Bitmap-based display remoting protocol for small form-factor devices

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is labor-intensive and requires substantial processing power, making it unsuitable for small form-factor devices due to complex caching and rendering operations, which limits their use in implementing RDP-based clients.

Innovation Solution

A bitmap transfer-based display remoting protocol (SBTDRP) where a server translates rendering commands into simple bitmap transfer commands, directing a client to store and draw bitmaps from an offscreen surface to an onscreen surface, abstracting complex rendering and caching operations, and managing cache logic on the server side.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional RDP client implementation is used, then remote display functionality is achieved, but processing power requirements and device complexity increase substantially

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveremote display functionalityVSAvoidclient processing requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts complex rendering and caching operations from the client device and relocates them to the server. The server maintains graphical object caches and performs rendering operations, while the client only receives and displays pre-rendered bitmap data, dramatically reducing client processing requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a server-side rendering service as an intermediary between the application and the client device. This intermediary handles all complex graphical operations, cache management, and rendering tasks, allowing the client to remain simple while maintaining full remote display functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If conventional RDP with client-side caching is implemented, then graphical rendering is achieved, but development time and labor intensity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegraphical rendering qualityVSAvoidclient development effort
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts cache management logic and graphical object storage from the client application and places it entirely on the server. The server maintains caches for graphical objects, fonts, brushes, and other rendering resources, eliminating the need for clients to implement complex caching mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses server-side copies of graphical objects and rendering resources that can be efficiently distributed to multiple clients. The server maintains master copies of cached graphical objects and generates client-specific renderings as needed, reducing development complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Weight of moving object

If small form-factor devices are used as clients, then device portability is improved, but processing power for conventional RDP operations becomes insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveclient device portabilityVSAvoidprocessing capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts all computationally intensive rendering and caching operations from the client device and relocates them to the server. Small form-factor clients only perform lightweight bitmap display operations, making them compatible with low-power mobile devices while maintaining full remote desktop functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/computational rendering system at the client with a network-based bitmap transfer system. Instead of performing GDI operations and cache management locally, the client receives pre-processed bitmap data over the network, enabling operation on low-power devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2171606B1Bitmap-based display remoting
Publication Date: 2013.03.27 MICROSOFT CORP
  • EP2171606B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2171606B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2171606B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Bitmap transfer-based display remoting by a server coupled to a client is described. Specifically, an application executing on the server implements operations to render a portion of a graphical user interface (GUI). The server decomposes corresponding rendering-based command(s) into simple bitmap raster operations commands. The server sends the bitmap-based commands to the client. The client, responsive to receiving the commands, respectively stores and draws bitmaps from an offscreen display surface, as directed by the server, to an onscreen display surface to present the GUI portion to a user. Logic at the client to store and present the GUI portion are independent of any client-implemented display remoting cache management logic. The client operations are also independent of determinations and processing of graphical object semantics beyond bitmap semantics. Such management and semantic determinations and processing are implemented and maintained respectively at and by the server.