Abstract: A visual server system (10) includes a visual server (12) that provides graphics images through execution of a graphics application (20). A local terminal (16) may interact with the graphics application (20) through a server application (30) in response to possession of input control. A remote client terminal (14) may interact with the graphics application (20) through a session application (22) in response to possession of the input control. The input control is passed between the local terminal (16) and the remote client terminal (14) in order to provide collaboration of a graphics session. The local terminal (16) and the remote client terminal (14) receive the same view of the graphics application (20). Interactions with the graphics application (20) performed by either the local terminal (16) or the remote client terminal (14) are viewable by the other terminal.

Abstract: An image pipeline (60) provides image data to a capture unit (61). The capture unit (61) generates a frame from the image data for compression by a compression unit (64). A frame spoiler (62) determines whether the frame is to be discarded prior to compression by the compression unit (64). An output buffer (66) to a network link provides an output indication to the frame spoiler (62) indicating that the output buffer (66) is congested. The frame spoiler (62) discards the frame in accordance with the output indication. Similarly, an input buffer (63) to the compression unit (64) provides an input indication to the frame spoiler (62) indicating that the input buffer (63) is congested. The frame spoiler (62) may discard the frame in accordance with the input indication or in accordance with a combination of the input indication and the output indication.

Abstract: A visual server system (10) includes a server (12) having a graphics application (20). The graphics application (20) generates image content and position information. The server (12) streams the image content and the position information for transport over a network link. A plurality of remote clients (14) can receive the image content and position information from the server (12) over the network link. Each of the plurality of remote clients (14) may provide input parameters to the graphics application (20). The input parameters can provide adjustments to the image content and position information provided to each of the plurality of remote clients (14). The graphics application (20) selects from among the input parameters provided by the plurality of remote clients (14) for adjusting the image content and the position information provided to the remote clients (14).

Abstract: A visual server system (10) includes a visual server (12) that provides graphics images through execution of a graphics application (20). The server (12) includes a plurality of compression modules (28) that compress frames of a served visual for transport to a client terminal (14). The compression modules (28) keep track of differences between successive frames of a served visual and compress and transport only those differences to the client terminal (14). In this manner, traffic can be reduced on the network link between the server (12) and the client terminal (14) and a reduction in latency is achieved to enhance the interactive ability for the served visual. The client terminal (14) includes decompression modules (42) that can recreate the served visual in response to receipt of an update to the served visual which contains only the differences between successive frames.

Abstract: A visual server system (10) includes a visual server (12) that provides graphics images through execution of a graphics application (20). The graphics images are compressed by a compression unit (63) according to compression modules (28). The server can detect an event associated with any of the graphics images. Upon detecting the event, the server generates a message that controls the compression unit (63) and the compression modules (28) in compressing the graphics images. Compression of the graphics images is adjusted according to the message generated by the server (12). The message is also provided to the appropriate decompression unit (72) and decompression modules (42) in order to control decompression of the graphics images. In this manner, dynamic control of compression and decompression of an image stream are achieved.

Abstract: A visual server system (10) includes a server (12) having a graphics application (20). The graphics application (20) generates image content and position information. The server (12) streams the image content and the position information for transport over a network link. A plurality of remote clients (14) can receive the image content and position information from the server (12) over the network link. Each of the plurality of remote clients (14) may provide input parameters to the graphics application (20). The input parameters can provide adjustments to the image content and position information provided to each of the plurality of remote clients (14). The graphics application (20) selects from among the input parameters provided by the plurality of remote clients (14) for adjusting the image content and the position information provided to the remote clients (14).

Abstract: The present invention provides texture roaming via dimension elevation. A degree elevated texture is used to contain level of detail (LOD) levels (or tiles) of a clip-map across a degree elevated coordinate space. For example, a three-dimensional (3D) texture is used for two-dimensional (2D) clip-mapping, a four-dimensional (4D) texture is used for 3D clip-mapping, and a 2D texture is used for one-dimensional (1D) clip-mapping. Once the levels of a clip-map are placed in an extra dimension coordinate space, the extra dimension texture coordinate value can be computed based on clip-mapping rules.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a image, where the image comprises both a graphical user interface (GUI) and a subject graphics image. A first graphics pipeline renders the subject graphics image. A second graphics pipeline renders the GUI graphics data. A compositor then composites together the rendered subject graphics data that is produced by the first graphics pipeline, and the rendered GUI graphics data that is produced by the second graphics pipeline.

Abstract: The present invention provides texture roaming via dimension elevation. A degree elevated texture is used to contain level of detail (LOD) levels (or tiles) of a clip-map across a degree elevated coordinate space. For example, a three-dimensional (3D) texture is used for two-dimensional (2D) clip-mapping, a four-dimensional (4D) texture is used for 3D clip-mapping, and a 2D texture is used form one-dimensional (1D) clip-mapping. Once the levels of a clip-map are placed in an extra dimension coordinate space, the extra dimension texture coordinate value can be computed based on clip-mapping rules.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product is presented for simulating a system of hardware components. Each component is simulated in a hardware definition language such as VERILOG. Each component is represented as a simulated device under test (DUT) that is incorporated into a simulation module. The invention synchronizes the simulation modules by issuing clock credit to each simulation module. Each simulation module can only operate when clock credit is available, and can only operate for some number of clock cycles corresponding to the value of the clock credit. Operation is said to consume the clock credit. After a simulation module has consumed its clock credit, its DUT halts. Once every simulation module has consumed its clock credit and halted, another clock credit can be issued. This allows checkpointing of the operation of each DUT and simulates parallelism of the DUTs using executable images of manageable size.

Abstract: A system and method for generating a image, where the image comprises both a graphical user interface (GUI) and a subject graphics image. A first graphics pipeline renders the subject graphics image. A second graphics pipeline renders the GUI graphics data. A compositor then composites together the rendered subject graphics data that is produced by the first graphics pipeline, and the rendered GUI graphics data that is produced by the second graphics pipeline.