Distributed graphics processing apparatus and method

1. A method of processing graphical data in a distributed system having a first computer including a first graphics hardware and a driver, and a second computer including a second graphics hardware, the driver producing a hardware call for controlling the operation of the second graphics hardware, the method comprising:

determining the type of the second graphics hardware;

establishing a virtual connection between the driver and the second graphics hardware based upon the determined type of the second graphics hardware; and

forwarding the hardware call to the second graphics hardware via the virtual connection, bypassing the first graphics hardware and without encoding the hardware call.

2. The method as defined by claim 1 further comprising intercepting the hardware call from the driver before forwarding it to the second graphics hardware via the virtual connection.

3. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein forwarding includes adding address information to the hardware call.

4. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein the virtual connection includes the Internet.

5. A computer program product for processing graphical data in a computer system having a first computer including a first graphics hardware and a driver, and a second computer including a second graphics hardware, the driver producing a hardware call for controlling the operation of the second graphics hardware, the computer program product comprising a tangible computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

program code for determining the type of the second graphics hardware;

program code for establishing a virtual connection between the driver and the second graphics hardware based upon the determined type of the second graphics hardware; and

program code for forwarding the hardware call to the second graphics hardware via the virtual connection, bypassing the first graphics hardware and without encoding the hardware call.

6. The computer program product as defined by claim 5 further comprising program code for intercepting the hardware call from the driver before forwarding it to the second graphics hardware via the virtual connection.

7. The computer program product as defined by claim 5 wherein the program code for forwarding includes program code for adding address information to the hardware call.

8. The computer program product as defined by claim 5 wherein the virtual connection includes the Internet.

9. An apparatus including at least one processor for processing graphical data in a distributed system having a first computer including a first graphics hardware and a driver, and a second computer including a second graphics hardware, the driver producing a hardware call for controlling the operation of the second graphics hardware, the apparatus comprising:

a call detector for detecting the hardware call produced by the driver;

a hardware type module configured to determine the type of the second graphics hardware;

a connector operatively coupled with the call detector, the connector being configured to form a virtual connection between the driver and the second graphics hardware based upon the type of the second graphics hardware determined by the hardware type module, after the call detector detects the hardware call produced by the driver; and

a call forwarder comprising hardware operatively coupled with the connector, the call forwarder being configured to forward the hardware call to the second graphics hardware via the virtual connection, bypassing the first graphics hardware and without encoding the hardware call.

10. The apparatus as defined by claim 9 further comprising an interceptor configured to intercept the hardware call from the driver before the call forwarder forwards it to the second graphics hardware via the virtual connection.

11. The apparatus as defined by claim 9 further including an addresser configured to add address information to the hardware call.

12. The apparatus as defined by claim 9 wherein the virtual connection includes the Internet.

13. A method of processing graphical data in a system having a first device including a first driver and a second device including a second driver and graphics hardware, the first driver producing a hardware call for controlling the operation of the graphics hardware, the method comprising:

receiving a query to establish a virtual connection between the first driver and the graphics hardware;

determining the type of the graphics hardware that is associated with the query;

establishing the virtual connection between the first driver and the graphics hardware based on the determined type of the graphics hardware;

receiving the hardware call via the virtual connection; and

enabling the graphics hardware to process the hardware call, bypassing the second driver and without decoding the hardware call.

14. The method as defined by claim 13 wherein enabling includes forwarding the hardware call to the graphics hardware.

15. The method as defined by claim 13 wherein enabling includes storing the hardware call in memory that is accessible by the graphics hardware.

16. The method as defined by claim 13 further including forwarding a confirmation message to the first driver, the confirmation message having information indicating that the graphics hardware is a specific type of graphics hardware.

17. The method as defined by claim 13 wherein the virtual connection includes the Internet.

18. A computer program product for processing graphical data in a computer system having a first device including a first driver, and a second device including a second driver and graphics hardware, the first driver producing a hardware call for controlling the operation of the graphics hardware, the computer program product comprising a tangible computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

program code for receiving a query to establish a virtual connection between the first driver and the graphics hardware;

program code for determining the type of the graphics hardware that is associated with the query;

program code for establishing the virtual connection between the first driver and the graphics hardware based on the determined type of the graphics hardware;

program code for receiving the hardware call via the virtual connection; and

program code for enabling the graphics hardware to process the hardware call, bypassing the second driver and without decoding the hardware call.

19. The computer program product as defined by claim 18 wherein the program code for enabling includes program code for forwarding the hardware call to the graphics hardware.

20. The computer program product as defined by claim 18 wherein the program code for enabling includes program code for storing the hardware call in memory that is accessible by the graphics hardware.

21. The computer program product as defined by claim 18 further including program code for forwarding a confirmation message to the first driver, the confirmation message having information indicating that the graphics hardware is a specific type of graphics hardware.

22. The computer program product as defined by claim 18 wherein the virtual connection includes the Internet.

23. An apparatus including at least one processor for processing graphical data in a system having a first computer including a first driver, and a second computer including a second driver and graphics hardware, the first driver producing a hardware call for controlling the operation of the graphics hardware, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a query to establish a virtual connection between the first driver and the graphics hardware;

a hardware type module operatively coupled with the receiving means, the hardware type module being configured to determine the type of graphics hardware that is associated with the query;

a connector configured to establish the virtual connection between the first driver and the graphics hardware based on the determined type of the graphics hardware; and

a hardware interface configured to receive the hardware call via the virtual connection, the graphics hardware being operatively coupled with the interface to receive the hardware call, bypassing the second driver and without decoding the hardware call.

24. The apparatus as defined by claim 23 further including a forwarding module configured to forward the hardware call to the graphics hardware.

25. The apparatus as defined by claim 23 further including memory for storing the hardware call, the memory being accessible by the graphics hardware.

26. The apparatus as defined by claim 23 further wherein the connector is configured to forward a confirmation message to the first driver, the confirmation message having information indicating that the graphics hardware is a specific type of graphics hardware.

27. The apparatus as defined by claim 23 wherein the virtual connection includes the Internet.