Secondary user interface
DCFirst Claim
1. A method in a computer system for controlling access to a video display system, the video display system having a video display and video display hardware that is controlled by a video device driver, the computer system having an operating system display interface that enables applications to send output to the video display hardware through the video device driver, comprising:
- communicating with the video device driver, without communicating through the operating system display interface, to create an area of the video display that is capable of displaying output that is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface; and
sending output to the created area, such that output displayed in the created area is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface.
4 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for creating and accessing a graphical user interface in the overscan area outside the area of the display normally utilized by the common operating systems. This normal display area is generally known as the “desktop”. The desktop serves as a graphical user interface to the operating system. The desktop displays images representing files, documents and applications available to the user. The desktop is restricted in the common environments to a predetermined set of resolutions (e.g., 640×480, 800×600, 1024×768) as defined by VGA and SVGA standards. Displayable borders outside this area are the overscan area.
-
Citations
63 Claims
-
1. A method in a computer system for controlling access to a video display system, the video display system having a video display and video display hardware that is controlled by a video device driver, the computer system having an operating system display interface that enables applications to send output to the video display hardware through the video device driver, comprising:
-
communicating with the video device driver, without communicating through the operating system display interface, to create an area of the video display that is capable of displaying output that is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface; and
sending output to the created area, such that output displayed in the created area is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A video display controller in a computer system having an operating system display interface, comprising:
-
video display with video display hardware;
video device driver for controlling the video display; and
display controller code that communicates with the video device driver while bypassing the operating system display interface to create an area of the video display that is capable of displaying output that is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. A computer-readable memory medium containing instructions for controlling a computer processor to control access to a video display system of a computer system, the video display system having a video display and video display hardware that is controlled by a video device driver, the computer system having an operating system display interface that enables applications to send output to the video display hardware through the video device driver, by:
-
communicating with the video device driver, without communicating through the operating system display interface, to create an area of the video display that is capable of displaying output that is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface; and
sending output to the created area, such that output displayed in the created area is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
-
-
50. A method for displaying output on a video display system in conjunction with a user interface that occupies at least a portion of a first display area, the first display area being accessible through a computer operating system graphics display interface, the video display system having a total displayable area of which the first display area is a part, comprising:
-
adjusting the video display system to include a second display area that is capable of displaying output that is not obscured by output from the computer operating system graphics display interface;
apportioning the total displayable area between the first display area and the second display area; and
writing output to the second display area in accordance with the apportionment of the total displayable area so that the data is displayed on the video display system in conjunction with and not obscured by the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
-
-
61. A method in a computer system for controlling access to different portions of a video display system, the video display system having an associated video device driver, the computer system having an operating system display interface that communicates with the video display system through the associated video device driver using a first virtual device driver, comprising:
-
instantiating a second virtual device driver to communicate with the video device driver, wherein the second virtual device driver is not the first virtual device driver;
intercepting communication between the first virtual device driver and the associated video device driver to prevent access by the operating system display interface to a portion of the video display system; and
processing requests to access the portion of the video display system through the second virtual device driver.
-
-
62. A display controller in a computer system that controls access to different portions of a video display system, the video display system having an associated video device driver, the computer system having an operating system display interface that communicates with the video display system through the associated video device driver, comprising:
-
first virtual device driver used by the operating system display interface to communicate with the video display system through the associated video device driver;
second virtual device driver, that is not the first virtual device driver and that is communicably connected to the video device driver in a manner that prevents access by the operating system display interface to a reserved portion of the video display system by intercepting communication between the first virtual device driver and the associated video device driver and that processes requests to access the reserved portion of the video display system to display output to the reserved portion.
-
-
63. A computer-readable memory medium containing instructions for controlling a computer processor in a computer system to control access to different portions of a video display system, the video display system having an associated video device driver, the computer system having an operating system display interface that communicates with the video display system through the associated video device driver using a first virtual device driver, by:
-
instantiating a second virtual device driver to communicate with the video device driver, wherein the second virtual device driver is not the first virtual device driver;
intercepting communication between the first virtual device driver and the associated video device driver to prevent access by the operating system display interface to a designated portion of the video display system; and
processing requests to access the designated portion of the video display system through the second virtual device driver.
-
Specification