Allocating display information
First Claim
1. A method of allocating display information among a plurality of display screens in a computer system, the method comprising:
- identifying a first function provided by a first display device driver and a second function provided by a second display device driver, the functions and the device drivers configured to allow at least one of the display screens to be updated in accordance with the display information, the first function and the first driver corresponding to one of the screens, the second function and the second driver corresponding to another of the screens;
replacing an original pointer to the first function with a redirection pointer;
configuring a capability attribute, the configuration reflecting a capability common to both drivers;
using the redirection pointer to redirect a function call comprising the display information, the function call originally directed to the first function;
processing the display information to derive new display information in accordance with the configured capability attribute; and
updating at least one of the screens by causing a new function call directed to one of the functions, the new function call comprising the new display information.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
To provide an expanded computer desktop working area, a forking driver is removably inserted logically between a graphical device interface program and a plurality of display device driver programs driving a plurality of computer monitor display screens. When inserted, the forking driver configures parameters for the screens to recognize capabilities common to the screens while also preserving significant capabilities of one of the screens representing a primary screen. The forking driver intercepts a function call directed to the device driver program corresponding to the primary screen and processes the function call to cause one or more of the device driver programs to change one or more screens in a manner consistent with the expanded working area.
79 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of allocating display information among a plurality of display screens in a computer system, the method comprising:
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identifying a first function provided by a first display device driver and a second function provided by a second display device driver, the functions and the device drivers configured to allow at least one of the display screens to be updated in accordance with the display information, the first function and the first driver corresponding to one of the screens, the second function and the second driver corresponding to another of the screens; replacing an original pointer to the first function with a redirection pointer; configuring a capability attribute, the configuration reflecting a capability common to both drivers; using the redirection pointer to redirect a function call comprising the display information, the function call originally directed to the first function; processing the display information to derive new display information in accordance with the configured capability attribute; and updating at least one of the screens by causing a new function call directed to one of the functions, the new function call comprising the new display information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. Computer software, residing on a computer-readable storage medium, comprising instructions for use in a computer system to allocate display information among a plurality of display screens in the computer system, the instructions causing the system to:
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identify a first function provided by a first display device driver and a second function provided by a second display device driver, the functions and the device drivers configured to allow at least one of the display screens to be updated in accordance with the display information, the first function and the first driver corresponding to one of the screens, the second function and the second driver corresponding to another of the screens; replace an original pointer to the first function with a redirection pointer; configure a capability attribute, the configuration reflecting a capability common to both drivers; use the redirection pointer to redirect a function call comprising the display information, the function call originally directed to the first function; process the display information to derive new display information in accordance with the configured capability attribute; and update at least one of the screens by causing a new function call directed to one of the functions, the new function call comprising the new display information. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification