Display protocol specification with session configuration and multiple monitors

• US 5,805,118 A
• Filed: 12/22/1995
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Office of The Governor of Ohio (State of Ohio)
• Original Assignee: Rutgers University
• Inventors: Mishra, Prateek, Shapiro, Stephen D., Shilcrat, Esther D., Harrington, Donald P., Kaufman, Arie E., Lewis, Philip M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US08/578,882
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326-358, 345/123-125, 345/173, 395/200.47
• 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 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

This and other objects are provided in a method for displaying and managing a set of related images. The invention includes design of screen area in terms of how many, how big, and where workspaces are located. The invention assigns image sets to different workspaces; creates a tree of workspace setups for a specific image viewing session; and allows customization of the tree on a per user, per workstation type basis.

Claims

1. A display protocol specification method, comprising the steps of:

a. selecting a predefined user;

b. selecting a session type predefined for the selected user;

c. selecting an image layout predefined for the selected predefined user and session type;

d. selecting image sets to be placed in the selected image layout;

e. selecting a work area from available work areas for the selected image set;

f. selecting one of an in-sync mode and a solo mode for the selected work area;

g. selecting a workspace type for the selected work area;

h. selecting an image set mode for the selected work area; and

i. saving each selection in a file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a session type comprises selecting from a plurality of session types predefined for the selected user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting an image layout comprises selecting from a plurality of image layouts predefined for the selected user and session type.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting a predefined computer set-up, and the step of selecting a predefined image layout is further based on the selected computer set-up.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of opening a file further comprises deriving a layout according to a computer set-up being used.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of deriving comprises:

a. determining how many monitors are being used; and

b. comparing the determination with a predefined list of computer set-ups.