JPH05328214A - Picture synthesizer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the picture synthesizer with simple control and configuration in which the degree of freedom of a display color onto a display means is increased based on a picture signal from a picture signal source. CONSTITUTION:A control section 10 sets signal switching information representing which picture signal source is to be selected is set to each storage section of a storage means 9 provided corresponding to each picture element unit for each picture element unit in a picture signal from picture signal sources 1, 2a-2n by a control section 10. When a synchronizing signal from a synchronizing signal generating means 3 is given to the picture signal sources 1, 2a-2n and the storage means 9, the picture signal in the unit of picture elements is outputted from the picture signal sources 1, 2a-2n synchronously with the synchronizing signal and signal switching information in the unit of picture elements is outputted from the storage means 9 synchronously with the synchronizing signal. An output means 11 selects and outputs the picture signal in the unit of picture elements from the picture signal sources 1, 2a-2n based on the signal switching information from the storage means 9. A display device 7 displays the picture elements of the picture based on the picture signal in the unit of picture elements selectively outputted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image synthesizing device for synthesizing and outputting image signals from a plurality of image signal sources to a display device (display means) connected to a computer such as a personal computer. ..

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 shows an image synthesizing device for synthesizing and displaying a signal from another image signal source together with an image signal from an original computer on a display device connected to a computer such as a personal computer. The one as shown is conventionally known. In FIG. 3, (1) is an image signal source which is a display controller output source (frame buffer for PC) output from a computer, and an image signal in pixel units (only luminance information indicating display color and luminance) based on a synchronization signal. (For example, an NTSC system image signal) is output.

The item (2) outputs an image signal for each pixel (for example, an NTSC image signal including only display color and luminance information indicating the luminance), for example, an image signal indicating a moving image or the like based on the synchronization signal. An image signal source group having a plurality of image signal sources consisting of a frame buffer (2a) ~ (2n),
(3) is a synchronizing signal generating means consisting of a display timing generating circuit for giving a synchronizing signal to the image signal source (1) and each image signal source (2a) to (2n) of the image signal source group, (4a) ~ (4n) is each image signal source (2a) ~ (2n) of the image signal source group (2)
And a plurality of switching color information setting memories that store color information corresponding to each image signal source (2a) to (2n)
In the setting memory group having (4a) ~ (4n), the color information stored in each switching color information setting memory (4a) ~ (4n) is different, and displayed on the image signal source (1). It shows a display color not used for.

Reference numeral (5) is provided corresponding to each of the switching color information setting memories (4a) to (4n) of the setting memory group (4), and the image signal from the image signal source (1) and Multiple color information for switching that receives the color information stored in the corresponding switching color information setting memories (4a) to (4n) and outputs the switching signal when the color signal in the input image signal matches the color information. Discrimination circuit group having discrimination circuits (5a) ~ (5n), (6) is a switching signal from the switching color information discrimination circuit (5a) ~ (5n) of the discrimination circuit group and the image signal source (1) Image signal and image signal source group
(2) image signal source (2a) -receives an image signal from (2n), the image signal from the image signal source (1) and the image of the image signal source group (2) based on the input switching signal Signal source (2a) to (2n)
An image switching circuit for selectively outputting any one of the image signals from (1), (7) is a display device for displaying an image based on the image signal selected and output from this image switching circuit, for example, by a CRT or a liquid crystal display device. Composed. (8)
Is the color information setting memory for switching (4a) of the above setting memory group (4)
It is a control unit for setting color information to (4n).

Next, the operation of the apparatus thus constructed will be described. First, the image signal from the image signal source (1) and the image signal from the image signal sources (2a) to (2n) of the image signal source group (2) are switched and combined as one screen to display the image.
In the case of displaying on (7), first, color information for a specific display color that is not used for the image signal from the image signal source (1) by the control unit (8) is displayed for each image signal of the image signal source group (2). Source (2a) ~
Corresponding to (2n), it is set in the switching color information setting memories (4a) to (4n) of the setting memory group (4).

In such a state, when an image signal is output from the image signal source (1) in synchronization with the synchronization signal from the synchronization signal generating means (3), the output image signal is the image switching circuit. (6) and discrimination circuit group (5) switching color information discrimination circuit
Input to (5a) to (5n). The color signals in the image signal from the image signal source (1) are the switching color information discrimination circuits (5a) to (5n).
Is compared with the color information stored in the switching color information setting memory (4a) to (4n), and if they do not match, the switching signal is not output from each switching color information determination circuit (5a) to (5n) .. The image switching circuit (6) receives the switching signal from the switching color information discrimination circuits (5a) to (5n) and outputs the image signal from the image signal source (1) to the display device (7) as it is. Output. The display device (7) displays an image based on the input image signal from the image signal source (1).

On the other hand, the color signals in the image signal from the image signal source (1) are stored in the switching color information setting memories (4a) to (4n) by the switching color information determining circuits (5a) to (5n). Color information setting memory (4a) for any one of the colors to be compared with the existing color information.
When they match the color information stored in (4n) to (4n), a switching signal is output from the matching color information setting memory for switching. At this time, the image signal sources (2a) to (2n) of the image signal source group (2) also generate image signals in synchronization with the synchronization signal from the synchronization signal generating means (3). Is output in the same manner as.

The image switching circuit (6) receiving the switching signal from the switching color information setting memory outputs the switching signal from the image signal source of the image signal source group (2) corresponding to the switching color information setting memory. Select and output the image signal. The display device (7) displays an image based on the input image signal from the image signal source of the image signal source group (2).

An image synthesizing device for synthesizing and outputting image signals from a plurality of image signal sources which are output asynchronously is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-292783. This publication has a first memory for storing image information to be displayed and a storage area corresponding to that of the first memory, and stores a plurality of image information for each address of the storage information of the first memory. A second memory that stores selection information indicating which one of them should be selectively written; a generation circuit that generates a plurality of write address signals corresponding to a plurality of image information sent in asynchronous timing relationship; A write enable / disable determination circuit that determines whether or not to write image information to an address specified on the first memory by each write address signal, according to the selection information read from the second memory, and writes the write information on the first memory. An image synthesizing device for reading the synthesized image information to be displayed and displaying it on a display screen is shown.

[0010]

However, in the conventional device shown in FIG. 3, the image signal from the image signal source (1) and the image signal source (2a) of the image signal source group (2) are used. ~ Since the color information is used to switch the image signal from (2n), the image signal source that is the image signal from the computer (1)
As the color in the image displayed on the display device (7) based on the image signal from, the color information used for switching cannot be used, and moreover, the image signal source (2a) in the image signal source group (2) When the number of (2n) to (2n) increases, the switching color information discrimination circuit (5a) to (5 of the discrimination circuit group (5) correspondingly increases.
The number of n) also increased, and the circuit became complicated.

Further, in the one disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, the image signal source (1) already used as a computer cannot be used as it is, and the image signal source (1) for sending the image information to the first memory is used. It is necessary to newly provide an image signal source, and the control for storing the combined information in the first memory becomes complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and an image synthesizing apparatus in which the degree of freedom of the display color on the display means based on the image signal from the image signal source is increased and the control and the configuration are simple. The purpose is to obtain.

[0013]

An image synthesizing apparatus according to the present invention has a storage unit of the same number as the pixel unit in a plurality of image signal sources for outputting an image signal of the pixel unit based on a synchronization signal, and each storage unit. Signal switching information indicating which image signal source from a plurality of image signal sources is selected in a pixel unit corresponding to each unit, and the signal switching information stored in each storage unit based on the synchronization signal is stored. Of the plurality of image signals input based on the input signal switching information, the storage unit that sequentially outputs information, the signal switching information output from the storage unit, and the image signals from the plurality of image signal sources are received. An output means for selectively outputting any one of them to the display means is provided.

[0014]

According to the present invention, the storage means stores, in pixel units, signal switching information for selecting image signals in pixel units on the basis of synchronization signals from a plurality of image signal sources. A plurality of image signal sources that sequentially output signal switching information based on signals, and are output by the output unit based on the synchronization signal based on the signal switching information from the storage unit that is input in pixel units based on the synchronization signal The image signal from is selectively output to the display means.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 1, the same reference numerals as those in the conventional example shown in FIG. 9) has the same number of storage units as the pixel unit in the image signal source (1), and the image signal source in the pixel unit corresponding to each storage unit.
(1) and a plurality of image signal sources (2a) to (2n) of the image signal source group (2)
The signal switching information indicating which image signal source from which of the image signal sources is selected is stored, and the signal switching information stored in each storage unit is sequentially stored based on the synchronization signal from the synchronization signal generating means (3). A storage means consisting of a mask memory for output,
The signal switching information stored in each storage unit corresponds to (n + 1) image signal sources (2a) to (2n) of the image signal source (1) and the image signal source group (2) as shown in FIG. 2, for example. ) Bit information, "1" is stored for the selected image signal source, and "0" is stored for the unselected image signal source.

(10) is a control section having switching information setting means for storing signal switching information in each storage section of the storage means (9), and (11) is output from the storage means (9). The signal switching information and the image signal source (1) and the image signal from the plurality of image signal sources (2a) to (2n) in the image signal source group (2) are received, and are input based on the input signal switching information. It is an output means having an image switching circuit for selectively outputting any one of a plurality of image signals to the display device (7).

Next, the operation of the thus constructed device will be described. First, the image signal from the image signal source (1) which is the image signal from the computer
Image signal sources of the image signal source group (2) that outputs the moving image of the method
(2a) to (2n) when cutting out a desired portion in the image signal and synthesizing it as one screen and displaying it on the display device (7), first, the image signal source (1) and the control unit (10) and Signal switching information indicating which image signal source is selected for each pixel unit in the image signal from the image signal sources (2a) to (2n), storage means (9) provided corresponding to each pixel unit. To each storage unit of.

In such a state, the sync signal from the sync signal generating means (3) is applied to the image signal source (1) and the image signal source group.
The image signal sources (2a) to (2n) of (2) and the image signal source (2) of the image signal source (1) and the image signal source group (2) are supplied to the storage means (9).
From a) to (2n), the pixel-based image signal is output in synchronization with the synchronization signal, and the storage unit (9) outputs the pixel-based signal switching information in synchronization with the synchronization signal.

The output image signal and signal switching information for each pixel are input to the output means (11) having an image switching circuit. The output means (11) is based on the signal switching information from the storage means (9), for example, image signal sources (1) and image signal source group (2) image signals corresponding to “1” in the signal switching information. The pixel-based image signals from the sources (2a) to (2n) are selected and output. The display device (7) displays the pixels of the image based on the image signal of the pixel unit selected and output by the output means (11).

The above operation is repeated every time the sync signal is output from the sync signal generating means (3), and the display device (7) stores the signal stored in the storage means (9) for each pixel unit. The image signals from the image signal sources (2) to (2n) of the image signal source (1) and the image signal source group (2) in each pixel unit selectively output by the output means (11) based on the switching information are output. Upon receipt, it will display a full-screen image.

[0021]

As described above, the present invention has the same number of storage units as pixel units in a plurality of image signal sources that output image signals in pixel units based on synchronization signals, and each storage unit has a storage unit. The signal switching information indicating which image signal source from the plurality of image signal sources in the corresponding pixel unit is selected is stored, and the signal switching information stored in each storage unit is stored based on the synchronization signal. Storage means for sequentially outputting,
The signal switching information output from the storage means and the image signals from the plurality of image signal sources are received, and any one of the plurality of image signals input based on the input signal switching information is selectively output to the display means. Since the output means to
This has the effect of simplifying the control and configuration and increasing the degree of freedom of the display color on the display means based on the image signal from the image signal source.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing signal switching information stored in a storage section of a storage means (9) in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional image synthesizing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 image signal source 2 image signal source group 3 synchronizing signal generating means 7 display device 9 storage means 11 output means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The plurality of image signals in a pixel unit corresponding to each storage unit, which has the same number of storage units as the pixel units in a plurality of image signal sources that output a pixel-based image signal based on a synchronization signal. Signal switching information of which of the image signal sources from which to select the image signal is stored,
A storage unit that sequentially outputs the signal switching information stored in each storage unit based on the synchronization signal, the signal switching information output from the storage unit, and the image signals from the plurality of image signal sources are received and input. An image synthesizing device comprising an output means for selectively outputting any one of a plurality of image signals input based on signal switching information to a display means.