Integrated system for media playback during startup

• US 9,282,294 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: 2236008 Ontario Inc. (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Nefedov, Mikhail, Belanger, Etienne
• Primary Examiner(s): Luo, Kate
• Application Number:
  US13/790,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20140168428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4405 Initialisation of multiprocessor systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/02 Details of power systems and of start or stop of display operation
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/026 Arrangements or methods related to booting a display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/08 Fault-tolerant or redundant circuits, or circuits in which repair of defects is prepared
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/12 Use of DVI or HDMI protocol in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A system and method are provided for playing a media stream while a media system starts up. Media hardware, such as a display controller, may play media. A media driver may initialize the media hardware. A media module may receive the media stream from a media source. The media module and the display driver may start up before startup of the media system completes. The media module may provide the media stream directly or indirectly to the media hardware before and after startup of the media system completes without an interruption in playing of the media stream.

Claims

1. A system to display camera video, the system comprising:

a display controller comprising a configuration module, a first hardware layer, and a second hardware layer;

a processor; and

a memory comprising instructions executable with the processor, the instructions comprising;

a display driver configured to initialize the display controller;

a camera module configured to receive a video stream from a camera; and

a graphics system configured to cause graphics to be displayed through the display controller, wherein, in a first stage, the camera module and the display driver are configured to start up before startup of the graphics system completes, and the display driver is configured to reserve the first hardware layer for the camera module to display the video stream received from the camera, wherein, in a second stage during and after the startup of the graphics system, the graphics system is further configured to provide the graphics to the second hardware layer, and wherein the configuration module is configured to control which of the first and second hardware layers is displayed and/or how the first and second hardware layers are blended together to form a combined image to be displayed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera module is further configured to provide the video stream to the first hardware layer via the display driver during the startup of the graphics system in the first stage.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera module is further configured to bypass the display driver and provide the video stream directly to the first hardware layer during the startup of the graphics system in the first stage.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphics system is configured to attach to the display driver during the startup of the graphics system without an initialization of the display controller in response to a determination that the display driver is started.

5. A method for playing media streams, the method comprising:

starting a media driver that controls a media hardware when the media driver is started;

initializing the media hardware with the media driver;

starting a media module, wherein the media driver and the media module are started in a first stage before startup of a media system completes;

reserving a first hardware layer of a display controller of the media hardware with the media driver for display of a media stream provided by the media module;

providing the media stream to the media driver and/or to the first hardware layer of the display controller with the media module in a second stage before and after the startup of the media system completes, wherein the media system is a component of an operating system through which an application may provide audio and/or video other than the media stream to a second hardware layer of the display controller of the media hardware;

playing the media stream through the first hardware layer in the second stage before and after the startup of the media system completes; and

controlling which of the first and second hardware layers is displayed and/or how the first and second hardware layers are blended together to be displayed.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the media stream comprises providing the media stream, via the media driver, from the media module to the first hardware layer of the media hardware before and after the startup of the media system completes.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the media stream comprises providing the media stream with the media module directly to the first hardware layer of the media hardware before and after the startup of the media system completes.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining, during the startup of the media system, whether the media driver previously initialized the media hardware, and skipping initialization of the media hardware during the startup of the media system in response to a determination that the media driver previously initialized the media hardware.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving the media stream from a backup camera.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising generating the media stream with the media module by decoding an encoded pre-recorded video, wherein playing the media stream with the media hardware comprises causing a splash screen to be displayed from the media stream.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions executable with a processor, the instructions comprising:

a media system through which an application may provide audio and/or video to media hardware, the media hardware comprising a first hardware layer and a second hardware layer, wherein the application may provide the audio and/or video to the second hardware layer;

a media driver configured to control which of the first and second hardware layers is displayed and/or how the first and second hardware layers are blended together to form a combined image to be displayed; and

a media module configured to provide a media stream to the media driver and/or to the first hardware layer of the media hardware before and after completion of a startup of the media system, wherein startup of the media driver and the media module is completed in a first stage before the completion of the startup of the media system, wherein the media stream is played by the media hardware in a second stage after the startup of the media driver and the media module completes, wherein the media stream is played through the first hardware layer before the completion of the startup of the media system, wherein the media stream provided by the media module differs from the audio and/or video provided to the media hardware by the application, wherein the media stream continues to be played by the media hardware after the completion of the startup of the media system, and wherein the first hardware layer of the media hardware is reserved for playback of the media stream at least before the completion of the startup of the media system.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the media module and the media system are configured to communicate with the media hardware via the media driver.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the media system is configured to communicate with the media hardware via the media driver, and the media module is configured to provide the media stream to the media hardware without use of the media driver.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the media system is configured to determine, during the startup of the media system, whether the media hardware is already initialized, and wherein the media system is further configured to skip initialization of the media hardware in response to a determination that the media hardware is already initialized.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the media module is configured to receive the media stream from a camera and to provide the media stream to a display controller of the media hardware before and after the completion of the startup of the media system, wherein the media hardware is included in a head unit configured to be installed in a vehicle.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the media module comprises a video decoder module configured to derive the media stream from an encoded pre-recorded video.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, the instructions further comprising a startup system configured to start the media driver and the media module before the completion of the startup of the media system.