System and method for providing transparent windows of a display
First Claim
1. In a computing system including a central processing unit, a main memory, and a display memory coupled together via a system bus, a method for displaying transparent windows of a display, the method comprising:
- monitoring messages exchanged between a program and an operating system;
in response to a first message indicating that a window should be transparent;
transferring window data for the window from the display memory to an off screen memory that is local to the display memory, wherein the computing system further comprises a graphics subsystem including a graphics processor and the display memory, the graphics subsystem being configured to select a memory location for storing the window data;
displaying the window using a transparent display mode; and
intercepting an update window message from the program instructing the operating system to update the window so that the message from the program is not received by the operating system;
updating the window data in the off screen memory according to the update window message; and
displaying the window with the updated window data using the transparent display mode; and
in response to a second message indicating that the window should no longer be transparent, no longer displaying the window using the transparent display mode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for managing window transparency for a computer display, making windows wholly transparent or semi-transparent, on a window-by-window basis. Window transparency is triggered by monitoring messages exchanged between a program and an operating system, or by a user action. Upon detection of a first message indicating that a window of the display should be transparent, a layered display mode for the window is initiated. Upon detection of a second message indicating that the window should no longer be transparent, the layered display mode for the window is terminated. The layered mode can be controlled by the operating system or by a graphics processor.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. In a computing system including a central processing unit, a main memory, and a display memory coupled together via a system bus, a method for displaying transparent windows of a display, the method comprising:
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monitoring messages exchanged between a program and an operating system; in response to a first message indicating that a window should be transparent; transferring window data for the window from the display memory to an off screen memory that is local to the display memory, wherein the computing system further comprises a graphics subsystem including a graphics processor and the display memory, the graphics subsystem being configured to select a memory location for storing the window data; displaying the window using a transparent display mode; and intercepting an update window message from the program instructing the operating system to update the window so that the message from the program is not received by the operating system; updating the window data in the off screen memory according to the update window message; and displaying the window with the updated window data using the transparent display mode; and in response to a second message indicating that the window should no longer be transparent, no longer displaying the window using the transparent display mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. In a computing system including a central processing unit, a main memory, and a display memory coupled together via a system bus, a method for displaying transparent windows of a display, the method comprising:
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monitoring messages exchanged between a program and an operating system; in response to a first message indicating that a window should be transparent; transferring window data for the window from the display memory to an off screen memory, wherein the computing system further comprises a graphics subsystem including a graphics processor and the display memory, the graphics subsystem being configured to select a memory location for storing the window data; and displaying the window using a transparent display mode; intercepting an update window message from the program instructing the operating system to update the window so that the message from the program is not received by the operating system; updating the window data in the off screen memory according to the update window message; and displaying the window with the updated window data using the transparent display mode; and in response to a second message indicating that the window should no longer be transparent, no longer displaying the window using the transparent display mode, wherein under a first operating condition, the off screen memory is local to the display memory, and wherein under a second operating condition, the off screen memory is local to the main memory. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A graphics processing subsystem for generating transparent windows of a display of a computer system having a central processing unit, the graphics processing subsystem comprising:
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a display memory configured to store window data for windows of a display; an off screen memory local to the display memory; a graphics processor coupled to the display memory and the off screen memory and configured to control a transparent display mode for windows of the display, wherein window data for a window is stored in the off screen memory while the window is in the transparent display mode, wherein the graphics processor is configured to selects a memory location for storing the window data; and a driver module configured to communicate with the central processing unit and the graphics processor, the driver module further configured to monitor messages exchanged between a program and an operating system executing on the central processing unit, wherein, in response to a first message, the driver module instructs the graphics processor to initiate the transparent display mode for a window and wherein, in response to a second message, the driver module instructs the graphics processor to terminate the transparent display mode for the window, wherein the driver module is further configured to initiate interception of update window messages from the program to the operating system in response to the first message so that the update window messages from the program are not received by the operating system and to discontinue interception of the messages in response to the second message so that the update window messages are received by the operating system, wherein in response to intercepting an update window message, the driver module is configured to update the window data in the off screen memory according to the update window message; and
to instruct the graphics processor to display the window with the updated window data using the transparent display mode. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification