Multiple display device display controller with video overlay and full screen video outputs

• US 6,774,912 B1
• Filed: 03/16/2000
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matrox Graphics Incorporated (Matrox Electronic Systems Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Matrox Graphics Incorporated (Matrox Electronic Systems Ltd.)
• Inventors: Forest, Gilles, Lahaise, Alexandre, Ahmed, Kamran, Tremblay, Yves, Trottier, Lorne
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAHMJOO, MANUCHEHR
• Application Number:
  US09/526,440
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/2.1, 345/2.2, 345/3.1, 345/3.2, 345/629, 345/634, 345/635, 345/751, 345/753, 345/759, 348/14.03, 348/14.07
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/06 Colour space transformation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/366 with conversion of CRT control signals to flat panel control signals, e.g. adapting the palette memory
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/397 Arrangements specially adapted for transferring the contents of two or more bit-mapped memories to the screen simultaneously, e.g. for mixing or overlay G09G5/02 takes precedence

Abstract

Multiple independent displays from one graphics controller can be driven in a wide variety of modes using multiple display controllers. This invention incorporates a unique combination of enhancement building on a generic single multi-display graphics subsystem. Digital video is gaining vast popularity in the worldwide consumer, professional and commercial market. The applications of this invention cover all these market segments and include (but are not limited to) Digital Content Creation, Digital video playback, digital entertainment, DVD Authoring etc.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a display controller apparatus connected to a computer and having at least two display device outputs, comprising the steps of:

storing in a video memory of said apparatus a main display surface and a YUV format video surface;

causing a first display controller of said apparatus to access said main display surface and said YUV format video surface and to output a display signal to a first display, the first display controller including a scaler unit and an overlaying unit;

causing said first display controller to overlay said YUV format video surface within said main display surface;

detecting an overlay request generated in said computer, said overlay request indicating that a YUV format video surface is to be overlaid over a main display surface;

responsive to said detecting of said overlay request, causing a second display controller to access said YUV format video surface from said video memory and to output a display signal providing full screen output to a second display, wherein said output to a first display and said output to a second display occur substantially simultaneously;

wherein said second display controller is caused to stop displaying a surface other than said YUV format video surface and to begin displaying said YUV format video surface when said overlay request is detected.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a resolution of said YUV format video surface and determining whether said YUV format video surface requires scaling to cause said full screen output onto said second display.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein when scaling is required, said YUV format video surface is caused to be scaled.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein when scaling is required, said full screen output of said YUV format video surface is not implemented, whereby when said controller apparatus does not have scaling capacity and said YUV video is not in a same resolution as the second display, automatic full screen video output is not performed.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said second display is a TV, and said YUV format video surface is obtained from a full TV resolution DVD source, whereby said YUV format video surface does not require scaling and said full screen output on said TV is performed.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein when scaling is required, said YUV format video surface is caused to be one of padded and cropped, whereby when said controller apparatus does not have scaling capacity and said YUV video is not in a same resolution as the second display, full screen video output is performed with padding or cropping.

7. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein second display controller comprises a backend scaler having said YUV format video surface as input and outputting a full screen scaled version of said YUV format video surface, wherein said backend scaler adjusts a native format video surface to be full screen.

8. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said apparatus comprises a drawing engine reading and processing said video memory to read said YUV format video surface and write a scaled version of said YUV format video surface in said video memory, said scaling comprising causing said drawing engine to scale said YUV format video to provide said scaled version of said YUV format video surface suitable for said full screen output said second display controller accessing said scaled version of said YUV format video surface and thus providing said full screen output.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said scaler unit comprises a backend scaler having said YUV format video surface as input and outputting a scaled version of said YUV format video surface, said scaling being performed by said backend scaler.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said scaler unit comprises a drawing engine reading and processing said video memory, the method comprising causing said drawing engine to read said YUV format video surface and to write a scaled version of said YUV format video surface in said video memory, said first display controller accessing said scaled version of said YUV format video surface.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said overlaying unit comprises a blending unit having a setting for overlaying at least said YUV format video surface on said main display surface, said first display controller being controlled to perform overlaying and sub-picture blending.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein second display controller accesses a further surface from said video memory and comprises a format converter for converting, if necessary, one of said further surface and said YUV format video surface, and a blending unit overlaying or blending said YUV format video surface and said other surface, said second display controller being controlled to perform sub-picture blending and/or overlay.

13. A multiple display device display controller apparatus comprising:

a video memory containing a main display surface and a YUV format video surface;

a first display controller accessing said main display surface and said YUV format video surface and outputting a first display signal, the first display controller including a scaler unit and an overlaying unit for overlaying said YUV format video surface within said main display surface; and

a second display controller accessing said YUV format video surface from said video memory and outputting a second display signal to provide full screen output, wherein said first and second display signals are outputted substantially simultaneously to a first and a second display device, respectively;

wherein said apparatus communicates with a driver detecting an overlay request and said apparatus being responsive to an overlay request signal received from said driver to overlay said YUV format video surface with said at least one other surface, and said second display controller is responsive to said overlay request signal to automatically access said YUV format video surface and output full screen video from said YUV format video surface; and

wherein said second display controller stops displaying a surface other than said YUV format video surface and begins displaying said YUV format video surface in response to said overlay request signal.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said second display controller outputs to a TV encoder, and said YUV format video surface is obtained from a full TV resolution DVD source, whereby said YUV format video surface does not require scaling and said full screen output on said TV is performed.

15. A method of controlling a display controller apparatus connected to a computer and having at least two display device outputs, comprising the steps of:

detecting an overlay request generated in said computer, said overlay request indicating that a YUV format video surface is to be overlaid within a main display surface;

responsive to said detecting of said overlay request, causing said apparatus to access said YUV format video surface and to provide full screen output of said YUV format video surface on one of said at least two device outputs; and

causing said main display surface to be output on another of said at least two device outputs with a window portion of said main display surface intended to contain said YUV format video being one of minimized and blanked, wherein said full screen output and said main display surface containing one of a minimized and blanked YUV format video are output substantially simultaneously;

wherein said apparatus is caused to stop displaying a surface other than said YUV format video surface on said one of said at least two device outputs and to begin displaying said YUV format video surface when said overlay request is detected on said one of said at least two device outputs.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising detecting a resolution of said YUV format video surface and determining whether said YUV format video surface requires scaling.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein when scaling is required, said YUV format video surface is caused to be scaled.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein when scaling is required, said full screen output of said YUV format video surface is not implemented, whereby when said controller apparatus does not have scaling capacity and said YUV video is not in a same resolution as the display device connected to the one of the device outputs, automatic full screen video output is not performed.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein when scaling is required, said YUV format video surface is caused to be one of padded and cropped, whereby when said controller apparatus does not have scaling capacity and said YUV video is not in a same resolution as the display device connected to the one of the device outputs, full screen video output is performed with padding or cropping.

20. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein second display controller accesses a further surface from said video memory and comprises a format converter for converting, if necessary, one of said further surface and said YUV format video surface, and a blending unit overlaying or blending said YUV format video surface and said other surface, said second display controller being controlled to perform sub-picture blending and/or overlay.

21. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said apparatus comprises a drawing engine reading and processing said video memory to read said YUV format video surface and write a scaled version of said YUV format video surface in said video memory, said scaling comprising causing said drawing engine to scale said YUV format video to provide said scaled version of said YUV format video surface suitable for said full screen output, said second display controller accessing said scaled version of said YUV format video surface and thus providing said full screen output.