Virtual machine system and a method for sharing a graphics card amongst virtual machines

A method for sharing a real graphics card amongst virtual machines, comprising:

• converting data exchanged between a graphics card drive module of a GOS in the foreground and the real graphics card based on a resource-converting table using a resource-converting module of a VMM;
• intercepting accesses to the real graphics card by a GOS in the background and then simulating operations corresponding to the accesses, which the GOS in the background is attempting to perform on the real graphics card in such a manner that the operations do not actually occur on the real graphics card;
• and
• altering a state of a VM based on a command to switch the VM using a switching module of the VMM, saving a graphics card state before the VM is switched to the background and restoring the stored graphics card state to the real graphics card when the VM is switched back to the foreground, wherein
• the GOSs each comprise a graphics card drive module corresponding to the real graphics card.

A virtual machine system, comprising:

• a Service Operating System (SOS), one or more Guest Operating Systems (GOSs), a Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM) and a real graphics card,
• the VMM comprising a resource-converting module;
• the SOS comprising a display switching drive;
• and
• the GOSs each comprising a display switching drive and a real graphics card drive;
• wherein,
• the real graphics card drives of the GOSs are configured to send graphics card accessing data of the GOSs to the resource-converting module of the VMM,
• the resource-converting module of the VMM is configured to store correspondences between Input/Outputs (IOs), Interrupt ReQuests (IRQs) and Memory Mapped Input/Outputs (MMIOs) allocated by the SOS for the real graphics card, and IOs, IRQs and MMIOs allocated by the GOSs for the real graphics card, and to convert IO addresses and MMIO addresses of the graphics card accessing data from the GOSs based on the correspondences and then send the converted IO addresses and MMIO addresses to the real graphics card,
• the display switching drive of the SOS is configured to send a message to switch to the foreground to the display switching drive of a GOS to be switched to the foreground by a communication module of the VMM on receipt of a display switching message, and
• when a GOS receives a message including an instruction to switch to the background, display switching drives of the GOSs enables the virtual graphics card drives and disables the real graphics card drives, and when the GOS receives a message to switch to the foreground sent by the display switching drive of the SOS through the communication module of the VMM, the display switching drive of the GOS disables the virtual graphics card drives and enable the real graphics card drives.

A method for sharing a real graphics card amongst virtual machines, comprising:

• allocating the real graphics card to GOSs, also allocating virtual graphics cards to the GOSs, and loading corresponding real graphics card drives and virtual graphics card drives;
• on display switching, disabling the real graphics card drive of a GOS in the background and enabling the virtual graphics card drive of the GOS in the background, as well as disabling the virtual graphics card drive of a GOS in the foreground and enabling the real graphics card drive of the GOS in the foreground;
• the GOS in the background accessing the virtual graphics card by the virtual graphics card drive, and an SOS discarding graphics card accessing data of the GOS in the background;
• the GOS in the foreground accessing the real graphics card by the real graphics card drive, comprising the sub-steps of:
• (a) sending graphics card accessing data of the GOS in the foreground to a VMM by the real graphics card drive;
• and
• (b) the VMM converting IO addresses and MMIO addresses of the graphics card accessing data based on correspondences between Input/Outputs (IOs), Interrupt ReQuests (IRQs) and Memory Mapped Input/Outputs (MMIOs) allocated by the SOS for the real graphics card, and IOs, IRQs and MMIOs allocated by the GOS in the foreground for the real graphics card, and then sending the converted IO addresses and MMIO addresses to the real graphics card.