WIRELESS DISPLAY SYNCHRONIZATION FOR MOBILE DEVICES USING BUFFER LOCKING

• US 20150189012A1
• Filed: 01/02/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: JADHAV, Mahesh Sambhaji, MALKANI, Jeetendra, SHINDE, Amol Babasaheb
• Application Number:
  US14/146,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20150189012A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/399 using two or more bit-mapped memories, the operations of which are switched in time, e.g. ping-pong buffers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention includes techniques for synchronizing displays of a plurality of mobile devices over a wireless network. A processing unit renders an image frame related to a software application into an application image buffer associated with a first mobile device and causes a second mobile device to render a second image frame into a second application image buffer of the second mobile device. The processing unit receives an acknowledgement over a wireless network indicating that the second mobile device has completed rendering the second image frame. The processing unit displays contents of the application image buffer on a first display device associated with the first mobile device and transmits a signal to the second mobile device over a wireless network that causes the second mobile device to display contents of the second application image buffer on a second display device associated with the second mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing displays of a plurality of mobile devices over a wireless network, the method comprising:

rendering a first image frame related to a software application into a first application image buffer associated with a first mobile device;

causing a second mobile device to render a second image frame substantially similar to the first image frame into a second application image buffer associated with the second mobile device;

receiving an acknowledgement over a wireless network indicating that the second mobile device has completed rendering the second image frame into the second application image buffer;

displaying contents of the first application image buffer on a first display device associated with the first mobile device; and

transmitting a signal to the second mobile device over a wireless network that causes the second mobile device to display contents of the second application image buffer on a second display device associated with the second mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a third image frame into a third application image buffer associated with the first mobile device; and

causing the second mobile device to render a fourth image frame substantially similar to the second image frame into a fourth application image buffer associated with the second mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the software application is not associated with a share group; and

in response, creating a first share group associated with the software application.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving a request from the second mobile device to join the first share group.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to receiving the request, adding the second mobile device to the first share group; and

transmitting a join grant message to the second mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a request from the third mobile device to join the first share group;

adding the third mobile device to the first share group; and

transmitting a join grant message to the third mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that the second mobile device has left the first share group; and

in response, deleting the second mobile device from the first share group.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining that the software application has terminated execution; and

terminating the first share group.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a request from the software application to delete the first share group; and

terminating the first share group.

10. A system comprising:

a first processing unit configured to execute a software application; and

a second processing unit comprising;

a display synchronizer configured to;

render a first image frame related to a software application into a first application image buffer associated with a first mobile device;

cause a second mobile device to render a second image frame substantially similar to the first image frame into a second application image buffer associated with the second mobile device;

receive an acknowledgement over a wireless network indicating that the second mobile device has completed rendering the second image frame into the second application image buffer;

display contents of the first application image buffer on a first display device associated with the first mobile device; and

transmit a signal to the second mobile device over a wireless network that causes the second mobile device to display contents of the second application image buffer on a second display device associated with the second mobile device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the display synchronizer is further configured to:

render a third image frame into a third application image buffer associated with the first mobile device; and

cause the second mobile device to render a fourth image frame substantially similar to the second image frame into a fourth application image buffer associated with the second mobile device.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the display synchronizer is further configured to:

determine that the software application is not associated with a share group; and

in response, create a first share group associated with the software application.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the display synchronizer is further configured to receive a request from the second mobile device to join the first share group.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the display synchronizer is further configured to:

in response to receiving the request, add the second mobile device to the first share group; and

transmit a join grant message to the second mobile device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the display synchronizer is further configured to:

receive a request from the third mobile device to join the first share group;

add the third mobile device to the first share group; and

transmit a join grant message to the third mobile device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the display synchronizer is further configured to:

determine that the second mobile device has left the first share group; and

in response, delete the second mobile device from the first share group.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the display synchronizer is further configured to:

determine that the software application has terminated execution; and

terminate the first share group.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the display synchronizer is further configured to:

receive a request from the software application to delete the first share group; and

terminate the first share group.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the display synchronizer is further configured to:

cause a third mobile device to render a third image frame substantially similar to the first image frame into a third application image buffer associated with the third mobile device;

receive an acknowledgement over a wireless network indicating that the third mobile device has completed rendering the third image frame into the third application image buffer; and

transmit a signal to the third mobile device over a wireless network that causes the third mobile device to display contents of the third application image buffer on a third display device associated with the third mobile device.

20. A computing device for synchronizing displays of a plurality of mobile devices over a wireless network, comprising:

a processing unit; and

a memory containing instructions, that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to;

render a first image frame related to a software application into a first application image buffer associated with a first mobile device;

cause a second mobile device to render a second image frame substantially similar to the first image frame into a second application image buffer associated with the second mobile device;

receive an acknowledgement over a wireless network indicating that the second mobile device has completed rendering the second image frame into the second application image buffer;

display contents of the first application image buffer on a first display device associated with the first mobile device; and

transmit a signal to the second mobile device over a wireless network that causes the second mobile device to display contents of the second application image buffer on a second display device associated with the second mobile device.