JPH11242469A - Device and system for image display - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display system which permits detailed display on a single monitor. SOLUTION: To display image data controlled by graphic controllers 7 on a display unit 16 which displays the image data by pixels arranged in matrix by driving a driving device group 15, this system is equipped with input parts 10 which input images corresponding to the graphic controllers 7 and display position control parts 12 which add the discrimination numbers of driving devices 15 to be driven by the pixels of the inputted image data and then pieces of image data are displayed on one screen of the display unit 16.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an image display apparatus and system for displaying image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, personal computers (PCs)
Image processing apparatuses such as workstations and workstations (WS) are required to have higher resolution image display.

On the other hand, with the development of microprocessing technology, it has become possible to activate a plurality of browser software and application software for simultaneously opening and displaying a large number of windows on a display screen of a PC or WS.

[0004] With such a background, an image display system requires higher definition display, and even if a large number of windows are opened on the same screen, it is necessary to reduce the overlapping portion. Is done.

In order to realize such an image display system, there has been known a method of pseudo-displaying a high-definition large screen by using a plurality of monitors such as a CRT and a liquid crystal monitor.

For example, in MacOS manufactured by Apple Inc., this pseudo high-definition large-screen multi-screen is
This is supported at the S level.

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional image display system, since a plurality of monitors are used, the image is interrupted at the connection between the monitors, or the image is interrupted depending on the size of the connected monitor. May not be continuous well.

Further, if an attempt is made to realize a high-resolution large-screen display with a single graphic controller so that a single monitor can display the video data, the transfer clock of video data becomes too high due to the huge amount of display data. Transferring video data has become very difficult.

For example, SXGA (1280 × 1024 px)
Considering a case where four screens of an image with the resolution of l) are displayed on one monitor, the required clock speed of the graphic controller is 300 MHz or more, and heat due to increased power consumption and noise due to unnecessary radiation are reduced. Therefore, high-speed transfer of video data was not easy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide a display system which enables high-detail display on a single monitor.

[0011]

As one means for achieving the above object, the image processing apparatus of the present invention has the following arrangement.

That is, display means for displaying image data;
A plurality of image input means for inputting image data; and a plurality of displays for controlling respective display positions such that each image data input from the plurality of image input means is displayed on one screen of the display means. And a position control means.

[0013] For example, the plurality of image input means inputs image data controlled by a plurality of graphic controllers.

For example, the display means displays image data in units of pixels arranged in a matrix by driving a plurality of driving elements.

For example, the display position control means controls which of the plurality of driving elements corresponds to each pixel of the image data.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> The display system of this embodiment is characterized in that one screen is composed of four graphic controllers and displayed on one monitor. Note that the number of graphic controllers in the present embodiment is not limited to four, and may be more or less.

FIG. 1 shows a block configuration of an image display system according to the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an image source that generates an image signal, such as a personal computer, a workstation, or a digital television. In the present embodiment, the image source 1 is hereinafter referred to as a personal computer 1. 2 is a CPU for processing / generating video data, 3 is a system memory of the CPU 2, 4 is a video input control unit for processing image data input from outside the personal computer 1, 5 is a tuner for television, 6-1, 6 Reference numerals -2, 6-3 and 6-4 denote graphic controllers for actually processing image data based on instructions from the CPU 2. Graphic controller 6
1, 6-2, 6-3, and 6-4 control reading and writing of the video memories 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, and 7-4, respectively, and output of video data to the monitor 9. .
Thereafter, the graphic controllers 6-1, 6-2, 6-
3, 6-4 are generally referred to as a graphic controller 6, and video memories 7-1, 7-2, 7-3, 7-
4 is generally referred to as a video memory 7.

8-1, 8-2, 8-3 and 8-4 are BIO
An S-ROM (similarly, a BIOS-ROM 8), which stores information necessary for information exchange between the graphic controller 6 and the monitor 9, information for controlling the graphic controller 6, and the like.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a single monitor. However, a plurality of monitors 9 may be provided according to the display capabilities of the graphic controller 6 and the monitor 9. In the monitor 9, 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, and 10-4 are input units. If the output from the graphic controller 6 is an analog signal, an A / D converter or a PLL for sampling video data is used. (Phase Locked Loop) circuit and LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Si
In the case of a digital signal such as a gnaling signal, a decoder and a differential buffer are provided. Further, in order to synchronize the video output of each graphic controller 6, a video data output permission control signal is output to the graphic controller 6 side.

Reference numeral 11 denotes the number of display dots, the number of lines, and the number of lines in a plurality of display areas corresponding to each graphic controller 6.
It is a communication control unit that communicates information on the number of displays. here,
It is assumed that serial two-way communication is performed. 12-1, 12-
2, 12-3 and 12-4 convert the display position data on the monitor 9 for each video data transmitted from each graphic controller 6 according to the number of display dots and the number of lines determined by the communication control unit 11. This is a display position control unit that appropriately generates. The display position data is generated in synchronization with each video data for each pixel. A switching control unit 13 multiplexes the display position data and the video data generated by each display position control unit 12.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a display control unit for controlling the drive waveform of the drive device. Reference numeral 15 denotes a drive device group including a switching element for driving the display, and a segment having a plurality of elements and receiving information line side data. Driving device elements (hereinafter, simply referred to as “segments”) and common driving device elements that receive scanning line side data (hereinafter, simply referred to as “common”) are provided. Reference numeral 16 denotes a display module (hereinafter, simply referred to as a display 16), which includes electrodes in a matrix configuration, and has a backlight, an inverter, and the like as necessary.

The operation of each of the above configurations will be described below.

After the power is turned on, the personal computer 1 and the monitor 9 are connected to the graphic controller 6 and the communication controller 11 respectively.
Communication via a serial communication line is performed between them. The communication control unit 11 sends data such as the display positional relationship of the plurality of display areas, the number of display dots, the number of display lines, the number of display colors, and the video output timing to the graphic controller 6. This format is performed by a communication protocol predetermined by both parties. As an example, as a communication protocol, VESA (Vid
Using the DDC (Display Data Channel) determined by the EO Electronics Standards Association), the data format is EDID (Extende
d Display Identification Data). Further, the graphic controller 6 sends the position information of a plurality of display areas on the display 16 to the communication control unit 11.

The graphic controller 6 outputs video data corresponding to the display position obtained by the above-mentioned communication to each input unit 10 of the monitor 9. At this time, each input unit 10 outputs a control signal line capable of stopping video data output in each vertical cycle or horizontal cycle to the graphic controller 6 in order to match the timing of the received video data, and outputs the video data from each graphic controller 6. Synchronize.

Each input unit 10 converts the input video data into a desired digital signal,
Output to

Display position control units 12-1, 12-2, 12
-3 and 12-4 are input units 10-1 and 10-, respectively.
Drive device group 1 for driving display 16 for each pixel unit of video data received from 2, 10-3, 10-4
The ID data (recognition number of segment and common) of each drive device element of No. 5 is added. Each pixel of the video data is received by a drive device element based on this ID,
The image is displayed at a desired pixel display position.

The ID data created by each display position controller 12 is sent to the switching controller 13 together with the video data, and the video data and the segment ID data are multiplexed and sent to the drive device group 15. Also,
The common ID data is also sent to the common drive device group 15.

The display controller 14 generates timing information for generating a drive waveform according to the synchronization signal output from each input unit 10 and inputs the information to the drive device group 15. The drive device group 15 is based on the timing information from the display control unit 14 and the segment / common ID data.
The input video data is drawn on the display 16. still,
The segment driving device element has a register for a corresponding pixel for storing video data, and sequentially captures video data in which ID data is detected. Then, the register position of the fetch destination is automatically incremented.

Next, a method of creating ID data in the display position control unit 12 and a method of multiplexing video data and ID data in the switching control unit 13 will be described in further detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 2 shows the display 16 and the driving device group 15.
It is a figure showing the detailed composition of (segment, common). In the figure, 201 is a segment drive device, 202
Is a common drive device. In addition, the display 16 indicates A,
Each of the display position control units 1 is divided into four areas B, C, and D.
2, the display position is controlled for each area. still,
The size of the area A is a × p pixels.
Is a b × p pixel size, area C is a × q pixel size, and area D is b × q pixel size.

Assuming that the number of pixels that can drive one element of the segment driving device 201 is d, the area A of the display 16
Is the number of pixels to be displayed at a, and the required number s of segment drive device elements is represented by s = a / d. Therefore, the ID numbers assigned to the driving elements required for the area A of the display 16 are "1" to "s".

On the other hand, the ID numbers of the driving elements required for displaying the area B are "s + 1" to "m". Here, m is represented by m = b / d + s.

Here, considering the case where the video data processed by the display position control unit 12-1 is displayed in the area A, the display position control unit 12-1 sets one for each line.
An ID number “1” is assigned to the video data from the pixel to the d-th pixel as ID data. And d + 1
From the pixel to the 2d pixel, ID number “2” is assigned,
By assigning ID numbers in the same manner, area A
Are assigned ID numbers from "1" to "s".

Similarly, when the video data processed by the display position control unit 12-2 is displayed in the area B, the display position control unit 12-2 sets the first to d-th pixels for each line. ID number "s + 1" for the video data of
Assigned as data, ID numbers “s + 2” are assigned to d + 1 to 2d pixels, and ID numbers “s + 1” to “m” are assigned in area B.

Each drive element is electrically connected by an input pin in a substrate on which the drive element is mounted.
The bit value (“1” / “0”) at the input pin is the ID
It corresponds to the number. Each drive device can recognize and input video data required for each drive element by reading a bit value from an input pin when power is turned on, and comparing the bit value with the input ID data. .

The areas C and D on the display 16 are displayed with the segment IDs for displaying the video data from the display position controllers 12-3 and 12-4, respectively.
In the same manner as in the areas A and B, the display position control unit 12-
3, 12-4.

Next, the ID number of the common drive device will be described.

The display position control units 12-1 and 12-2 use the ID numbers "1" to "c" to drive the areas A and B in the display unit 16, and use the ID numbers for each scanning line. Corresponding ID data is allocated for each video data. Since the number of lines in the areas A and B is p, the value of c is expressed as c = p / e where e is the number of lines that can drive one element of the common drive device.

Similarly, the areas C and D in the display 16 use ID numbers "c + 1" to "n", and ID numbers corresponding to the respective scanning lines are assigned. Here, the value of n is represented by n = q / e + c because the number of lines in areas C and D is q and the number of lines that can drive the element is e.

The values of a, b, p, and q described above are:
The graphic controller 6 and the communication control unit 11 described above
The number of pixels of video data output from each graphic controller 6 is included so as to match each display area size.

Next, the operation of the switching control unit 13 for multiplexing the ID data generated by the display position control unit 12 for each pixel will be described with reference to a timing chart shown in FIG.

The video data processed by the input units 10-1 and 10-2 are multiplexed in the switching control unit 13 in units of at least one pixel, and at the same time, ID data corresponding to each pixel is also multiplexed. According to FIG. 3, it can be seen that the output speed of the video data at this time is twice that at the time of input.

<Modification> Here, another example of the multiplex operation in the switching control section 13 will be described.
FIG. 4 shows this timing chart. The switching control shown in FIG. 4 is characterized in that multiplexing is performed not in pixel units but in line units.

For this multiplex example, the input unit 1
The data processed in 0-1 and 10-2 will be described. First, video data of the input unit 10-1 and ID data corresponding thereto are selected for one line, and the drive device group 15 is selected.
, And in the next horizontal cycle, the input 10-
The video data and ID data processed in step 2 are selected for one line and output to the drive device group 15. In the next frame, the video data and the ID data of the line of the input unit 10-2 are output to the drive device group 15 first.

In this multiplex example, the output speed of the video data is the same as that at the time of input, and interlace display is performed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment,
By displaying video data from a plurality of graphic controllers in a predetermined area of a single display, a high-detailed display can be realized. At this time, since it is not necessary to transfer the video data in each graphic controller at a particularly high speed, it is possible to eliminate the problem of heat generation and unnecessary radiation noise due to the high-speed video data transfer, which are problems in the conventional high definition display. it can.

<Second Embodiment> Hereinafter, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described.
An embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment,
The method is characterized in that the ID setting method of the driving device is different from that of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a block configuration of an image display system according to the second embodiment. 5, the same components as those in FIG. 1 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. The difference between the configuration shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 1 is that the communication control unit 1
1 is that the ID register data is input.

FIG. 6 shows a configuration of a driving device element according to the second embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 61 denotes an ID data register, and the communication control unit 11 sets an element ID. Reference numeral 62 denotes a comparator, which controls the opening and closing of the switch 63 in accordance with the result of comparison between the ID data input as a pair with the video data and the contents of the ID data register 61, thereby writing the video data to the internal register 64. Control. That is, when the input ID data matches the contents of the ID data register 61, the video data is written to the internal register 64.

As described above, in the second embodiment, by providing the ID data register 61 in the driving device element, the display area position on the display 16 can be easily changed. Hereinafter, the display area change processing in the second embodiment will be described. Note that the area configuration of the display 16 in the second embodiment is the same as that in FIG.

When the user wants to change the display area position of the display 16 corresponding to each graphic controller 6, the position information change command and the position information are transmitted from the graphic controller 6 to the communication control unit 11 via serial communication. .

Upon receiving the change command and the data of the display area, the communication control section 11 changes the contents of the ID data register 61 in each drive device element of the drive device group 15 'based on the data.

For example, when the user requests the exchange of the display areas A and B, the ID data register values of the respective drive device elements before the change are "1" to "s" (corresponding to the area A) in order from the left, “S + 1” to “m” (corresponding to area B) are sequentially changed from the left to “s +
1 "to" m "and" 1 "to" s ", respectively.
Thereby, the display area position is changed.

As a modification of the second embodiment, the value of the ID data register 61 in the drive device element is fixed, and the ID data added by the display position The display area position can also be changed by a method based on the position information.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, when displaying video data from a plurality of graphic controllers in a predetermined area of a single display, the display area corresponding to each graphic controller must be changed. It is easily possible.

