Advanced graphics driver architecture

Details Advanced graphics driver architecture Advanced graphics driver architecture

1994-12-15

1998-02-03

Oberley, Alvin E.

395501, G06F 1310

Patent

active

057154597

ABSTRACT:
Disclosed is a support architecture that facilitates use of display device drivers containing a minimum of hardware-specific software code. A driver need support only a relatively few common functions, which act as building blocks for the larger, more complex operations typically requested by graphics engines. In order to mediate between the limited-instruction-set device driver and the various higher-level graphics engines, the invention includes a series of translation modules that simplify engine-originated instructions into simpler graphic components. A video manager supervises routing of instructions to the specific drivers they designate, and serializes access to hardware components so that graphic commands execute atomically (i.e., without interruption). The invention also includes a graphics library containing device-level instruction sets, as well as the on-board capability to execute those commands, for a broad range of graphic operations. In this way, if the translation module is unable to decompose an engine-originated instruction into operations the driver is capable of performing, the invention can utilize the library as a default; this ensures that all graphics requests will ultimately be serviced.

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