Method and apparatus for configuring multiple displays associated with a computing system

• US 7,554,510 B1
• Filed: 03/02/1998
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Giemborek, Vladimir F., Haberfellner, John E., Grigor, Gordon Fraser
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US09/032,863
• Time in Patent Office: 4,138 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1, 345/2, 345/3, 345/508, 345/520, 345/521, 345/522, 345/509, 345/903, 345 11- 34, 345/519, 345/502, 345/545, 345/546, 345/629, 345/501, 345/698, 345/699, 348/383
• US Class Current: 345/3.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4022 using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network G06F13/4009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller

Abstract

A method and apparatus for configuring multiple displays associated with a computing system begins when display preferences regarding at least one of the multiple displays are received. The display preferences indicate desired selections of which images are to be displayed on which displays and may be based on user selections or application selections. Having received the display preferences, a coupling controller within a video graphics processing circuit determines whether the display preferences can be fulfilled in observance of configuration properties. The configuration properties include limitations of the displays (e.g., refresh rate, resolution) and the computing system (e.g., display controller capabilities) and/or rules of the computing system (e.g., at least one screen must be actively coupled at all times). If the display preferences can be fulfilled, the coupling controller causes display controllers to be operably coupled to displays. If, however, the display preferences cannot be fulfilled, the coupling controller determines whether the current configuration can be reconfigured to allow the display preferences to be fulfilled with minimal affect on the perceived current configuration. If so, the coupling controller causes the video graphics processing circuitry to be reconfigured.

Claims

1. A video graphics processing circuit comprises:

a processing unit; and

memory operably coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory stores programming instructions that, when executed by processing unit, cause the processing unit to;

(a) receive display preferences regarding multiple displays;

(b) determine whether the display preferences can be fulfilled in observance of configuration properties of the multiple displays and configuration properties of a computing system, determine whether a current configuration of the multiple displays to the computing system can be reconfigured such that the display preferences corresponding to each of the multiple displays can be fulfilled while maintaining effective configuration of the current configuration when the display preferences cannot be fulfilled;

(c) configure the computing system and the multiple displays in accordance with the display preferences when the display preferences can be fulfilled, and reconfigure operable coupling of the multiple displays to the computing system such that the multiple displays are configured in accordance with the display preferences when the current configuration can be reconfigured;

(d) operably couple a display controller of the computing system to the multiple displays, the display controller simultaneously providing display data to the multiple displays;

(e) operably couple the display controller to a plurality of screen memories, each of the plurality of the screen memories storing separate display data and the display controller retrieving the display data from the plurality of screen memories; and

(f) operably couple the display controller to a plurality of display drivers, each of the plurality of display drivers writing the separate display data to the plurality of screen memories.

2. The video graphics processing circuit of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises programming instructions that cause the processing unit to operably couple a first display controller of the computing system to a first display of the at least one of the multiple displays and operably coupling a second display controller of the computing system to a second display of the multiple displays.

3. The video graphics processing circuit of claim 2, wherein the memory further comprises programming instructions that cause the processing unit to operably couple the first display controller to a third display of the multiple displays.

4. The video graphics processing circuit of claim 1, wherein the memory further comprises programming instructions that cause the processing unit to operably couple a first display controller of the computing system to a first display of the multiple displays, operably coupling a second display controller of the computing system to a second display of the multiple displays, and operably coupling the first and second display controllers to one of the screen memory.

5. The video graphics processing circuit of claim 4, wherein the memory further comprises programming instructions that cause the processing unit to operably couple at least two of the multiple displays to one of a plurality of screen memories.

6. A digital storage medium for storing programming instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, cause the processing unit to configure multiple displays associated with a computing system, the digital storage medium comprises:

first means for storing programming instructions that cause a coupling controller of the processing unit to receive display preferences regarding the multiple displays;

second means for storing programming instructions that cause the coupling controller of the processing unit to determine whether the display preferences can be fulfilled in observance of configuration properties of the multiple displays and configuration properties of the computing system;

third means for storing programming instructions that cause the coupling controller of the processing unit to configure the computing system and the multiple displays in accordance with the display preferences when the display preferences can be fulfilled;

fourth means for storing programming instructions that cause the processing unit to;

determine whether a current configuration of the multiple displays to the computing system can be reconfigured such that the display preferences can be fulfilled while maintaining effective configuration of the current configuration when the display preferences cannot be fulfilled;

reconfigure operable coupling of the multiple displays to the computing system such that the multiple displays are configured in accordance with the display preferences when the current configuration can be reconfigured;

operably couple a display controller of the computing system to the multiple displays, the display controller providing display data to the multiple displays;

operably couple the display controller to a plurality of screen memories, each of the plurality of the screen memories storing separate display data and the display controller simultaneously retrieving the display data from the plurality of screen memories; and

operably couple the display controller to a plurality of display drivers, each of the plurality of display drivers writing the separate display data to the plurality of screen memories.

7. The digital storage medium of claim 6 further comprises means for storing programming instructions that cause the processing unit to operably couple a first display controller of the computing system to a first display of the multiple displays and operably coupling a second display controller of the computing system to a second display of the multiple displays.

8. The digital storage medium of claim 7 further comprises means for storing programming instructions that cause the processing unit to operably couple the first display controller to a third display of the multiple displays.

9. The digital storage medium of claim 6 further comprises means for storing programming instructions that cause the processing unit to operably couple a first display controller of the computing system to a first display of the multiple displays, operably coupling a second display controller of the computing system to a second display of the multiple displays, and operably coupling the first and second display controllers to a screen memory.

10. The digital storage medium of claim 9 further comprises means for storing programming instructions that cause the processing unit to operably couple at least two of the multiple displays to one of a plurality of screen memories.

11. A video graphics processing circuit for displaying at least one image on a plurality of displays, comprising:

a plurality of display controllers included on a single video graphics card;

a plurality of drivers;

memory, wherein at least a portion of the memory is screen memory, the screen memory having a plurality of screen memory portions, each of the plurality of screen memory portions storing separate display data;

coupling module operably coupled to a plurality of displays and the screen memory; and

a coupling controller operably coupled to receive display preferences and operative to determine whether the display preferences can be fulfilled in observance of configuration properties, the display preferences including at least one of displaying an image on more than one of the displays, displaying separate images on each of the displays, displaying a portion of the image on one of the displays and displaying the image on another one of the multiple displays, providing different refresh rates for at least two of the displays, providing different resolutions for at least two of the displays, selecting one of the displays to display a predetermined type of image, and displaying a first portion of the image on a first one of the displays and displaying a second portion of the image on a second one of the displays;

wherein, when the display preferences can be fulfilled, the coupling controller is operative to provide configuration requirements to the coupling module, wherein the coupling module, based on the configuration requirements, operably couples at least one of the plurality of display controllers with at least a portion of the screen memory and with at least one display, a respective display driver of the plurality of display drivers thereby writing respective separate display data to a respective one of the plurality of screen memory portions, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of display controllers retrieves display data from the at least a portion of the screen memory and simultaneously provides the display data to the plurality of displays, and wherein the coupling controller provides reconfiguration requirements to the coupling module when the display preferences cannot be fulfilled but a current configuration of the plurality of display controllers to the at least one display can be reconfigured such that the display preferences can be fulfilled while maintaining effective configuration of the current configuration.

12. The video graphics processing circuit of claim 11 further comprises a graphics engine operably coupled, via the coupling module, to at least one of the plurality of display controllers and at least one of the display drivers.

13. The video graphics processing circuit of claim 11 further comprises a user interface that is operably coupled to the coupling controller and to receive the display preferences from a user.

