Logical monitor configuration in a multiple monitor environment

• US 5,923,307 A
• Filed: 01/27/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hogle, Francis M. IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US08/786,972
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326-358, 345/1, 345/3, 345/4, 345/5, 345/6
• US Class Current: 345/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability
• 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

A computer system arranges multiple monitors in logical space to form a contiguous and non-overlapping region by determining relative positions in logical space for the monitor spaces, comparing the relative positions of the monitor spaces, and positioning the monitor spaces in logical space based on a result of the comparing. The comparing and positioning may be performed upon initialization of the computer system, or automatically in response to a geometry change (e.g., add/remove/move monitor, change monitor characteristics), or both. Following a monitor geometry change, windows or other graphic objects appearing in the monitor spaces may be positioned as needed to maintain a robust virtual desktop environment.

Claims

1. A method, performed by a computer system, of arranging monitors in logical space, the method comprising:

determining relative positions in logical space for a plurality of monitor spaces;

comparing the relative positions of the monitor spaces; and

positioning the monitor spaces in logical space based on a result of the comparing to form a contiguous and non-overlapping region.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining, comparing and positioning are performed upon initialization of the computer system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining, comparing and positioning are performed automatically in response to a geometry change for one or more of the monitor spaces.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the geometry change comprises adding a monitor space to the computer system.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the geometry change comprises removing a monitor space from the computer system.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the geometry change comprises changing a characteristic of a monitor space.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the changed monitor space characteristic comprises a resolution parameter.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing comprises iteratively comparing the position of each monitor space against every other monitor space.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing comprises determining whether any two monitor spaces overlap one another.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing comprises determining whether gaps exist between the monitor spaces.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the positioning comprises placing a monitor space at a constrained location in logical space.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising choosing the constrained location such that it enhances efficiency in an operating system of the computer system.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the constrained location comprises a boundary aligned at a predetermined number of units in logical space.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the positioning comprises moving the monitor spaces inward in logical space to remove gaps between monitor spaces.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the positioning comprises moving the monitor spaces outward in logical space until no monitor space overlaps any other monitor space.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the positioning further comprises moving the monitor spaces inward in logical space to remove gaps between monitor spaces.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing comprises comparing the respective positions of two monitor spaces relative to a predetermined location, and the positioning comprises moving one of the two monitor spaces based on a relationship between the predetermined location and the position of the monitor space to be moved.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the predetermined location comprises a center of a virtual desktop.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the one of the two monitor spaces that has a center point farther from the predetermined location is moved.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the monitor space is moved outward in logical space.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing comprises determining whether a horizontal overlap exists between two monitor spaces.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing comprises determining whether a vertical overlap exists between two monitor spaces.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing comprises determining whether one monitor space contains the center of another monitor space.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing comprises determining whether two monitor spaces are closer to being horizontally aligned or closer to being vertically aligned.

25. A method, performed on a computer system, of managing the display of a graphic object positioned within a logical display space that comprises a plurality of monitor spaces, the method comprising:

sensing a geometry change within the display space;

recording a position for each of the monitor spaces that forms the logical display space; and

manipulating the graphic object in response to the geometry change.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the recording comprises saving coordinate values in a data structure.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the geometry change comprises an addition or a removal of a monitor space.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the geometry change comprises a change in a monitor space characteristic.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the geometry change comprises a change in position in logical space of a monitor space.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein the geometry change comprises a change of shape in the display space.

31. The method of claim 25 wherein the geometry change comprises a change of orientation of the display space.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the manipulating comprises moving the graphic object in logical space to compensate for the change in orientation of the display space.

33. The method of claim 25 wherein the logical display space comprises a contiguous, non-overlapping virtual desktop.

34. The method of claim 25 wherein the manipulating comprises moving the graphic object in logical space.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the moving comprises repositioning the graphic object in logical space relative to the display space.

36. The method of claim 25 wherein the manipulating comprises moving the graphic object in logical space such that the graphic object remains in a same location relative to a monitor space.

37. The method of claim 25 wherein the geometry change comprises a removal of a monitor space and the manipulating comprises moving the graphic object to a different monitor space.

38. A computer program, residing on a computer readable medium, for arranging a plurality of monitor spaces in logical space, the computer program comprising instructions to:

(a) select a monitor space from among the plurality of monitor spaces;

(b) compare a position in logical space of the monitor space selected in (a) with another monitor space;

(c) move one of the two chosen monitor spaces based on a result of (b);

(d) repeat (b) and (c) until the monitor space selected in (a) does not overlap any other monitor space; and

(e) repeat (a), (b), (c) and (d) until no monitor space overlaps any other monitor space.

39. The computer program of claim 38 wherein one of the two monitor spaces is moved in (c) if the comparison in (b) determines that an overlap exists between the monitor spaces.

40. The computer program of claim 38 wherein one of the two monitor spaces is moved outward in logical space in (c).

41. The computer program of claim 38 wherein one of the two monitor spaces that has a center point farther from a predetermined location is moved outward in logical space in (c).

42. The computer program of claim 38 further comprising instructions to:

(f) select a monitor space from among the plurality of monitor spaces;

(g) designate the chosen monitor space as belonging to a known group and the unchosen monitor space or spaces as belonging to a unknown group;

(h) select a monitor space from the unknown group based on a relationship between the selected monitor space and the known group;

(i) move the monitor space selected in (h) in logical space;

(j) designate the monitor space selected in (h) as belonging to the known group; and

(k) repeat (h), (i) and (j) until the monitor spaces form a contiguous region.

43. The computer program of claim 42 wherein (h) comprises instructions to deselect a monitor space if it would overlap any other monitor space in the unknown group upon being moved.

44. The computer program of claim 42 wherein a monitor space closest to a predetermined location is selected in (f).

45. The computer program of claim 44 wherein the predetermined location comprises a center of a virtual desktop.

46. The computer program of claim 42 wherein (i) comprises instructions to move the monitor space selected in (h) to a position in logical space at which that monitor space is contiguous with a monitor space in the known group.

47. The computer program of claim 42 wherein the monitor space is moved horizontally or vertically in (i).

48. The computer program of claim 42 wherein successive iterations of (i) cause the monitor spaces to move towards each other.