Method and apparatus for updating a graphical display in a distributed processing environment

Abstract

A system and method for updating a display unit remotely located from a computing system are described. The method includes copying display information from a video buffer of a computing device executing an application to generate a display update, calculating a size of the display update, and determining an amount of available bandwidth of a network connecting the computing device and the display unit. The method also includes calculating a time period required to communicate the display update from the computing device to the display unit, transmitting the display update to the display; and repeating the method after the time period has elapsed.

1 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A method of updating a remote display unit comprising:
 a) copying, by a copy module executing on a computing device, display information from a buffer to generate a display update, the display information generated by an application executing on the computing device;   b) calculating, by an accumulator module executing on the computing device, a size of the display update;   c) determining, by a driver executing on the computing device, an amount of available bandwidth of a network connecting the computing device and the remote display unit;   d) calculating, by the driver, a time period required to communicate the display update from the computing device to the remote display unit, the calculated time period based in part on the determined amount of available bandwidth;   e) selecting one of a lossy compression algorithm and a lossless compression algorithm to compress the generated display update, the selection responsive to the amount of change in the display update;   f) transmitting, by a computing device agent executing on the computing device, the compressed display update to the remote display unit;   g) triggering, by a timer module executing on the computing device, the copy module to copy the display information from the buffer after the calculated time period elapses; and   h) repeating steps (b)-(g).   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising writing, by a thread executing on the computing device, display information to the buffer. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising generating, by a thread executing on the computing device, at least one bounding rectangle indicative of a region of change of the buffer as part of the display update. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising tracking, by the accumulator module, an amount of change to the buffer to determine if a period of time is a high update period. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising transmitting a lossless display update to replace the lossy compressed display update during a period of time that is not a high update period. 
     
     
         25 . A system for updating a display unit remotely located from a computing system device comprising:
 a buffer stored in a memory element provided by a computing device, the buffer storing display data representing graphical output of an application program executing on the computer device:   a copy module executed by a processor on the computing device to copy the display data from the buffer to generate a display update;   an accumulator module executed by the processor on the computing device to calculate a size of the display update;   a driver executed by the processor on the computing device to determine an amount of available bandwidth of a network between the computing device and the remote display unit, and to calculate a time period required to communicate the display update from the computing device to the display unit, the calculated time period based in part on the amount of available bandwidth;   a computing device agent executed by the processor on the computing device to select one of a lossy compression algorithm and a lossless compression algorithm responsive to a determination of an amount of change in the display update, to compress the display update using the selected compression algorithm and to transmit to the remote display unit the compressed display update; and   a timer module executed by the processor on the computing device to trigger the copy module to copy the display data from the buffer after the calculated time period elapses.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25  further comprising a thread executing on the computing machine to write display data to the buffer. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25  further comprising a thread executing on the computing machine to generate at least one bounding rectangle indicative of a region of change of the buffer as part of the display update. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the accumulator module further tracks the amount of change made to the video buffer to determine if a period of time is a high update period. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25  further comprising a compressor executing on the computing machine to compress the display update into the lossy compressed display update before the computing device agent, responsive to the accumulator module reaching a predetermined threshold, transmits the lossy compressed display update to the remote display unit. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the compressor applies a lossy compression algorithm during a high update period to create a lossy display update, and applies a lossless compression algorithm during a time period that is not a high update period to create a lossless display update. 
     
     
         31 . A system for updating a remote display unit, the system comprising:
 copier means for copying display information from a buffer to generate a display update, the display information generated by an application executing on a computing device;   calculator means for calculating a size of the display update;   driver means for determining an amount of available bandwidth of a network connecting the computing device and the remote display unit;   calculator means for calculating a time period required to communicate the display update from the computing device to the remote display unit, the calculated time period based in part on the determined amount of available bandwidth;   selection means for selecting one of a lossy compression algorithm and a lossless compression algorithm to compress the generated display update, the selection responsive to the amount of change in the display update;   transmission means for transmitting to the remote display unit the compressed display update; and   driver means for triggering a copy module to copy the display information from the buffer after the calculated time period elapses.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31  further comprising display means for writing display information to the buffer. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31  further comprising means for generating at least one bounding rectangle indicative of a region of change of the buffer as part of the display update. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 31  further comprising tracking means for tracking an amount of change to the buffer to determine if a period of time is a high update period. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 31  further comprising compression means for applying a lossless compression algorithm to the display update, during a period of time that is not a high update period, to create a lossless display update.