Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20030080971A1/en
Timestamp: 2018-05-28 06:09:10
Document Index: 247183121

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 90', 'art 110', 'art 130', 'art 130', 'art 150', 'art 190', 'art 206']

US20030080971A1 - System and method for communicating graphics image data over a communication network - Google Patents
US20030080971A1
US20030080971A1 US10001430 US143001A US2003080971A1 US 20030080971 A1 US20030080971 A1 US 20030080971A1 US 10001430 US10001430 US 10001430 US 143001 A US143001 A US 143001A US 2003080971 A1 US2003080971 A1 US 2003080971A1
US7589737B2 (en )
This patent application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING AN IMAGE ON A NETWORK ATTACHABLE DISPLAY DEVICE,” filed Oct. 31, 2001, co-assigned herewith.
[0011]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system in which a graphics adapter of the present invention may be used;
[0013]FIG. 3 is a flowchart describing the operation of a graphics adapter in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0014]FIG. 4 is a flowchart describing the operation of a graphics adapter in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;
[0015]FIG. 5 is a flowchart describing the operation of a graphics adapter in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention;
[0016]FIG. 6 is a flowchart describing the operation of a graphics adapter in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention;
[0018]FIG. 8 is a flowchart describing the operation of a network attachable display device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
[0019]FIG. 9 is a flowchart describing the operation of a network attachable display device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
There is a desire for an improved system and method for communicating graphics image data over a communication network, such as a computer network.
Accordingly, a graphics adapter comprising a compression unit and a network interface, capable of communicating with a destination device, such as a remote computer, over a communication network, such as a computer network, is disclosed.
The graphics adapter also includes a memory unit, such as a frame buffer. In addition to or in place of one or more video output ports, such as analog video ports, Digital Visual Interface (DVI) video ports, and the like, that are included in existing graphics adapters, the graphics adapter in accordance with the present invention may be provided with a network interface port, for example an Ethernet port, an Infiniband port, a fiber port, a wireless network transceiver, and the like. The network interface port may be used for transmitting the contents of the frame buffer in either compressed or uncompressed form via the computer network to one or more remote computers.
[0024]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system 10 in which the graphics adapter of the present invention may be used. System 10 preferably comprises at least one source device 12, such as at least one processor-based system, for example computers, and at least one destination device 14. Destination device 14 may comprise, for example a display device capable of being directly coupled to a communication network, a display associated with a computer, and the like. One or more source devices 12 may communicate with each other over a communication network (not shown), such as a local area network. Source device 12 preferably communicates with destination device 14 over a communication network 16. Communication network 16 may comprise an intranet, an extranet and/or the Internet.
[0026]FIG. 2A is a logical block diagram of a graphics adapter 20 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Graphics adapter 20 comprises a network interface chip 38 coupled to a memory unit 24. A graphics chipset 22 is also preferably coupled to memory unit 24. Network interface chip 38 preferably comprises a compression unit 26 and a network interface 28. If desired, graphics adapter 20 may also comprise at least one video transmitter, for example an analog transmitter 30 and a digital transmitter 32, coupled to memory unit 24. Preferably, analog transmitter 30 and digital transmitter 32 are also coupled to each other. If desired, network interface chip 38 may be coupled to graphics chipset 22.
[0032]FIG. 2B is a logical block diagram of graphics adapter 20 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Graphics adapter 20 as shown in FIG. 2B comprises a network attachable graphics chip 52 coupled to memory unit 24. Network attachable graphics chip 52 comprises a graphics unit 44, compression unit 26 and network interface 28. If desired, graphics adapter 20 may also comprise at least one video transmitter, for example analog transmitter 30 and digital transmitter 32, coupled to memory unit 24. Preferably, analog transmitter 30 and digital transmitter 32 are also coupled to each other. In graphics adapter 20 of FIG. 2B, network interface port 36 is preferably coupled to network attachable graphics chip 52. Graphics unit 44 performs substantially the same function as graphics chipset 22 of FIG. 2A. One of the advantages of graphics adapter 20 of FIG. 2B over the embodiment of FIG. 2A is that the manufacturing cost of the graphics adapter can be reduced as only one chip, network attachable graphics chip 52, is used in the embodiment of FIG. 2B.
