Single surface multi-view panning system and method for multiple displays

A method of displaying information on at least a first and second display device comprising the steps of:

• generating at least a first rectangular view for the first display device as a rectangle having a position and size for displaying data within at least one surface and defined by memory space containing data to be displayed in the first rectangular view;
• generating at least a second rectangular view for the second display device as a rectangle having a position and size for displaying data within the at least one surface and defined by memory space containing data to be displayed in the second rectangular view;
• defining the at least one surface as a block of memory, accessed by a processing unit, containing display data wherein the at least one surface bounds the first and second rectangular views;
• and
• providing at least one pan locking rectangle to facilitate rectangular pan locking to bound the at least first and second rectangular views wherein data to be displayed on the first and second display devices is changed by the processing unit in response to receiving panning control data.

An apparatus for displaying information on at least a first and second display device comprising:

• memory containing data to be displayed in at least a first and second rectangular view;
• a processing unit that defines the at least one surface as a block of memory containing display data wherein the at least one surface bounds the first and second rectangular views on the first and second displays, the processing unit further including:
• at least a first rectangular view generator for the first display device defining a first rectangular view as a rectangle having a position and size for displaying data within at least one surface;
• at least a second rectangular view generator for the second display device defining a second rectangular view as a rectangle having a position and size for displaying data within the at least one surface;
• and
• at least a first pan locking rectangle provider associated with the first rectangular view and a second pan locking rectangle provider associated with the second rectangular view wherein the first and second pan locking rectangles are independent;
• wherein movement of a position indicator across at least one boundary of the first pan locking rectangle causes the position indicator to control which data is contained in the second rectangular view on the second display to facilitate multiple view panning in a common surface over multiple displays.

An apparatus for displaying information on at least a first and second display device comprising:

• memory containing data to be displayed in at least a first and second rectangular view;
• a processing unit that defines the at least one surface as a block of memory containing display data wherein the at least one surface bounds the first and second rectangular views on the first and second displays, the processing unit further including:
• at least a first rectangular view generator for the first display device defining a first rectangular view as a rectangle having a position and size for displaying data within at least one surface;
• at least a second rectangular view generator for the second display device defining a second rectangular view as a rectangle having a position and size for displaying data within the at least one surface;
• and
• a pan locking rectangle provider to facilitate rectangular pan locking to bound the at least first and second rectangular views wherein data to be displayed on the first and second display devices is changed by the processing unit in response to receiving panning control data.