Methods and systems for preparing graphics for display on a computing device

• US 6,919,900 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2002
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wilt, Nicholas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Monestime, Mackly
• Application Number:
  US10/074,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20030084181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 345531-532, 345/534, 345/535, 345/541, 345/781, 345/782, 345/793, 345/794, 715/781, 715/782, 715/793, 715/794
• US Class Current: 345/535
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/103 Detection of image changes, e.g. determination of an index representative of the image change
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/10 Mixing of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of an operation, e.g. adding, on the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/125 wherein one of the images is motion video
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/393 Arrangements for updating the contents of the bit-mapped memory
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/399 using two or more bit-mapped memories, the operations of which are switched in time, e.g. ping-pong buffers

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and systems for interfaces between video applications and display screens that allow applications to intelligently use display resources of their host device without tying themselves too closely to operational particulars of that host. Video applications (1) receive information about the display environment from a graphics arbiter, (2) use that information to prepare their video output, and (3) send their output to the graphics arbiter which efficiently presents that output to the display screen. The graphics arbiter tells applications the estimated time when the next frame will be displayed on the screen. Applications tailor their output to the estimated display time, thus improving output quality while decreasing resource waste by avoiding the production of “extra” frames. The graphics arbiter tells an application when its output is fully or partially occluded so that the application need not expend resources to draw portions of frames that are not visible.

Claims

1. A method for a display source to regulate a rate of production by the display source of information for display on a display device, the display source associated with a display memory surface set, the display device associated with a presentation surface set distinct from the display memory surface set, the method comprising:

receiving notification of an estimated time when a future frame will be displayed on the display device, wherein the estimated time is estimated based upon a control signal received from the display device;

preparing display information in the display memory surface set associated with the display source, the preparing based, at least in part, on the estimated time; and

releasing the display information for display on the display device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the display source is in the set:

application program, driver, and operating system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein preparing display information comprises preparing display information in a back buffer in a flipping chain of the display memory surface set associated with the display source and wherein releasing comprises making the back buffer into a ready buffer in the flipping chain of the display memory surface set.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the preparing comprises performing an operation in the set:

deinterlacing video and interpolating video.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein releasing comprises releasing per-pixel alpha information with the display information.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

disabling processing of the display source.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the estimated time is based on display timing information acquired from the presentation surface set.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the control signal is received after each of a plurality of horizontal scan lines is displayed by the display device.

9. A method for a display source to regulate a rate of production by the display source of information for display on a display device, the display source associated with a display memory surface set, the display device associated with a presentation surface set distinct from the display memory surface set, the method comprising:

receiving notification of an estimated time when a future frame will be displayed on the display device;

preparing display information in the display memory surface set associated with the display source, the preparing based, at least in part, on the estimated time;

releasing the display information for display on the display device;

receiving notification of a time when a frame was displayed on the display device, the frame containing at least a portion of the released display information;

comparing the received estimated time to the received display time; and

if the received display time is later than the received estimated time, then taking corrective action.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein taking corrective action comprises degrading quality when preparing future display information.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the display source is in the set:

application program, driver, and operating system.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein preparing display information comprises preparing display information in a back buffer in a flipping chain of the display memory surface set associated with the display source and wherein releasing comprises making the back buffer into a ready buffer in the flipping chain of the display memory surface set.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the preparing comprises performing an operation in the set:

deinterlacing video and interpolating video.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein releasing comprises releasing per-pixel alpha information with the display information.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

disabling processing of the display source.

16. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method for a display source to regulate a rate of production by the display source of information for display on a display device, the display source associated with a display memory surface set, the display device associated with a presentation surface set distinct from the display memory surface set, the method comprising:

receiving notification of an estimated time when a future frame will be displayed on the display device, wherein the estimated time is estimated based upon a control signal received from the display device;

preparing display information in the display memory surface set associated with the display source, the preparing based, at least in part, on the estimated time; and

releasing the display information for display on the display device.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the estimated time is based on display timing information acquired from the presentation surface set.

18. A method for a display source to provide information for display on a display device, the display device associated with a display memory surface set, the display device associated with a presentation surface set distinct from the display memory surface set, the method comprising:

receiving occlusion information indicating that at least a portion of the display information will be occluded on the display device, wherein the occlusion information is based at least in part upon display information from a different display source; and

if at least a portion of the display information will not be occluded, then preparing only non-occluded portions of the display information, and not preparing occluded portions of the display information, in the display memory surface set associated with the display source, and releasing the display information.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the display source is in the set:

application program, driver, and operating system.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein preparing display information comprises preparing display information in a back buffer in a flipping chain of the display memory surface set associated with the display source and wherein releasing comprises making the back buffer into a ready buffer in the flipping chain of the display memory surface set.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein releasing comprises releasing per-pixel alpha information with the display information.

22. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method for a display source to provide information for display on a display device, the display device associated with a display memory surface set, the display device associated with a presentation surface set distinct from the display memory surface set, the method comprising:

receiving occlusion information indicating that at least a portion of the display information will be occluded on the display device, wherein the occlusion information is based at least in part upon display information from a different display source; and

if at least a portion of the display information will not be occluded, then preparing only non-occluded portions of the display information, and not preparing occluded portions of the display information, in the display memory surface set associated with the display source, and releasing the display information.