Patent ID: 7542010

Claim:
A method for preventing image tearing where a single input is streamed to two or more independent display devices for simultaneous display, comprising: (a) receiving a sequence of frames from a data source at a first rate for refreshing a first display device and at least a second display device; (b) storing a first, sequential frame in the sequence in a first buffer; (c) storing a second, sequential frame in the sequence in a second buffer; (d) refreshing the first display device, the refreshing of the first display device including reading the first frame from the first buffer after the step (b) of storing is complete and reading the second frame from the second buffer after the step (c) of storing is complete, wherein, if after reading the first frame the step (c) of storing is not complete, the refreshing of the first display device includes re-reading the entire first frame from the first buffer before reading the second frame; (e) refreshing the at least a second display device, the refreshing of the at least a second display device including reading the first frame from the first buffer after the step (b) of storing is complete and reading the second frame from the second buffer after the step (c) of storing is complete, wherein, if after reading the first frame the step (c) of storing is not complete, the refreshing of the at least a second display device includes re-reading the entire first frame from the first buffer before reading the second frame; (f) determining whether the steps (d) and (e) of refreshing the first and second display devices are complete; and (g) storing a third, sequential frame in the sequence in the first buffer, provided the steps (d) and (e) of refreshing are complete.