JPH08106525A - Method and device for picture processing - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide the picture processor which applies the function of an internal circuit to fetched external picture data without adding a special circuit. CONSTITUTION: The control signal from a register 101 is given to a switch GW. The switch GW switches a bus bus1 for picture data transmission of a background display picture BG0 to the mode for external picture data transmission. A register 102 instructs setting related to display of external picture data. External picture data is subjected to the picture processing in a display control part 104 in accordance with the instruction.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to improvement of an external image display device in an image processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the field of image processing used in a TV game machine, various techniques have been improved in order to provide a more realistic and realistic image. As one of such image processing techniques, a method of "image capturing" is known. "Image capture" supplementally captures external image data (hereinafter, external image data) as sub-data, in addition to the existing image data as main data that is usually used to generate foreground characters and background images. To display as a foreground character or background image. This "image capture" method is used to capture images of TV and movies in the background of highly actionable ones such as gun games and adventure games among TV games, and particularly realistic moving pictures and photos. It is often used in what is used.

A device shown in FIG. 3 is generally known as a device for using the external image data in a TV game machine. In FIG. 3, the subsystem 30 that captures external image data is connected to a main system 38, which is an image processing device for a TV game, via an expansion interface 31. This subsystem 30
A large capacity recording medium 32 such as a CD-ROM, a storage device drive 33 in which the recording medium 32 is mounted, a CPU 3
4, work area RAM 35, video display RAM 3
6 and a ROM 3 in which a control program for controlling the CPU 34 and the storage device drive 33 is recorded.
7 is included. The recording medium 32 includes the external image data and a control program for instructing display of the external image data. The external image data, for example, by a predetermined data compression / decompression means,
Recording medium 3 in the form of a compressed digital video signal
It is stored in 2.

When it becomes necessary to display external image data, C
The PU 34 reads a control program for designating display of the external image data from the recording medium 32 via the drive 33. Next, the CPU 34 causes the RO
Based on the above-mentioned designation according to the control program of M37, the compressed external image data is read from the recording medium 32 and temporarily stored in the work area RAM 35.
The external image data is decompressed and reproduced in the RAM 35, expanded, and stored in the video display RAM 36. The external image data expanded in the video display RAM 36 is transferred to the video display RAM 36 at a predetermined timing.
It is read out and loaded into the main system 38 via the extension interface 31.

In each internal circuit in the main system 38 which is an image processing apparatus for a TV game, window processing, image rotation and movement processing, and image data are performed for each of the foreground image data and the background image data. Various kinds of image processing such as the determination of the output priority order, colorization of image data by color RAM access, and color calculation. As a result of these image processes, the image data of the foreground image and the image data of the background image are combined to generate one screen of combined image data to be output to the TV monitor.

When the external image data is transmitted into the main system 38, the external image data is further combined with the combined image data for one screen. Conventionally, the synthesis of the external image data is performed when the above-mentioned various image processing is completed and the synthesized image data for one screen is T.
It was often done just before it was displayed on the V monitor.

[0007]

However, when the external image is sent to the main system by using the external image capturing device as described above, conventionally, a dedicated data bus is used for transmitting the external image data. It was installed. Also, when performing image processing on external image data in the main system, it is often the case that a dedicated image processing circuit or setting register is separately installed for the external image data. Therefore, the scale of the image processing apparatus as a whole tends to increase. In addition, in particular, combining the external image data
The method of performing the image data for display immediately before output to the TV also has a problem that sufficient image processing cannot be performed on the external image.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a first object thereof is to provide an image processing function similar to that applied to image data for a background screen or a foreground screen. It is to provide an image processing method that can be used as it is for image data from the outside.

A second object of the present invention is to provide an image processing method which can realize the first object while suppressing the enlargement of the circuit scale.

A third object of the present invention is to perform sufficient image processing on external image data by using an image processing circuit inside the main system in order to realize the first and second objects. An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus including various means.

[0011]

As means for solving the above-mentioned problems, in the invention according to claim 1, the first image data is fetched, and the first images for a plurality of display screens are acquired from the first image data. The first of these generated data
An image processing method for generating one screen of composite image data using a plurality of image processing functions for image data,
Predetermined second image data is captured in addition to the first image data, and the first image data for the plurality of display screens and the predetermined second image data are at least one of the plurality of image processing functions. It is characterized in that the signals are transmitted to the same circuit having two functions.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image processing method according to the first aspect, at least one of a plurality of data buses for transmitting the first image data for the plurality of display screens to the same circuit, respectively. The predetermined second image data is transmitted to the same circuit via one data bus.

According to another aspect of the invention, the image data generating means for generating the first image data for the plurality of display screens from the first image data and the first image data for the plurality of display screens are input. An image data combining means for combining these first image data to generate combined image data for one screen, and a first image for the plurality of display screens from the image data generating means to the image data combining means. In an image processing apparatus including a plurality of first transmission means for respectively transmitting data, with respect to at least one transmission means of the plurality of first transmission means, a transmission path used by the transmission means is diverted from the middle. Then, second transmitting means for transmitting predetermined second image data captured separately from the first image data to the image data synthesizing means, the transmitting means, and the second transmitting means. Characterized by comprising a switching means for switching between feed means alternatively.

[0014]

The operation of the present invention having the above means is as follows. That is, according to the first aspect of the invention, the image processing function inside the image processing apparatus can be applied to the external image data. As a result, sufficient image processing can be performed on the external image data as with other image data. Also, it is not necessary to install a circuit for image processing dedicated to external image data.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the operation according to the first aspect of the present invention, data transmission between the external image data and the image data of another foreground image or background image is performed. Share the bus. Therefore, it is not necessary to install a data bus dedicated to the external image data. As a result, it is possible to obtain an image processing method for performing an image processing function on external image data with a minimum of circuits.

According to the third aspect of the invention, an image processing apparatus having various means for realizing the image processing method according to the first and second aspects of the invention can be obtained by the following operations. it can. That is, the image data generation means generates the image data for the foreground image and the image data for the plurality of background screens from the existing image data recorded on the predetermined recording medium. The plurality of first transmitting means respectively transmit the generated image data to the image data synthesizing means. The image data synthesizing means receives the transmitted image data of the foreground image and the image data of the plurality of background screens and synthesizes the composite image data for one screen output to the TV monitor.

At this time, the plurality of first transmitting means transmit the foreground image data and the plurality of background screen image data to the image data synthesizing means, while the second transmitting means. Transmits the external image data to the image data synthesizing means. That is, the image data of the foreground image, the image data for the plurality of background screens, and the external image are transmitted to the same circuit. As a result, a sufficient image processing function can be applied to the external image data without enlarging the circuit scale.

Here, the second transmission means shares the transmission path used by the first transmission means from the middle. More specifically, the second transmission means is connected via a switching means in the middle of the transmission path of at least one of the plurality of first transmission means. At this time, the switching means selectively switches whether to use the data bus in the first transmission means or in the second transmission means. Thereby, it is possible to obtain a mechanism for transmitting the external image data to the image data synthesizing means while efficiently sharing the data bus.

[0019]

【Example】

1. Overall Configuration of this Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention applied to an image processing apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[Main System-Structure of Game Machine Main Body]
First, the image processing apparatus used in this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an image processing apparatus to which this embodiment is applied. In FIG. 2, an input device such as a control pad 201 for a user to operate a game is provided in a game machine main body 200 which is a main system, and an SMPC (System Manager & Peripheral Contr.
ol / system manager) 202.
Further, a cartridge 203 storing a game program is detachably attached to the game machine body 200.
This game program is usually written in a semiconductor memory (mask ROM), and this semiconductor memory is incorporated in the cartridge 203. In addition, the game console body 2
When 00 is equipped with a CD-ROM drive (not shown), the game program can be supplied by the CD-ROM.

Bus 204a for CPU of main system
Includes a CPU 207 and a work RAM for the CPU 207.
208, a ROM 209 for storing a program, and the SMPC 202 are connected. The CPU 207 controls the entire system, for example, a 32-bit RI
It is composed of an SC type high-speed CPU (two CPU chips called SH-2). The SMPC202 is I
The I / O controller manages the reset of the entire system and controls the interface with external devices such as the control pad 201.

The bus 204b is also connected to a sprite engine 205 for performing image processing of foreground images and a scroll engine 206 for performing image processing of background images. In addition, the sprite engine 205 has a CPU 20.
The command RAM 210 for storing the command data from 7 and the image data which is the original picture of the foreground picture, and the frame buffer 211 for developing the image data of the foreground picture are connected. The scroll engine 206 includes a video RAM (VRAM) 2 for storing image data for each pixel of the background image.
12 and the color RAM 213 are connected. The bus controller 214 connected to the buses 204a and 204b includes a DMA controller, an interrupt controller, and the like, and controls the interface between the CPU 207, the sprite engine 205, and the scroll engine 206.

The sprite engine 205 uses the command R
Image data of a foreground image such as a character is selected from the AM 210, read out, subjected to processing such as rotation, enlargement, reduction, and color calculation, and then written to a predetermined address of the frame buffer 211. Also, this sprite engine 205
Sequentially reads the image data for one frame written in the frame buffer 211 and directly supplies the image data to the scroll engine 206 without passing through the bus 204b. CPU20
7 executes the program in the cartridge 203 to supply command data to the sprite engine 205. This command data is data (drawing command) indicating a drawing command for the foreground image, and the sprite engine 205 uses the command RA as a command table.
Written to M210. Then, this command data is read by the sprite engine 205 and set in an internal system register for execution.

Next, the internal structure of the scroll engine 206 will be described with reference to FIG. Sprite engine 20
The image data of No. 5 is supplied to the scroll engine 206 via the terminal A. In FIG. 1, a scroll engine 206 includes a window control unit 107 that performs window processing on a foreground image and a background image, a background image generation unit 100 that generates a plurality of background screens, and a display control unit 1.
Including 04.

The background image generation unit 100 corresponds to the image data generation circuit described in claim 3. This background image generation unit 100
Includes various registers that set the functions of the scroll engine 206. Of these registers, particularly relevant to this embodiment is an external signal enable register 1 used when externally capturing image data.
01 (hereinafter, register 101) and an external screen setting register 10 for setting a screen for displaying external image data
2 (hereinafter, register 102). Further, the background image generation unit 100 also includes a synchronization circuit 103 that generates horizontal and vertical synchronization signals for capturing external image data at a predetermined timing.

The display control unit 104 corresponds to the image data synthesizing circuit described in claim 3. The display controller 104 includes a priority circuit 105 and a colorization circuit 106. Of these, the priority circuit 105 includes a plurality of background screen image data generated by the background image generation unit 100,
Regarding the image data of the foreground image supplied from the sprite engine 205, the priority of output is determined for each pixel.
That is, when a plurality of pixels are designated to be output to the same position, by selecting the pixel having the highest priority among these pixels, the image data to be displayed on the TV monitor is sent to the colorization circuit 106. To transmit.

On the other hand, when the image data transmitted from the priority circuit 105 is in the palette format, the colorization circuit 106 accesses the color RAM 213 with a predetermined color code included in the image data. Color RAM
Reference numeral 213 reads out RGB data indicating the mixture ratio of the three primary colors (red, green, blue) for each pixel based on the color code, and uses this as the color data of each pixel.

In each pixel of the colorized image data,
In the colorization circuit 106, color calculation processing, color offset processing, shadowing, and other processing are further performed as necessary. The color calculation is used to add the color data of overlapping pixels at a predetermined ratio to obtain an effect of allowing the back screen to be seen through the front screen. The color offset adjusts a predetermined offset value with respect to the color data forming the image data of the screen when outputting the screen color of the foreground image or the background image. As a result, the displayed color can be changed without changing the color data of the color RAM, which is used for fade-in and fade-out of the screen during game execution. Shadowing is used when a shadow is cast on a foreground character or a background image.

RG of each pixel subjected to the above processing
B data goes to the terminal B through the output data control section.
Is output in synchronization with the horizontal sync signal from
It is supplied to the / A converter 215. Returning to FIG. 2 again, the D / A converter 215 is provided with the supplied RGB signals.
The data is converted into an analog signal and output from the output terminal C as a video signal. This video signal is a monitor (not shown)
And is displayed on the TV screen.

[Sub-System-Structure of External Image Capturing Device] Referring to FIG. 2, the game machine main body 20 of this embodiment is shown.
An external image capturing device 216, which is a subsystem for capturing image data from the outside, is connected to 0 via an extension interface 217. The device 216 includes
Large-capacity CD-R that stores compressed external image data
OM218, double speed CD-ROM drive 219, sub CPU 220, work RAM 221 of the sub CPU,
M is a dedicated LSI that compresses / decompresses external image data
PEG chip 222, MPEG frame buffer 22
3. A ROM 224 that stores a program such as CDBIOS for controlling between the sub CPU 220 and the CD-ROM drive 219 is included.

When external image data is captured during execution of a TV game, a command is given to the external image capture device 216 from the game machine main body 200, which is the main system, via the expansion interface 217. The sub CPU 220 in the image capturing device 216 receives the command and receives the CD-ROM loaded in the CD-ROM drive 219.
External image data is read from the ROM 218 and stored in the RAM
221 is temporarily stored.

The external image data stored in the RAM 221 is reproduced by the MPEG system which is an international standard for data compression and expansion. That is, the MPEG chip 222
Receives the compressed external image data from the RAM 221, decompresses it, and draws it in the frame buffer 223. The external image data drawn in the frame buffer 223 is sent to the scroll engine 206 as dot data synchronized with a synchronization signal in the scroll engine 206.

As shown in FIG. 1, the display control unit 104 in the scroll engine 206 is normally supplied with image data of four background images A, B, C and D from the background image generation unit 100. (The plurality of first items according to claim 3)
Transmission means). Here, the image data of the background image A is displayed on the display screen BG0, and the image data of the background image B is displayed on the display screen BG1.
The image data of the background image C is displayed on the display screen BG2, and the image data of the background image D is displayed on the display screen BG3. On the other hand, the window control unit 107 supplies the display control unit 104 with image data for the display screen FG of the foreground image.

In the present embodiment, the external image data sent to the scroll engine 206 is the background image A.
Data bus bus1 for image data transmission of
It is transmitted to the display control unit 104 (second transmitting means according to claim 3). That is, the data bus bus1 serves as the transmission path of the first transmission means according to claim 3 in the image data transmission of the background image A, and the transmission of the second transmission means according to claim 3 in the external image data transmission. Become a route.

On the other hand, the background generation unit 100 includes a register 101 for controlling the image data coming into the data bus bus1 and a register 102 containing various settings regarding the display screen of the external image data. From the register 101, 1-bit data called an external screen enable bit is directly sent to the changeover switch SW. Here, the change-over switch SW corresponds to the change-over means described in claim 3. Further, the register 102 for display setting of external image data is originally a register for making similar setting for the image data of the background image A.

2. Operation and Effect in this Embodiment 2-1 Operation in this Embodiment In FIG. 1, the external screen enable bit value of 0 or 1 is set in the register 100. Further, in the register 101 for setting the display screen, settings relating to image processing such as windows applied to external image data, color calculation, color offset, and shadowing are written. In the data bus bus1, the background image A generated in the background generation unit 100 inside the main system is displayed.
Image data and external image data of two types are selectively fetched. That is, when the value of the external screen enable bit from the register 101 is 0, the image data of the background image A is input to the data bus bus1 when the value of the external image enable bit is 1 by the changeover switch SW. And is transmitted to the display control unit 104.

When the external image data comes into the data bus bus1, the changeover switch SW from the register 101
To the external screen enable bit value 1. When the changeover switch SW receives this value,
The transmission mode of the data bus bus1 is switched to external image data transmission, and the external image data is transmitted to the display control unit 104. In this case, the captured image is displayed and the image of the background image A is not displayed on the display screen BG0. At this time, various settings relating to the display of the external image data written in the register 101 are read out. The display control unit 104 performs image processing such as output priority window processing, colorization by color RAM access, color calculation, color offset and shadowing on each dot of the external image data based on the various settings. Give.

2-2 Effects of this Embodiment In this embodiment, all image processing functions for external image data are performed by using the data bus bus1 which is a bus for transmitting image data of the background image A and the register 101 for screen setting. It is diverted and executed using the internal circuit of the scroll engine 206. Since it is not necessary to install a dedicated data bus or circuit separately in this way, various external image data can be used for the captured external image data without increasing the size of the device, as with normal background image data. Processing can be performed.
Further, in this embodiment, the external image data is the built-in color RA.
Since the M213 can also be accessed, it is possible to use the palette format data that needs to be converted into RGB data by the color RAM as the external image data.
This makes it possible to fetch dot color data other than RGB data from the outside and perform various image processing.

3. Other Examples The present invention is not limited to this example,
It is possible to change the mode appropriately and apply. For example, although the data bus for transmitting the external image data is used for the display screen BG0 in the present embodiment, it goes without saying that the image data for the other background image display screen or the foreground screen FG is transmitted. It is also possible to set the data bus. Further, at this time, if the setting is made so that it can be diverted to the transmission of external image data via a plurality of data buses, it is possible to take in a plurality of external image data.

In this embodiment, the external image capturing device, which is a subsystem for capturing external image data, and the game machine, which is the main system, are physically separated from each other. It is also possible to incorporate the external image capturing device into the game machine and use an image processing device that achieves similar operations and effects. Furthermore, at this time, the CD-ROM used in this embodiment is used as a recording medium for recording the external image data.
Besides, various media such as a laser disk (LD) and a VTR can be used.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image processing apparatus that performs necessary image processing on an image captured from the outside without increasing the circuit scale. According to the present invention, the function of the internal circuit of the main body of the image processing apparatus can be changed to the external image data by simply installing the switching means (switch SW) for switching the transmission mode of the data bus in the image processing apparatus connected to the image capturing apparatus. Can be used as is. Therefore, it can be easily and inexpensively applied to the existing image processing apparatus, and is extremely practical.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a scroll engine that controls display of external image data in the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an image processing apparatus in this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a subsystem of an image processing apparatus that captures external image data.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 ... Background image generation unit 101 ... External signal enable register 102 ... External screen setting register 103 ... Synchronous circuit 104 ... Display control unit 105 ... Priority circuit 106 ... Colorization circuit 107 ... Window control unit SW ... Data bus changeover switch bus1 ... Bus for transmitting image data of display screen BG0 for background image

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location G09G 5/36 520 Z 9377-5H M 9377-5H 530 Z 9377-5H H04N 5/262 7/18 V

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A first image data is loaded, first image data for a plurality of display screens is generated from the first image data, and a plurality of image processes are performed on the generated first image data. An image processing method for generating one screen of composite image data using a function, wherein predetermined second image data is captured in addition to the image first data, and the plurality of display screens of the first image data and the An image processing method, wherein predetermined second image data is transmitted to the same circuit having at least one of the plurality of image processing functions. 2. The predetermined second image data is transmitted via at least one data bus among a plurality of data buses which respectively transmit the first image data for the plurality of display screens to the same circuit. The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the image data is transmitted to the same circuit. 3. Image data generating means for generating first image data for a plurality of display screens from the image first data, and first image data for the plurality of display screens are input, and these first images are input. Image data combining means for combining data to generate combined image data for one screen, and a plurality of units for transmitting the first image data for the plurality of display screens from the image data generating means to the image data combining means, respectively. In the image processing apparatus including the first transmission means, the transmission path used by the transmission means is diverted from at least one of the plurality of first transmission means, and the Second transmission means for transmitting predetermined second image data captured separately from the first data to the image data composition means, and the transmission means and the second transmission means alternatively. The image processing apparatus characterized by comprising a switching means for changing Ri.