[0035]FIG. 3 is a flowchart 90 describing the operation of graphics adapter 20 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In step 92, the graphics adapter waits for either the lapse of a predetermined period of time or the receipt of an update request. The predetermined period of time may be dependent upon the refresh rate of a display associated with destination device 14. Destination device 14 itself may be the display. The update request may be received by graphics adapter 20 from source device 12 via graphics port 34. The request may also be received by the graphics adapter from destination device 14 via network interface port 36 over communication network 16.
[0042]FIG. 4 is a flowchart 110 describing the operation of a graphics adapter in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. In step 112, the graphics adapter receives a request for an updated image from destination device 14. The request is received preferably over communication network 16 via network interface port 36. Information identifying destination device 14 may also be received from destination device 14.
[0045]FIG. 5 is a flowchart 130 describing the operation of a graphics adapter in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention. In the method of flowchart 130 only the portions of the frame buffer that have changed since the last update are transmitted to destination device 14. Graphics image data for a display may be effectively partitioned into a plurality of blocks, for example 16,384 blocks. As mapped to a display, these blocks may comprise an array of 128 blocks by 128 blocks. In a display having a resolution of 1,280 pixels by 1,024 pixels, each block has a corresponding resolution of 10 pixels by 8 pixels. However, the present invention is not so limited and a number of different block sizes may be chosen based upon system resources, the nature of the graphics image data to be transmitted, and a number of other factors.
[0055]FIG. 6 is a flowchart 150 describing the operation of a graphics adapter in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention. The method as described herein with reference to FIG. 6 may be used to provide support for multiple destination devices by the same graphics adapter. The graphics adapter of the present invention may be used to render graphics for multiple destination devices, such as multiple computers, coupled to communication network 16. Graphics image data may be transmitted from the graphics adapter to the destination devices via network interface port 36 over communication network 16 without the need for separate ports for the different destination devices. Thus, the number of destination devices that may be supported is not limited by the number of physical ports associated with the graphics adapter.
[0064]FIG. 7A is a logical block diagram of a network attachable display device 14 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Network attachable display device 14 comprises a display network interface 172 coupled to a display memory unit 174, a display decompression unit 176 and a display refresh unit 178. Display memory unit 174 is also coupled to display decompression unit 176 and display refresh unit 178. Display decompression unit 176 is also coupled to display refresh unit 178 and display refresh unit 178 is also coupled to a display unit 180.
[0071]FIG. 7B is a logical block diagram of a network attachable display device 14 in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Network attachable display device 14 as shown in FIG. 7B comprises a network attachable display controller 186 coupled to display memory unit 174 and display unit 180. Network attachable display controller 186 comprises display network interface 172, display decompression unit 176 and display refresh unit 178. In network attachable display device 14 of FIG. 7B, display network interface port 182 is coupled to network attachable display controller 186.
[0073]FIG. 8 is a flowchart 190 of a method of operation of a network attachable display device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In step 192, graphics image data is received from a source device, such as a computer, a graphics device, a server, an Internet appliance and/or the like, for example source device 12 or graphics adapter 20, over a communication network, such as communication network 16, via display network interface port 182. The data is received preferably as a plurality of packets. Display network interface 172 assembles the received data in a format suitable for storage in display frame buffer 170. For example, if the packets of data include information indicating the portions of display unit 180 with which the data included in the packets are associated, then display network interface 172 stores the data in the appropriate portions of display frame buffer 170.
[0076]FIG. 9 is a flowchart 206 of a method of operation of a network attachable display device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. In step 208, graphics image data is received from a source device, such as a computer, a graphics device, a server, an Internet appliance and/or the like, for example source device 12 or graphics adapter 20, over a communication network, such as communication network 16 via display network interface port 182. The data is received preferably as a plurality of packets.
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