Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Computer graphics processing – Graphic manipulation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-09
2002-04-02
Jankus, Almis R. (Department: 2671)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Computer graphics processing
Graphic manipulation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06366295
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image display device for an information processing system, and more particularly to an image display device having a display screen which is small relative to the size of the entire source image, such as one used in small-sized and inexpensive information processing systems, including a tape printing apparatus.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, the small-sized and inexpensive information processing systems of the above-mentioned kind have been capable of processing only image data which is smaller in size than that processed by a personal computer of a general type or the like, and hence images displayed on such a display device have been small in size. However, recently, as technology has advanced, an information processing system which is small-sized and inexpensive and that is capable of processing a very large volume of image data has become available. The display device of this type of system is also required to be capable of displaying large-sized images.
The display device for the information processing system of the above-mentioned kind is limited as to the size and the number of dots available on the display screen, due to size and cost constraints. Therefore, the present assignee has proposed an image display for a tape printing apparatus, which displays the whole image by reducing the size of the original image such that the image can be easily recognized in its entirety even when a display screen which is small relative to the size of the original image is used (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 6-115224 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 7-125374, for instance).
In general, however, the resolution of this kind of display is lower than that of the image actually printed, and has a smaller number of dots even when the size of the display screen is equivalent to that of the printed image. Therefore, the image is required to be displayed using thinned dots, which tends to corrupt the image. For instance, in the tape printing apparatus mentioned above, even when character images (the term “unit image” is defined to denote any image of a character, a numeral, a symbol, a figure or the like) are arranged to form print image data. (basic image data) of about 256 dots in the direction of the width thereof to be printed on a tape having a width of 24 mm, if they are displayed on a small image screen having approximately the same size (about 3 cm), each unit image displayed is hard to view or recognize since the display screen normally has only 64 dots, and hence the dot size of 256 dots of an image is an upper limit at which contents of individual unit images can be viewed or recognized on such a small screen which has a size of approximately 3 cm and is capable of displaying approximately 64 dots (see
FIGS. 43A
to
44
B).
However, in the above-mentioned tape printing apparatus, wider tapes tend to be used as print materials, and if the basic image data adapted to such wide tapes having 521 dots or 1024 dots in the direction of the width is displayed on the display screen, not only contents of individual unit images but also the layout of images cannot be confirmed (see FIGS.
45
A and
45
B). It is expected that as the width of a tape increases, that is, as the size of printable image data becomes larger and more diversified, the necessity of viewing the contents and layout of the unit images becomes more and more important. Further, this necessity presents a problem requiring a solution, not only in the case of a tape printing apparatus but also in other information processing systems which are small-sized and inexpensive, such as a small-sized stamp making apparatus in which viewing and confirmation of images is required for making a stamp having a larger stamp face than that which can be displayed on a small display screen.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the invention to provide an image display device and method which is improved in usefulness and operability in that even with a display screen small-sized relative to the size of a displayed image, the contents, layout, etc. of unit images forming the displayed image, at desired locations, can be easily viewed through relatively simple operations.
To attain the above object, according a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an image display device including:
input means for inputting various commands and data;
display means having a display screen;
basic image data storage means for storing part or whole of basic image data formed of a dot matrix; and
display control means responsive to a corresponding one of the various commands input by the input means for converting a portion of the basic image data in a display range to display image data to display the display image data on the display screen.
The image display device according to the first aspect of the invention is characterized in that the input means comprises:
start command means for inputting a start command for starting an automatic scroll process for automatically continuously shifting the display range in a scrolling manner in a predetermined one of upward, downward, leftward and rightward directions on the basic image data, and
change command means for inputting a proportion change command for changing a proportion between a size of the display image data and a size of the basic image data, at or before a start of the automatic scroll process or during the automatic scroll process,
wherein the display control means is responsive to the start command input by the start command means for starting the automatic scroll process, and to the proportion change command input by the change command means for changing the display image data according thereto to thereby display resulting display image data on the display screen.
According to this image display device, by entering the start command, the display range can be automatically scrolled in the predetermined direction of the upward, downward, leftward and rightward directions on the basic image data. The conversion of image data in the display range of the basic image data to display image data includes, similarly to the conventional devices, simple extraction, expansion (zoom-in of the image) /reduction (zoom-out of the image), and schematizing (substitution of schematic image for each unit image) employed in reducing unit images. The automatic scroll makes it possible to easily and successively view the contents, layout and the like of the unit images (e.g. images of characters) in the direction of the scroll. The proportion change command can be entered at or before or during the automatic scroll process, and if it is entered during the automatic scroll process, it is possible to change the proportion in size (resolution) between the display image data and the basic image data. Therefore, even when a display screen is used which is small-sized relative to the size of the image to be displayed, the image display device enables the user to easily view or recognize the contents, layouts, and the like of the unit images which form the image displayed, through relatively simple operations.
Preferably, the display control means starts the automatic scroll process from the display range having been set when the start command is input.
According to this preferred embodiment, the automatic scroll process is started from the display range having been set when the start command is input. Therefore, for instance, if the scroll is carried out to a desired starting position by operating a cursor key or the like and then the starting command is input, it is possible to carry out the automatic scroll process from a desired display range to thereby view the image from a desired portion with ease. This makes it possible to further increase the operability of the image display device.
Preferably, the input means further includes starting position-designating means for designating a starting position on the basic image data from which the automatic scroll process should be started.
Ac
Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.
Jankus Almis R.
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