Patent ID: 7911473

Claim:
A method for acquiring extended display identification data (EDID) from a single memory device used to concurrently store the EDID and executable instructions and associated data, an EDID compliant multi-port display controller having multiple type ports and a processor, at least one of the ports operable to be coupled to a host device and to receive a request from the host device and operable to receive power from the host device, wherein the single memory device includes at least a first type EDID corresponding to a first type port and a second type EDID corresponding to a second type port, the method comprising: wherein the display controller is powered off and wherein the processor is powered off and therefore incapable of processing any of the executable instructions and associated data, supplying power to the single memory device by way of the requesting port; retrieving the EDID stored in the single memory device wherein EDID type corresponds to the port type of the requesting port, and wherein a portion of the EDID is temporarily stored in a buffer memory and when the EDID in the buffer memory reaches a low level, the buffer memory is provided with another portion of EDID in the single memory device to satisfy pending EDID read requests; passing the retrieved EDID to the requesting port; and outputting the EDID from the requesting port to the host device.