TWI530869B - Method and apparatus for automatically repainting an external display - Google Patents

Description

Method and apparatus for automatically redrawing an external display, and computer readable medium

The present invention is generally directed to displays for use with computer based devices.

Background of the invention

Traditionally, computers can draw images on the display. The image can be color-coded and then rendered on the display by the appropriate color rendering pixels to produce the color image. The position of the image within the frame is determined by its coordinates. The image can be generated from one of the overlapping image layers, and the layers are continuously drawn on the display.

In some cases, however, the computer system may have additional displays that are coupled through a universal serial bus link. A more special universal serial bus to digital visual interface link control controls multiple additional displays. These displays are referred to as external or extended displays that can operate in clone mode, where the displays display the same information as displayed on the primary display, or can extend display mode operations, where the displays are displayed differently than those displayed on the primary display News.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method is specifically provided for detecting an indication of a system suspension to a reduced power consumption state and automatically redrawing the external display in response to detecting the indication.

Simple illustration

Figure 1 is a system explanatory diagram of an embodiment;

2 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a universal serial bus to digital visual interface connection according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 3 is a flow chart of one embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description

Referring to FIG. 1, computer system 10 can include a processor 12 coupled to a chipset including a memory controller hub 14. In one embodiment, the memory controller hub 14 can be coupled to the system memory 16. In some embodiments, the memory controller hub 14 can also be coupled to an input/output (I/O) controller hub 18, which is also part of the chip set. The controller hub 18 can control the main display 22 through the display controller 20.

Also connected to the I/O controller hub 18 may be a universal serial bus 24. The universal serial bus 24 is coupled to the external or extended display 28 via a universal serial bus (USB) to digital visual interface (DVI) link 26. Reference Digital Visual Interface, Version 1.0, Initial Specification, April 2, 1999 from the Digital Display Working Group, 98683, Vancouver, Washington, USA.

The Digital Visual Interface (DVI) carries uncompressed digital video data to the display using minimally differentiated differential signaling for basic electrical interconnects. A single DVI link consists of four pairs of twisted pairs that transmit red, green, blue, and clock respectively.

Of course, the system architecture shown in Figure 1 is only one of many possible architectures. All only need a universal serial bus or other link to an external display.

In accordance with several embodiments of the present invention, the universal serial bus to digital visual interface link 26 automatically takes certain actions to control the external display 28 when the system 10 is closed or latched.

Referring to FIG. 2, the universal serial bus bar to digital visual interface link 26 can include a housing 30, and in several embodiments, housing 30 can in turn include a universal serial confluence that is inserted into universal serial bus bar 24. Row controller 36 (Fig. 1). As such, the controller 36 includes a connector that adheres to the USB. Refer to the Universal Serial Bus 3.0 specification, available from the USB Innovator Forum, Beaverton, 97006, Oregon, USA. In one embodiment, the universal serial bus controller 36 is coupled to the drawing bridge 48 inside the housing 30. The drawing bridge 48 selectively includes a graphics engine 38, a firmware 42, a first in first out controller 44, and a digital visual interface conversion device 40.

The graphics engine 38 and the universal serial bus controller 36 are also coupled to the reset pulse generation circuit 46. During the login and logout interrupts, the reset pulse generation circuit 46 detects when the system 10 is off or latched, and in response, automatically redraws the external or extended display 28, as shown in FIG. (The system can be latched by the CTRL+ALT+DEL system to provide an interrupt). In addition, the circuit can automatically store the current coordinates of the picture image displayed by the active application and layer the picture buffer.

The digital visual interface transducer 40 is coupled to a digital visual interface controller 32, which may be external to the housing 30. The cymbal controller 32 includes a 埠 connector 34 coupled to the external or extended display 28, shown only in FIG. Connector 34 can be a DVI compliant connector.

In one embodiment, when system 10 enters the S3 sleep power consumption state, equivalent to the power being removed, reset pulse generation circuit 46 detects the S3 state. Refer to Advanced Configuration and Power Interface Specification Version 4.0, June 16, 2009. The S3 sleep state is a low wake-up delay sleep state where all system contexts are lost except for system memory. The processor, cache memory, and chipset context are lost in this state. The hardware maintains the memory network and restores a processor and L2 cache memory configuration context. The control system begins with the processor's reset vector after the wake event.

The S3 signal is asserted by the chipset, such as the input/output controller hub 18 or the memory controller hub 14 to indicate that the system is about to enter a low power consumption state. The S3 signal can be switched from the normal regeneration mode to the suspend mode or the S3 renew mode by external USB-DVI link 26 monitoring. The S3 state is also indicated by other peripheral USB devices as indicating that the input must be isolated, which is about to enter the power-off plane. The power of the USB-DVI link 26 is maintained from the on state of the system 10 to allow detection of wake events during the S3 state.

Once the chipset (e.g., one of the hubs 14 or 18) announces the S3 signal to the USB-DVI link 26, the chipset desirably has time for the USB-DVI link 26 to be ready to enter the suspended power drain mode. However, since the USB-DVI link 26 is rich in media, there is often not enough time to complete the suspend mode handler within the configured time. Therefore, any open application may still remain open, but the host system 10 has been suspended into the S3 sleep state.

However, the reset pulse generation circuit 46 allows the suspend mode processing routine to continue even after the system 10 has transmitted the S3 state. Once the S3 sleep signal is asserted, the USB-DVI link 26 can maintain power-on, and the Microsoft Windows (Windows) standard driver can cooperate with the reset pulse generation circuit 46 to apply the various application layers that are active when the suspension is being transmitted. The respective coordinates of the application are stored in the frame buffer. The reset pulse generation circuit 46 then automatically redraws the picture of the external display 28 and completes the suspend mode processing routine. When the S3 sleep state recovery occurs, any content on the USB-DVI link is recalled by the frame buffer recall coordinates and layers when the S3 is suspended. In this way, each application is restored to the same state when S3 is suspended, and has the same screen image display.

In several embodiments, the host Microsoft Windows driver automatically switches the reset pulse to reset any graphics buffer that has not been cleared. At the same time, the Microsoft Windows logout frame can be overlaid on top of the previous screen. In some embodiments, this point is not device specific because it comes from the universal serial busbar to the interior of the digital visual interface link 26. Comparison If the operation is not directly through the internal processing of the link 26 through multiple components, the logout overlap can give more delay to write to the external universal serial bus, digital visual interface frame buffer.

As such, in accordance with several embodiments, the software, firmware, or hardware may embody the sequence 50 of FIG. In a software embodiment, a sequence of instructions can be executed by a processor-based device. These instructions can be stored in semiconductor, magnetic, or optical memory. For example, the sequence 50 can be part of the firmware 42 stored inside the drawing bridge 48. The firmware 42 can be executed by the graphics engine 38. In some embodiments, the graphics engine 38 can be a processor-based device.

As such, the sequence 50 initially determines whether the host system 10 is latched or closed. As a result of the operation of circuit 46, external display 28 can be redrawn, and application layer and application coordinates can be detected separately, as shown in blocks 56 and 54 of FIG.

In some embodiments, the operations described above are superior because otherwise the image clearing or redrawing on the external screen will require the user to run through the external screen using the universal serial bus to the digital visual interface link. Or turn off the power to the external screen. In some embodiments of the invention, the user does not need to turn off the external current or manually use the mouse to clear the image on the external screen or redraw the image. The reset pulse generation circuit automatically repairs the external screen when the system is latched or powered off.

The description of "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" in this specification means that the specific features, structures, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment are included in the embodiment of the invention. Thus, the words "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. In addition, the specific features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner other than the specific embodiments illustrated, and all such forms are included in the scope of the present application.

Although the present invention has been described in terms of a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous modifications and changes can be made therein. All such modifications and variations that come within the spirit and scope of the invention are intended to be included.

