Multi-Monitor Display System

• US 20100177017A1
• Filed: 12/09/2009
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Integrated Device Technology Incorporated (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Inventors: Zeng, Henry, Lee, Jimmy
• Granted Patent: US 9,684,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/10 Use of a protocol of communication by packets in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/14 Electronic books and readers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04

Abstract

A multi-monitor display is disclosed. A multi-monitor display receives video data configured for a single N×M video display; splits the video data into a plurality of portions spanning the N×M display; and transmits the plurality of portions to a corresponding plurality of displays. The multi-monitor display system can be any system, for example a display-port system or an ePaper system.

Claims

1. A multi-monitor system, comprising:

an image receiver that receives an image for an N pixel by M row display;

a plurality of drivers, each of the plurality of drivers providing image data to display a portion of the image on each of a corresponding plurality of displays; and

a splitter coupled between the image receiver and the plurality of drivers, the splitter splitting the image data from the image receiver and providing portions of the image data to each of the plurality of drivers.

2. The multi-monitor system of claim 1, wherein the video receiver is an electronic paper compatible receiver.

3. The multi-monitor system of claim 1, wherein the video receiver is a DisplayPort compatible receiver.

4. The multi-monitor system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of drivers is an electronic paper compatible transmitter.

5. The multi-monitor system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of drivers is a DisplayPort compatible transmitter.

6. The multi-monitor system of claim 1, wherein the portions are arranged horizontally.

7. The multi-monitor system of claim 1, wherein the portions are arranged vertically.

8. The multi-monitor system of claim 1, wherein the portions are arranged both vertically and horizontally.

9. The multi-monitor system of claim 6, wherein the portions of image data provided to each of the plurality of drivers has M rows, and the sum of the line pixels across each of the plurality of portions sums to N pixels.

10. The multi-monitor system of claim 7, wherein the portions of image data provided to each of the plurality of drivers has N pixels and the rows sum to M rows.

11. The multi-monitor system of claim 8, wherein the portions of video data provided to each of the plurality of drivers sums to N pixels horizontally and M rows vertically.

12. A method of providing a multi-monitor display, comprising:

receiving image data configured for a single display of size N pixels by M rows;

splitting the image data into a plurality of portions;

transmitting the plurality of portions to a corresponding plurality of displays.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving image data includes receiving data for an electronic paper display.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving image data includes receiving data according to the DisplayPort standard.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of displays are arranged horizontally and splitting the image data into a plurality of portions includes separating the N pixels of each of the M rows into a group of pixels for each of the plurality of displays.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a sum of pixels across each of the group of pixels is N pixels.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of displays are arranged vertically and splitting the image data into a plurality of portions includes separating the M rows of N pixels into a group of rows for each of the plurality of displays.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a sum of rows across each of the group of rows is M TOWS.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of displays are arranged in an array horizontally and vertically and splitting the image data into a plurality of portions includes separating the N pixels into pixel groups horizontally and separating the M rows into row groups vertically so that an appropriate portion of the image data is displayed on a corresponding one of the plurality of displays.