METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SHARING A COMPUTER DISPLAY SCREEN
First Claim
1. A method for masquerading computer display screen graphics data as a media stream supported by a media adapter having capabilities to receive a media stream, to decompress a received media stream and to interface with a display device to cause the display device to display video content represented by decompressed received media stream, wherein the display screen graphics data is uncompressed pixel-level data generated by the computer and stored in a frame buffer in the computer so as to represent graphics content displayable on a display screen attached to the computer when the computer operates in a normal display mode, the method comprising:
- processing the display screen graphics data as the graphics data is generated by the computer, wherein the processing includes compressing, to yield processed display screen graphics data in a compressed format supported by the media adapter;
packaging the processed display screen graphics data as a media stream;
configuring the computer to be a media server of the media stream to the media adapter; and
transmitting the media stream from the computer to the media adapter, thereby facilitating display on the display device of the graphics content, substantially cloning or extending what appears on at least a portion of the display screen attached to the computer.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method masquerades computer display screen graphics data as a media stream supported by a media adapter with capabilities to receive a media stream, decompress it, and display it on an attached display device. The display screen graphics data is uncompressed pixel-level data representing graphics content displayable on a display screen attached to the computer in a normal display mode. The method processes the display screen graphics data, including compressing, to yield processed display screen graphics data in a compressed format supported by the media adapter and packages the processed display screen graphics data as a media stream. The method configures the computer to be a media server and transmits the media stream from the computer to the media adapter, thereby facilitating display on the display device of the graphics content, substantially cloning or extending what appears on at least a portion of the display screen attached to the computer.
27 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method for masquerading computer display screen graphics data as a media stream supported by a media adapter having capabilities to receive a media stream, to decompress a received media stream and to interface with a display device to cause the display device to display video content represented by decompressed received media stream, wherein the display screen graphics data is uncompressed pixel-level data generated by the computer and stored in a frame buffer in the computer so as to represent graphics content displayable on a display screen attached to the computer when the computer operates in a normal display mode, the method comprising:
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processing the display screen graphics data as the graphics data is generated by the computer, wherein the processing includes compressing, to yield processed display screen graphics data in a compressed format supported by the media adapter; packaging the processed display screen graphics data as a media stream; configuring the computer to be a media server of the media stream to the media adapter; and transmitting the media stream from the computer to the media adapter, thereby facilitating display on the display device of the graphics content, substantially cloning or extending what appears on at least a portion of the display screen attached to the computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for masquerading computer display screen graphics data as a media stream supported by a media adapter having capabilities to receive a media stream, to decompress a received media stream and to interface with a display device to cause the display device to display video content represented by the decompressed received media stream, wherein the display screen graphics data is pixel-level data generated by the computer and stored in a frame buffer so as to represent graphics content displayable on a display screen attached to the computer when the computer operates in a normal display mode, the system comprising:
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means for processing the display screen graphics data as the graphics data is generated by the computer, wherein the processing includes compressing, to yield processed display screen graphics data in a compressed format supported by the media adapter; means for packaging the processed display screen graphics data as a media stream; means for configuring the computer to be a media server of the media stream to the media adapter; and means for transmitting the media stream from the computer to the media adapter, thereby facilitating display on the display device of the graphics content, substantially cloning or extending what appears on at least a portion of the display screen attached to the computer.
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21. A computer readable medium on which are embedded software code that performs a method for masquerading computer display screen graphics data as a media stream supported by a media adapter having capabilities to receive a media stream, to decompress a received media stream and to interface with a display device to cause the display device to display video content represented by decompressed received media stream, wherein the display screen graphics data is pixel-level data generated by the computer and stored in a frame buffer so as to represent graphics content displayable on a display screen attached to the computer when the computer operates in a normal display mode, the method comprising:
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processing the display screen graphics data as the graphics data is generated by the computer, wherein the processing includes compressing, to yield processed display screen graphics data in a compressed format supported by the media adapter; packaging the processed display screen graphics data as a media stream; and configuring the computer to be a media server of the media stream to the media adapter, whereby the media stream can be transmitted from the computer to the media adapter, thereby facilitating display on the display device of the graphics content, substantially cloning or extending what appears on at least a portion of the display screen attached to the computer.
