JPH06348243A - On-screen character color selecting method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To compose a title image and on-screen characters in an easy-to-read color. CONSTITUTION:On the screen of a monitor, a gradational image, the title image 24, and the on-screen characters 25 are composed and displayed. A user can specify an optional color for the title image. The on-screen characters 25 are displayed to show operation contents, time, etc., and the color is predetermined. When the specified color of the title image is the same as or similar to the color of the on-screen characters 25, a CPU changes the color of the whole part of the on-screen characters 25 or only the part which overlaps with the title image 24.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of selecting an on-screen character color displayed on a color monitor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Images taken by a video camera can be converted into hard copies by connecting the video camera to a video printer, as well as being reproduced and viewed on a television. It has been proposed to provide a title embedding / combining function in this video printer (for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 5-2).
9411). When synthesizing this image, play the video tape and select the image (gradation image) you want to print,
The image data is taken into the memory. Next, the title function of the video camera is used to shoot a title image such as characters and illustrations. Each pixel in this title image is 1
It is represented by bits, and the input title image data is taken into the title memory, and the color of the title image can be specified by operating the keyboard, although there is a restriction that it is a single color.

A monitor television can be connected to the video printer, and the contents of the gradation image to be printed and the state of combination with the title image can be confirmed in advance. At the time of this monitor, on-screen characters for notifying the time, operation information, the number of prints, etc. are also displayed on the screen of the monitor television. This on-screen character is not printed because it presents information to the user.

On-screen characters, which are not printed, present information to the user and therefore have the highest priority and need to appear raised, even when other images overlap. is there. Further, the color of the on-screen character is specified in advance. On the other hand,
The color of the title image can be arbitrarily designated by the user.

Therefore, there is a possibility that the same or similar color as the on-screen character is designated, and in such a case, it becomes impossible to identify which is the unprinted on-screen character. In particular, when the on-screen characters and the title image overlap, they become invisible or hard to see.

[0006] In order to deal with the above-mentioned problems such as inability to read and unreadable characters, on-screen characters are bordered with white or black so that the outline of the characters can be seen, or the color of the title image and the on-screen characters are preliminarily displayed. Manufacturers choose colors so that they do not have the exact same colors.

[0007]

However, in the former case, when the color of the title image selected by the user becomes the same as or similar to the color of the on-screen characters, it is still difficult to see. Further, in the latter case, there is a problem that the color of the title image is designated.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for easily distinguishing an on-screen character and a title image and making the display of the on-screen character easy to see even if they overlap.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is to display the color of the title image and the on-screen character when the on-screen character is superimposed and displayed on the composite image of the gradation image and the title image. When the color of the character is the same as or similar to the color of the character, all the on-screen characters are changed to another color that is not the same as or similar to the title image.

When the title image and the on-screen characters have the same or similar colors and overlap with each other, the color of the on-screen characters in the overlapped portion may be changed to a color that is not difficult to see.

[0011]

2 is a block diagram of a video printer using the present invention. A video camera or a video player is connected to the input terminal 20, and a reproduced video (gradation image) video signal is sent to the RGB demodulation circuit 1 via the input terminal 20, where a red signal, a green signal, Separated into a blue signal. These signals are sampled for each pixel by the A / D converter 2, and then one pixel is converted into a digital signal of 1 byte (8 bits). The obtained red gradation image data, green gradation image data, and blue gradation image data for each pixel are sent to the red frame memory 3a, the green frame memory 3b, and the blue frame memory 3c, respectively.
Written to these. Further, in the through output mode, it is sent to the D / A converter 6 of the monitor system through the selector 5.

Title images such as titles and dates of gradation images are converted into video signals by using a titler or by photographing an original with a video camera.
This video signal is sent to the A / D converter 13 via the input terminal 21, and each pixel of the title image is converted into 1-bit title data from the level of the luminance signal and written in the title memory 14.

At the time of printing or monitoring, the frame memories 3a to 3b sequentially read the gradation image data based on the timing signal generated by the CPU 9 and send it to the selector 5 or the selector 16. The title data stored in the title memory 14 is similarly read out. In addition,
The CPU 9 controls each unit.

The character / character generator 11 receives from the CPU 9 a character designation command for on-screen characters representing operation guidance, date and time, and reads the character pattern data of each character from the character ROM 10. Character pattern data is sent to the decoder 12 in dot units according to a timing signal generated by the CPU 9.

When the color of the title image is designated by the user, the CPU 9 designates the title color code in the decoder 15. The relationship between the color of the title image and the title color code is as shown in Table 1, for example.

[0016]

[Table 1]

The CPU 9 sends to the decoder 12 a character color code for designating the color of the on-screen character to the decoder 12. The relationship between the character color code and the color of the on-screen character is the same as the title color code. Note that C
The color of the on-screen character is preset in PU9. However, when the color of the on-screen character and the color of the title image designated by the user are the same or similar, the character color code of the on-screen character is determined so that they are different colors.

For example, when the on-screen character is set to "magenta" in advance, the user can change the title image color to the same "magenta" or similar "red".
When specified as, the color of the on-screen characters is changed to, for example, "green".

Each time a signal is input, the decoders 12 and 15 generate red, green, and blue data determined according to the character color code and the title color code, respectively, and send them to the selector 5. The decoder 15 further includes a selector 16
Also send.

In the selector 5, the frame memory 3
The gradation image data is input from the A / D converter 2, and the on-screen character data and the title data are input from the decoders 12 and 15. CPU9
Can be set to the through output mode by switching the selector 5 to the A / D converter 2 side. This output mode is used when the video being input is confirmed on the monitor 8, and in this case, the frame memories 3a to
No gradation image data is written in 3c.

The selector 5 outputs a signal other than the through output,
As shown in the process of the flowchart of FIG. 3, when the on-screen character data is input, this is preferentially taken out and sent to the D / A converter 6. Although there is no on-screen character data, when title data is input, this is preferentially taken out. When there is neither on-screen character data nor title data, gradation image data is extracted. The selector 5 inserts and combines three types of images.

Here, the selector 5 outputs 1 for each data.
Since each color has an 8-bit input terminal, on-screen character data and title data to which 1 bit is allocated for each color is converted into 8-bit gradation data for each color.

The 8-bit data of each color selected by the selector 5 is displayed as a composite image on the monitor 8 via the D / A converter 6 and the monitor driver 7. By observing the monitor 8, it is possible to know the combined state of the gradation image and the title image and whether the color of the title image is proper, and also to know the operation guide and time of the video printer from the on-screen characters. You can

The selector 16 selects the gradation image data of each color from the frame memories 3a to 3c when the title data is not input, and when the title data is input, the title color is used instead of the gradation image data. The 8-bit title data of each color corresponding to the code is given priority, converted to 8-bit, and output to the print unit 16. By this selector 16, the title image is fitted and combined with the gradation image.

The image processing circuit 17 carries out a masking process using the composite image data of three colors, yellow, cyan, and
Convert to magenta composite image data. Of the three-color composite image data, only the color to be printed, for example, yellow image data is extracted and sent to the head driver 18. The thermal head 19 has a large number of heating elements formed in a line, and selectively drives each heating element in accordance with image data to thermally record a yellow image on the thermal recording paper 20 line by line. The thermal recording paper 20 is used in combination with optical fixing to thermally record a composite image in the three-color frame sequence.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. The video signal reproduced by the video camera or the like is taken into the video printer via the input terminal 20. The captured video signal is signal-converted by the RGB demodulation circuit 1 and the A / D converter 2 and converted into 8-bit gradation data. C
Since the PU 9 sets the selector 5 in the through output mode, the gradation data output from the A / D converter 2 is sent to the D / A converter 6 through the selector 5.

The CPU 9 operates the character / character generator 11 to generate on-screen character pattern data. This pattern data is colored by the decoder 12 and sent to the selector 5 as 3-bit on-screen character data. As shown in FIG. 3, when the on-screen character data is input, the selector 5 gives priority to this and thereby embeds the on-screen character in the gradation image and synthesizes it.

The composite image in which the on-screen characters are combined with the gradation image is converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 6 and then sent to the monitor 8 via the monitor drive 7.
Display the composite image in color on the screen. When a desired image is displayed on the monitor 8, the keyboard is operated to instruct freeze. When this freeze is instructed, the gradation image data being input is written in the frame memories 3a to 3c in a state of being separated for each color.

In writing the title image, the title image photographed by a video camera or the like is taken into the video printer through the input terminal 21. The video signal of the captured title image is output by the A / D converter 13.
It is converted into 1-bit title data and then written in the title memory 14. After inputting this title image, operate the keyboard to change the color of the title image to the CPU 9
Instruct.

Here, as shown in FIG. 6, an example in which the title image 24 of "entrance ceremony" and the on-screen characters 25 representing the time "00:01:20" are displayed will be described. Predetermined on-screen character 31
If the color of the title image 24 is designated as "red" when the color of the title is "red", as shown in FIG. 6, the type cannot be identified or the overlapping portion cannot be read. .

In such a case, the CPU 9 compares the color of the title image with the color of the preset on-screen character, and when these two colors are the same or similar,
Specifies the color of onscreen characters that are the same or not similar. In the example shown in FIG. 6, since the title image is designated as "red", the CPU 9 sends the character color code designating "green" to the decoder 12.

After changing the color of the on-screen characters, the CP
U9 reads the gradation image data from the frame memories 3a to 3c and sends it to the selector 5. At the same time, the title data is read from the title memory 14 and the decoder 1
At step 5, it is converted into 3-bit title data and sent to the selector 5. Further, as described above, the on-screen character data colored in green is output from the decoder 12 and sent to the selector 5.

The selector 5 synthesizes the gradation image with the title image and the on-screen character by selecting one of the three types of data depending on the presence or absence of the on-screen character data and the title data.

The image data of the composite image is the D / A converter 6
After being converted into an analog signal, it is sent to the monitor driver 7. The monitor driver 7 monitors the composite image of the gradation image, the title image, and the on-screen characters on the monitor 8
To display. As shown in FIG. 1, "00:01:20"
Since the on-screen text of has been changed from red to green, it can be read reliably even if it overlaps with the "entrance ceremony" in the title image.

After confirming the combined state of the images on the monitor 8, the CPU 9 is instructed to print. The CPU 9 instructs the frame memories 3a to 3c and the title memory 14 to read out, reads out the gradation image data line by line from the frame memories 3a to 3c, and sends it to the selector 16. Further, the title data is also read from the title memory 14 line by line, converted into 3-bit data by the decoder 15 and sent to the selector 16 as in the case of monitoring.

The selector 16 selects and outputs one of the gradation image data read from the frame memories 3a to 3c and the title data according to the presence or absence of the title data, and outputs the selected gradation image and the title image. To synthesize. The image data of this composite image is stored in the image processing circuit 17
Then, after the masking process and the color conversion process are performed for each line, only the yellow image data is extracted and sent to the head driver 18. This head driver 18
Drives the thermal head 19 to thermally record a yellow image line by line on the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer of the thermosensitive recording paper 20. After the thermal recording of the yellow image, the thermal recording paper 20 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays of 420 nm to fix the yellow thermal coloring layer.

After the thermal recording of the yellow image, the platen drum makes one rotation and the thermal recording paper 20 is reheated to the thermal head 1.
At the position of 9, the thermal recording of the magenta image is started. Even in the thermal recording of this magenta image, the frame memory 3
The image data is read line by line from a to 3c and is combined with the title data read from the title memory 14. The image processing circuit 17 sends magenta image data to the head driver 18 to drive the thermal head 19. The thermal head 19 is a thermal recording paper 20.
The magenta image is heat-recorded line by line on the magenta thermosensitive color developing layer. After thermal recording of the magenta image, the thermosensitive recording paper 20 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays of 365 nm to fix the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer.

After the thermal recording of the magenta image, the cyan image is thermally recorded line by line on the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer of the thermosensitive recording paper 20. No optical fixing is performed on the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer.

In selecting a color other than the same or similar color, a color that is not difficult to see even if the title image and the on-screen character overlap each other may be selected.
The color to be set is "red" and the color to be changed is "green".

In the above embodiment, when the color of the title image and the color of the on-screen characters are the same or similar, the color to be changed with respect to the color of the title image is determined in advance, and the CPU 9 is based on this. Change the color of on-screen characters. Therefore, the color of the on-screen characters is changed even when the size of the title image is small enough not to affect the legibility of the on-screen characters or when the on-screen characters and the title image do not overlap.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, when the title image and the on-screen character have the same color, the color of the on-screen character is changed only for the portion where the title image and the on-screen character overlap. FIG. The decoder 12 outputs the on-screen character data of the preset character color code. On the other hand, the decoder 15 receives the title color code from the CPU 9. The outputs of the decoders 12 and 15 are input to the A and B terminals of the comparator 21, respectively. The comparator 21 outputs "1" to the P terminal when the inputs of the A terminal and the B terminal are the same.

The output of the comparator 21 is the exclusive OR circuit 22a.
Is input to ~ 22c. These exclusive OR circuits 22a
Signals of each bit of the on-screen character data are input to 22c.

With such a configuration, when the color of the title image designated by the user is the same as the color of the on-screen character, the P terminal of the comparator 21 becomes "1" in the overlapping pixels. In this case, each bit of the data output from the decoder 12 is inverted by the exclusive OR circuits 22a to 22c. For example, in the case of red "100", "0"
Since it is inverted to "01", the color of the part of the on-screen character that overlaps with the title image as shown in FIG. 6 is "blue".
Is changed to.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the gradation image data is D
7 shows an example in which after the A / A conversion, the on-screen characters and the title image are combined. Note that FIG.
The same parts as those in the first embodiment shown in FIG. The decoder 30 outputs on-screen character data representing a preset character color code. On the other hand, the decoder 31 outputs the title color code from the CPU 9 according to the title data. These decoders 30, 3
The data output from 1 is sent to the selector 32.
The title data output from the decoder 31 is also input to the decoder 33, where it is converted into 8-bit data for each color and then sent to the selector 34.

Only the gradation image data is input to the selector 35 of this embodiment, and the frame memories 3a to 3a are input.
The gradation image data output from either b or the A / D converter 2 is taken out and sent to the D / A converter 6. The selector 32 receives the analog signal of the gradation image output from the D / A converter 6, the on-screen character data output from the decoder 30, and the title data output from the decoder 31. This selector 32 has
There are two brightness level terminals for each color for on-screen characters and titles. One brightness level is a brightness level where nothing is displayed on the monitor 8, and the other brightness level is white when three colors are simultaneously displayed on the monitor 8. When the on-screen character data is input to the selector 32, the on-screen character data is selected with priority over the title data.
The brightness level of each color is selected according to the data, and the signal is sent to the driver 7. For example, if each of the RGB signals of the on-screen character data is “101”,
The display brightness level is selected for red and blue, and the brightness level not displayed for green is selected.

If title data is input when no on-screen character data is input, one of two brightness levels is selected for each color in accordance with the title data. When the on-screen character data and title data are not input, the analog signal of the gradation image is selected and sent to the driver 7. In this way, on-screen characters, title images, and gradation images are fitted for display on the monitor 8.

The selector 34 includes 8-bit title data of each color from the decoder 31 and the hood memories 3a to 3b.
8-bit gradation image data for each color is input. When there is title data, 8-bit title data of each color is output to the image processing circuit 17, and when there is no title data, 8-bit gradation image data of each color is output to the image processing circuit 17. In this way, the title image is embedded in the gradation image during printing.

In this embodiment, since the on-screen characters and the title image are combined after the D / A conversion, the number of input terminals of the selector 5 can be reduced, and the data of each color is 8 bits in the selector 5. Since it is not necessary to convert to, the circuit can be made smaller.

The present invention can be used not only in a thermal recording type thermal printer but also in a thermal transfer type thermal printer using an ink film. Also,
Besides the video printer, it can be used for display devices.

[0050]

As described above, according to the on-screen character color selection method of the present invention, when the color of the title image and the color of the on-screen character are the same or similar, the on-screen character All or only the part that overlaps with the title image is changed to a color different from the color of the title image or a color that is not difficult to see even if it overlaps,
Both will not be difficult to see and will be easy to identify.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a monitor screen showing an embodiment in which on-screen characters are changed from red to green.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram in which the present invention is applied to a video printer.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a data selection method by a selector.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a monitor screen showing a state in which a title image and on-screen characters have the same color.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a main part showing an embodiment in which a color of an on-screen character in a portion overlapping a title image is changed.

6 is an explanatory diagram of a monitor screen showing a state in which a color of a part of on-screen characters is changed according to the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a video printer to which the present invention is applied, which synthesizes an on-screen character and a title image after D / A conversion of a gradation image.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3a-3c Frame memory 5 Selector 9 CPU 11 Character character generator 12, 15 Decoder 14 Title memory 16 Selector

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location G09G 5/40 8121-5G H04N 9/74 Z 8626-5C

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A composite image of a gradation image and a title image,
If the color of the title image and the color of the on-screen characters are the same or similar when displaying the on-screen characters in a superimposed manner, change all of the on-screen characters to another color that is not the same as or similar to the title image. An on-screen character color selection method characterized in that 2. A composite image of a gradation image and a title image,
If the title image and the on-screen characters have the same or similar colors and overlap when displaying the on-screen characters in a superimposed manner, change the color of the overlapped on-screen characters to another color. An on-screen character color selection method characterized by the above.