Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Touch panel
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-12
2002-11-05
Nguyen, Chanh (Department: 2675)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Touch panel
Reexamination Certificate
active
06476796
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device for displaying information input thereto. It is particularly, but not exclusively, concerned with the recognition and display of hand written characters and figures.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
It is known to provide a device for recognising hand-written characters and figures, and inputting recognised characters to a computer system. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,677 there is shown a character and figure processing apparatus in which characters are input via a suitable stylus to an input tablet, and that input tablet then transmits information concerning the character to a computer. That computer then recognises the character, and the character may then be displayed on the computer screen. Thus, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,677, the input table replaces the computer keyboard. A similar input tablet is shown in Japanese patent application laid-open number 58-144287.
In the above two disclosures, the processor and display for recognising the character, and the display screen for processing and displaying the character are the processor and the display of a standard computer. However, it is also known to combine the computer and display screen in a composite device. An example of this is shown in GB 2193827, in which an input screen and a display screen are bonded together and connected to a micro-computer. The input screen detects the physical contact of a stylus therewith, and generates information concerning the position of contact which is transmitted to the micro-computer. That micro-computer analyses the positional information to recognise the character being written on the input screen, and the recognised character is then transmitted to the display screen. The device shown in GB 2193827 may also have an output interface for connecting the display device to an external computer. Other examples of the integration together of a character input pad and a display screen are shown in e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 468,804, DE 351353, U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,354, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,720.
However, when such a display device is connected to an external computer, there are limitations on the performance thereof. With the arrangement of GB 2193827, information input to the input screen thereof can be readily transmitted to the external computer. However, it is not readily possible to transmit screen information from the computer to the display device, to enable the screen device to be used as a screen of an external computer. If a standard interface was used, such as an RS232C interface, then transmission of screen information from the external computer to the display device will be slow. An RS232C interface serially transmits coding data using a predetermined protocol. This protocol requires a large amount of time for transmission, and therefore it is not readily possible to use the screen of the display device as the screen of the computer.
It should also be mentioned that it is known from Japanese patent application laid-open number 63-1187887 to provide a display system which combines video information from a computer and from a separate display device. However, in that system, there is simply switching between the two types of inputs to the screen of the device, and that screen is a simple one, with the computer having its own separate input.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has been appreciated, that since a standard computer produces a video signal for transmission to a standard screen (e.g. CRT, VDU. etc), transmission of information to form a display from an external computer to a display device may be facilitated if the display device has an input for receiving a video signal from the external computer. The display device may then process that video input and display it on the screen.
The screen of the display device can then carry out two functions. It may carry out e.g. a character input function by permitting suitable contact of the input of the screen, for example a touch pad mounted on the display of the screen to generate a display, but the screen may also display information from an external computer.
Furthermore, input to the display device e.g. from the touch pad may also be used to modify the display of the video information from the external computer. Thus, the display device may provide a text editing system in which text from an external computer is displayed on the screen of the display device, and then by providing a suitable input to a selected part of the screen, the text of that part may be edited, with the display device recognising the input corresponding to a particular editing operation.
If the display device also carries out the function of character recognition, it is then possible to amend the text by addition of further characters. However, the video input is preferably stored in a memory, as is information corresponding to the input to the display device. Then, that stored data may be combined by a suitable synthesis means to form a composite display on the screen of the display device from e.g. the touch pad. For example, a window may be created adjacent or overlapping the display of the video input from the external computer, and by providing a suitable input to the part of the touch pad corresponding to that window, the display of the video input may be changed.
Thus, when a display device according to the present invention is connected to an external computer, information from that external computer is synthesized and displayed on a screen of the display device, by suitable video interface means, and screen synthesis means. Thus, screen information from the display device itself, and screen information from the external computer may be superimposed, with the information from the two working environments shown in a one-plane display. When a user provides an input to the screen of the display device, suitable window management means detects and activates suitable screen processing means of the display device. For example, the display device may recognise characters input to the screen. Similarly, when the user generates screen information via the external computer, this may be detected and the screen of the display device activated. The display device may be connected to that external computer so that all information from the display device is passed to that external computer, so that application software in the external computer may be used in conjunction with the information from the display device.
It should also be noted that, for some purposes, the display device may be disconnectable from the external computer, in which case the display device operates as a simple hand-held device. Then, it is desirable that the display device has a suitable memory (which may be detachable) for storing information input thereto, so that that information may be transmitted to a suitable extent of the computer at an appropriate time, and then information transmitted from that external computer to the display device for generating a suitable display. Thus, the present invention may be used as a portable hand-writing input/output device, but may also be used in conjunction with an external computer for e.g. business use.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4079450 (1978-03-01), Grimm et al.
patent: 4357624 (1982-11-01), Greenberg
patent: 5007085 (1991-04-01), Greanias et al.
Fukunaga Yasushi
Kuzunuki Soshiro
Miura Masaki
Shojima Hiroshi
Yokota Toshimi
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