14. The video graphics processing circuit of claim 11, wherein the memory further comprises properties memory that stores configuration properties of the plurality of display controllers and the at least one display, wherein the configuration properties include at least one of:

limitations of the plurality of display controllers and the at least one display and operational rules of the plurality of display controllers and the at least one display.

15. The video graphics processing circuit of claim 11, wherein the configuration requirements cause the coupling module to operably couple a first display controller of the plurality of display controllers to a first display and operably couple a second display controller of the plurality of display controllers to a second display.

16. The video graphics processing circuit of claim 15, wherein the configuration requirements cause the coupling module to operably couple the first display controller to a third display.

17. The video graphics processing circuit of claim 11, wherein the configuration requirements cause the coupling module to operably couple a first display controller of the plurality of display controllers to a first display, operably coupling a second display controller of the plurality of display controllers to a second display, and operably coupling the first and second display controllers to the screen memory.

18. A video graphics processing apparatus for configuring a plurality of displays associated with a computer system, the apparatus comprising:

a common screen memory for multiple display controllers comprising a plurality of screen memory portions, each of the plurality of screen memory portions operative to store display data for the plurality of displays;

a plurality of display controllers included on a single video graphics card, each of the plurality of display controllers operative to retrieve display data from a screen memory portion of the common screen memory and simultaneously provide the display data to at least one respective display associated with a corresponding screen memory portion;

a plurality of display drivers operative to write the display data into the plurality of screen memory portions of the common screen memory;

a coupling module operative to couple to the plurality of display controllers, the plurality of display drivers, and the screen memory, the coupling module comprising means for switching the plurality of display drivers and the plurality of display controllers to appropriate screen memory portions; and

a coupling controller coupled to the coupling module, the coupling controller controlling, in response to configuration properties, operative to access to predetermined screen memory portions by the plurality of display drivers, the coupling controller further operative to control, in response to the configuration properties, coupling of predetermined screen memory portions to the plurality of display controllers, wherein the configuration properties cause the coupling controller to couple a first display driver of the plurality of display drivers to a first and a second screen memory portion of the plurality of screen memory portions.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the configuration properties cause the coupling controller to couple a first screen memory portion to more than one of the plurality of display controllers.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 and further including a user interface coupled to the coupling controller, the user interface entering display preferences for the plurality of displays.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the screen memory further comprises configuration memory that stores the configuration properties of the plurality of displays, the configuration properties including at least one of:

display refresh rate, display resolution, and type of display.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the configuration properties cause the coupling controller to couple a first display controller of the plurality of display controllers to a first and a second display of the plurality of displays.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the plurality of display controllers simultaneously provide the display data to multiple displays.

24. A video graphics processing circuit comprising:

a processing unit; and

memory operatively coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory stores programming instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause a coupling controller of the processing unit to determine whether display preferences regarding multiple displays that display image information at the same time can be fulfilled in observance of configuration properties of the multiple displays and configuration properties of a computing system, and determine whether a current configuration of the multiple displays to the computing system can be reconfigured such that the display preferences can be fulfilled while maintaining effective configuration of a current configuration when the display preferences cannot be fulfilled.

27. The video graphics processing circuit of claim 24 wherein the memory includes programming instructions that when executed by the processing unit, cause a coupling controller of the processing unit to reconfigure by dynamically connecting multiple display controllers to differing of the multiple displays for simultaneous display by the multiple displays.

25. A method for configuring multiple displays comprising:

determining, in connection with an image or portion thereof to be displayed on the multiple displays at the same time, whether received display preferences can be fulfilled in observance of configuration properties of the multiple displays and configuration properties of a computing system;

determining whether a current configuration of the multiple displays to the computing system can be reconfigured such that the display preferences of the multiple displays can be fulfilled at the same time while maintaining effective configuration of a current configuration when the display preferences cannot be fulfilled; and

displaying the images or a portion thereof on the multiple displays at the same time.

26. The method of claim 25 comprising switching switches to couple differing screen memories with different display controllers to output display data to the multiple displays for simultaneous display.