JP4622138B2 - Multi monitor system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multi-monitor system that uses a plurality of monitors, and more particularly to a multi-monitor system that can automatically set an optimum function even if the configuration is different.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Some process control apparatuses are equipped with a multi-monitor system that can use a plurality of monitors. In such a multi-monitor system, the virtual desktop is divided into a plurality of monitors and displayed, thereby monitoring the state of a plurality of processes and changing the setting value while checking the state of the process. be able to.
[0003]
Means for realizing such a multi-monitor system differs depending on the OS. For example, in a control device using Windows (registered trademark) 2000, since the OS supports a multi-monitor function, a multi-monitor system is realized using the function of the OS. However, in Windows (registered trademark) NT4.0, since the OS does not support the multi-monitor function, the multi-monitor is realized by using the dual head function which is a function unique to the driver of the display card.
[0004]
Also, even if the OS uses an OS that supports the multi-monitor function, such as Windows (registered trademark) 2000, if the display card driver does not support the multi-monitor function of the OS, the OS multi Since the monitor function cannot be used, a multi-monitor may be realized using the dual head function.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, such a multi-monitor system has the following problems.
[0006]
As described above, whether to use the multi-monitor function supported by the OS or the dual head function that is unique to the display driver depends on which OS is used or the driver of the display card is the OS. It must be determined by whether or not the multi-monitor function is supported. Conventionally, the system designer has determined which function to use by looking at the system configuration, but there is a problem that it is complicated.
[0007]
Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a multi-monitor system that can automatically determine which function is used to implement a multi-monitor system by checking the system configuration.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve such a problem, the invention described in claim 1 of the present invention includes two or more monitors, a display card corresponding to these monitors, a display driver for controlling the display card, , Accessed by the operation monitoring window application at the time of setting, check the type of operating system and whether this operating system recognizes two or more monitors, the operating system supports multi-monitor function , and two or more when you are aware of the monitoring, operating the multi-monitor function obtains the information by accessing the selected multi-monitor function which the operating system supports, the operating system does not support the multi-monitor function Shi Whether it is Temu, when not recognize the two or more monitors which was equipped with a monitor recognition unit for selecting a multi-monitor function of the display driver to obtain information by accessing the display driver support is there. The optimum function can be selected automatically.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a multi-monitor system according to the present invention. That is, this flowchart shows an algorithm for determining which function is used to realize the multi-monitor system. In this embodiment, when an OS function can be used, the function is used preferentially.
[0013]
In FIG. 1, it is first checked whether the OS used is Windows (registered trademark) 2000 or later. Since the OS does not support multi-monitor unless it is Windows (registered trademark) 2000 or later, the dual head function is selected. If the OS is Windows (registered trademark) 2000 or later, it is checked whether the OS recognizes two or more monitors. If not recognized, the driver of the display card does not support the OS multi-monitor function, so the dual head function is selected, and if it is recognized, the OS multi-monitor function is selected.
[0014]
When the multi-monitor function of the OS is selected, the monitor information of the multi-monitor function is acquired from the OS. When the dual head function is selected, the process of acquiring the monitor information of the dual head function is performed. A multi-monitor system is realized by information.
[0015]
FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of monitor information acquisition processing when the dual head function is used. In this flowchart, the number of monitors to be used and their arrangement are determined from the virtual desktop resolution. First, monitor information for the dual head function is acquired. Then, the monitor number determination process is started. First, it is examined whether the aspect ratio of resolution is 12: 3 and the aspect ratio is larger than 640 × 3: 480 in terms of the number of dots. If the width is larger than this value, it is assumed that four monitors are required in the horizontal direction.
[0016]
If the resolution in the horizontal direction is not larger than the above value, it is similarly checked whether the aspect ratio of the resolution is 8: 3 and the horizontal ratio is larger than 640 × 2: 480 in terms of the number of dots. If is large, three monitors are required in the horizontal direction. If it is not larger, it is checked whether the resolution is 4: 3 and the horizontal ratio is larger than 640: 480 in the dot number ratio. If it is larger, it is assumed that there are two monitors in the horizontal direction.
[0017]
If the number of monitors in the horizontal direction is determined to be one, then the number of monitors in the vertical direction is determined from the vertical resolution of the virtual desktop. First, it is checked whether the horizontal / vertical ratio of resolution is 5:12 and the dot ratio is larger than 1280: 1024 × 3, and if it is larger, the number of monitors in the vertical direction is set to four. If the ratio is smaller, the aspect ratio is 5: 8, and the dot number ratio is greater than 1280: 1024.times.2. If the ratio is larger, the number of monitors in the vertical direction is three.
[0018]
Next, it is checked whether the aspect ratio of the resolution is 5: 4 and the dot number ratio is larger than 1280: 1024, and if it is larger, the number of monitors in the vertical direction is two, and if not larger, it is one. In this way, the number of monitors in the horizontal and vertical directions is determined.
[0019]
FIG. 3 shows an example of the arrangement of monitors when the dual head function is used. 3, (A) to (C) are examples in which monitors are arranged in the horizontal direction, and (D) to (F) are examples in which monitors are arranged in the vertical direction. The monitor including the virtual desktop origin (0, 0) becomes monitor number 1, and numbers 2 to 4 are assigned in order. Normally, the origin is at the upper left corner of the screen, so in the case of horizontal arrangement, a number that increases from the left end to the right is assigned, and in the case of vertical arrangement, a number that increases from top to bottom is assigned. . This monitor number is a physical number of the monitor that does not depend on the monitor arrangement direction, the selection state of the main monitor, and the sub monitor.
[0020]
When the multi-monitor function supported by the OS is used, information regarding the monitor is acquired from an application program interface (API) related to the multi-monitor. In the case of Windows (registered trademark) 2000, the API is Win32API.
[0021]
FIG. 4 shows a setting screen for monitor-related properties of Windows (registered trademark) 2000. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a monitor property setting window. Reference numeral 11 denotes a box for setting the number of colors of the monitor. In this setting, the number of colors equal to or higher than High Color (65,536 colors) is set, and the number of colors of all monitors to be used is the same.
[0022]
Reference numeral 12 denotes a setting box for determining which monitor is the primary monitor (main monitor). Set one of the monitors as the primary monitor. Reference numeral 13 denotes a box for setting the resolution of the monitor. Set all monitors to the same resolution. 14 shows the arrangement of a plurality of monitors used and the position of the currently set monitor. FIG. 4 shows that the monitor being set is the monitor 1.
[0023]
In this embodiment, the recognition function of a plurality of monitors described in FIGS. 1 and 2 is realized by a common library. By using this multi-monitor recognition common library for applications that use multiple monitors, such as process control operation monitoring interfaces, multiple monitor interfaces can be realized without being aware of differences in hardware configuration such as display cards. can do.
[0024]
FIG. 5 shows the relationship between hardware and software when the dual head function is used. In FIG. 5, 2 is an operation monitoring window application, 3 is a multi-monitor recognition library which is a multi-monitor recognition unit whose functions are described in FIGS. 1 and 2, and 51 is a multi-monitor compatible display driver. A plurality of display cards 6 are connected to the display driver 51, and a monitor 7 is connected to each display card 6.
[0025]
In such a configuration, the operation monitoring window application 2 accesses the multiple monitor recognition library 3 at the time of setting. The multiple monitor recognition library 3 accesses the display driver 51 to acquire system information such as information related to the monitor, thereby realizing a multi-monitor function. Thereafter, drawing is performed on the virtual desktop using a Windows (registered trademark) GDI (Graphic Device Interface) function. The Windows (registered trademark) GDI function 4 displays on the monitor 7 using the function of the display driver 51.
[0026]
FIG. 6 shows a configuration when the multi-monitor function supported by the OS is used. The same elements as those in FIG. 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. In this figure, the case where Windows (registered trademark) 2000 is used for the OS is described. Reference numeral 52 denotes a Windows 2000 multi-monitor function, which is accessed by the multiple monitor recognition library 3 and the Windows (registered trademark) GDI function 4. Reference numeral 53 denotes a display driver compatible with Windows (registered trademark) 2000 multi-monitor, which corresponds to each display card 6 to be used.
[0027]
In such a configuration, the operation monitoring window application 2 accesses the multiple monitor recognition library 3 at the time of setting. The multiple monitor recognition library 3 accesses the display driver 51 to acquire system information such as information related to the monitor, thereby realizing a multi-monitor function. Thereafter, the operation monitoring window application 2 accesses the Windows (registered trademark) GDI function 4 and performs drawing on the virtual desktop.
[0028]
The Windows (registered trademark) GDI function 4 accesses the Windows (registered trademark) 2000 multi-monitor function 52 and executes drawing. The Windows (registered trademark) 2000 multi-monitor function 52 determines which monitor the drawing is displayed on, accesses the respective Windows (registered trademark) 2000 multi-monitor display driver 53, and displays on each monitor.
[0029]
In other words, whether the system uses the dual head function shown in FIG. 5 or the multi-monitor function of the OS shown in FIG. The multi-monitor recognition library 3 always selects the optimum multi-monitor function.
[0030]
7 and 8 show display examples of each monitor when the multi-monitor function of the OS is used. FIG. 7 shows an example in which two monitors are arranged horizontally, 81 and 82 are monitor display screens of monitor numbers 1 and 2, respectively, and 91 and 92 are system window messages of the monitor numbers 1 and 2, respectively. It is. FIG. 8 shows an example in which two monitors are arranged vertically. Since the reference numerals are the same as those in FIG.
[0031]
When the multi-monitor function of the OS is used, the monitor can be freely arranged within the function range of the OS (for example, Windows (registered trademark) 2000). In addition, an application desktop window (a window such as a task bar) can be displayed on each monitor. The system message windows 91 and 92 in FIGS. 7 and 8 are examples of application desktop windows.
[0032]
9 and 10 show display examples when the dual head function is used. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same element as FIG. 7, and description is abbreviate | omitted. FIG. 9 shows an example in which two monitors are arranged horizontally, and FIG. 10 shows an example in which two monitors are arranged vertically.
[0033]
When the dual head function is used, the number of monitor arrangements is limited to 6 types, 2 to 4 units in the horizontal direction or 2 to 4 units in the vertical direction. Further, since the OS recognizes that there is one monitor, there is a restriction that the application desktop toolbar can be arranged only on four sides of a rectangle including all screens. However, if these restrictions are removed, it has the same function as the multi-monitor function provided by the OS, so there is no practical problem.
[0034]
In these embodiments, the description is limited to the case where Windows (registered trademark) 2000 is used as the OS and the multi-monitor function of the dual head function is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the same can be realized by using another OS or a multi-monitor function that is not a dual head function.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above description, the following effects can be expected according to the present invention.
According to the first aspect of the present invention , the operating system is accessed by two or more monitors, a display card corresponding to these monitors, a display driver for controlling the display card, and an operation monitoring window application at the time of setting. If the operating system supports the multi-monitor function and recognizes two or more monitors, the multi-monitor function access to acquire information by selecting a multi-monitor function which the operating system supports the said or operating system is an operating system that does not support multi-monitor function recognizes the two or more monitors When there was and a monitor recognition unit for selecting a multi-monitor function of the display driver to obtain information by accessing the display driver support.
[0036]
Since the optimum function can be automatically selected according to the state of the system, there is an effect that complicated setting work is eliminated. Moreover, even if the OS does not support multi-monitors, there is an effect that a multi-monitor system equivalent to that can be realized. Furthermore, there is an effect that a multi-monitor function supported by an OS having a large function can be selected with priority.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for determining the number of monitors and their arrangement. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of monitors.
FIG. 4 is a diagram of a setting screen of Windows (registered trademark) 2000;
FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a multi-monitor system using a dual head function.
FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a multi-monitor system using Windows (registered trademark) 2000;
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen of a multi-monitor system.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen of a multi-monitor system.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen of a multi-monitor system.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen of a multi-monitor system.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Setting screen 2 Operation monitoring window application 3 Multiple monitor recognition library 4 GDI function of Windows (registered trademark) 51 Display driver compatible with multi monitor 52 Windows (registered trademark) 2000 multi monitor function 53 Compatible with Windows (registered trademark) 2000 multi monitor Display Driver 6 Display Card 7, 81, 82 Monitor

Claims (1)

In a multi-monitor system that uses two or more monitors and is used in a process control device ,
Two or more monitors,
Display cards that support these monitors,
A display driver to control this display card,
Accessed by the operation monitoring window application during setup to check the type of operating system and whether this operating system recognizes two or more monitors, the operating system supports the multi-monitor function , and two or more monitors when you are aware of, the operating system selects a multi-monitor function to support acquires the information by accessing this multi-monitor feature is the operating system that the operating system does not support the multi-monitor function Or, when not recognizing two or more monitors, a monitor recognition unit that accesses the display driver to acquire information and selects a multi-monitor function supported by the display driver;
A multi-monitor system comprising:

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