JP3938056B2 - Image display device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image display device that simultaneously displays a computer image mainly composed of characters and graphics and a television image mainly composed of a natural image on the same screen.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, so-called multimedia services such as a video-on-demand (VOD) service in which a favorite program can be viewed at any time and an electronic encyclopedia using a CD-ROM have become popular. In such multimedia services, television images such as natural images are often displayed on a computer screen.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In general, since a computer display sees characters and figures most recently, the display brightness is not so high that it is easy for a computer operator to see. On the other hand, the television image is set to a relatively high brightness in order to look beautiful.
[0004]
For this reason, when a television image and a computer image of characters and figures are simultaneously displayed on a computer display device, the television image has a lower brightness than that seen on a normal television receiver, and the image does not appear. Therefore, it is necessary to separately control the brightness level of the characters and graphics displayed on the screen of the display device and the brightness level of the natural image display to brighten only the display portion of the natural image.
[0005]
On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-251503, an image synthesis timing on a synthesized image signal is designated, and the amplitude level and DC level of the image signal are controlled at the designated image signal timing to display on the screen of the image display means. The brightness level of displayed characters and figures and natural images is controlled separately, TV images such as natural images are displayed brightly and clearly, and computer images such as characters and figures are displayed with low luminance and easy to read and view. It is said that.
[0006]
In the above-described known example, a horizontal and vertical position specifying circuit using a logic circuit is disclosed as a method for generating image synthesis timing. Certainly, it is possible to specify an arbitrary position on the display screen by this method, but at the time of commercialization, an increase in cost due to the horizontal and vertical position specifying circuit is inevitable.
[0007]
An object of the present invention is to solve such problems, to provide an image synthesis timing generation circuit at a low cost, and to easily realize a function for increasing the brightness of an embedded image.
[0008]
Specifically, the image display device according to the present invention includes interface means for receiving, from an external computer, fitting position information of the second image output together with a composite image signal in which the second image is fitted to the first image. And a signal generating means for outputting a timing signal for designating a position on the display image, and a luminance adjustment process for making the luminance of the second image different from the luminance of the first image. Signal processing means performed on the display, and OSD combining means for displaying the OSD signal superimposed on the display image,
When the OSD signal is displayed, the signal generating means outputs a first timing signal for designating a display position of the OSD signal to the OSD synthesizing means as the timing signal, and the signal processing means When performing the brightness varying process, a second timing signal for designating the display position of the second image is generated as the timing signal based on the position information received by the interface means, and the signal The processing means performs the brightness varying process based on the second timing signal from the signal generating means.
[0009]
This makes it possible to control the brightness level of inset images at a circuit scale and cost that is almost the same as conventional image display devices. TV images such as natural images are bright and clean, and computer images such as characters and figures are displayed with low luminance and are easy to read. it can.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of an image display apparatus according to the present invention, in which 1 is image display means, 2 is OSD synthesis means, 3 is video signal processing means, 4 is signal synthesis means, and 5 is OSD signal generating means, 6 is a microcomputer, 7 is switching means, 8 and 9 are brightness control power supplies, 10 is an image signal input terminal, 11 is an attribute / control information input terminal, and 12 is a brightness variable signal input means.
[0013]
In the figure, the image signal applied to the terminal 10 is processed by the video processing circuit 3 to variably process, for example, the RGB primary color signal amplitude level and DC level, and then the OSD synthesis processing unit 2 outputs the image signal output from the OSD signal generation unit 5. And displayed on the image display means 1.
[0014]
The image display means 1 may be, for example, a cathode ray tube display, a liquid crystal display, a plasma display, or the like.
[0015]
On the other hand, among the image signals applied to the terminal 10, the horizontal synchronization signal Hsync and the vertical synchronization signal Vsync are input to the OSD signal generation means 5. Various OSD signal generating means 5 are available as controller ICs capable of displaying characters, such as M35045 manufactured by Mitsubishi. The OSD signal generating means 5 operates in synchronization with the above Hsync and Vsync, receives display image contents and display position commands from the microcomputer 6, and displays the commanded image at the commanded position. The outputs of the OSD signal generating means 5 are an image signal RGB3 and a timing signal Key. The timing signal Key is a signal for instructing the display timing, and becomes the synthesis timing when the OSD synthesis processing means 2 synthesizes with RGB1.
