System, module, and method of enabling a video interface within a limited resource enabled information handling system

• US 8,520,014 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2012
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Utz, James R., Sultenfuss, Andrew T., Loadman, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Richer, Joni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chin, Michelle
• Application Number:
  US13/366,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20120133831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/520
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4183 providing its own processing capabilities, e.g. external module for video decoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57

Abstract

An information handling system includes a host processing system and a remote processing system. The host processing system includes a display, a host processor, and a video multiplexer that receives a video signal from the host processor and outputs the video signal to the display. The remote processing module is coupled to the host processing system and includes a remote processor configured to output a second video signal, and an interface between the host processing system and the remote processing system. The interface includes a video output channel configured to provide the second video signal to the video multiplexer. The video multiplexer is further configured to receive the second video signal and to output the second video signal to the display during a reduced operating state of the host processing system.

Claims

1. An information handling system comprising:

a host processing system, including

a first display;

a host processor configured to output a first video signal; and

a video multiplexer configured to receive the first video signal and to selectably output the first video signal to the display; and

a remote processing module integrated within a housing configured to house the host processor and the video multiplexer, wherein the remote processing module is configured to be inserted into the information handling system, and coupled to the host processing system, the remote processing module including;

a remote processor configured to output a second video signal;

an interface between the host processing system and the remote processing module, the interface including a video output channel configured to provide the second video signal to the video multiplexer, wherein the video multiplexer is further configured to receive the second video signal and to selectably output the second video signal to the display during a reduced operating state of the host processing system and wherein the interface comprises a Peripheral Component Interface—

Express (PCIe) interface.

2. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the video multiplexer is further configured to:

detect a class of video output of the second video signal; and

access a display resource of the host processing system in response to a detected class of video output.

3. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the interface further includes a video input channel configured to receive an video output from the host processing system.

4. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the video multiplexer is further configured to provide a first video output to drive the first display and a second video output to drive a second display.

5. The information handling system of claim 4, wherein the video multiplexer is further configured to provide the first video signal to the first display and the second video signal to the second display.

6. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the remote processor is further configured to be accessed by the host processor during a run time of the host processor.

7. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the remote processing module further comprises a wireless module coupled to the interface.

8. The information handling system of claim 7, wherein the host processing system enters the reduced operating state in response to an input from the wireless module.

9. A method comprising:

detecting an operating condition of a host processing system of an information handling system, wherein the host processing system includes a fully operating state, and a powered down operating state;

detecting a video output event of a remote processing module within the information handling system when the host processing system is in the powered down operating, state; and

outputting a video output signal from the remote processing module to a video multiplexer integrated within a housing configured to house the remote processing module and a host processor, the video multiplexer being configured to output video using a display of the host processing system, wherein the video output signal is provided via a Peripheral Component Interface—

Express (PCIe) interface.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a video class of the video output signal at the video multiplexer; and

determining a display resource of the host processing system to output the video output signal.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a reduced operating state of the host processing system;

determining whether to enable a particular resource of the host processing system to output the video output signal;

enabling the particular resource of the host processing system; and

outputting the video output signal from the remote processing module to the video multiplexer.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a first video output including a first video class output by the remote processing module using the video multiplexer; and

detecting a second video output including a second video class output by a resource other than the remote processing module at the video multiplexer, wherein the second video class is different than the first video class.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

outputting the first video output from the video multiplexer to a first display of the host processing system; and

outputting the second video output from the video multiplexer to a second display of the host processing system.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting an event operable to enable access to the remote processing module; and

enabling a video output channel of the remote processing module.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

wherein the event is detected by the host processing system;

disabling a portion of the resources of the host processing system in response to the detected event; and

enabling a second portion of the resources of the host processing system.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a class of video using the multiplexer;

multiplexing the video output signal with a host video output signal to generate a multiplexed video output signal; and

outputting the multiplexed video output signal to the display of the host processing system.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing code to carry out a method, the method comprising:

detecting an operating condition of a host processing system of an information handling system, wherein the host processing system includes a fully operating state, and a powered down operating state;

detecting a video output event of a remote processing module within the information handling system when the host processing system is in the powered down operating state; and

outputting a video output signal from the remote processing module to a video multiplexer integrated within a housing configured to house the remote processing module and a host processor, the video multiplexer being configured to output video using a display of the host processing system, wherein the video output signal is provided via a Peripheral Component Interface—

Express (PCIe) interface.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, the method further comprising:

detecting a reduced operating state of the host processing system;

determining whether to enable a particular resource of the host processing system to output the video output signal;

enabling the particular resource of the host processing system; and

outputting the video output signal from the remote processing module to the video multiplexer.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, the method further comprising:

detecting a first video output including a first video class output by the remote processing module using the video multiplexer; and

detecting a second video output including a second video class output by a resource other than the remote processing module at the video multiplexer, wherein the second video class is different than the first video class.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, the method further comprising:

detecting a class of video using the multiplexer;

multiplexing the video output signal with a host video output signal to generate a multiplexed video output signal; and

outputting the multiplexed video output signal to the display of the host processing system.