JP2004185370A - Image display method and image display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable recognition of a character string displayed on an image display means even without special operation or behavior of an observer regardless of a distance between a display part and the observer so as to allow comfortable use. <P>SOLUTION: This image display device has: a screen 1 as the image display means; a distance measurement means 2 for measuring the distance h between the observer P and the screen 1; a memory 3 which stores a format storage part 31 storing formats of a plurality of character display types, a format decision part 32 deciding a format, a layout production part 33 producing a layout, and an image output part 34 outputting an image signal; a storage device 4 having a data storage part 41 stored with character string data; and a control part CPU for controlling each the element. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image display method in an electronic device or the like and an image display device using the display method.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, in a high-definition display unit used for a mobile phone (hereinafter, also referred to as a mobile phone) or a personal digital assistant, when a hyperopic (presbyopia) observer looks at the display unit, the display unit is focused on. Try to look away.
[0003]
When viewed at a distance from the display unit, the character string displayed on the display unit is displayed in a fixed size unless operated by the observer, and as a result of moving the display unit to a position where focus is achieved, Small characters that are hard to see.
[0004]
In addition, even if the viewer is not a hyperopic observer, if the user views the display unit away from the display unit, the distance between the display unit and the observer may greatly change depending on the operation.
[0005]
On the other hand, in JP-A-11-238124, a distance between an observer and a display unit is measured, an image is created based on a character string displayed on the display unit, and based on the measured distance. There is disclosed an apparatus for automatically enlarging or reducing the created image.
[0006]
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a display device using a conventional character enlargement / reduction method. FIG. 7 is an enlarged schematic view of a portion of the display unit 91 where a character string is displayed.
[0007]
The display device C shown in FIG. 6 includes a display unit 91 as an image display unit, a distance measurement device 92 that measures the distance between the display unit 91 and the observer P, an operation program of the display device 91, and built-in data. It has a memory 93 in which is stored, a storage device 94 in which various data are stored, and a CPU for controlling these.
[0008]
The storage device 94 has a data storage unit 941 in which character string data is stored. Further, the memory 93 includes a format storage unit 931 storing format data, an image forming unit 932 for forming a state displayed on the display unit 91 as an image, and an image output signal for the image formed by the image forming unit 932. And an image output unit 933 for forming the image.
[0009]
As shown in FIG. 7A, on the display unit 91, the character string Ch 'is repeatedly displayed in a different row beyond the number of displayable characters on the display unit 91. When an image Pic formed based on the character string Ch 'is formed and enlarged, the result is as shown in FIG. 7B.
[0010]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-238124
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional method, that is, in the method of enlarging or reducing an image based on a character string, the image Pic shown in FIG. 7B is displayed larger than the character string Ch ′, but the character string Ch ′ is displayed. Is created as an image Pic, and the image Pic is enlarged. Therefore, a part of the image Pic protrudes beyond the display unit 91, and is difficult to read, and in some cases, cannot be read.
[0012]
Also, since the character string Ch 'is imaged and enlarged, when displayed as the character string Ch' (in other words, when displayed using a font), the roughness of the inconspicuous character is reduced as the image Pic. Enlargement emphasizes the characters and makes them difficult to read, sometimes making them unreadable.
[0013]
Therefore, the present invention can recognize a character string displayed on the image display means without a special operation or operation of the observer, regardless of the distance between the display unit and the observer. It is an object to provide an image display method and an image display device that can be used comfortably.
[0014]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a distance measuring step of measuring a distance from an image display unit to an observer in front of the image display unit, and a format determination for selecting from a plurality of formats prepared in advance. A layout generating step of generating a layout based on the character string data to be displayed, the size of the displayable area of the image display means, and the selected format, and generating a layout based on the character string data, the format, and the layout. An image output step of generating an image signal based on the image signal; and an image display step of displaying an image on the image display means based on the image signal. And selecting a format suitable for the displayable area based on the distance between the display area and the observer and the size of the displayable area of the image display means. There, the layout generating step performs shaping into a form readable as text when the character string data in the size of the displayable area is displayed [0015]
According to this configuration, the character is enlarged and reduced according to the distance between the image display means and the observer and displayed on the image display means, and the layout is generated in accordance with the displayable area. It is easy to read, but it is easy to recognize the character string.
[0016]
Further, the present invention can exemplify a method of selecting an optimal font style and size from a plurality of fonts and determining a format in the format determining step having the above configuration.
[0017]
According to this configuration, by arbitrarily selecting the font style and size, even if the size of the character changes, the character is not distorted or almost eliminated, so that the observer can easily read the character and recognize the character string accordingly. Cheap.
[0018]
Further, the present invention can exemplify a case in which a character is enlarged or reduced by using a vector-type font and changing an enlargement ratio of the vector-type font in the format determination step having the above configuration.
[0019]
According to this configuration, the vector-type font can be scaled up and down while suppressing the deformation of the shape, and it is not necessary to store the font for each size, so that a smaller number of fonts can be used.
[0020]
In addition, since the size of the character is determined by the enlargement ratio, the size can be set more finely than in a case where a font is prepared for each size.
[0021]
The present invention is also an image display device, wherein a screen as an image display means, a distance measurement device as a distance measurement means for measuring the distance between the observer and the screen, and a format of a plurality of character display method A format storage unit serving as a stored format storage unit, a format determination unit for determining the format, and a layout generation unit for generating the layout based on the format determined by the format determination unit and the display range of the screen A memory that stores an image output unit that outputs the image signal based on the format and the layout; a storage device that has a data storage unit that temporarily stores character string data; And a control unit for controlling the
[0022]
According to this configuration, it is possible to provide an image display device with a simple configuration that makes it easy for the observer to read a character string regardless of the distance between the observer and the screen.
[0023]
Further, the present invention can exemplify a format having the style and size of font data as the format of the format determining means having the above configuration.
[0024]
According to this configuration, by arbitrarily selecting the font style and size, even if the size of the character changes, the character is not distorted or substantially eliminated, so that the observer can easily read the character and recognize the character string accordingly. Cheap.
[0025]
Further, the present invention can exemplify one having a vector type font as the format of the format determining means.
[0026]
According to this configuration, the vector-type font can be scaled up and down while suppressing the deformation of the shape, and it is not necessary to store the font for each size, so that the capacity of the format storage unit can be reduced accordingly.
[0027]
In addition, since the size of the character is determined by the enlargement ratio, the size can be set more finely than in a case where a font is prepared for each size.
[0028]
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The image display method and the image display device according to the present invention can be widely applied to electronic devices that display characters on a display unit such as a mobile phone, a car navigation system, and a personal computer.
[0029]
The font, the format selection unit, the layout generation unit, and the image output unit may be rewritable.
[0030]
Thus, a favorite font can be used, and when the format selection means, layout generation means, and image output means are improved, the improvements can be applied immediately.
[0031]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the image display device according to the present invention.
[0032]
The display device A shown in FIG. 1 is incorporated in a mobile phone, a portable information terminal, or the like.
[0033]
The image display device A includes a screen 1 as a display unit, a distance measuring device 2 for measuring a distance between the observer P and the screen 1, a memory 3 in which an operation program of the display device A and stored data are stored, It has a storage device 4 for storing various data, and a CPU as a control unit for controlling these.
[0034]
The screen 1 has a liquid crystal display device capable of high-definition display, and is connected to a CPU. An image is displayed based on an image signal from the CPU.
[0035]
The distance measuring device 2 is arranged near the screen, measures the distance h between the screen 1 and the observer P, and sends the information to the CPU. The distance measurement device 2 can detect whether or not the observer P is within the measurement range on the front surface of the display device A.
[0036]
The memory 3 includes a format storage unit 31 that stores a font of a character string to be displayed on the screen 1, a format determination unit 32 that determines a font type, a size, a format such as bold characters, and displays a character string on the screen 1. A layout generating unit 33 that generates a layout such as a line feed position of a character string, a format determined by the format determining unit 32, and a character string on the screen 1 based on the layout generated by the layout generating unit 33. And an image output unit 34 for displaying.
[0037]
The storage device 4 has a data storage unit 41 for storing character string data to be displayed on the screen 1.
[0038]
Based on the data of the distance h between the screen 1 and the observer P measured by the distance measuring device 2, the format setting unit 32 stores the optimal size and type of font for the observer P in the format storage unit 31. Select from among the fonts that are displayed.
[0039]
Then, a layout is generated by the layout generating unit 33 based on the selected font and the size of the screen 1, and an image signal is transmitted from the image output unit 34 to the CPU. The CPU generates an output signal based on the image signal received from the image output unit 34 and transmits the output signal to the screen 1. For example, when the observer P is away when the character string is displayed on the screen 1, a large and easily recognizable font is selected and displayed so as to fit within the screen 1.
[0040]
FIG. 2 shows an example in which a character string is displayed on a display unit by the display device shown in FIG.
[0041]
FIG. 2A shows an example in which a character string Ch is displayed using a default font and layout preset on the display device A, and FIG. 2B shows the character displayed in FIG. 2A. This is an example in which a column Ch is displayed in characters larger than the initial setting.
