Video presenting network configuration solution space traversal

• US 7,898,533 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2004
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Milirud, Michael, Andrews, Marcus J., Langley, Bryan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/925,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20050246753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,380 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.1, 345/204, 710/8, 710/62, 719/323, 719/327, 348/723, 725116-119
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805

Abstract

Resources of a video presenting network having plural outputs can be configured. A provisional configuration can be supported. Configuration of inputs can be performed separately from configuration of outputs. Interdependencies between network resources can be considered to restrict provided options to those co-functional with a provisional configuration. Responsibility for considering interdependencies can be delegated to a video driver, such as a video miniport. A client can use a variety of approaches to find a desired configuration. The desired configuration can be treated as a solution to an NP-Complete graph problem.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a video presenting network comprising a plurality of resources and comprising a plurality of outputs, the method comprising:

accepting an indication of a partial configuration of the video presenting network, wherein the partial configuration comprises an indication of a configuration for a first resource out of the plurality of resources of the video presenting network;

based on interdependencies between the plurality of resources of the video presenting network, determining one or more configuration options for a second resource out of the resources of the video presenting network that are co-functional with the partial configuration of the video presenting network, the interdependencies between the plurality of resources of the video presenting network comprising a video input interdependency, a video converter interdependency and a video output interdependency, the video converter interdependency being based at least in part on a video input type or a video output type;

indicating the co-functional configuration options for the second resource; and

storing the co-functional configuration options for the second resource in one or more computer-readable storage media.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the accepting is performed by a video driver;

the determining is performed by the video driver; and

the indicating is performed by the video driver.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the video driver comprises a video miniport;

the accepting is performed by the video miniport;

the determining is performed by the video miniport; and

the indicating is performed by the video miniport.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the indicating is performed in response to a programmatic call to an enumeration function of a device driver interface.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the indicating indicates one or more co-functional configuration options for the plurality of resources of the video presenting network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first resource is in a first video path of the video presenting network; and

the second resource is in a second video path of the video presenting network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the partial configuration of the video presenting network indicates a configuration for one out of a plurality of video inputs of the video presenting network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the partial configuration of the video presenting network indicates a configuration for one out of the plurality of video outputs of the video presenting network.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the partial configuration of the video presenting network indicates a configuration for one out of a plurality of digital-video-input-representation-to-video-output-signal converters of the video presenting network.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

the digital-video-input-representation-to-video-output-signal converter comprises a video codec.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein:

the digital-video-input-representation-to-video-output-signal converter comprises a digital-to-analog converter.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first resource comprises an input of the video presenting network; and

the second resource comprises an output of the video presenting network.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the partial configuration of the video presenting network indicates a topology for the video presenting network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the partial configuration of the video presenting network indicates a mapping from a video adapter output to a video device.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform a method of configuring a video presenting network comprising a plurality of resources and comprising a plurality of outputs, the method comprising:

accepting an indication of a partial configuration of the video presenting network, wherein the partial configuration comprises an indication of a configuration for a first resource out of the plurality of resources of the video presenting network;

based on interdependencies between the plurality of resources of the video presenting network, determining one or more configuration options for a second resource out of the resources of the video presenting network that are co-functional with the partial configuration of the video presenting network, the interdependencies between the plurality of resources of the video presenting network comprising a video input interdependency, a video converter interdependency and a video output interdependency, the video converter interdependency being based at least in part on a video input type or a video output type; and

indicating the co-functional configuration options for the second resource.

16. One or more computer-readable storage media having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions implementing a video driver operable to configure a video presenting network comprising a plurality of resources and comprising a plurality of outputs, the video driver comprising:

logic operable to accept an indication of a partial configuration of the video presenting network, wherein the partial configuration comprises an indication of a configuration for a first resource out of the plurality of resources of the video presenting network, the first resource being associated with a first display device coupled to a computer system;

logic operable to, based on interdependencies between the plurality of resources of the video presenting network, determine one or more configuration options for a second resource out of the plurality of resources of the video presenting network that are co-functional with the partial configuration of the video presenting network, the second resource being associated with a second display device coupled to the computer system, the interdependencies between the plurality of resources of the video presenting network comprising a video input interdependency, a video converter interdependency and a video output interdependency, the video converter interdependency being based at least in part on a video input type or a video output type; and

logic operable to indicate the co-functional configuration options for the second resource.

17. One or more computer-readable storage media having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform a method of configuring a video presenting network comprising a plurality of resources and comprising a plurality of outputs, the method comprising:

accepting an indication of a partial configuration of the video presenting network, wherein the partial configuration comprises an indication of a configuration for a first resource out of the plurality of resources of the video presenting network, the first resource being associated with a first display device coupled to a computer system;

based on interdependencies between the plurality of resources of the video presenting network, determining one or more configuration options for a second resource out of the resources of the video presenting network that are co-functional with the partial configuration of the video presenting network, the second resource being associated with a second display device coupled to the computer system, the interdependencies between the plurality of resources of the video presenting network comprising a video input interdependency, a video converter interdependency and a video output interdependency, the video input interdependency being based at least in part on an amount of video memory required by the configuration for the first resource out of the plurality of resources of the video presenting network;

configuring the first resource according to the indication of the configuration for the first resource; and

configuring the second resource according to at least one of the determined one or more configuration options for the second resource.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the method is performed in response to a programmatic call to an enumeration function of a device driver interface.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the partial configuration of the video presenting network indicates a configuration for one out of a plurality of video inputs of the video presenting network.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the partial configuration of the video presenting network indicates a configuration for one out of the plurality of video outputs of the video presenting network.

21. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the partial configuration of the video presenting network indicates a configuration for one out of a plurality of digital-video-input-representation-to-video-output-signal converters of the video presenting network.

22. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the first resource comprises an input of the video presenting network and the second resource comprises an output of the video presenting network.

23. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the partial configuration of the video presenting network indicates a topology for the video presenting network.

24. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the partial configuration of the video presenting network indicates a mapping from a video adapter output to a video device.