[0016]
The operation of this embodiment will be described below. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the image signal and the attribute / control signal are input from the image signal output device 20 to the image display device 18, and the image signal output device 20 It is assumed that the output image is displayed by inserting the image B into the image A.
[0017]
The image signal output device 20 may be a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) or a workstation (hereinafter referred to as WS). In addition, the attribute / control information is used to connect the image signal output unit 20 and the image display unit 18 bidirectionally. For example, the universal serial bus (USB) or the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) A display data channel (Display Data Channel: DDC) or a communication interface such as RS-232C may be used.
[0018]
First, the image signal applied to the terminal 10 is displayed on the image display means 1 as shown in the figure. Inset position information and luminance level information of the image B are sent to the terminal 11 from the image signal output means 20. The microcomputer 6 interprets the inset position information and instructs the OSD signal generation to output the timing signal Key at a timing corresponding to the display area of the image B based on the position information. 4, the timing signal Key is added. For this reason, since the timing signal Key is not applied to the normal OSD synthesis processing means 2, the image signal RGB3 is not synthesized and the OSD display does not appear on the screen. Further, the microcomputer 6 interprets the luminance level information and sets the output voltage of the luminance variable power source 8. Similarly, the instruction from the luminance variable signal input means 12 is interpreted and the output voltage of the luminance variable power source 9 is set. The brightness variable signal input means 12 is a brightness adjustment knob attached to the image display device 18.
[0019]
On the other hand, the signal combiner 4 combines the outputs of the luminance variable power supplies 8 and 9 at the timing of the timing signal Key, and can be composed of, for example, a multiplier or an adder. The synthesized output voltage is input to the video signal processing means 3 to change the luminance level of the image signal RGB1. As a result, the luminance level is controlled by the combined voltage of the luminance variable power sources 8 and 9 at the timing when the image B is inserted, and the luminance of the image B can be varied according to the voltage of the luminance variable power source 8. Note that the luminance level of the entire screen can be varied by the luminance variable power supply 9 voltage by the luminance variable signal input means 12.
[0020]
By the way, when it is necessary to display the OSD on the image display means 1 such as when adjusting the brightness of the entire image, the microcomputer 6 instructs the contents of the image to be displayed on the OSD signal generating means, and the switching means 7 is moved down to perform OSD composition processing. The timing signal Key is sent to the means 2, and the image signal RGB3 is synthesized at that timing to perform OSD display.
[0021]
At this time, since the timing signal Key is not applied to the signal synthesizing unit 4 and the luminance variable power sources 8 and 9 are not synthesized, the screen luminance of the image display unit 1 becomes a level set by the luminance variable signal input unit 12. The brightness of the image B area is also at the same level. That is, in the configuration of the present embodiment, the brightness of the image B cannot be increased during OSD display. However, since the OSD display itself is relatively short, there is no practical problem. As described above, the OSD timing signal Key is switched to designate the position of the fitting portion, so that a special circuit for generating the timing is not necessary, and there is almost no cost increase, and the luminance of the fitting portion is increased. For example, when the image A is a text screen and the image B is a television screen, a bright and clear television screen and an easy-to-read text screen with reduced brightness can be displayed simultaneously.
[0022]
As a precaution, the relationship between the timing signal Key and the levels of the image signals RGB1 and RGB2 is divided into a horizontal scanning period and a vertical scanning period in FIG.
[0023]
In the figure, the hatched (hatched) portion of the input image signal RGB1 is the inset portion (image B). The timing signal Key changes from “L” (low level) to “H” (high level) in the hatched portion of the image signal RGB1. The signal synthesizing unit 4 synthesizes the voltages of the luminance variable power supplies 8 and 9 when the timing signal Key is “H” (high level), and only the voltage of the luminance variable power supply 9 when the timing signal Key is “L” (low level). Output. As a result, the luminance control voltage applied to the video signal processing unit 3 only during the display period of the image B on the display unit 1 is a voltage obtained by synthesizing the voltages of the luminance variable power supplies 8 and 9, thereby increasing the amplitude. Then, the luminance level can be changed only for the portion of the image B of the input image signal RGB2 of the image display means 1.
[0024]
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the image display apparatus according to the present invention, wherein 13 is a decoder, 14 is a switching means, 109 and 209 are brightness variable power supplies, and the portion corresponding to FIG. Are given the same reference numerals and redundant description is omitted.
[0025]
In this figure, this embodiment is configured such that a plurality of brightness variable power sources 109 and 209 are selected by the switching means 14, and the brightness levels of the plurality of inset display images B and C are set separately. Can do.
[0026]
The switching means 14 is switched by converting the RGB output of the OSD signal generating means 5 into a control signal by the decoder 13. For example, when the OSD signal generating means 5 can display a total of 8 colors with 1 bit for each of RGB, the decoder 13 can select 8 types. In addition, the switching means 14 shown in FIG. 4 is a case where two types of power supplies are selected.
[0027]
That is, if the value of the image signal RGB3 is set for each image display area in synchronization with the timing signal Key, the luminance or the transformation power source 209, 109 can be selected for each image display area. The setting of the image signal RGB3 may be specified as the display image content from the microcomputer 6.
[0028]
Thus, for example, if the image B corresponds to the variable luminance power source 109 and the image C corresponds to the variable luminance power source 209, the respective images can be set to different luminances. The other details are the same as in the first embodiment, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.
[0029]
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of the image display apparatus according to the present invention. Reference numeral 105 denotes OSD signal generation means 105 having two systems of timing signals Key1 and Key2, and a portion corresponding to FIG. Are given the same reference numerals and redundant description is omitted.
[0030]
In this figure, this embodiment has two timing signals Key1 and Key2, and the timing of synthesis of the OSD synthesis processing means 2 and the signal synthesis means 4 is set separately by the respective timing signals Key1 and Key2.
[0031]
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, since one timing signal Key is used by switching between the signal synthesizing unit 4 and the OSD synthesizing processing unit 2, the OSD display and the inset portion cannot be increased in brightness at the same time. This is possible because of the two timing signals Key1 and Key2.
[0032]
Accordingly, for example, as shown in FIG. 6A, the peripheral portion 30 can be painted with the display pattern of the OSD signal generating means 105 while keeping the inset portion high in brightness, so that it looks like a frame. Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, the OSD display 31 for setting the luminance of the embedded image while keeping the inset portion at high luminance is also possible.
[0033]
The other details are the same as in the first embodiment, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted. In the above description, the case where there are two timing signals Key has been described, but of course there may be two or more.
[0034]
In order to obtain the same effect as that of the present embodiment, it should be added that the configuration of FIG. 7 can be made by using a plurality of OSD signal generating means 5 shown in FIG. At this time, since the OSD signal generating means 205 does not need to output an image signal, the OSD signal generating means 205 does not necessarily have to be an OSD circuit, and any device that can generate a timing signal is acceptable.
[0035]
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the image display apparatus according to the present invention, 15 is a switching means, and the parts corresponding to those in FIGS. Omitted.
[0036]
In this figure, this embodiment has two timing signals Key1 and Key2, and the timing signals Key1 and Key2 respectively set the synthesis timing of the OSD synthesis processing means 2 and the signal synthesis means 4 separately, and the timing signal Key1. Thus, the switching means 15 is turned on and off to control whether or not the timing signal Key2 is applied to the signal synthesizing means 4.
[0037]
When the OSD display instruction is instructed from the microcomputer 6 to the OSD signal generating means 105 in the configuration of FIG. 8, the timing signal Key1 is output simultaneously with the image signal RGB3. For this reason, the image signal RGB3 is not the signal content for controlling the switching means 14 by the decoder 13 at the timing when the timing signal Key1 is output. Therefore, the switching means 15 is opened in synchronization with the timing at which the timing signal Key1 is output so that the timing signal Key2 is not applied to the signal synthesizing means 4. In this way, only the control voltage of the luminance variable power supply 8 is applied to the video signal processing means 3 at the OSD display timing, so that the luminance of the OSD display unit becomes the luminance level set by the luminance variable signal input means 12. In other words, even if the luminance level of the inset portion is changed, the luminance level of the OSD display portion is always independent and constant.
[0038]
As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 9A, the peripheral portions 30 and 32 can be painted with the display pattern of the OSD signal generating means 105 while maintaining the high brightness of the plurality of inset portions to make it look like a frame. Further, as shown in FIG. 9B, OSD displays 31 and 33 for setting the brightness of the inset image while keeping the plurality of inset portions at high brightness are also possible.
[0039]
The rest is the same as the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 and will not be described in detail. In the above description, the case where there are two timing signals Key has been described, but of course there may be three or more.
[0040]
In order to obtain the same effect as the present embodiment, it should be added that the configuration of FIG. 10 may be made by using a plurality of OSD signal generating means 5 shown in FIG.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the key scale (the blanking signal) of the image signal generating means can be utilized as a signal for specifying the fitting position, and the circuit scale is almost the same as that of the conventional image display device. In addition, the brightness level of the inset image is controlled at a low cost, so that TV images such as natural images can be displayed brightly and cleanly, and computer images such as characters and figures can be displayed with low luminance so that they can be easily read and viewed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of an image display device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of connection between the image display device of the present invention and an image signal generating means.
FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of an image display device according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of an image display device according to the present invention.
6 is a view showing an inset image image in FIG. 5. FIG.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing another specific example of the third embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a fourth embodiment of an image display device according to the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a view showing an inset image image in FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing another specific example of the fourth embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image display apparatus, 2 ... OSD composition processing means, 3 ... Video signal processing means 4 ... Signal composition means, 5 ... OSD signal generation means, 6 ... Microcomputer 7 ... Switching means, 8, 9 ... Luminance control power source, 10... Image signal input terminal 11... Attributes / control information input terminal, 12... Brightness variable signal input means 13... Decoder, 14, 15. 20 …… Image signal output device

Claims (7)

In an image display device,
Interface means for receiving, from an external computer, fitting position information of the second image output together with a composite image signal in which the second image is fitted into the first image;
Signal generating means for outputting a timing signal for designating a position on the display image;
Signal processing means capable of executing a brightness variable process for making the brightness of the second image different from the brightness of the first image on the composite image signal;
OSD combining means for displaying the OSD signal superimposed on the display image,
The signal generating means includes
When displaying the OSD signal, the first timing signal for designating the display position of the OSD signal is output to the OSD synthesis means as the timing signal,
When the signal processing means performs the brightness varying process, a second timing signal for designating a display position of the second image is used as the timing signal based on the position information received by the interface means. Generate and
The image display device, wherein the signal processing means performs the luminance variable processing based on a second timing signal from the signal generating means. In an image display device,
Interface means for receiving, from an external computer, fitting position information of the second image output together with a composite image signal in which the second image is fitted into the first image;
A first timing signal for designating a display position of the OSD signal for displaying the OSD signal superimposed on the image signal from the external computer, and position information of the second image received by the interface means OSD signal generating means for outputting a second timing signal for designating the display position of the second image based on
Signal processing means capable of executing a brightness variable process for making the brightness of the second image different from the brightness of the first image, with respect to the synthesized image signal;
When the OSD signal is displayed, the OSD signal generation means outputs the first timing signal to designate the display position of the OSD signal, and when the signal processing means performs luminance variable processing, Output a second timing signal;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing means performs the luminance variable processing based on the second timing signal from the OSD signal generation means.   The interface means receives brightness information together with the position information from the external computer, and the signal processing means uses the brightness information received by the interface means to change the brightness of the second image to the brightness of the first image. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein the composite image signal is processed so as to be different from the image display device.   The image display device according to claim 2, wherein the first image is a text image, and the second image is a television image.   The image display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the OSD signal generation unit displays an OSD image in the vicinity of the second image.   The image display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the OSD image displayed in the vicinity of the second image is an image for setting a luminance of the second image. In an image display device,
Interface means for receiving, from an external computer, fitting position information of the second image output together with a composite image signal in which a television image is fitted into a text image;
The first timing signal for designating the display position of the OSD signal when the OSD signal is superimposed on the image signal input from the external computer, and the luminance of the text image are set as the luminance of the text image. An OSD signal generating means for outputting a second timing signal for designating the display position of the TV image,
A signal processing means capable of executing a luminance variable process for making the luminance of the television image different from the luminance of the text image with respect to the synthesized image signal;
The OSD signal generation means outputs the first timing signal when displaying the OSD signal, and outputs the second timing signal when performing luminance variable processing by the signal processing means,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing means performs the luminance variable processing based on the second timing signal from the OSD signal generation means.

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