Monitor configuration for media device

• US 8,612,857 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2007
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Brodersen, Rainer, Robbin, Jeffrey, Madden, Thomas Michael, Arnold, Kevin, Hendry, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Richer, Aaron M
• Application Number:
  US11/621,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,535 Days
• Field of Search: 715/718, 345/698, 345/699
• US Class Current: 715/718
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A display mode can be selected by identifying a plurality of display modes supported by a media client, wherein the plurality of display modes comprise safe modes; sequentially selecting a display mode from the plurality of display modes, wherein the plurality of display modes are ordered according to one or more of resolution, timing, and popularity; generating an output signal based on the selected display mode, wherein the generated output signal is provided to a display device; and selectively repeating the sequential selection of a display mode and generating an output signal based on the selected display mode until an input is received from a user indicating that the selected display mode is compatible with the display device. Further, the media client can be configured to utilize the selected display mode. Additionally, the plurality of display modes can be identified based on extended display identification data from the display device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of selecting a display mode, the method comprising:

determining, using one or more processing units, display modes supported by a media client, including safe modes and one or more unsafe modes;

selecting, using the one or more processing units, a plurality of display modes from the determined display modes, wherein each of the plurality of display modes corresponds to a safe mode;

sequentially selecting, using the one or more processing units, a display mode from the plurality of display modes, wherein the plurality of display modes are ordered according to one or more of resolution, timing, and popularity;

generating, using the one or more processing units, an output signal based upon the selected display mode, wherein the generated output signal is provided to a display device;

selectively repeating, using the one or more processing units, the sequential selection of a display mode from the plurality of display modes, and generating an output signal based upon the selected display mode, wherein the sequential selection is selectively repeated until a selected display mode is determined to be compatible with the display device or until all of the display modes in the plurality of display modes have been sequentially selected;

selecting, using the one or more processing units, a plurality of alternative display modes when all of the display modes have been sequentially selected, wherein each alternative display mode is supported by the media client, and wherein the plurality of alternative display modes includes one or more unsafe modes; and

selectively repeating, using the one or more processing units, the sequential selection of a display mode from the plurality of alternative display modes, and generating an output signal based upon the selected display mode, wherein the sequential selection is selectively repeated until a selected display mode is determined to be compatible with the display device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the media client to utilize the selected display mode.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the plurality of display modes based upon extended display identification data received from the display device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sequentially selecting a display mode from the plurality of display modes further comprises:

waiting a predetermined amount of time for a determination that a selected display mode is compatible with the display device, wherein the predetermined amount of time begins after the selection of a display mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sequentially selecting a display mode further comprises:

receiving an indication selecting the display mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a plurality of display modes further comprises:

selecting safe modes supported by the media client if the display device is coupled to the media client through an analog interface.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an identifier associated with the display device from information included in extended display identification data corresponding to the display device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of display modes are ordered from highest resolution to lowest resolution.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of display modes are ordered from most commonly supported to least commonly supported.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated output signal includes a user prompt.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to performing the steps of claim 1, determining that the display device is not in a safe mode; and

in response to determining that the display device is not in a safe mode, performing the steps of claim 1.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to performing the steps of claim 1, determining that the display device does not support a safe mode also supported by the media client; and

in response to determining that the display device does not support a safe mode also supported by the media client, checking for a compatible mode by performing the steps of claim 1.

13. A computer program product, encoded on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

determining display modes supported by a media client, including safe modes and one or more unsafe modes;

selecting a plurality of display modes from the determined display modes, wherein each of the plurality of display modes corresponds to a safe mode;

sequentially selecting a display mode from the plurality of display modes, wherein the plurality of display modes are ordered according to one or more of resolution, timing, and popularity;

generating an output signal based upon the selected display mode, wherein the generated output signal is provided to a display device;

selectively repeating the sequential selection of a display mode from the plurality of display modes, and generating an output signal based upon the selected display mode, wherein the sequential selection is selectively repeated until a selected display mode is determined to be compatible with the display device or until all of the display modes in the plurality of display modes have been sequentially selected;

selecting a plurality of alternative display modes when all of the display modes have been sequentially selected, wherein each alternative display mode is supported by the media client, and wherein the plurality of alternative display modes includes one or more unsafe modes; and

selectively repeating the sequential selection of a display mode from the plurality of alternative display modes, and generating an output signal based upon the selected display mode, wherein the sequential selection is selectively repeated until a selected display mode is determined to be compatible with the display device.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

configuring the media client to utilize the selected display mode.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

selecting the plurality of display modes based upon extended display identification data received from the display device.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

waiting a predetermined amount of time for a determination that a selected display mode is compatible with the display device, wherein the predetermined amount of time begins after the selection of a display mode.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving an indication selecting the display mode.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

selecting safe modes supported by the media client if the display device is coupled to the media client through an analog interface.

19. The computer program product of claim 13, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

generating an identifier associated with the display device from information included in extended display identification data corresponding to the display device.

20. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the plurality of display modes are ordered from highest resolution to lowest resolution.

21. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the plurality of display modes are ordered from most commonly supported to least commonly supported.

22. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the generated output signal includes a user prompt.

23. The computer program product of claim 13, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

prior to performing the operations of claim 13, determining that the display device is not in a safe mode; and

in response to determining that the display device is not in a safe mode, performing the operations of claim 13.

24. The computer program product of claim 13, further operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

prior to performing the operations of claim 13, determining that the display device does not support a safe mode also supported by the media client; and

in response to determining that the display device does not support a safe mode also supported by the media client, checking for a compatible mode by performing the operations of claim 13.

25. A system, comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations, including;

determining display modes supported by a media client, including safe modes and one or more unsafe modes;

selecting a plurality of display modes from the determined display modes, wherein each of the plurality of display modes corresponds to a safe mode;

sequentially selecting a display mode from the plurality of display modes, wherein the plurality of display modes are ordered according to one or more of resolution, timing, and popularity;

generating an output signal based upon the selected display mode, wherein the generated output signal is provided to a display device;

selectively repeating the sequential selection of a display mode from the plurality of display modes, and generating an output signal based upon the selected display mode, wherein the sequential selection is selectively repeated until a selected display mode is determined to be compatible with the display device or until all of the display modes in the plurality of display modes have been sequentially selected;

selecting a plurality of alternative display modes when all of the display modes have been sequentially selected, wherein each alternative display mode is supported by the media client, and wherein the plurality of alternative display modes includes one or more unsafe modes; and

selectively repeating the sequential selection of a display mode from the plurality of alternative display modes, and generating an output signal based upon the selected display mode, wherein the sequential selection is selectively repeated until a selected display mode is determined to be compatible with the display device.