JPH01207787A - Window control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To operate an external image window similarly to an internal image window by switching a synchronized external image signal and an internal image signal of each pixel under the control of an external image display instructing signal for controlling the display of corresponding pixels simultaneously read out. CONSTITUTION:A switching circuit 2 switches a synchronized external image signal 54 synchronized by a synchronizing circuit 1 and an internal image signal 34 read out from a frame memory 7 by the value of an external image display instructing signal 80 read out from an external image display instructing bit memory 8 and outputs the switched signal on a display as an output image signal 64. When a scanning line exists in the window frame of the external image window and is not included in other windows, an external image is displayed on the display as a window similar to an internal image by an external image display signal 80. Since the external image window is processed similarly to other windows, the external image can be also displayed on a work station of a multiwindow display without applying unnatural sense to a user.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a workstation, and particularly to a method for controlling windows of a workstation.

(Prior Art) In a conventional workstation, a device having the configuration shown in the block diagram shown in Fig. 2 is connected between the workstation and a display to combine a multi-window screen and an external image to create a single display. displayed on the screen. That is, the synchronization circuit 1 receives a vertical synchronization signal 31, a horizontal synchronization signal 32, and a dot clock 3 from the workstation.
3, external vertical synchronization signal 47, external horizontal synchronization signal 42, external dot clock signal 43, external image signal 4
4 to synchronize the external image signal 44 with the screen of the workstation, output the synchronized external image signal 54, and also output the switching signal 50. On the other hand, the switching circuit 2 switches between the image signal 34 from the workstation and the synchronized image signal 54 using the switching signal 50, and outputs an output image signal 64. An output image signal 64 and a vertical synchronization signal 31 and a horizontal synchronization signal 32 output from the workstation are applied to the display.

Although not shown in the figure, the synchronization circuit 1 has a synchronized external image memory that holds image information corresponding to all pixels of the external image. The external image signal 44 is sampled using the external dot clock signal 43, and the external vertical synchronization signal 41,
An address is obtained from the external horizontal synchronizing signal 42 and the dot clock 43 and written into the synchronized external image memory.

Although not shown in the figure, the synchronization circuit 1 includes four registers for specifying the display range, four comparators, and counts the dot clock 33 to calculate the current X coordinate, Y, and Y of the scanning line.
When the four comparators detect that the 0 surface line containing the counter indicating the coordinates has entered the display range, the switching signal 50 is set to "1". Although not shown in the figure, the synchronization circuit 1 has an internal display start address register that holds the address of the synchronized external image memory corresponding to the upper left corner point of the external image display area on the screen. It is also provided with an address counter, and outputs external image information held at the address indicated by this address counter as a synchronized external image signal 54.

During the vertical retrace period, the value of the display start address register is partially set in the address register. When the horizontal synchronization signal 32 becomes active, the values of some address registers are set in the address counter. When the switching signal 50 becomes 1, the address counter is counted up by the dot clock 33 and the corresponding external image information is outputted to the synchronized external image signal 54. When the switching signal 50 becomes "O" or when the last image information of the current scanning line is output, the address for one scanning line is added to the -time address register. By repeating this operation, a part or all of the external image is extracted from an arbitrary location of the synchronous external image signal 54 and in an arbitrary size in synchronization with the image of the workstation.

Now, when the switching signal 50 becomes "1", the switching circuit 2 synchronizes and outputs the external image signal 54 as the output image signal 64, and when the switching signal 50 becomes "0", the image signal 34 from the workstation is output as the output image signal. Output to signal 64. By doing this, an external image 40 is displayed on the multi-window screen 30 of the workstation as shown in FIG.

Furthermore, by changing the values of the four registers that specify the display range, it is possible to change the size or move the display area of the external image on the display. Furthermore, by changing the value of the display start address register, the external image can be scrolled vertically and horizontally.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the conventional method, the external image 40 is displayed on top of the multi-window screen 30 once completed on the workstation, so the external image 40 is always on top. The display area of the external image 40 can be made larger, smaller, or moved in the same way as other windows by changing the values of the four registers that specify the display range in the synchronization circuit 1, and the display start address register. Although you can perform arbitrary scrolling by changing the value of It becomes a natural window.

The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems and display images from the outside as one of the windows, thereby eliminating the unnaturalness felt by the user.

(Means for solving the problem) The present invention comprises an internal image information holding means, an internal image information, an updating means, an external image display instruction information holding means, an external image display instruction information updating means, and the above two information holding means. External image synchronization that synchronizes the external image with the internal image by inputting a reading means for simultaneously reading out information for the same point on the screen, a synchronizing signal generating means, an external image synchronizing signal, an image signal, and an internal image synchronizing signal. and a switching means.

(Operation) In the control system of the present invention, the internal image information holding means holds internal image information corresponding to each pixel on the screen. Similarly, the external image display information holding means holds information corresponding to each pixel on the screen as to whether external image information is to be displayed on that pixel. This information provides information that the external image should be displayed for pixels on the screen that are within the window frame of the external image and that are not hidden by the internal image window, and for other vixels that correspond to the pixels that are hidden by the internal image window. The synchronized external image signal outputted by the external image synchronization means and the internal image signal of each pixel read from the internal image information holding means by the reading means are simultaneously stored by the reading means. The external image window is caused to behave in the same manner as the internal image window by being switched by the switching means under the control of an external image display designation signal that controls the display of the corresponding pixel read from the external image signal display information holding means. Provide it as a window. The window frame of the external image window is prepared on the internal image information holding means in the same way as the window frame of the internal image window.

(Embodiment) A block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. The frame memory 7 is a memory in which each bit holds binary internal image information of a corresponding pixel on the screen, and also holds information for a window frame. Each bit of the external image display instruction bit memory is a memory that holds an external image display instruction bit indicating whether or not to display an external image in the corresponding pixel on the screen. Frame memory 7 and external image display instruction bit memory 8 are updated by software on processor 11 and memory 12. The read control circuit 9 receives a vertical synchronization signal 31, a horizontal synchronization signal 32, and a dot clock signal 33 generated by a synchronization signal generation circuit 10.
is input and the address 91 of the frame memory 7 and external image display instruction bit memory 8 corresponding to the current scanning line position is input.
The internal image signal 34 of the pixel at the current scanning line position is output from the frame memory 7, and the external image display instruction signal 80 of the same pixel is output from the external image display instruction bit memory.
Read each. The synchronization circuit 1 operates as described above and outputs the synchronized external image signal 54.The register for specifying the 0 display range is controlled by the processor 11 and the software on the memory 12 to display the inside of the window frame of the external image window. Set.

Each bit of the external image display instruction bit memory 8 is set by software as follows. The initial value is that all bits are "0", indicating that no external image is displayed. When a window changes by being newly displayed, deleted, or moved, all bits are set to 0 if the corresponding on-screen pixel is not within the window frame of the external image window. be done. If it is within the external image window frame, the vixel is checked to see if it is outside all windows above the external image window. If it is outside, that bit is set to "1", and if it is inside, it is set to "0". From this, the external image display instruction set memory 8 holds the value "1" only in the part of the pixel within the external image window that is not hidden by another window, and holds the value "0" in the other part. ” is controlled to hold.

The switching circuit 2 converts the synchronized external image signal 54 synchronized by the synchronization circuit 1 and the internal image signal 34 read from the frame memory 7 into the external image display instruction read from the external image display instruction bit memory 8. It is switched depending on the value of the signal 80 and outputted to the display as an output image signal 64.

That is, when the external image display instruction signal 80 is "1", the synchronized external image signal 54 is used, and when it is "0", the internal image signal 34 is used.
given to the display.

Since the external image display signal 80 becomes "1" only when the scanning line is within the window frame of the external image window and no other window is above it, the external image is displayed on the display as a window similar to the internal image. Ru.

In this embodiment, the method of setting each bit in the external image display instruction bit memory 8 is to check each bit, but the frame memory is updated for a rectangular area on the screen that changes. In a workstation that uses this method, when updating the frame memory, if the area is within an external image window, the window frame is stored in the frame memory 7, and the window frame is stored in the external image display instruction bit memory 8, respectively. This method cannot compete with the method of updating the corresponding area, and although this embodiment deals with a binary image, it may be a multivalued image or a color image.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, since the external image window behaves in the same manner as other windows, external images can also be displayed on a multi-window display workstation without giving the user an unnatural feeling.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a conventional system, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of display. In the figure, 1・-・・・・・・・・・・・・Synchronization circuit 2・・・・
......Switching circuit 31.41...
・Vertical synchronization signal 32.42...Horizontal synchronization signal 33.43...Dot clock signal 34.44.54.64...Image signal 7...
・・・・・・・・・Frame memory 8・・・・・・・・・
......External image display instruction bit memory 9...-
...... Read control circuit 10...
...... Synchronous signal generation circuit 11...
・・・・・・Processor 12・・・・・・・・・・・・
・Memory 13・・・・・・・・・Bus

Claims (1)

[Claims] The internal image information holding means, the internal image information updating means, the external image display instruction information means, the external image display instruction information updating means, and the reading means for simultaneously reading information for the same point on the screen from the two information holding means are synchronized. A window control characterized by comprising a signal generating means, an external image synchronizing means for inputting an external image synchronizing signal, an image signal, and an internal image synchronizing signal to synchronize the external image with the internal image, and a switching means. method.