Virtual Display via Dual Frame Buffer for Radiology Workstations
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Solution Overview
Problem
In radiology workstations, the need for additional high-end diagnostic displays is often hindered by budget and space constraints, as non-diagnostic applications require separate displays that are not always feasible to install.
Innovation Solution
A system generates a virtual display on an existing monitor using a second frame buffer, allowing content from both buffers to overlap and be displayed simultaneously without requiring additional hardware, utilizing a display controller and graphics processing unit to combine and manage the frames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an additional physical display is installed to run non-diagnostic applications, then the functionality and versatility of the workstation is improved, but the cost and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual display by adding a temporal dimension to the display system. Instead of adding a second physical display in space, the system uses double buffering to create two independent frame buffers (front and back buffers) that are sequentially rendered and swapped, effectively creating a second display workspace in the time domain. This allows non-diagnostic applications to run in a virtual display area without requiring additional physical space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of a physical display by implementing a frame buffer system that mimics the behavior of a second physical monitor. The back buffer serves as a copy of the display memory, allowing applications to render to this virtual display just as they would to a physical one. This virtual copy provides the necessary functionality without requiring actual hardware duplication.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an additional physical display is installed to run non-diagnostic applications, then the versatility of the workstation is improved, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the existing physical display serve multiple functions simultaneously. The single display hardware is used to show both diagnostic images and non-diagnostic applications through the virtual display technology. The frame buffer system allows the display to function as both a primary diagnostic display and a secondary application display, eliminating the need to purchase additional display hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing display hardware and memory resources to create the virtual display functionality. Rather than requiring external additional hardware, the workstation leverages its existing graphics processing capabilities and memory to generate the second display output, making the system self-sufficient.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple frame buffers are used to create a virtual display, then the functionality is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display memory into distinct frame buffer regions (front buffer and back buffer), each handling specific rendering tasks. This segmentation allows independent management of different display content without interfering with each other, simplifying the overall control logic despite the added functionality. Each buffer can be managed separately by the graphics processing unit.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system is provided for generating a virtual display (21) that is displayed on an existing display (2) using a memory of a device as a frame buffer for the virtual display. The virtual display may use random access memory (RAM) or memory of the graphics processing unit (GPU) of the device (e.g. a computer) as a second frame buffer (17) to generate the frames displayed in the virtual display. The virtual display is not a physical display and, thus, does not require any additional hardware or physical space. Rather, the virtual display is displayed on the existing display. The existing display is also used to display the frames generated in a first frame buffer (16).