10. . . computer system

12. . . processor

14. . . Memory controller hub (MCH)

16. . . System memory

18. . . Input/output (I/O) controller hub

20. . . Display controller

twenty two. . . Main display

twenty four. . . Universal Serial Bus (USB)

26. . . USB-Digital Visual Interface (DVI) link

28. . . External display

30. . . case

32. . . DVI controller

34. . .埠 connector

36. . . USB controller

38. . . Drawing engine

40. . . DVI interface controller device

42. . . firmware

44. . . First in first out (FIFO) controller

46. . . Reset pulse generating circuit

48. . . Drawing bridge

50. . . order

52, 54, 56. . . Processing block

Figure 1 is a system explanatory diagram of an embodiment;

2 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a universal serial bus to digital visual interface connection according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 3 is a flow chart of one embodiment of the present invention.

10. . . computer system

12. . . processor

14. . . Memory controller hub (MCH)

16. . . System memory

18. . . Input/output (I/O) controller hub

20. . . Display controller

twenty two. . . Main display

twenty four. . . Universal Serial Bus (USB)

26. . . USB-Digital Visual Interface (DVI) link

28. . . External display

Claims (20)

A method for automatically redrawing an external display, comprising: detecting an indication that a system is suspended to a reduced power consumption state; and responding to detecting the indication and occurring in the transition to the reduced power consumption state Previously, an external display was automatically redrawn and continued to transition to the reduced power consumption state upon redrawing. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting comprises detecting the S3 sleep state. The method of claim 2, wherein the method includes extending the time for storing information in response to detecting an indication of an upcoming S3 sleep state. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises automatically redrawing the external display in response to an indication of an upcoming reduced power consumption. The method of claim 1, wherein the method automatically stores information about coordinates and layers of one of the displayed images when an indication of a reduced power consumption state is received. The method of claim 1, wherein the external display coupled to a host system is coupled to a host system via a universal serial bus digital visual interface in response to an indication of a reduced power consumption state draw. A computer readable medium storing instructions, the instructions being executed by a processor: when a computer system is about to enter a reduced power consumption state, Dynamically redrawing an external display coupled to one of the computer systems; and automatically redrawing an external display in response to detecting the indication and continuing to transition to the reduced power consumption state and continuing to transition to the redraw This reduces power consumption. For example, in the medium of claim 7 of the patent application, it further stores instructions to detect the suspension of the system to an indication of a reduced power consumption state. For example, the media of claim 8 of the patent application further stores instructions to detect the S3 sleep state. For example, in the medium of claim 8 of the patent application, it further stores a command to extend the time for storing information in response to detecting the indication that the suspension is reduced to a power consumption state. For example, the medium of claim 7 of the patent application further stores instructions to automatically redraw the external display in response to an indication of an impending power consumption. For example, in the media of claim 8 of the patent application, it further stores instructions to automatically store information about coordinates and layers of one of the displayed images when one of the indications of reduced power consumption is detected. For example, the media of claim 7 further stores instructions to be coupled to a host system via a universal serial bus digital visual interface connection in response to an indication of a reduced power consumption state The external display is redrawn. An apparatus for automatically redrawing an external display, comprising: coupling a host computer system to a unit of an external display; and the unit includes a circuit to enter a reduced power at the host Automatically redrawing the external display when the power consumption state, and automatically re-rendering an external display in response to detecting the indication and before transitioning to the reduced power consumption state and continuing to transition to the reduction during re-rendering Power consumption. The device of claim 14, wherein the unit comprises a universal serial bus controller. The device of claim 15 wherein the device comprises a digital visual interface device. The device of claim 14, wherein the unit detects an indication that the host is suspended to a reduced power consumption state. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the unit extends the time for storing information in response to detecting the indication that the suspension is reduced to a power consumption state. The device of claim 14, wherein the unit re-renders the external display in response to an indication of an upcoming reduced power consumption. The device of claim 17, wherein the unit automatically stores information about coordinates and layers of one of the displayed images when one of the indications of reduced power consumption is detected.