Multiple display monitor

• US 7,561,116 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Powell, William Chambers III, Westerinen, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz; Sumati
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beck; Alexander S
• Application Number:
  US10/355,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20040150581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,356 Days
• Field of Search: 345 11- 13, 345 87- 92, 345/10, 345 31- 34, 345530-532, 345/536, 345539-547
• US Class Current: 345/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1431 using a single graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0283 Arrangement of drivers for different directions of scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored

Abstract

A monitor having multiple displays within the same housing. The displays may be, for example, separate LCD panels that are placed in close proximity to one another so as to give the appearance of a single, large display. At least two of the displays may be treated by a computer connected to the monitor as a single display. A display controller divides a single frame of information that is provided by a display adapter of the computer into display information for multiple displays. By using the multiple display controller, the multiple display monitor may have more displays or panels than the number of cables linking the monitor to a computer. The special display controller also does not require a graphics card for each display. A three panel or display monitor is provided in which a central, centered work area display is framed by two side panels or displays.

Claims

1. A display system, comprising:

a housing for a multi-monitor display;

a central display mounted in the housing ;

a left display mounted in the housing on one side of the central display;

a right display mounted in the housing on the other side of the central display;

a multiple display controller connected to the right display and the left display, and

a first frame buffer to store a single frame of image data received from a computer, wherein no-contiguous display surfaces of the left and right displays are combined to form a single virtual display surface represented by a single frame in the first frame buffer, and wherein the non-contiguous display surfaces of the left and right displays are mapped to different regions within the single frame, and

wherein the multiple display controller is configured to split a single frame of image data stored in the first frame buffer into first image data and second image data representing two separate and non-contiguous images comprising a first image and a second image, and wherein the first image is displayed on the left display and the second image is displayed on the right display, the multiple display controller providing information about the multi-monitor display to the computer, and wherein the first image data and the second image data in said first frame buffer are rotated before being displayed to match a scanning direction of the left display and the right display;

a second display controller connected to the central display configured to provide a second frame buffer of image data displaying a third image from the computer to the central display;

an operating system, residing in the computer, the operating system providing an application programming interface (API) to software applications, the API informing the software applications of the multi-monitor display, wherein the software applications alter images to utilize the first frame buffer and the second frame buffer to display three separate and non-contiguous images.

2. The display system of claim 1, wherein the right and left displays each scan horizontally.

3. The display system of claim 1, wherein the right, left, and central displays each scan horizontally.

4. The display system of claim 1, wherein the right and left displays each scan vertically.

5. The display system of claim 4, wherein the central display scans horizontally.

6. The display system of claim 4, wherein the central display scans vertically.

7. The display system of claim 1, wherein the left and right displays are situated at angles to the central display.

8. The display system of claim 1, wherein the left and right displays are hinged relative to the central display.

9. The display system of claim 8, wherein the multi-monitor display is configured to be attached to a laptop computer, and wherein the left and right displays fold against the central display during storage.

10. The display system of claim 9, wherein the multi-monitor display is configured such that the left and right displays are stored between the central display and a base for a laptop during storage.

11. A display system comprising:

a multi-monitor display comprising a first display and a second display;

a frame buffer in a host computer;

a first display adapter in communication with the frame buffer;

a first host signal interface in communication with the first display adapter;

a first monitor signal interface in communication with the first host signal interface;

a multiple display controller in communication with the first monitor signal interface and associated with a first and second panel controller driving the first and second displays, respectively, the multiple display controller providing information about the multi-monitor display to the host computer;

wherein the frame buffer stores a single frame of image data received from the computer, wherein display surfaces of the left and right displays are combined to form a single virtual display surface represented by a single frame in the frame buffer, and wherein the display surfaces of the left and right displays are mapped to different regions within the single frame; and

wherein, the multiple display controller is configured to split a single frame of image data stored in the frame buffer into separate and non-contiguous images, wherein each image is displayed on a respective one of the first and second displays , wherein the separate and non-contiguous images from the frame buffer are rotated before being displayed to match a scanning direction of the respective first and second displays; and

an operating system, residing in the host computer, the operating system providing an application programming interface (API) to software applications, the API informing the software applications of the multi-monitor display, wherein the software applications alter image to utilize the frame buffer to provide the separate and non-contiguous images for display.

12. The display system of claim 11, wherein the first monitor signal interface comprises at least one of a scan converter and a digital receiver.

13. The display system of claim 12, wherein the digital receiver is configured to receive one of TMDS and LVDS signal formats.

14. The display system of claim 11, wherein the first and second monitor displays are one of liquid crystal display panels, plasma panels, and cathode ray tubes.

15. The display system of claim 11, further comprising:

a second display adapter in communication with the frame buffer;

a second host signal interface in communication with the second display adapter;

a second monitor signal interface in communication with the second host signal interface;

a single display controller in communication with the second monitor signal interface and associated with a third panel controller driving a third monitor display.