Method and system for controlling a complementary user interface on a display surface
First Claim
1. A method for enabling a display source to display data on a video display system in a second display area, the display source using an operating system display interface to render output to a first display area that is associated with the operating system display interface, the second display area creating in a manner such that it is inaccessible to the operating system display interface, comprising:
- intercepting a function call from the display source to the operating system display interface;
determining from the intercepted function call whether the display source intends to render output to the first display area or to the second display area;
when it is determined that the display source intends to render output to the first display area, forwarding the intercepted call to the operating system display interface; and
when it is determined that the display source intends to render output to the second display area, processing the intercepted call independent of and transparent to the operating system display interface.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An alternate display content controller provides a technique for controlling a video display separately from and in addition to the content displayed on the operating system display surface. Where the display is a computer monitor, the alternate display content controller interacts with the computer utility operating system and hardware drivers to control allocation of display space and create and control one or more parallel graphical user interfaces in addition to the operating system desktop. An alternate display content controller may be incorporated in either hardware or software. As software, an alternate display content controller may be an application running on the computer operating system, or may include an operating system kernel of varying complexity ranging from dependent on the utility operating system for hardware system services to a parallel system independent of the utility operating system and capable of supporting dedicated applications. The alternate display content controller may also include content and operating software delivered over the Internet or any other LAN. The alternate display content controller may also be included in a television decoder/settop box to permit two or more parallel graphical user interfaces to be displayed simultaneously.
187 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for enabling a display source to display data on a video display system in a second display area, the display source using an operating system display interface to render output to a first display area that is associated with the operating system display interface, the second display area creating in a manner such that it is inaccessible to the operating system display interface, comprising:
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intercepting a function call from the display source to the operating system display interface;
determining from the intercepted function call whether the display source intends to render output to the first display area or to the second display area;
when it is determined that the display source intends to render output to the first display area, forwarding the intercepted call to the operating system display interface; and
when it is determined that the display source intends to render output to the second display area, processing the intercepted call independent of and transparent to the operating system display interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
transparently translating the coordinates of locations designated in the intercepted call to coordinates of locations in the second display area that correspond to the movement of the object; and
causing the display source to automatically render to the second display area.
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9. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
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intercepting a function call from a second display source;
determining whether the second display source is designated as enabled to render to the second display area; and
when it is determined that the second display source is not designated as enabled, forwarding the intercepted function call to the operating system display interface.
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10. The method of claim 1 wherein the determination that the display source intends to render output to the second display area is performed by determining whether the display source is designated as enabled to render to the second display area and determining whether a location designated in the intercepted function call is located in the second display area.
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11. A computer-readable memory medium containing instructions for controlling a computer processor to enable a display source to display data on a video display system in a second display area, the display source using an operating system display interface to render output to a first display area that is associated with the operating system display interface, the second display area creating in a manner such that it is inaccessible to the operating system display interface, by:
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intercepting a function call from the display source to the operating system display interface;
determining from the intercepted function call whether the display source intends to render output to the first display area or to the second display area;
when it is determined that the display source intends to render output to the first display area, forwarding the intercepted call to the operating system display interface; and
when it is determined that the display source intends to render output to the second display area, processing the intercepted call independent of and transparent to the operating system display interface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
transparently translating the coordinates of locations designated in the intercepted call to coordinates of locations in the second display area that correspond to the movement of the object; and
causing the display source to automatically render to the second display area.
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19. The computer-readable memory medium of claim 14, the memory medium containing instructions that further control the processor by:
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intercepting a function call from a second display source;
determining whether the second display source is designated as enabled to render to the second display area; and
when it is determined that the second display source is not designated as enabled, forwarding the intercepted function call to the operating system display interface.
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20. The computer-readable memory medium of claim 11 wherein the determination that the display source intends to render output to the second display area is performed by determining whether the display source is designated as enabled to render to the second display area and determining whether a location designated in the intercepted function call is located in the second display area.
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21. A system for enabling a display source to display data on a video display system in a second display area, the display source using an operating system graphics interface to render output to a first display area that is associated with the operating system graphics display interface, the second display area created so that it is inaccessible to the operating system display interface, comprising:
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alternate graphics display interface that is structured to intercept function calls destined for the operating system graphics display interface; and
determine whether the display source intends to render output to the first display area or to the second display area and processes the call accordingly, in a manner that is independent of and transparent to the operating system graphics display interface. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification