METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SHARING EITHER A COMPUTER DISPLAY SCREEN OR A MEDIA FILE AND SELECTING THEREBETWEEN
First Claim
1. A method for selectively either (a) playing a media file accessed from a computer on a remote display device connected to a media adapter or (b) masquerading uncompressed pixel-level computer display screen graphics data as a media stream supported by the media adapter to cause the remote display device to substantially clone or extend what appears on at least a portion of a local display screen attached to the computer, the method comprising:
- sensing when a user enters an input signifying a desire by the user to play a media file on the computer;
if said input is not sensed, then performing a masquerading process 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 remote display device of the graphics content; and
if said input is sensed, then performing a file transfer process comprising transmitting the media file from the computer to the media adapter, thereby facilitating display on the remote display device of the video content associated with the media file.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method selectively either (a) plays a media file accessed from a computer on a remote display device connected to a media adapter or (b) masquerades uncompressed pixel-level computer display screen graphics data as a media stream supported by the media adapter to cause the display device to substantially clone or extend what appears on at least a portion of a local display screen attached to the computer. The method senses when a user enters an input signifying a desire by the user to play a media file on the computer. If said input is not sensed, then the method performs a masquerading process to process, compress, and package the display screen graphics data as a media stream and then transmits the media stream to the media adapter. If said input is sensed, then the method transmits the media file to the media adapter.
79 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method for selectively either (a) playing a media file accessed from a computer on a remote display device connected to a media adapter or (b) masquerading uncompressed pixel-level computer display screen graphics data as a media stream supported by the media adapter to cause the remote display device to substantially clone or extend what appears on at least a portion of a local display screen attached to the computer, the method comprising:
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sensing when a user enters an input signifying a desire by the user to play a media file on the computer; if said input is not sensed, then performing a masquerading process 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 remote display device of the graphics content; and if said input is sensed, then performing a file transfer process comprising transmitting the media file from the computer to the media adapter, thereby facilitating display on the remote display device of the video content associated with the media file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for selectively either (a) playing a media file accessed from a computer on a remote display device connected to a media adapter or (b) masquerading uncompressed pixel-level computer display screen graphics data as a media stream supported by the media adapter to cause the remote display device to substantially clone or extend what appears on at least a portion of a local display screen attached to the computer, 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; and means for configuring the computer to be a media server of the media stream to the media adapter; means for sensing when a user enters an input signifying a desire by the user to play a media file on the computer; and means for transmitting from the computer to the media adapter either (a) the media stream, thereby facilitating display on the remote display device of the graphics content, or (b) the media file, thereby facilitating display on the remote display device of the video content associated with the media file, wherein a decision to transmit either the media stream or the media file is based on an output of the means for sensing.
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22. A computer readable medium on which are embedded software code that performs a method for selectively either (a) playing a media file accessed from a computer on a remote display device connected to a media adapter or (b) masquerading uncompressed pixel-level computer display screen graphics data as a media stream supported by the media adapter to cause the remote display device to substantially clone or extend what appears on at least a portion of a local display screen attached to the computer, the method comprising:
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sensing when a user enters an input signifying a desire by the user to play a media file on the computer; if said input is not sensed, then performing a masquerading process 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 remote display device of the graphics content; and if said input is sensed, then performing a file transfer process comprising transmitting the media file from the computer to the media adapter, thereby facilitating display on the remote display device of the video content associated with the media file
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23. A computer system comprising:
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a frame buffer in which is stored pixel-level display screen graphics data; a local display screen connected to the frame buffer, wherein images represented by the pixel-level display screen graphics data in the frame buffer are displayable on the local display screen when the computer system operates in a normal display mode; a module that processes the display screen graphics data as the graphics data is generated, wherein the processing includes compressing, to yield processed display screen graphics data in a compressed format supported by a media adapter connected to a remote display device; 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; memory storing a media file; a transmitter that transmits to the media adapter either (a) the media stream, thereby substantially cloning or extending what appears on at least a portion of the local display screen on the remote display device, or (b) the media file, thereby causing the media adapter to play the media file on the remote display device; and a module that detects selection of the media file by the user and directs the media file to the transmitter if opened by the user but otherwise directs the media stream to the transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for masquerading a selected portion of uncompressed pixel-level computer display screen graphics data as a media stream supported by a media adapter connected to a remote display device, so as to cause the remote display device to display what appears on the selected portion of a local display screen attached to the computer, the method comprising:
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accepting a user-defined selection of a portion of the local display screen; processing display screen graphics data associated with the user-defined selection, 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. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for selectively playing on an A/V presentation device connected to a media adapter either (a) audio content of a media file accessed from a computer or (b) system audio content generated by operation of the computer, the method comprising:
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sensing when a user enters an input signifying a desire by the user to play a media file on the computer; if said input is not sensed, then performing a masquerading process comprising; processing system audio data generated by the computer during normal operation of the computer, wherein the processing includes compressing, to yield processed audio data in a compressed format supported by the media adapter; packaging the processed audio 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 playback on the A/V presentation device of the audio content; and if said input is sensed, then performing a file transfer process comprising transmitting the media file from the computer to the media adapter, thereby facilitating playback on the A/V presentation device of the audio content associated with the media file. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification