Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Character generating
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-27
2001-11-13
Zimmerman, Mark (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Character generating
C345S215000, C112S102500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317129
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a display device in which a screen of displaying means for displaying a character string is scrolled and the character string is displayed in a selected one of a plurality of languages.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have conventionally been provided household sewing machines including a display section on the front of a main body of the machine. The display section is disposed to be longer horizontally than vertically. The display section displays, in the form of characters or figures, information about the sewing, for example, forms of stitches or a type of presser foot suitable for the sewing operation. A small number of characters can be displayed on the horizontally elongated display section when a character string is displayed thereon. That is, since the character string cannot sometimes be displayed at once on one screen of the display section, the screen is scrolled in a predetermined direction so that all the characters of the character string are viewed.
The character string is displayed on the display section in a language a user of the sewing machine uses. The prior art has provided sewing machines in which the language of the character string can be switched from one to another so that the sewing machines are used by users of various languages.
On one hand, the English, French or German alphabet is composed of characters with relatively simple configurations. Accordingly, the character sizes can be reduced so that the character string is displayed in two or more lines on the display section. On the other hand, Chinese characters used in the Japanese and Chinese languages have relatively complicated configurations. Accordingly, the Chinese characters cannot be recognized when reduced in their sizes. As a result, since the sizes of the Chinese characters need to be increased so as to be clearly recognized, the Chinese characters are displayed in one line on the display section.
In a case where the character string is displayed on two or more lines on the display section, the character string can easily be read when the screen is vertically scrolled. In a case where the character string is displayed on a single line, the character string can easily be read when the screen is horizontally scrolled. Thus, the character string displayed on the screen of the display section is sometimes read with difficulty when the screen is scrolled in one direction in the above two cases. This poses a problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a display device in which the screen of the display means displaying the character string is scrolled and the character string can clearly be recognized regardless of the character size.
The present invention provides a display device comprising language setting means for setting one of a plurality of languages, display means for displaying a character string in the set language in one of a plurality of character sizes previously set according to the set language, and scroll means for automatically scrolling a display screen of the display means in one of a plurality of directions previously set according to the character size of the character string while the display means is displaying the character string.
The number of lines of the character string displayed by the display means differs depending upon the character size. The display screen of the display means is scrolled in the predetermined direction according to the character size of the character string in the above-described arrangement. Consequently, the character string displayed by the display means can easily be recognized.
In a preferred form, the display means is longer horizontally than vertically. The display means can be rendered small-sized although the number of characters displayed on the entire screen of the display means at one time is reduced. Since they write from left to right in most of countries, the number of characters in one line is not reduced even when the display means is horizontally longer. Consequently, the displayed contents can be prevented from being obscure.
The displayed contents are understood more easily when the screen of the display means is not scrolled than when the screen is scrolled. The displayed contents become difficult to understand particularly when the display means is small-sized so that the number of displayed characters is small. In view of this, the display means preferably displays the character string and a figure simultaneously.
In another preferred form, the display means displays information about sewing. The figure preferably shows a form of a stitch. Some users may have difficulty in understanding the forms of stitches only from the names, “stitch for overcasting,” “stitch for applique,” and “scallop stitch.” In the preferred form, however, the form of stitch can easily be recognized.
In further another preferred form, the display means displays the character string in one or a plurality of lines according to the character size of the character string.
In further another preferred form, the scroll means scrolls the screen of the display means horizontally when the display means displays the character string in one line, and the scroll means scrolls the screen of the display means vertically when the display means displays the character string in a plurality of lines. Consequently, the character string displayed by the display means can further easily be understood.
In further another preferred form, the scroll means changes a scrolling time according to a direction in which the screen of the display means is scrolled. Consequently, the display screen can be scrolled for a period of time suitable for the size of characters of the displayed character string.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4225943 (1980-09-01), Busch
patent: 4519008 (1985-05-01), Takenouchi et al.
patent: 5619636 (1997-04-01), Sweat et al.
patent: 5778808 (1998-07-01), Hirata
patent: 5920317 (1999-07-01), McDonald
patent: 5945998 (1999-08-01), Eick
patent: 63-223864A (1988-09-01), None
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Sealey Lance W.
Zimmerman Mark
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