Graphics Context Window Management via GID Buffer

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Solution Overview

Problem

In graphical computing environments, managing large numbers of overlapping windows in safety-critical applications is complex and time-consuming, requiring efficient updates to maintain display accuracy within tight time bounds.

Innovation Solution

A system with fixed associations between graphics contexts and windows allows varying the target windows by adjusting these associations, enabling applications to direct display content to different windows without resizing, moving, or changing their layers, using a GID buffer to manage pixel layer priorities and rendering processes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If arbitrary overlapping window configurations are used in graphical computing environments, then window arrangement flexibility is improved, but update complexity and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewindow arrangement flexibilityVSAvoidupdate complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the window management system into distinct components: window manager logic, GID buffer, and application graphics contexts. This segmentation allows each component to handle specific tasks independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining flexible window arrangements through coordinated interaction between segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The GID buffer serves as an intermediary data structure between the window manager and the display rendering system. It mediates the complex relationships between overlapping windows by providing a standardized interface for managing window identifiers and layer information, thereby simplifying update operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If arbitrary overlapping window configurations are used, then display flexibility is improved, but time to account for changes and update display increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay flexibilityVSAvoidupdate time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing the GID buffer structure and window manager logic before actual window updates occur. This preparation enables rapid processing of window configuration changes during runtime, reducing update time while maintaining display flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes parameter changes in the GID buffer to efficiently represent window states. By modifying buffer parameters (such as window identifiers, layer information, and visibility flags) rather than reprocessing entire window configurations, the system achieves fast updates while preserving arbitrary window arrangements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If safety-critical constraints are enforced with time-bounded updates, then display accuracy protection is improved, but system flexibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay accuracy protectionVSAvoidsystem flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The window manager logic dynamically adjusts its operation mode based on safety-critical requirements. It can switch between detailed processing modes (for non-critical windows) and accelerated time-bounded modes (for safety-critical windows), thereby maintaining both display accuracy protection and system flexibility through adaptive behavior.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Device complexity

If fixed associations between graphics contexts and windows are used, then update simplicity is improved, but adaptability to change window targets decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate simplicityVSAvoidwindow target flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The GID buffer serves multiple functions: it stores window identifiers, manages layer information, tracks visibility states, and facilitates graphics context associations. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain simple update procedures while simultaneously supporting flexible reassociation of graphics contexts with different windows through the same unified interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8006196B2Multi-application graphic display environment

Publication Date: 2011.08.23 PRESAGIS USA INC

AI summary

Graphics information resulting from operation of applications is directed to a set of visible windows. A set of graphics contexts is provided having fixed associations with the applications. A set of variable associations is provided between the graphics contexts and the windows, so that varying the windows to which graphics information resulting from operation of the applications is directed is accomplished by varying the associations between the graphics contexts and the windows.