Multiple display device display controller with video overlay and full screen video outputs
AssigneeMatrox Graphics Inc.
InventorsKamran Ahmed, Alexandre Lahaise, Gilles Forest, Yves Tremblay, Lorne Trottier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Multiple independent displays from one graphics controller can be driven in a wide variety of modes using multiple display controllers. This invention incorporates a unique combination of enhancement building on a generic single multi-display graphics subsystem. Digital video is gaining vast popularity in the worldwide consumer, professional and commercial market. The applications of this invention cover all these market segments and include (but are not limited to) Digital Content Creation, Digital video playback, digital entertainment, DVD Authoring etc.
Claims21
A method of controlling a display controller apparatus connected to a computer and having at least two display device outputs, comprising the steps of:
- storing in a video memory of said apparatus a main display surface and a YUV format video surface;
- causing a first display controller of said apparatus to access said main display surface and said YUV format video surface and to output a display signal to a first display, the first display controller including a scaler unit and an overlaying unit;
- causing said first display controller to overlay said YUV format video surface within said main display surface;
- detecting an overlay request generated in said computer, said overlay request indicating that a YUV format video surface is to be overlaid over a main display surface;
- responsive to said detecting of said overlay request, causing a second display controller to access said YUV format video surface from said video memory and to output a display signal providing full screen output to a second display, wherein said output to a first display and said output to a second display occur substantially simultaneously;
- wherein said second display controller is caused to stop displaying a surface other than said YUV format video surface and to begin displaying said YUV format video surface when said overlay request is detected.
A multiple display device display controller apparatus comprising:
- a video memory containing a main display surface and a YUV format video surface;
- a first display controller accessing said main display surface and said YUV format video surface and outputting a first display signal, the first display controller including a scaler unit and an overlaying unit for overlaying said YUV format video surface within said main display surface;
- and
- a second display controller accessing said YUV format video surface from said video memory and outputting a second display signal to provide full screen output, wherein said first and second display signals are outputted substantially simultaneously to a first and a second display device, respectively;
- wherein said apparatus communicates with a driver detecting an overlay request and said apparatus being responsive to an overlay request signal received from said driver to overlay said YUV format video surface with said at least one other surface, and said second display controller is responsive to said overlay request signal to automatically access said YUV format video surface and output full screen video from said YUV format video surface;
- and wherein said second display controller stops displaying a surface other than said YUV format video surface and begins displaying said YUV format video surface in response to said overlay request signal.
A method of controlling a display controller apparatus connected to a computer and having at least two display device outputs, comprising the steps of:
- detecting an overlay request generated in said computer, said overlay request indicating that a YUV format video surface is to be overlaid within a main display surface;
- responsive to said detecting of said overlay request, causing said apparatus to access said YUV format video surface and to provide full screen output of said YUV format video surface on one of said at least two device outputs;
- and
- causing said main display surface to be output on another of said at least two device outputs with a window portion of said main display surface intended to contain said YUV format video being one of minimized and blanked, wherein said full screen output and said main display surface containing one of a minimized and blanked YUV format video are output substantially simultaneously;
- wherein said apparatus is caused to stop displaying a surface other than said YUV format video surface on said one of said at least two device outputs and to begin displaying said YUV format video surface when said overlay request is detected on said one of said at least two device outputs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.