[0042]
In the character string Ch displayed in FIG. 2A, the number of characters in one line is ten, and a layout in which characters are folded when the number of characters in one line is exceeded is adopted. Although the font is not limited to this, a vector font is adopted.
[0043]
The character string Ch displayed in FIG. 2B is displayed using characters that are approximately 1.5 times the characters of the character string displayed in FIG. The character string Ch has eight characters in one line, and a layout in which characters are folded when the number of characters in one line is exceeded is adopted.
[0044]
That is, the first line of the character string Ch of the screen 1 shown in FIG. 2A is wrapped with the character “ko”, and the character string Ch of the screen 1 shown in FIG. 2B is wrapped with the character “ku”. ing. By changing the folding position along with the size of the character, the character string Ch fits within the displayable area in the left-right direction of the screen 1, and the character string Ch is easy to read.
[0045]
Next, the operation of the display device A according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3, which is a flowchart showing the operation of the display device A.
[0046]
In the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 3, an operation until a character string supplied from an unillustrated information device connected to the display device A is displayed on a screen is illustrated.
[0047]
First, it is determined whether character string information has been supplied from a device (not shown) connected to the display device A, that is, it is determined whether a display instruction has been sent to the display device A (step S11). If the upper part of the character string has not been supplied to the display device A (NO in step S11), the process ends.
[0048]
If the character string information is supplied to the display device A (YES in step S11), the character string information is temporarily stored in the character string data storage unit 41 in the storage device 4 and provided near the screen 1. It is determined whether or not the observer P is within the measurement range of the distance measuring device 2 by the measured distance measuring device 2 (step S12).
[0049]
If the observer P is not in the measurement range (NO in Step S12), a signal indicating that there is no observer in the measurement range is sent from the distance measuring device 2 to the CPU, and the CPU selects the default font and format. Then, the character string Ch is displayed on the screen 1 (step S13) (see FIG. 2A).
[0050]
If the observer P is within the measurement range (YES in Step S12), the distance h between the observer P and the screen 1 is measured (Step S14). The distance measuring device 2 is arranged near the screen 1, and the distance between the distance measuring device 2 and the observer P is defined as the distance h between the screen 1 and the observer P. The data of the distance h is sent to the CPU.
[0051]
The font and the font size are selected and determined from the fonts stored in the format storage unit 31 based on the distance data sent to the CPU measured by the distance measuring device 2 (step S15).
[0052]
Based on the font data determined in step S15, the display area of the screen 1, and the character string data from the data storage unit 41, the character string Ch fits on the screen 1 and is shaped such as wrapping so that it can be read as a correct sentence. Is generated by the layout generation unit 33 (step S16).
[0053]
The image output unit 34 outputs an image signal for display based on the determined font data selected from the format storage unit 31 and the layout data generated by the layout generation unit 33 (step S17).
[0054]
The image signal generated by the image output unit 34 is sent to the CPU, and the image signal is sent from the CPU to the screen 1 to display the character string Ch on the screen 1 (step S18).
[0055]
After the character string Ch is displayed on the screen 1, the process returns to step S11 to prepare for an instruction to display a new character string on the screen.
[0056]
(Second embodiment)
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing another example of the image display device according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the image display device shown in FIG.
[0057]
The image display device B shown in FIG. 4 has a database 42 for storing the distance h between the screen 1 and the observer P and the font data determined at that time in the storage device 4. Are substantially the same as those of the image display device A, and substantially the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals.
[0058]
First, it is determined whether character string information has been supplied from a device (not shown) connected to the display device A, that is, it is determined whether a display instruction has been sent to the display device A (step S21). If the upper part of the character string has not been supplied to the display device A (NO in step S21), the process ends.
[0059]
When the character string information is supplied to the display device A (YES in step S21), the character string information is temporarily stored in the character string data storage unit 41 in the storage device 4 and provided near the screen 1. It is determined whether or not the observer P is within the measurement range of the distance measuring device 2 by the measured distance measuring device 2 (step S22).
[0060]
If the observer P is not in the measurement range (NO in step S22), a signal indicating that there is no observer in the measurement range is sent from the distance measuring device 2 to the CPU, and the CPU selects a default font and format. Then, the character string Ch is displayed on the screen 1 (step S23) (see FIG. 2A).
[0061]
When the observer P is within the measurement range (YES in Step S22), the distance h between the observer P and the screen 1 is measured (Step S24). The distance measuring device 2 is arranged near the screen 1, and the distance between the distance measuring device 2 and the observer P is defined as the distance h between the screen 1 and the observer P. The data of the distance h is sent to the CPU.
[0062]
It is determined whether the observer P has selected a font while looking at the screen (step S25). If the observer P does not make a selection (NO in step S25), the font is determined (step S27) with reference to the database 42 (step S26). If the observer P selects a font (YES in step S25), the font selected by the observer is determined as a display font (step S28).
[0063]
The distance h and the selected font are stored in the database 42 (step S29). The character string Ch fits on the screen 1 based on the font data determined in step S27 or step S28, the display area of the screen 1, and the character string data from the data storage unit 41, and is wrapped so as to be read as a correct sentence. The layout that has been shaped is generated by the layout generation unit 33 (step S210).
[0064]
Thereafter, the image output unit 34 outputs an image signal for display based on the font data selected from the format storage unit 31 and the layout data generated by the layout generation unit 33 (step S211).
[0065]
The image signal generated by the image output unit 34 is sent to the CPU, and the image signal is sent from the CPU to the screen 1 to display the character string Ch on the screen 1 (step S212).
[0066]
The distance h between the observer P and the screen 1 and the font data are written in the database 42 (step S29), and the font is determined based on the information in the database 42 for displaying the next character string (step S27). When the database 42 is enhanced, format setting (font type, size, etc.) and layout setting can be performed more quickly.
[0067]
In the above-described embodiment, a mobile phone is given as an application example of the display method and the display device according to the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a personal computer, a car navigation, etc. It can be widely used for those whose distance is not constant.
[0068]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, regardless of the distance between the display unit and the observer, the observer can recognize the character string displayed on the image display means without performing any special operation or operation, An image display method and an image display device that can be used comfortably can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example of an image display device according to the present invention.
2A is a schematic diagram when a character string is displayed in the initial setting of the image display device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of the character string displayed in FIG. FIG. .
FIG. 3 is a flowchart when enlarged display is performed using the image display device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of another example of the image display device according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart when enlarged display is performed using the image display device shown in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an example of a conventional image display device.
7A is a schematic diagram when a character string is displayed in an initial setting of the image display device shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 7B is an enlarged view of the character string displayed in FIG. FIG. .
[Explanation of symbols]
A, B, C Image display device 1 Screen 2 Distance measurement device 3 Memory 31 Format storage unit 32 Format determination unit 33 Layout generation unit 34 Image output unit 4 Storage unit 41 Data storage unit 42 Database P Observer 91 Display unit 92 Distance measurement Apparatus 93 Memory 931 Format storage means 932 Image forming means 933 Image output means 94 Storage unit 941 Data storage means

Claims (8)

A distance measurement step of measuring a distance from the image display means to an observer in front of the image display means,
A format determination step of selecting a format from a plurality of formats prepared in advance,
A layout generation step of generating a layout based on the character string data to be displayed, the size of the displayable area of the image display means, and the selected format;
An image output step of generating an image signal based on the character string data, the format, and the layout;
Image display step of displaying an image on the image display means based on the image signal,
In the format determination step, based on the distance between the image display means and the observer and the size of the displayable area of the image display means, select a format suitable for the displayable area,
The image display method, wherein the layout generating step performs shaping so that the character string data is displayed as text when the character string data is displayed in the size of the displayable area. 2. The image display method according to claim 1, wherein said format determining step determines a font style and a size from a plurality of fonts prepared in advance. The character string is displayed using a vector font.
2. The image display method according to claim 1, wherein said format determining step determines an enlargement / reduction ratio of said vector type font. The observer selects the format while looking at the image display means, stores the distance and format information between the observer and the image display means at that time, and stores the distance between the observer and the image display means. 4. The character input method according to claim 1, wherein a format is determined based on the stored format and distance information in accordance with the distance. A screen as an image display means,
A distance measuring device as distance measuring means for measuring the distance between the observer and the screen,
A format storage unit as a format storage unit in which formats of a plurality of character display systems are stored; a format determination unit for determining the format; and a format determined by the format determination unit and a display range of a screen based on the format. A memory that stores a layout generation unit that generates the layout, and an image output unit that outputs the image signal based on the format and the layout;
A storage device having a data storage unit for temporarily storing character string data,
An image display device comprising: a control unit for controlling each of the above elements. 6. The character input method according to claim 5, wherein the format has a plurality of font styles and sizes as font data. The image display device according to claim 5, wherein the format storage unit stores a vector font. The format determining means selects the format while the observer looks at the image display means, stores distance information between the screen and the observer and the format at that time, and sets a distance between the observer and the observer. 8. The image display device according to claim 5, wherein a format is determined based on the stored format and distance information.

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