Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-12
2001-11-27
Saras, Steven (Department: 2675)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S678000, C345S157000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06323886
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image display system composed of an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse, a computer, and a display device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an image display system that is capable of adjusting position of an image in the horizontal and vertical directions.
Display devices used as a terminal for a computer vary in screen size and deflection frequency of a video signal to be displayed. With this respect, such display devices have been used that support various types of video signals. Some of these display devices provide optimum screen images for individual video signals by means of using a microcomputer and/or a memory LSI.
A first prior art is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 1-321475. An image display system according to the first prior art comprises a memory that stores image display position information and display size information for each image signal. The memory is controlled by, for example, a microcomputer. More specifically, the microcomputer reads out of the memory the image display position information and the display size information, as read-out information, that are optimum for an incoming video signal and controls a component or components such as a deflection circuit for the display device in accordance with the read-out information.
On the other hand, the incoming video signal to the display device may have an unknown type. The memory stores no information about such an unknown video signal. Under such circumstances, adjustment buttons on, for example, a front surface of the display device are used to input information for adjusting the image display position and the screen size. The microcomputer produces control information for deflection and others based on the adjustment information supplied and performs adjustment.
A second prior art is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 5-232918. The second prior art produces a control signal for a display device with the control signal being superposed on a video signal or a synchronization signal. The display device comprises a control signal extraction circuit and a control circuit. The extraction circuit extracts the control signal superposed on the video signal or the synchronization signal. The control circuit adjusts a video circuit or a deflection circuit in accordance with an extracted control signal.
Various methods including the above-mentioned first and second prior arts have been known for adjusting a typical display device and examples include methods for displaying an on-screen adjustment menu on the screen and methods for displaying an adjustment menu as an application program on an operation system. These adjustment menu requires an operator to depress a certain button or buttons on the front surface of the display device or to click a certain icon designated by the application program with a mouse pointer for the adjustment.
In the first prior art, controls of the image display position and the screen size are all managed by the display device itself. An operator should leave his or her hand from the input device such as a keyboard or a mouse connected to the computer and touch the adjustment button on the display device for adjustment, if required. This is often an onerous operation.
The second prior art allows operation of the display device with the input device such as a keyboard connected to the computer. However, such control with the keyboard requires combination of alphanumeric character keys to enter a command. Therefore, commanding operation with the keyboard is somewhat onerous and takes a relatively long time for proper control of the display device.
Display devices that support display of a typical adjustment menu permit only the adjustment in a single direction at a time such as in the horizontal or the vertical direction. The adjustment in one direction follows the additional adjustment in the other direction, which takes a relatively long time.
Furthermore, a control circuit for image adjustment should be provided in the computer for the adjustment of the image display system with the input device such as a keyboard or a mouse. Such a circuit complicates the configuration of the entire system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image display system in which various conditions including an image display position and a screen size for a display device may be adjusted directly with an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image display system of which display screen may be adjusted with an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse, without touching a display device.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an image display system that may be combined with a mouse button for easy choice of an adjustment item and control of, for example, contrast and brightness.
An image display system according to the present invention comprises an input device for producing information containing position information; a display device for displaying an image; and an output device for supplying a video signal to the display device.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, the input device is connected to the display device and produces, as the position information, the information indicative of the amount and the direction of displacement of an image. The display device comprises an information analyzing unit for analyzing output information produced by the input device for the amount and the direction of displacement, and a setting unit for producing and setting information indicative of a new video display position in accordance with reference information and the amount and the direction of displacement analyzed by the information analyzing unit, the reference information being information stored in the display device as a current video display position.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the input device comprises a switch device for use in connecting the input device to either one of the output device and the display device. The input device produces, as the position information, the information indicative of the amount and the direction of displacement of an image. The display device comprises an information analyzing unit for analyzing output information produced by the input device for the amount and the direction of displacement, and a setting unit for producing and setting information indicative of a new video display position in accordance with reference information and the amount and the direction of displacement analyzed by the information analyzing unit, the reference information being information stored in the display device as a current video display position.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the image display system comprises a plurality of input devices. The input devices are each connected to the display device. The display device is connected with the output device via a connecting cord to transmit output information produced by the input devices. Each input device has a function to select and produce either one of an identification ID for the output device and an identification ID for the display device in order to designate a destination of the output information, and a function to add a selected identification ID to the output information. The display device comprises an information analyzing unit for determining, in response to the output information from the input devices, the destination of the output information by means of looking up the identification ID supplied by the input devices, and a plurality of output units for use in supplying, to the output device, the output information from which the identification ID is removed when the output device is determined as the destination of the output information. The information analyzing unit has a function to analyze the output information for the amount and the direction of displacement when the display device is determined as the destin
Foley & Lardner
NEC Corporation
Saras Steven
Spencer William C.
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