the plurality of display devices and stored in pseudo PROMs included in the video graphics switcher.

11. The video graphics switcher of claim 1, wherein the plurality of output interfaces obtain display device characteristic information from the plurality of display devices when a switching event occurs.

12. The video graphics switcher of claim 10, wherein the plurality of output interfaces also obtain display device characteristic information from the plurality of display devices when a hotplug event occurs.

13. The video graphics switcher of claim 11, wherein the switching event or the hotplug event at the select output interface triggers a hotplug event at the input interface.

14. The video graphics switcher of claim 10, wherein the switching event is a user initiated connection change between the host and the display device.

15. The video graphics switcher of claim 13, wherein the switching event triggers a deferred or immediate hotplug event on the input interface.

16. The video graphics switcher of claim 10, wherein the plurality of output interfaces obtain display device characteristic information by measuring signal parameters including timing.

17. The video graphics switcher of claim 10, wherein the plurality of input interfaces obtain host graphics adapter characteristic information by measuring signal parameters including timing.

18. The video graphics switcher of claim 10, wherein the control logic is configured with a user specified set of rules for conflict resolution.

19. A method for providing display device characteristic information to a plurality of hosts, the method comprising:

maintaining connection information for a plurality of hosts connected to a plurality of display devices through a switcher;

obtaining display device characteristic information from a display device;

storing display device characteristic information in memory included in the switcher;

providing display device characteristic information to a host corresponding to the display device by triggering a hotplug event on an interface connected to the host.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein display device characteristic information is Extended Display Identification Data (EDID).

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the display device characteristic information is obtained over a Display Data Channel (DDC).

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the display device characteristic information is obtained from a programmable read only memory (PROM) associated with the display device and stored in a pseudo PROM included in the switcher.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein display device characteristic information is obtained by the switcher upon detecting a display device hotplug event.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein display device characteristic information is obtained by the switcher upon detecting a switching event.

25. An apparatus for providing display device characteristic information to a plurality of hosts, the apparatus comprising:

means for maintaining connection information for a plurality of hosts connected to a plurality of display devices through a switcher;

means for obtaining display device characteristic information from a display device;

means for storing display device characteristic information in memory included in the switcher;

means for providing display device characteristic information to a host corresponding to the display device by triggering a hotplug event on an interface connected to the host.

26. A video graphics switcher, comprising:

a plurality of input interfaces associated with the video graphics switcher, the plurality of input interfaces connected to a plurality of hosts;

a plurality of output interfaces associated with the video graphics switcher, the plurality of output interfaces connected to a plurality of display devices;

control logic operable to map an input interface associated with a host to an output interface associated with a display device and provide processed display device characteristic information to the host by triggering a hotplug event on the input interface.

27. The video graphics switcher of claim 26, wherein the processed display device characteristic information includes display device characteristic information provided by the display device to the video graphics switcher when the display device triggers the hotplug event on the output interface associated with the display device.

28. The video graphics switcher of claim 26, wherein the processed display device characteristic information includes user provided data.

29. The video graphics switcher of claim 26, wherein the processed display device characteristic information includes timing parameters corresponding to the display device.

30. The video graphics switcher of claim 26. wherein the processed display device characteristic information includes signaling parameters corresponding to the display device.

31. The video graphics switcher of claim 29, wherein the processed display device characteristic information includes information from a data structure associated with the display device.

32. The video graphics switcher of claim 26, wherein the processed display device characteristic information is processed from user provided data, timing parameters, signaling parameters, and information included in a data structure associated with the display device.

33. The video graphics switcher of claim 32, wherein the processed display device characteristic information is processed using control logic.

34. The video graphics switcher of claim 26, wherein the control logic is configured with a user specified set of rules.

35. The video graphics switcher of claim 26, wherein the control logic is configured with a user specified set of rules for conflict resolution

36. The video graphics switcher of claim 26, wherein the processed display device characteristic information is maintained using a pseudo programmable read only memory (PROM) included in the video graphics switcher.

37. The video graphics switcher of claim 33, wherein the processed display device characteristic information is generated using control logic and maintained in a pseudo PROM.

38. The video graphics switcher of claim 37, wherein the host reads the pseudo PROM as though the host were reading a PROM associated with the display device.

39. The video graphics switcher of claim 26, wherein a host reads processed display device characteristic information from a pseudo PROM when a switching event occurs.

40. The video graphics switcher of claim 39, wherein a switching event triggers a delayed hotplug event at the input interface.

41. The video graphics switcher of claim 39, wherein a switching event triggers the hoTplug event at the input interface.

42. The video graphics switcher of claim 26, wherein the host reacts processed display device characteristic information from a pseudo PROM when a hotplug event occurs on the output interface.

43. The video graphics switcher of claim 42, wherein a hotplug event at the output interface triggers a delayed hotplug event at the input interface.

44. The video graphics switcher of claim 42, wherein a hotplug event at the output interface triggers the hotplug event at the input interface.

45. The video graphics switcher of claim 26, wherein the host reads processed display device characteristic information from a pseudo PROM when a user specified set of rules is changed.

46. The video graphics switcher of claim 45, wherein the hotplug event at the input interface is triggered alter a delay when a user specified set of rules is changed.

47. The video graphics switcher of claim 45, wherein the hotplug event at the input interface is triggered after a delay when a user specified set of rules for conflict resolution is changed.

48. The video graphics switcher of claim 45, wherein the hotplug event at the input interface is triggered when a user specified set of rules is changed.

49. The video graphics switcher of claim 45, wherein the hotplug event at the input interface is triggered when a user specified set of rules for conflict resolution is changed.

50. The video graphics switcher of claim 26, wherein the host reads processed display device characteristic information from a pseudo PROM when a user specified set of rules for conflict resolution is changed.

51. A method, comprising:

connecting a plurality of input interfaces associated with a video graphics switcher to a plurality of hosts;

connecting a plurality of output interfaces associated with the video graphics switcher to a plurality of display devices;

mapping an input interface associated with a host to an output interface associated with a display device; and

providing processed display device characteristic information to the host by triggering a hotplug event on the input interface.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the processed display device characteristic information includes display device characteristic information provided by the display device to the video graphics switcher when the display device triggers the hotplug event on the output interface associated with the display device.

53. The video graphics switcher of claim 51, wherein the processed display device characteristic information includes user provided data.

54. An apparatus, comprising:

means for connecting a video graphics switcher to a plurality of hosts;

means for connecting the video graphics switcher to a plurality of display devices;

means for mapping an input interface associated with a host to an output interface associated with a display device; and

means for providing processed display device characteristic information to the host by triggering a hotplug event on the input interface.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the processed display device characteristic information includes display device characteristic information provided by the display device to the video graphics switcher when the display device biggers the hotplug event on the output interface associated with the display device.