System and method for managing graphics applications

• US 6,982,682 B1
• Filed: 07/29/2002
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics Incorporated (Graphics Properties Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaulgud, Alpana R., Winkler, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US10/207,945
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 345/619, 345/649, 345/650, 345651-652, 345/1.1, 345/1.2, 345/1.3, 345/3.1, 345201- 6, 345/660, 345667-671, 345/903, 719/329
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls

Abstract

A system and method for managing graphics applications include the capability to receive graphics data from an unaware graphics application and convey the graphics data to at least one of a plurality of graphics pipes having different display directions. The system and method further include the capability to modify the graphics data to account for non-planar display of the graphics data.

Claims

1. A system for managing graphics applications, comprising:

a graphics server operable to manage the conveyance of graphics data between an aware graphics application and an unaware graphics application and graphics pipes having different display directions, wherein the aware graphics application is aware of a number of graphic pipes while the unaware graphics application is unaware of the number of graphics pipes, the graphics server operable to distribute graphics data from the aware graphics application to the graphics pipes, the graphics server operable to divide graphics data from the unaware graphics application among the graphics pipes; and

a view modifier operable to modify graphics data from the unaware graphics application to account for non-planar display of the graphics data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the view modifier is further operable to update the modification to the graphics data if the image representing the graphics data is moved from one display location to another.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the view modifier is part of the graphics server.

2. A system for managing graphics applications, comprising:

a graphics server operable to manage the conveyance of graphics data between an unaware graphics application and graphics pipes having different display directions; and

a view modifier operable to modify graphics data from an unaware graphics application to account for non-planar display of the graphics data, wherein the view modifier is operable to determine a perspective frustum and rotation for a plurality of graphics pipes having different display directions to modify graphics data from an unaware graphics application to account for non-planar display of the graphics data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the view modifier is operable to intercept matrix calls and substitute, on a per graphics pipe basis, matrices regarding the determined perspective frustum and rotation to account for non-planar display of the graphics data.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the view modifier is further operable to update the perspective frustum and rotation for the graphics data if the image representing the graphics data is moved from one display location to another.

7. A method for managing graphics applications, comprising:

receiving graphics data from an aware graphics application and an unaware graphics application;

distributing the graphics data from the aware graphics application to at least one of a plurality of graphics pipes having different display directions, wherein the aware graphics application is aware of the plurality of graphics pipes while the unaware graphics application is unaware of the plurality of graphics pipes; and

modifying the graphics data from the unaware graphics application to account for non-planar display of the graphics data;

dividing the graphics data from the unaware graphics application among the plurality of graphics pipes.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising updating the modification of the graphics data if the image representing the graphics data is moved from one display location to another.

8. A method for managing graphics applications, comprising:

receiving graphics data from an unaware graphics application;

conveying the graphics data to at least one of a plurality of graphics pipes having different display directions; and

modifying the graphics data to account for non-planar display of the graphics data, wherein modifying the graphics data to account for non-planar display comprises determining a perspective frustum and rotation for the different display directions.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein modifying the graphics data to account for non-planar display further comprises intercepting matrix calls and substituting, on a per graphics pipe basis, matrices regarding the determined perspective frustum and rotation.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising updating the perspective frustum and rotation for the graphics data if the image representing the graphics data is moved from one display location to another.

12. A computer readable medium including a set of instructions for managing graphics applications, the instructions operable to:

receive graphics data from an aware graphics application and an unaware graphics application;

distribute the graphics data from the aware graphics application to at least one of a plurality of graphics pipes having different display directions, wherein the aware graphics application is aware of the plurality of graphics pipes while the unaware graphics application is unaware of the plurality of graphics pipes; and

modify the graphics data from the unaware graphics application to account for non-planar display of the graphics data;

divide the graphics data from the unaware graphics application among the plurality of graphics pipes.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further operable to update the modification of the graphics data if the image representing the graphics data is moved from one display location to another.

13. A computer readable medium including a set of instructions for managing graphics applications, the instructions operable to:

receive graphics data from an unaware graphics application;

convey the graphics data to at least one of a plurality of graphics pipes having different display directions; and

modify the graphics data to account for non-planar display of the graphics data, wherein the instructions modifying the graphics data to account for non-planar display include instructions operable to determine a perspective frustum and rotation for the different display directions.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions modifying the graphics data to account for non-planar display further include instructions operable to intercept matrix calls and substitute, on a per graphics pipe basis, matrices regarding the determined perspective frustum and rotation.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further operable to update the perspective frustum and rotation for the graphics data if the image representing the graphics data is moved from one display location to another.

17. A system for managing graphics applications, comprising:

means for receiving graphics data from an aware graphics application and an unaware graphics application;

means for distributing the graphics data from the aware graphics application to at least one of a plurality of graphics pipes having different display directions, wherein the aware graphics application is aware of the plurality of graphics pipes while the unaware graphics application is unaware of the plurality of graphics pipes; and

means for modifying the graphics data from the unaware graphics application to account for non-planar display of the graphics data;

means for dividing the graphics data from the unaware graphics application among the plurality of graphics pipes.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for modifying the graphics to account for non-planar display updates the modification of the graphics data if the image representing the graphics data is moved from one display location to another.

18. A system for managing graphics applications, comprising:

means for receiving graphics data from an unaware graphics application;

means for conveying the graphics data to at least one of a plurality of graphics pipes having different display directions; and

means for modifying the graphics data to account for non-planar display of the graphics data, wherein the means for modifying the graphics data to account for non-planar display determines a perspective frustum and rotation for the different display directions.

20. A system for managing graphics applications, comprising:

a display system, comprising;

a plurality of screens having a non-planar arrangement,

a plurality of projectors for illuminating the screens in a controlled manner, and

a plurality of graphics pipes for converting graphics data into control signals for the projectors;

a graphics server operable to manage the conveyance of graphics data between graphics applications and the display system, the graphics server comprising;

a first application manager operable to manage the conveyance of graphics data from an unaware graphics application to the graphics pipes, and

a second application manager operable to manage the conveyance of graphics data from an aware graphics application to the graphics pipes;

a display system proxy operable to intercept graphics data generated by an unaware graphics application and divide it between the graphics pipes, the proxy including a view modifier operable to modify the graphics data to account for the non-planar screens; and

a graphics library operable to convert graphics data from a graphics application into an appropriate format for the display system.