Display station controller
First Claim
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1. A method for performing input/output between an application executing on a computer system and a graphics display terminal connected to the computer system by a local area network, comprising the steps of:
- executing the application on a central processor;
within the application, generating output which is not in a form capable of driving a graphics terminal;
when output is generated by the application, communicating such output to a separate display controller processor within the computer system over a computer system bus;
on said display controller processor, executing graphics display routines for translating generated output into a form capable of driving a graphics terminal;
communicating translated output from the display controller processor to a graphics terminal, over the local area network, for display;
when input is generated at the graphics terminal, communicating the generated input to the display controller processor over the local area network;
on the display controller processor, translating generated input to a form capable of communication to the application; and
communicating the translated input to the central processor, over the computer system bus, for use by the application.
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Abstract
A system for supporting graphics display sessions on remote terminals contains a processing subsystem dedicated to graphics support. Applications execute on a central processor, and display related graphics commands are executed on the separate graphics controller subsystem. The graphics subsystem is preferably connected to multiple remote terminals over a network, and communicates with them without requiring all work to be performed by the central processor which is executing the applications.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for performing input/output between an application executing on a computer system and a graphics display terminal connected to the computer system by a local area network, comprising the steps of:
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executing the application on a central processor; within the application, generating output which is not in a form capable of driving a graphics terminal; when output is generated by the application, communicating such output to a separate display controller processor within the computer system over a computer system bus; on said display controller processor, executing graphics display routines for translating generated output into a form capable of driving a graphics terminal; communicating translated output from the display controller processor to a graphics terminal, over the local area network, for display; when input is generated at the graphics terminal, communicating the generated input to the display controller processor over the local area network; on the display controller processor, translating generated input to a form capable of communication to the application; and communicating the translated input to the central processor, over the computer system bus, for use by the application. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A processing system for controlling graphics terminals over a local area network, comprising:
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a central processor within the processing system, for executing application programs, wherein the application programs generate output which is not capable of driving a graphics terminal; a secondary display controller processor, within the processing system, wherein said display controller processor executes procedures for driving graphics terminals, and for translating output generated by the application programs into a form capable of driving a graphics terminal; a computer system bus within the processing system for communicating information between said central processor and said display controller processor; and a local area network attachment for connecting said display controller processor to the network, wherein translated output is communicated to a graphics terminal through said local area network connection, and wherein input received from said local area network connection is translated for use by the application programs. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer system, comprising:
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a first central processor for executing application programs, such application programs performing input/output functions by making procedure calls to a graphics library; an internal computer system bus connected to the first central processor; executing on the first central processor, a first interface procedure for receiving the graphics library procedure calls from the application programs and communicating them over the internal computer system bus; a second central processor, connected to the internal computer system bus, for executing graphics procedures contained in the graphics library, wherein the graphics procedures generate commands for driving graphics terminals; executing on the second central processor, a second interface procedure for receiving the graphics library procedure calls from the first procedure over the internal computer system bus and invoking the graphics library procedures; also executing on the second central processor, a third interface procedure for receiving the commands for driving graphics terminals from the graphics procedures and communicating them over a local area network; and at least one graphics terminal connected to the local area network for receiving the commands for driving graphics terminals and displaying graphics in response thereto. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification