JP3257633B2 - Display method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[Table of Contents] The present invention will be described in the following order. INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION FIELD Conventional technology Problems to be solved by the invention (FIGS. 10 to 13) Means for solving the problems (FIGS. 1 and 3 to 5) Action (FIG. 2) Example (FIG. 1 to FIG. 1) (Fig. 9) Effect of the invention

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display method in a window system such as a computer, and more particularly, to a display method suitable for displaying a plurality of windows on the same screen.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a personal computer or a workstation, image information such as character information or a picture taken from an image input device and other character information are displayed on a window. Therefore, in the interface of application software, there is a tendency that abundant expression means including an image can be used to handle the image more visually.

[0004] Such display methods include, for example, menus and icons, and by realizing functions as images, the user has succeeded in realizing intelligibility to the user. In addition, as this type of display method, there is a display method using a window system. By displaying a plurality of character information and image information at the same time or by superimposing them, a user can visually identify a plurality of information. Has been done.

When a plurality of pieces of image information (including information by characters) are displayed on a work station or the like as described above, each piece of information may be displayed as a window because of the size of the display. Yes, this tendency becomes stronger as the number of displayed image information increases.

In such a state, it is difficult to clearly indicate which image is of interest. In other words, if there are several images of interest, even if the image of interest is located at the top of the overlap of the overlapped multiple images and the entire image can be seen, it is obscured by other background images and becomes inconspicuous There was a problem. In order to solve this problem, conventionally, a method of arranging the images so that they do not overlap, or changing the color of the frame of the image display area is adopted.

However, the color of the frame may be absorbed in the contents of the image, and avoiding the overlap limits the number of images that can be displayed simultaneously. In particular, when displaying images in a hypermedia system or the like, limiting the number of images that can be displayed deprives the system of flexibility. As described above, in the window system, a method of changing a color or a pattern of a window frame, not the window itself, is mainly adopted in order to indicate a window of interest of an operator.
As another method, there is a method of changing the content of an image.

[0008]

The elements that determine the image content include size, pixels, resolution, hue, luminance, and the like.
Saturation and the like. Even if these elements are independently changed, the change in the information amount of the entire image is large. However, if the elements are combined and changed, a more drastic change can be obtained. As a method of changing the image content in this way,
Here, a method of changing a size, a method of changing a pixel and a resolution, and a method of changing color information will be described.

The method of changing the size is a method of distinguishing a target image from a background image based on a difference in image size. That is, an image serving as a background (W1, W4 to W7)
Is displayed as a reduced image or icon, and only the image of interest (W2 and W3) is displayed in a normal size (FIG. 10). In this method, a normal image is displayed as a reduced image, and only the image of interest (designated) is enlarged to a normal size (zoomed out) and displayed. Incidentally, it is necessary for the reduced image at this time to be able to determine the contents of the original image at a glance.

As a function for listing the relationship between a plurality of windows displayed on the same screen, for example, the network structure of the image database, the image is displayed as a reduced image, and the link relationship between the images is represented by a line. There is a so-called browser to be displayed. When a certain image is selected in this browser (upper right column in FIG. 11), a target image can be determined by displaying a node corresponding to the image separately from the browser (see FIG. 11). 11).

As described above, the display of the browser and the display of the node are conventionally separated, but if the focusing method of changing the size is used, the function of the browser and the display of the node can be further integrated (FIG. 12).

The method of changing the pixel and the resolution is a method of operating a pixel which is an element of an image and applying a filter to an image serving as a background to display the image. For example, a mesh is applied to the entire background image. There is a method of displaying images as if they were superimposed (FIG. 13). As another example, a system in which an image of interest is three-dimensionally displayed by blurring and displaying the image as a background so that the image is out of focus.

In order to blur and display the focus of the background image as described above, for example, it is only necessary to apply a neural net for blur calculation and display the image three-dimensionally.
Because the overlapping state is represented by perspective,
Although it is easy for the user to understand, there is a problem that the blur calculation takes time and the efficiency becomes poor.

Further, the method of changing the color information is a method of weakening the impression of the background image by changing the element relating to the color of the image. The amount of information of an image is significantly increased by adding a color to the image. Therefore, by reducing the information on the color of the background image, the information amount of the image of interest can be relatively increased, and the image of interest can be made to appear in the background image. .

However, even in this case, when the number of windows is increased and various windows are displayed on one screen at the same time, the screen becomes extremely difficult for an operator to see, and the color of the frame also changes in the pattern. Only by itself is not enough to enhance the window.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and when a plurality of windows are simultaneously displayed, the user can easily determine which window is being worked on or is the window of interest. It is intended to propose a display method that can be determined as follows.

[0017]

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for displaying a plurality of windows W11 to W14 for displaying image information and / or character information on the same screen. Window W
Predetermined window _W i of 11~W14 (i = 1~
It is determined whether or not 4) is specified as the target pixel, and if the window _Wi is specified as the target image,
Further determines whether the window W _i is dark image, the window W _i is displayed by switching the bit map to be displayed when the dark image in the dark bit map W _iB Karamei bit map W _iA, the window W _i is together directly displayed when no dark image, when the window W _i is not specified in the image of interest, and further determines whether the window W _i is bright picture,
Dark bit map W a bit map in which the window W _i is displayed when a bright image from the bright bit map W _iA
Displays are switched on _iB, is displayed as when the window W _i is not bright picture, bright bit map W _iA
And when the 100% brightness level to the bright Karamatsupu C1 corresponds, to set the brightness level of the dark Karamatsupu C2 corresponding to the dark bit map W _iB to a value of less than 20% or more 40%.

[0018]

[Operation] A plurality of windows W1 displayed on the same screen
Window W2 designated as the pixel of interest among.
Only the bright bit map W2A is switched and displayed, and when the brightness level of the window W2 is set to 100%, the brightness levels of the other windows W1, W3 and W4 are set to a value of 20% or more and less than 40%. By displaying such a window W2 with increased brightness relative to the other windows W1, W3 and W4, even when a plurality of windows W1 to W4 are displayed on the same screen, the user can compare the target image with the conventional one. To improve the recognizability of the target image, even for the lower layer image (one part of which is hidden by another image) that can be further easily identified Can be.

[0019]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an image display system as a whole, and image information corresponding to image data read via the image input device 3 is displayed in each window on a display area of the image display device 2. Has been done. The image display system 1 includes an image display device 2, an image input device 3,
It has an operation unit 4, a memory 5, and a CPU 6, and is connected to each other via a bus 7.

Here, the image display device 2 is adapted to display the created image on a display screen, and can simultaneously display a plurality of windows W11 to W14. In the case of this embodiment, the image display device 2
Is designed so that the luminance of the target image W12 is displayed brighter than the luminance of the background images (W11, W13, W14) (FIG. 2).

The image input device 3 reads an image and converts it into input image data of a predetermined signal format (FIG. 3). Here, the input image data is
Control data D _CNT, and a color Matsupu data D _C, and bit Matsupu data D _B.

The control data D _CNT, the image data are composed of various control information including identification data indicating whether displayed in any window W _i, color Matsupu data D _C is the image to be displayed It is composed of color conversion data for converting each pixel data into color data.

[0024] More bit Matsupu data D _B, and is written each pixel data of an image to be displayed, the Supporting connexion color conversion data and the pixel data is synthesized (color corresponding to pixel data in the color conversion data data Is converted into an image, so that the image can be reproduced.

The operation unit 4 is adapted to enter the designated brightness of the specified and the window W _i of the window W _i on the display screen of the image display apparatus 3 specified by the user. The memory 5 stores the image data of the light and dark color map C and the windows W1 to W4.

The light / dark color map C is composed of two memory areas, a light color map section C1 and a dark color map section C2. Each area stores a color map for a bright image and a color map for a dark image, respectively. I have. The color data stored in the color map for the bright image and the color map for the dark image are different only in lightness.

The windows W11 to W14 store therein a bright bit map W11A and a dark bit map W11B for switching between light and dark, and the bright bit map W11A is image data for a bright image.
The dark bit map W11B is image data for a dark image. Switching between light and dark can be achieved by switching the displayed bit map between the two.

The CPU 6 reads input image data via the image input device 3, displays the input image data, and executes processing such as switching between light and dark of the image. Here, the CPU 6 creates bit map data of two types of bit maps used for switching the brightness of each window based on the processing procedure shown in FIG.

That is, when entering the processing procedure from step SP1, the CPU 6 proceeds to step SP2, reads the input image data corresponding to the image input from the image input device 3, and then proceeds to the subsequent step SP3. Where C
When the PU 6 creates a bright bit map from the color map data and bit map data read as input image data based on the data read from the bright color map section C1 of the bright and dark color map C stored in the memory 5, the PU 6 creates an appropriate window. It is stored in the corresponding storage area.

When the CPU 6 proceeds to the subsequent step SP4, the CPU 6 reads out the data read from the dark color map section C2 of the bright and dark color map C stored in the memory 5 based on the data.
A dark bit map is created from the color map data and the bit map data read as input image data, stored in the corresponding storage area of the same window, and then proceeds to step SP5 to end the processing.

The CPU 6 controls to switch between two types of bit map data created for each window based on the processing procedure shown in FIG. That is, when the CPU 6 enters the processing procedure from step SP11, in step SP12, it is determined whether or not a certain image is designated as an image of interest to the user.

Specifically, for example, when the work is type, the text image being created is the image of interest to the user. If you get a positive result here (which means that the image is designated as the image of interest)
The CPU 6 proceeds to step SP13 to determine whether or not the image is a dark image.

If a positive result is obtained (this means that the image is a dark image), the CPU
In step SP14, the bit map to be displayed is switched from the dark bit map to the bright bit map, and a bright image is displayed on the image display device 2. Then, the process proceeds to step SP15 to end the process. On the other hand, if a negative result is obtained (this means that the image is a bright image), the CPU 6 proceeds directly to step SP15 and ends the process.

On the other hand, if a negative result is obtained in step SP12 (this means that the image is not designated as the image of interest), the CPU 6 proceeds to step SP16, and the image is a bright image. Is determined. If an affirmative result is obtained (this means that the image is a bright image), the CPU 6 proceeds to step SP17, switches the bit map to be displayed from the bright bit map to the dark bit map, and displays the bit map on the image display device 2. After the dark image is displayed, the process moves to step SP15 and the process ends.

On the other hand, if a negative result is obtained (this means that the image is a dark image), C
The PU 6 proceeds to step SP15 as it is, and terminates the processing. In this way, only the image on the window of interest can be brightened, and the image on the window of no interest can be darkened.

In the above configuration, the image display system 1
The case where a plurality of windows are displayed on the same screen using a workstation will be described. Here, a common color palette is set for displaying a plurality of color images on the work station, and all images are displayed using the colors on the palette.

Incidentally, in a workstation, a method called a color palette is usually used to display a color image. The maximum number of registered colors in the color palette is, for example, 256, and each color R (red), G (green), B (blue)
Has 256 gradations. One color palette is 256 colors selected from 16 million colors.
Color can be specified. However, a plurality of color pallets cannot be used at the same time.

Further, the color image data holds color map information most suitable for each image. Therefore, when a plurality of color images are displayed at the same time, not all the images can be displayed in the optimum colors. When displaying a plurality of color images, a color map (standard color map) that can display all images in a standard color is prepared, and usually, all images are displayed with the color information of this color map. I have.

When it is desired to view the display of a specific image in an optimum color, the display is switched to a color map (optimal color map) originally created from the color map information of the image, and the optimum display is confirmed. It is also possible. However, during the optimal display, images other than the optimal display cannot be displayed normally.

In this embodiment, a standard color map is used, a portion corresponding to the standard color is made 128 colors, and the remaining 128 colors are used as a color map for a background image (hereinafter, the former 128 colors). Is referred to as a bright color map, and the latter 128 colors are referred to as a dark color map).
Here, the brightness level of the dark color map is set to a value of 10% to 50% when the brightness level of the light color map is 100% (FIG. 6).

A state in which several color images are displayed using a color map in which a light / dark color map is combined, and it is possible to specify which of the light and dark color maps to use for any displayed image. To In this way, it was evaluated how much the image of interest displayed in the bright color map appears to rise up in the background image displayed in the dark color map. Also, the ratio of the luminance level of the dark color map to the luminance level of the light color map was changed in several ways.

That is, the luminance level of the dark color map with respect to the luminance level of the bright color map is changed from 50% to 10%.
When the level was changed every 5%, as a result, when the level was lowered to 20% to 25%, the image of interest was most prominent and could be visually recognized. The brightness level of the dark color map is 40%
In this case, since the display is very bright, the difference between the window W2 and the background windows W1, W3, and W4 is inconspicuous.
Of the image itself becomes difficult to grasp.

As a result, at a luminance level of about 20%, the viewpoint to the target image can be moved quickly due to the difference in brightness between the images (FIG. 7).

According to the above configuration, the brightness level of the target image and the background image is manipulated, and the target image is displayed brighter than the background image, so that the discriminating power of the target image is further improved as compared with the related art. can do.

The same applies not only when the image of interest is in the uppermost layer but also in the lower layer (a part of the image is hidden by another image). The discriminability can be improved (FIG. 8). As a result, when a part of the image appears over a certain area, sufficient discrimination can be obtained without necessarily displaying the target image at the top.

In the above-described embodiment, the color map is divided into two for light and dark, and depending on whether the image is the target image or not,
Although the case of using the method of switching between them has been described, the present invention is not limited to this, and the fade effect may be obtained by changing the luminance of the color map in real time (FIG. 9).

In the above embodiment, the case where image information is displayed on the window has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and character information and the like may be displayed.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the user's work is of the type and the image displaying the text as the image of interest by the user has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The designated window may be designated as the image of interest.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case of preparing a standard color palette has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of color palettes are prepared, and these are switched and used appropriately. Is also good.

[0050]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the luminance level of a window of interest is set to 100%, the luminance level of another window is set to a value of 20% or more and less than 40%. By displaying only the brightness level of the window of interest by the user brighter than the brightness levels of the other windows, the window of interest can be displayed in another window even when a plurality of windows are displayed on the same screen. Can be easily identified as compared with the above, and the lower layer image (one part of which is hidden by another image) which is displayed in an overlapped manner is also improved in the recognizability of the image of interest. Thus, the use environment of the user can be further improved as compared with the related art.

At the time of presentation on the window system, the window to be noticed can be clearly shown, so that the emphasis effect can be improved.

Further, with respect to an image in a lower layer (an image partially hidden by another image) displayed in an overlapped manner, it is possible to improve the discrimination of the image of interest, and the same method is used. A fade effect can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an image display system to which an embodiment of a display method according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a window display according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a signal format of input image data;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a light and dark bit map creation process.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a control of switching between light and dark bit-ups.

FIG. 6 is a table for explaining a relationship between luminance levels in a bright color map and a dark color map.

FIG. 7 is a table for explaining a discrimination degree based on a difference in display luminance level between a bright color map and a dark color map.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram for explaining window display when a target image is present in the uppermost layer and the lower layer.

FIG. 9 is a table for explaining a fade effect caused by a difference in display luminance level between a bright color map and a dark color map.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining a display method of changing an image size for display.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining a display method of displaying using a browser.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram for explaining a display method of displaying using a browser.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining a display method of changing a pixel and a resolution for display.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Image display system, 2 ... Image display device, 3 ...
Image input device, 4 ... operation unit, 5 ... memory, 6 ... C
PU, C: Light and dark color map, W1-W7, W11-
W14 ... window.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-3-245189 (JP, A) JP-A-3-250374 (JP, A) JP-A-2-7091 (JP, A) 5794 (JP, U) Hira 3-49593 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 3/00 601-658 G06F 3/14-3/153 G09G 5 / 06 G09G 5/10 G09G 5/14

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A window for displaying image information and / or character information.
Display method for a display device that displays multiple windows on the same screen
A predetermined window among the plurality of windows is
It is determined whether or not the window is designated as the element, and if the window is designated as the image of interest,
Further, it is determined whether or not the window is a dark image.
Switch from dark bitmap to light bitmap and display
When the window is not a dark image
Is displayed and if the window is not designated as the image of interest
Also determines if the window is a bright image
Bitmap to display when the window is a bright image
Switch from bright bitmap to dark bitmap
When the window is not a bright image
displayAnd The brightness level of the bright color map corresponding to the bright bit map
Compatible with the above dark bitmap when the bell is set to 100%
Make the brightness level of the dark color map 20% or more and less than 40%
Set to value A display method characterized in that: