Patents by Inventor Jeffrey J Walls

Jeffrey J Walls has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6700580
    Abstract: A system for rendering graphical data utilizes a plurality of frame buffers, a plurality of graphics pipelines, a compositor, and logic. The plurality of graphics pipelines are configured to receive graphics commands and to render graphical data to each of the plurality of frame buffers based on the received graphics commands. The compositor is configured to receive a control signal and to interface the graphical data with a display device based on the control signal. The logic is configured to analyze the graphics commands and to make a determination, based on the graphics commands, as to which pixels defined by the graphical data are associated with three-dimensional (3D) regions. The logic is further configured to transmit the control signal to the compositor, wherein the control signal is based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin T. Lefebvre, Jeffrey J. Walls, Jim Schinnerer
  • Patent number: 6683614
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically configuring graphics pipelines by tracking a region of interest in a computer graphical display system is disclosed. The method comprises receiving updated definitional information on a selected region of interest of a display device of the computer graphical display system in response to a change in definition of the selected region of interest and automatically configuring the plurality of graphics pipelines relative to the selected region of interest based at least in part on the updated definitional information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Walls, Donley B. Hoffman, Kevin T. Lefebvre
  • Publication number: 20030164833
    Abstract: A system rendering graphical data from a graphics application utilizes a plurality of frame buffers, a plurality of graphics pipelines, and logic. Each of the graphics pipelines is configured to render graphical data to a different one of the frame buffers. The logic is configured to determine a mode of operation of the graphics application and to prevent, based on the mode of operation of the graphics application, at least one of the graphics pipelines from rendering the graphical data from the graphics application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Walls, Don B. Hoffman, Per E. Gullberg, Kevin T. Lefebvre
  • Publication number: 20030164834
    Abstract: A system for rendering graphical data utilizes a plurality of frame buffers, a plurality of graphics pipelines, a compositor, and logic. The plurality of graphics pipelines are configured to receive graphics commands and to render graphical data to each of the plurality of frame buffers based on the received graphics commands. The compositor is configured to receive a control signal and to interface the graphical data with a display device based on the control signal. The logic is configured to analyze the graphics commands and to make a determination, based on the graphics commands, as to which pixels defined by the graphical data are associated with three-dimensional (3D) regions. The logic is further configured to transmit the control signal to the compositor, wherein the control signal is based on the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Kevin T. Lefebvre, Jeffrey J. Walls, Jim Schinnerer
  • Publication number: 20030158886
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for configuring a plurality of networked slave computers to cooperate to collectively render a display. The method operates by specifying, at a master computer, compatible operating configuration for each of the plurality of slave computers, and communicating, across the network, the specified configuration to each of the plurality of slave computers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Walls, Janie Amelia Ledet, Paul Michael Anderson
  • Publication number: 20030128216
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically configuring graphics pipelines by tracking a region of interest in a computer graphical display system is disclosed. The method comprises receiving updated definitional information on a selected region of interest of a display device of the computer graphical display system in response to a change in definition of the selected region of interest and automatically configuring the plurality of graphics pipelines relative to the selected region of interest based at least in part on the updated definitional information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Walls, Donley B. Hoffman, Kevin T. Lefebvre
  • Publication number: 20030117441
    Abstract: A system and method for configuring a plurality of graphics pipelines in a computer graphical display system is disclosed. The method comprises displaying a graphical user interface to enable a user to graphically specify at least one parameter for a plurality of pipe rectangles of the computer graphical display system, each of the plurality of pipe rectangles being associated with at least one of the plurality of graphics pipelines, receiving the at least one parameter, and updating a compositor of the computer graphical display system in real-time based at least in part on the at least one parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Walls, James A. Schinnerer, Jason A. Daughenbaugh, Donley B. Hoffman, Kevin T. Lefebvre
  • Patent number: 6348933
    Abstract: A single logical screen display system includes a client process, a master server process and plural slave server processes. Each of the slave server processes runs on a separate remote computer system. The master server process maintains network connections with the client process and with each of the slave server processes. The client process issues single logical screen window system requests to the master server process. The master server process issues physical screen window system requests to the slave server processes. Each slave server process controls one of a plurality of physical display devices. The plural physical display devices comprise a composite display on which the single logical screen appears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Walls, Gregory R. Allen, Derek J. Lukasik
  • Patent number: 6215486
    Abstract: A method for handling events in an X Window System environment is disclosed. First and second events are detected in first and second server processes, respectively. First event data corresponding to the first event is stored in a first event cache associated with the first server process. Second event data corresponding to the second event is stored in a second event cache associated with the second server process. The first and second server processes are polled to determine whether they have detected any events. If it is determined that both the first and second server processes have detected events, the first and second event data is requeted from the first and second server processes. The first and second event data is coalesced into coalesced event data. The coalesced event data is delivered to a client process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Walls, Gregory R. Allen, Derek J. Lukasik
  • Patent number: 6088005
    Abstract: A system and method for a computer system to recognize and initialize an arrangement of a plurality of physical monitors as a single logical screen (SLS). The invention translates a user's window operation request directed to the SLS into an SLS function. The SLS function is then translated into a plurality of device dependent functions, each of which performs the user's requested window operation on one physical monitor. The translation of the SLS function comprises an unwrapping of the SLS function by removing the SLS function and installing the plurality of device dependent functions, and the wrapping of the plurality of device dependent functions by removing the plurality of device dependent functions and installing the SLS function. The invention implements each of the unwrapping and wrapping operations in two assignment instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Walls, Ian A. Elliott, John Marks
  • Patent number: 6084553
    Abstract: A system and method for a computer system to recognize and initialize an arrangement of a plurality of physical monitors as a single logical screen (SLS). The invention translates a user's window operation request directed to the SLS into an SLS function. The SLS function is then translated into a plurality of device dependent functions, each of which performs the user's requested window operation on one physical monitor. The translation of the SLS function comprises an unwrapping of the SLS function by removing the SLS function and installing the plurality of device dependent functions, and the wrapping of the plurality of device dependent functions by removing the plurality of device dependent functions and installing the SLS function. The invention implements each of the unwrapping and wrapping operations in two assignment instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Walls, Ian A. Elliott, John Marks
  • Patent number: 5848410
    Abstract: To improve access to documents in a large database, such as the World Wide Web of the Internet or a group intranet, a continuously updated computer organization and display system, and a method for such an organization and display system, is provided to quickly locate desired documents without generating references to undesired documents, and to quickly allow a user to determine if any documents of interest are available. In one embodiment, such organization and display system includes data structures for storing and processing information extracted from the header lines of web pages in file systems chosen by a user. Linked lists are created in such data structures to allow rapid construction and display of an alphabetical index of keywords from such header lines, each keyword having associated with it a title extracted from the same web-page header. The alphabetical index by keywords may be displayed on a file that permits the user readily to jump to a desired location in the alphabetical index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Walls, David J. Sweetser