Object oriented video framework system

A method for processing graphic information in a memory of a processor, including the steps of:

• (a) creating a video device driver object from a configuration access manager object in the memory under control of the processor;
• (b) creating a video device handle object from the video device driver object in the memory under control of the processor;
• (c) creating a video device data encapsulator object from the video device handle object in the memory;
• (d) sending parameters of the video device handle object to a layer server in the memory under control of the processor;
• and
• (e) associating the video device handle object with the video device driver object.

A method for processing graphic information in a memory of a processor, including the steps of:

• (a) creating a video device data encapsulator object in response to detection of at least one of a configuration change of the processor;
• (b) sending a parameter of the configuration change to a video device handle object which contains the video device data encapsulator object;
• (c) locking drawing tasks on at least one display device in response to a signal generated by the video device handle object;
• (d) changing a configuration of the processor by altering or creating a video device handle, and
• (e) issuing a command to a video device handle to cause the video device handle to regenerate a display corresponding to the drawing tasks as locked, and to release the locking of the drawing tasks.

A method of using a video framework to create a video device driver hierarchy accessible to a client, the video flamework having a base video device class and a base video device handle class, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) deriving a hierarchy of video device subclasses from the base video device class such that each of the video device subclasses comprises a device data component and device control methods for manipulating a predetermined type of video device;
• (b) deriving a hierarchy of video device handle subclasses from the base video device handle class to include a video device handle subclass correspond to a video device subclass, and such that each of the video device handle subclasses comprises a data component and methods for interfacing with the client;
• and
• wherein each of the derived video device subclasses comprises object methods for instantiating a video device handle object from a corresponding video device handle subclass and further comprises an object method for copying at least one of the device control methods into the video device handle object.