System and method for abstracting computer displays across a host-client network

• US 8,743,019 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Eng, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Srilakshmi K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sadio, Insa
• Application Number:
  US11/132,051
• Time in Patent Office: 3,304 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/1.2, 345/1.3, 345/2.1, 345/2.2, 345/2.3, 345/3.4, 345/903, 345/698, 345/699, 709/203, 715/744
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include a host computer system implemented method comprising receiving an indication of total requested display size of a remotely coupled client computer system. The method further includes automatically determining a number of display screens and a predetermined average display screen size. The method further includes an operating system of the host computer system allocating therein a display area to accommodate the total requested display size and dividing the display area into a number of separate portions equal to the number of display screens usable by the client computer system. The method further includes allocating each separate portion of the display area of the host computer system to a respective display screen of the client computer wherein each separate portion so allocated functions as a separate and independent display screen.

Claims

1. A host computer system implemented method comprising:

receiving an indication of a total requested display size of a remotely coupled client computer system;

automatically determining a number of display screens usable by said client computer system based on said total requested display size and a predetermined average display screen size;

allocating, in an operating system of a host computer system, a display area to accommodate said total requested display size;

dividing, in said operating system, said display area into a number of separate portions equal to said number of display screens usable by said client computer system;

allocating each separate portion of said display area of said host computer system to a respective display screen of said client computer system wherein said allocating each separate portion of said display area is performed by the host computer system, and

wherein further, each separate portion so allocated functions as a separate and independent display screen.

2. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said number of display screens usable by said client system each function as separate and independent display screens as if each was the only display screen usable by said client computer system.

3. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said automatically determining comprises dividing said total requested display size by said average display screen size.

4. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said host computer system comprises a plurality of display screens.

5. A method as described in claim 4 wherein said plurality of display screens of said host computer system comprise a plurality of display objects.

6. A method as described in claim 5 further comprising automatically assigning said plurality of display objects across said number of display screens usable by said client system according to a user preference.

7. A method as described in claim 5 further comprising automatically assigning said plurality of display objects across said number of display screens usable by said client system according to an object balancing heuristic.

8. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said predetermined average display screen size is user programmable.

9. A system for preserving a display configuration between a host computer and a client computer coupled by a network comprising:

a host computer;

a client computer remotely coupled to said host computer via a remote desktop protocol;

a first plurality of displays coupled to said host computer;

a second plurality of displays coupled to said client computer;

wherein, said host computer determines an average total resolution for said first plurality of displays coupled to said host computer; and

wherein further, said host computer determines a number of displays comprising said second plurality of displays coupled to said client computer based on;

a requested total resolution of said second plurality of displays coupled to said client computer; and

said average total resolution for said first plurality of displays.

10. The system as described in claim 9 wherein further:

said host computer determines a first display configuration associated with said first plurality of displays coupled to said host computer; and

said host computer matches a second display configuration to said first display configuration, said second display configuration being associated with said second plurality of displays coupled to said client computer.

11. The system as described in claim 10 wherein said first display configuration of said first plurality of displays coupled to said host computer is independent of said second display configuration associated with said second plurality of displays coupled to said client computer.

12. The system as described in claim 9 wherein said average total resolution is a default display size.

13. The system as described in claim 12 wherein said number of displays comprising said second plurality of displays coupled to a client computer is determined by dividing said total resolution of said displays coupled to said client computer by said default display size.

14. The system as described in claim 9 wherein said average total resolution is 1000×

1000 pixels.

15. The system as described in claim 9 wherein said second plurality of displays coupled to said client computer are configurable as individual displays.

16. A method for configuring a plurality of displays comprising:

determining a total display size and a predetermined average display screen size of a plurality of displays coupled to said client computer;

determining a number of displays coupled to said client computer based on said total display size and said predetermined average display screen size;

configuring said plurality of displays coupled to said client computer,

wherein said determining said total display size, said determining said number of displays, and said configuring are performed in said host computer, and

wherein further, said plurality of displays is configured as separate and individual displays.

17. The method as described in claim 16 further comprising:

dividing said total display size of said plurality of displays coupled to said client computer by a default display size to determine said number of displays coupled to said client computer.

18. The method as described in claim 16 wherein said client computer is coupled to said host computer by a remote desktop protocol.

19. The method as described in claim 16 wherein said configuring further comprises:

configuring said plurality of displays coupled to said client computer such that an application of a given display opens on said given display of said plurality of displays coupled to said client computer.

20. The method as described in claim 17 wherein said default display size is 1000×

1000 pixels.

21. The method as described in claim 16 wherein said configuring comprises:

maximizing a window of a given display of said client computer to a full screen size on said given display of said plurality of displays coupled to said client computer.

22. The method as described in claim 16 further comprising:

determining a display configuration of said host computer; and

maintaining said display configuration on said plurality of displays coupled to said client computer.

23. The method as described in claim 16 further comprising:

determining a display configuration of said host computer; and

matching said display configuration on said plurality of displays coupled to said client computer based on said number of displays coupled to said client computer.

24. The method as described in claim 16 wherein said plurality of displays coupled to said client computer are configured independently of a display configuration of said host computer.

25. The method as described in claim 16 wherein said plurality of displays coupled to said client computer are configured independently of an application used to couple said host computer to said client computer.

26. A method for configuring a plurality of separate physical displays coupled to a client computer comprising:

identifying a total displayable area associated with driving a plurality of separate physical displays coupled to a said client computer, said total displayable area implemented on host computer, wherein said client computer is remotely coupled to said host computer; and

partitioning said total displayable area associated with driving said plurality of separate physical displays coupled to said client computer into a plurality of separate physical displays of said client computer and with each region treated by said host computer as a separate physical display, wherein said partitioning is performed in said host computer.

27. The method as described in claim 26 further comprising:

identifying a default display size.

28. The method as described in claim 27 wherein said default display size is user customizable.

29. The method as described in claim 27 wherein said host computer determines said default display size by determining an average display size.

30. The method as described in claim 27 further comprising:

dividing said total displayable area associated with driving said plurality of separate physical displays coupled to said client computer by said default display size to determine a number of said separate physical displays coupled to said client computer.

31. The method as described in claim 26 further comprising:

maximizing a window on a first display of said client computer to only said first display.

32. The method as described in claim 26 further comprising:

launching an application of a first display of said client computer only to said first display.

33. The method as described in claim 26 further comprising:

assigning an application to one of said separate physical displays.