Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-15
2001-06-26
Black, Thomas (Department: 2171)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C348S556000, C386S349000, C386S349000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06252590
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-processing apparatus which is capable of performing required image processing in accordance with a changeable resolution mode. The invention also pertains to an image-processing method used in the above type of apparatus and to a display system formed by using the above type of apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In television receivers, for example, in addition to the known display screens with an aspect ratio of 4:3, display screens with an aspect ratio of 16:9, which are generally referred to as “wide screens” are now widely used. Accordingly, the number of video-picture broadcast and software programs compatible with wide screens is increasing.
Moreover, along with the widespread use of personal computers, multimedia equipment operable based on a computer operating system (OS), which contains disk players compatible with various types of disk media and communication terminal capabilities, such as the Internet, are now available as one form of computer.
Therefore, monitors that are able to display images output from the above-described multimedia equipment are now being developed. Such monitors should at least be capable of receiving RGB signals output from computers and video signals, such as composite signals (and S video signals) associated with a normal television system and of displaying the resulting image.
The above type of monitor is thus able to display video images according to a standard television system, such as the NTSC method, and also to receive RGB signals output from the foregoing multimedia equipment, and to display the resulting image. It is therefore possible to construct a multimedia-capable monitor that is suitably used for both broadcast media or video image media, which output video image signals according to a standard television system, and for personal computers or multimedia equipment, which output RGB signals.
Additionally, in response to the above-described wide screens, multimedia-capable monitors having a display size in accordance with an aspect ratio of 16:9 are now being developed.
In currently available personal computers, the resolution, which is the graphic display standard represented by the number of horizontal pixels by the number of vertical pixels, being used corresponds to an aspect ratio of 4:3, and the resolution corresponding to an aspect ratio of 16:9 has not yet been determined. Thus, in the foregoing computers or multimedia equipment operable based on a computer OS, images are unfavorably output on display screens which are only effective for an aspect ratio of 4:3.
Further, when the above type of computer or multimedia equipment is combined with the foregoing multimedia-capable monitor provided with a display screen having an aspect ratio of 16:9, only the display area corresponding to an aspect ratio of 4:3 is used, and the whole display area with an aspect ratio of 16:9 cannot be effectively utilized.
In light of the foregoing background, it is expected in the computer field as well as in broadcast media that images will be displayed based on the resolution with an aspect ratio of 16:9.
However, the following problem is still present even if the resolution for graphic display can be switched between aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. If a user-interface picture (hereinafter simply referred to as “the UI picture”) that has been set for the resolution of the aspect ratio of 4:3 is displayed in accordance with the resolution with an aspect ratio of 16:9, the UI picture is unfavorably displayed in the effective display area with a smaller size than that which would be displayed with an aspect ratio of 4:3, thus making the user feel uncomfortable.
One of the countermeasures to the above drawback may be to execute image processing on the UI picture data in accordance with an aspect ratio of 16:9, for example, to widen the horizontal length of the UI picture. The resulting UI picture is however distorted by extending in the horizontal direction. The displayed UI picture thus appears different from the original image and appears rough in terms of resolution, thereby impairing the appearance from an aesthetic point of view.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to display UI pictures suited for the resolutions in accordance with aspect ratios of 16:9 and 4:3, respectively, without burdening image processing.
In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image-processing apparatus including resolution setting means for setting a resolution in accordance with an aspect ratio of 4:3 and a resolution in accordance with an aspect ratio of 16:9 as resolutions of an image to be displayed; image-data storage means for storing at least 4:3 image data for forming a first type of user interface image which is suitable for the 4:3 resolution and 16:9 image data for forming a second type of user interface image which is suitable for the 16:9 resolution; and image-processing means for executing image processing so that the first type of user interface image is formed based on the 4:3 image data read from the image-data storage means when the 4:3 resolution is set and that the second type of user interface image is formed based on the 16:9 image data read from the image-data storage means when the 16:9 resolution is set.
In the above-described image-processing apparatus, the 4:3 image data and the 16:9 image data may include a first type of image data which is used as parts for forming the first type of user interface image to be displayed when the 4:3 resolution is set, a second type of image data which is used as parts for forming the second type of user interface image to be displayed when the 16:9 resolution is set, and a third type of image data used as parts for forming a user interface image to be displayed when either of the 4:3 resolution or the 16:9 resolution is set. Then, the image-processing means may execute image processing so that the first type of user interface image is formed by reading predetermined items of the first image data and the third image data from the image-data storage means when the 4:3 resolution is set and by mapping the read data on an image-processing region determined based on the 4:3 aspect ratio. Further, the image-processing means may execute image processing so that the second type of user interface image is formed by reading predetermined items of the second image data and the third image data when the 16:9 resolution is set and by mapping the read data on an image-processing region determined based on the 16:9 aspect ratio.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image-processing method. In this method, resolutions in accordance with aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9 are first set as resolutions of an image to be displayed. Then, at least 4:3 image data for forming a first type of user interface image which is suitable for the 4:3 resolution and 16:9 image data for forming a second type of user interface image which is suitable for the 16:9 resolution are stored in predetermined storage areas. Image processing is then executed so that the first type of user interface image is formed based on the 4:3 image data read from the image-data storage area when the 4:3 resolution is set and that the second type of user interface image is formed based on the 16:9 image data read from the image-data storage area when the 16:9 resolution is set.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display system including an image-processing apparatus having resolution setting means for setting a resolution in accordance with an aspect ratio of 4:3 and a resolution in accordance with an aspect ratio of 16:9 as resolutions of an image to be displayed, image-data storage means for storing at least 4:3 image data for forming a first type of user interface image which is suitable for the 4:3 resolution and 16:9 image data for forming a second type of user interf
Kuze Yoshizumi
Sawai Kunihito
Black Thomas
Frommer William S.
Frommer Lawrence & Haug LLP.
Kessler Gordon
Le Uyen
LandOfFree
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