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22. A computer system with the capability to masquerade computer display screen graphics data as a media stream supported by a media adapter having capabilities to receive a media stream, to decompress a received media stream and to interface with a display device to cause the display device to display video content represented by decompressed received media stream, the computer system comprising:
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a computer that generates the display screen graphics data as pixel-level data and stores the display screen graphics data in a frame buffer; a display screen connected to the computer and nearby the computer, wherein images representing the graphics content are displayable on the display screen when the computer operates in a normal display mode; a module that processes the display screen graphics data as the graphics data is generated by the computer, wherein the processing includes compressing, to yield processed display screen graphics data in a compressed format supported by the media adapter; a module that packages the processed display screen graphics data as a media stream; software that configures the computer to be a media server of the media stream to the media adapter; and a transmitter that transmits the media stream from the computer to the media adapter, thereby facilitating display on the display device of the graphics content, substantially cloning or extending what appears on at least a portion of the display screen. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A device for use with a computer to masquerade computer display screen graphics data as a media stream supported by a media adapter having capabilities to receive a media stream, to decompress a received media stream and to interface with a display device to cause the display device to display video content represented by decompressed received media stream, wherein the display screen graphics data is pixel-level data generated by the computer and stored in a frame buffer so as to represent graphics content displayable on a display screen attached to the computer when the computer operates in a normal display mode, the device comprising:
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processing circuitry for processing the display screen graphics data as the graphics data is generated by the computer, wherein the processing circuitry includes compression circuitry, to yield processed display screen graphics data in a compressed format supported by the media adapter, whereby a module associated with the computer packages the processed display screen graphics data as a media stream so that when the computer is configured to be a media server of the media stream to the media adapter and when the media stream is transmitted from the computer to the media adapter, the graphics content is displayed on the display device, thereby substantially cloning or extending what appears on at least a portion of the display screen attached to the computer. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A system for use with a computer to masquerade computer display screen graphics data as a media stream, wherein the display screen graphics data is pixel-level data generated by the computer and stored in a frame buffer so as to represent graphics content displayable on a display screen attached to the computer when the computer operates in a normal display mode, the system comprising:
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a media adapter having capabilities to receive the media stream, to decompress a received media stream and to interface with a display device to cause the display device to display video content represented by decompressed received media stream; a processing module at the computer that processes the display screen graphics data as the graphics data is generated by the computer, wherein the processing circuitry includes compression circuitry, to yield processed display screen graphics data in a compressed format supported by the media adapter; and a module at the computer that packages the processed display screen graphics data as a media stream so that when the computer is configured to be a media server of the media stream to the media adapter and when the media stream is transmitted from the computer to the media adapter, the graphics content is displayed on the display device, thereby substantially cloning or extending what appears on at least a portion of the display screen attached to the computer. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A method for determining which one of a plurality of computers should be selected to wirelessly send video to a media adapter having capabilities to wirelessly receive video data and to interface with a display device to cause the display device to display video content represented by video data, the method comprising:
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estimating a proximity between the media adapter and at least one of the plurality of computers, thereby producing a at least one proximity estimate; and selecting the computer by utilizing said at least one proximity estimate. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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41. A method for a media adapter having capabilities to receive video data and to interface with a display device to cause the display device to display video content represented by video data to select one of a plurality of computers most recently requesting to have its video content displayed on the display device, the method comprising:
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detecting activation of an input at one of the plurality of computers that signifies a desire by a user of said one of the plurality of computers to have its video data displayed on the display device; as a result of detection of the input, discontinuing display of any video content originating from any of the plurality of computers other than said one of the plurality of computers, receiving video data originating from said one of the plurality of computers, displaying on the display device video content represented by the received video data originating from said one of the plurality of computers, and continuing to display on the display device said video content represented by the received video data originating from said one of the plurality of computers until detecting activation of an input at another one of the plurality of computers that signifies a desire by a user of said another one of the plurality of computers to have its video data displayed on the display device. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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Specification