Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-04
2004-10-12
Huynh, Ba (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S661000, C382S298000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06803931
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of computers and image display devices having graphically-oriented user interfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of computers and image display devices having graphically-oriented user interfaces through which the display of an image is graphically controlled.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Image display devices are used to display both still images and moving video images, which are generated by or stored locally within the image display device or received from an external source device. A still or video frame image will herein be referred to collectively as an image. Typically, the image display device displays the image or series of images within an image display window, which takes up either all or a portion of the display area of the image display device. An image display device can include one or more image display windows in which images are displayed.
Image display devices include both televisions and personal computer (PC) monitors. Existing televisions and PC monitors are different. Televisions generally have a medium display resolution capability and several analog interfaces for receiving input signals, such as a composite video interface, an s-video interface, and a radio frequency interface for radio frequency signals received over coaxial cable. Although, televisions are advancing in their ability to display increasingly higher resolutions of video and graphic data, consumer video resolution has changed little over time. While the picture tube of PC monitors is based on consumer television technology, PC monitors or displays have different resolution requirements than consumer televisions, due to the need for PC monitors to have the ability to display legible small text and fine lines for detailed work. To meet this need, PC monitors have a higher resolution than consumer televisions and very different high bandwidth interfaces, such as Video Graphics Array (VGA), Super VGA (SVGA) and RGB. In most modern computer systems an operating system provides a graphical interface for the computer user. The user can run application programs, manipulate files, and perform most other necessary functions through this graphical interface by manipulating images on the computer's display. This manipulation is accomplished by using cursor control keys and other keyboard keys or by using a cursor controlling peripheral device such as a joystick, mouse or trackball.
A schematic block diagram of a typical configuration including an external image source
10
and a host computer system
20
is illustrated in FIG.
1
. The external image source
10
is coupled to an interface port
28
of the computer system
20
by a bus or cable for transmitting image or video data to the computer system
20
for display. The host computer system
20
, illustrated in
FIG. 1
, is exemplary only and includes a central processor unit (CPU)
42
, a main memory
30
, a video display adapter
22
such as a graphics adapter (VGA) card, a mass storage device
32
and an interface circuit
28
, all coupled together by a conventional bidirectional system bus
34
. The mass storage device
32
may include both fixed and removable media using any one or more of magnetic, optical or magneto-optical storage technology or any other available mass storage technology. The system bus
34
contains an address bus for addressing any portion of the memory
30
. The system bus
34
also includes a data bus for transferring data between and among the CPU
42
, the main memory
30
, the display adapter
22
, the mass storage device
32
and the interface circuit
28
.
The host computer system
20
is also coupled to a number of peripheral input and output devices including the keyboard
38
, the mouse
40
and the associated display
36
. The keyboard
38
is coupled to the computer system via a keyboard/mouse interface
46
for allowing a user to input data and control commands into the computer system
20
. A conventional mouse
40
is coupled to the keyboard
38
for manipulating graphic images on the display
36
as a cursor control device. Alternatively, as is known in the art, the mouse
40
is coupled directly to the computer system
20
through a serial port.
The display adapter
22
interfaces between the components within the computer system
20
and the display
36
. The display adapter
22
converts data received from the components within the computer system
20
into signals which are used by the display
36
to generate images for display in one or more image display windows.
To control the display of a single image or a stream of images, such as a video stream, on an image display device, such as the display
36
, a user typically has to manually change control parameters of the image display device or particular image display window, such as resolution or magnification, either on the display device
36
, or within the application program providing the image to be displayed or operating the image display window. Another conventional method of changing parameters such as resolution or magnification is to use zoom control features to zoom in or zoom out on the image itself. However, when using such zoom control features, and the image is magnified to be bigger than the display window, the user then also has to use separate positional controls on the edge of the display window to display different portions of the image. There is currently a lack of image display devices which allow easy control of display parameters such as zoom and magnification to control the display of an image within an image display window.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A graphical user interface (GUI) graphically corresponds to an image display window through which a single image or a stream of images or video frames are displayed. The GUI includes a zoom control box having an inner region positioned within an outer region. The inner region and outer region could be rectangular, oval, or other shape. The size of the inner region relative to the outer region represents the magnification of the portion of the image being displayed within the image display window. The magnification of the image being displayed is increased by using a cursor control device to position a cursor within the inner region and clicking the cursor control device. The magnification of the image being displayed is decreased by using the cursor control device to position the cursor outside of the inner rectangle region but inside of the outer rectangle region and clicking the cursor control device. As the magnification is increased or decreased, the size of the inner region relative to the outer region is changed accordingly. A magnification factor is also displayed within the inner region to display a numeric representation of the current magnification. The position of the inner region within the outer region represents the portion of the entire image being displayed within the image display window. The portion of the image being displayed within the image display window is changed by clicking and dragging the inner region to the desired position within the outer region using the cursor control device.
In one aspect of the present invention, a graphical user interface for controlling magnification of and portion of an original image displayed within an image display window includes an outer region representing the original image and an inner region positioned within the outer region, wherein a size of the inner region relative to the outer region represents the magnification of the original image being displayed within the image display window. A position of the inner region within the outer region represents the portion of the original image being displayed within the image display window. The size and position of the inner region relative to the outer region is changed in response to input commands. The size of the inner region is decreased when an input command is entered selecting the inner region. The size of the inner region is increased when an input command is e
Raposo R. Paul
Roman Kendyl A.
Sprague Todd K.
Waidhofer Ben
Huynh Ba
Roman Kendyl A.
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