Method and Apparatus for Configuring Multiple Displays Associated with a Computing System

• US 20090322765A1
• Filed: 06/17/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gordon Fraser Grigor, John E. Haberfellner, Vladimir F. Giemborek
• Original Assignee: Gordon Fraser Grigor, John E. Haberfellner, Vladimir F. Giemborek
• Inventors: Haberfellner, John E., Grigor, Gordon Fraser, Giemborek, Vladimir F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,860,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/502
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller

Abstract

A method and apparatus for configuring multiple displays associated with a computing system begins when display preferences regarding at least one of the multiple displays are received. The display preferences indicate desired selections of which images are to be displayed on which displays and may be based on user selections or application selections. Having received the display preferences, a coupling controller within a video graphics processing circuit determines whether the display preferences can be fulfilled in observance of configuration properties. The configuration properties include limitations of the displays (e.g., refresh rate, resolution) and the computing system (e.g., display controller capabilities) and/or rules of the computing system (e.g., at least one screen must be actively coupled at all times). If the display preferences can be fulfilled, the coupling controller causes display controllers to be operably coupled to displays. If, however, the display preferences cannot be fulfilled, the coupling controller determines whether the current configuration can be reconfigured to allow the display preferences to be fulfilled with minimal affect on the perceived current configuration. If so, the coupling controller causes the video graphics processing circuitry to be reconfigured.

Claims

1. A method for configuring multiple displays comprising:

determining, in connection with an image or portion thereof to be displayed on the multiple displays at the same time, whether received display preferences can be fulfilled in observance of;

configuration properties of the multiple displays and configuration properties of a computing system;

determining whether a current configuration of the multiple displays to the computing system can be reconfigured such that the display preferences of the multiple displays can be fulfilled at the same time while maintaining effective configuration of a current configuration when the display preferences cannot be fulfilled; and

displaying the images of a portion thereof on the multiple displays at the same time.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising switching switches to couple differing screen memories with different display controllers to output display data to the multiple displays for simultaneous display.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising reconfiguring by dynamically connecting multiple display controllers to differing of the multiple displays for simultaneous display by the multiple displays.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the display preferences including at least two of:

displaying an image on more than one of the displays, displaying separate images on each of the displays, displaying a portion of the image on one of the displays and displaying the image on another one of the multiple displays, providing different refresh rates for at least two of the displays, providing different resolutions for at least two of the displays, selecting one of the displays to display a predetermined type of image, and displaying a first portion of the image on a first one of the displays and displaying a second portion of the image on a second one of the displays.

5. A video graphics processing apparatus for configuring a plurality of displays associated with a computing system, the apparatus comprising:

a common screen memory for multiple display controllers comprising a plurality of screen memory portions, each of the plurality of screen memory portions operative to store display data for the plurality of displays;

a plurality of display controllers, each of the plurality of display controllers operative to retrieve display data from a screen memory portion of the common screen memory and simultaneously provide the display data to at least one respective display associated with a corresponding screen memory portion;

control module operative to determine whether a current configuration of the multiple displays to the computing system can be reconfigured such that the display preferences of the multiple displays can be fulfilled at the same time while maintaining effective configuration of a current configuration when the display preferences cannot be fulfilled; and

to control displaying the images of a portion thereof on the multiple displays at the same time.

6. The circuit of claim 5 wherein the display preferences including at least two of:

displaying an image on more than one of the displays, displaying separate images on each of the displays, displaying a portion of the image on one of the displays and displaying the image on another one of the multiple displays, providing different refresh rates for at least two of the displays, providing different resolutions for at least two of the displays, selecting one of the displays to display a predetermined type of image, and displaying a first portion of the image on a first one of the displays and displaying a second portion of the image on a second one of the displays.

7. The circuit of claim 6 further including a user interface operative for entering display preferences for the plurality of displays.