Third Embodiment Hereinafter, a third embodiment according to the present invention will be described.
An embodiment will be described. Note that the configuration of the display system in the third embodiment is the same as that in FIG. 1 shown in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

In each of the embodiments described above, an example has been described in which the number of pixels in the display area width is an integral multiple of the number of pixels that can be driven by one driving device element.
That is, for example, in FIG. 2, the number of pixels to be displayed in the area A of the display 16 is a,
If the number of pixels that can drive the element is d, the required number of drive device elements s is represented by s = a / d.

In the third embodiment, when the width of the display area is not divisible by the number of drivable pixels of the drive device element, for example, a = d × s + r (r <
An example represented by d) will be described.

FIG. 7 shows a configuration of a driving device element according to the third embodiment. In the figure, the same components as those in FIG. 6 shown in the above-described second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 65 denotes a sub ID address register, and an arbitrary address in the internal register 63 is set by the communication control unit 11. Also, 68
Is a detection unit that detects input of sub-ID data, controls the switch 67 in accordance with the detection, and sets the write address of the internal register 63 to one of the sub-ID address register 65 and the head address register 66 I do.

The difference between the driving device element in the third embodiment and the driving device element in the first and second embodiments described above is as follows: (1) At least one or more sub ID address registers 65 are provided in the driving device element. Have. (2) In addition to the ID data, sub ID data as second ID data is input. There.

In the third embodiment, when the number a of segment display pixels in the area A shown in FIG. 2 is not an integral multiple of d, the drive device elements at the boundary with the area B are divided by the number of pixels at the boundary. Write the corresponding value to the sub-ID address register in the element. This processing is controlled by the communication control unit 11.

That is, the relationship between the number of pixels a in the display area A and the number of drivable pixels d of the driving device element is a = d × s + r
If (r <d), the communication control unit 11 sets “s +
Sub-ID in drive device element having ID number of 1 "
The value of r is written to the address register 65. Also, I
Similarly, the contents of the sub ID address register 65 are set to r for the drive device elements whose D number is “s + 2” or later.

Here, in each drive device element of the third embodiment, sub ID data (paired with video data and ID data) is input separately from the ID data. When detecting that the ID data has been input or enabled, the drive device element inputs video data to the internal register 64 from the address position indicated by the value of the preset sub ID address register 65. Switch to go. On the other hand, if the input of the sub ID data is not recognized by the detection unit 68, that is, if the input is enabled, the video data is sequentially stored from the head address of the internal register 64.

As described above, according to the third embodiment, the boundary of the display area can be displayed by the sub ID address register 65 and the input of the sub ID data for identifying whether or not to use the register value. .

By increasing the number of bits of the sub ID address register 65 and the sub ID data, a plurality of display areas can be formed.

In the first to third embodiments described above, an example in which a memory for storing video data is not provided in the monitor 9 has been described. In the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. A configuration is also possible in which a memory 18 and a memory control unit 17 are provided in the memory 9, video data from each graphic controller 6 is temporarily stored in the memory 18, and necessary data is sequentially output to each display area.

<Other Embodiments> The present invention can be applied to a system including a plurality of devices (for example, a host computer, an interface device, a reader, a printer, and the like), and can be applied to an apparatus (for example, a single device). For example, the present invention may be applied to a copying machine, a facsimile machine, and the like.

Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a storage medium storing a program code of software for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or an apparatus, and to provide a computer (or CPU) of the system or apparatus.
And MPU) read and execute the program code stored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention.

As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD
-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the readout program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code. ) May perform some or all of the actual processing, and the processing may realize the functions of the above-described embodiments.

Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written into a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, based on the instructions of the program code, It goes without saying that the CPU included in the function expansion board or the function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0074]

As described above, according to the present invention, image data from a plurality of graphic controllers is displayed in a predetermined area of a single display capable of high-detail display, thereby enabling image data to be displayed. High-resolution display can be performed on a single monitor without high-speed transfer.

[0075]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a display system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a display device and a driving device element according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart illustrating a multiplex operation in a switching control unit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing a modified example of the multiplex operation in the switching control unit of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a display system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a driving device element according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a drive device element according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a display system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Personal computer 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 Graphic controller 9 Monitor 10-1, 10-2, 10-3, 10-4 Input unit 11 Communication control unit 12-1, 12-2, 12-3, 12-4 Display position control unit 13 Switching control unit 14 Display control unit 15, 15 'Driving device group 16 Display

Claims (16)

[Claims] A display unit for displaying image data; a plurality of image input units for inputting image data; and each image data input from the plurality of image input units is displayed on one screen of the display unit. And a plurality of display position control means for controlling respective display positions. 2. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of image input means inputs image data controlled by a plurality of graphic controllers, respectively. 3. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein said display means displays image data in a unit of pixels arranged in a matrix by driving a plurality of drive elements. 4. The image display device according to claim 3, wherein the display position control means controls, for each pixel of the image data, which of the plurality of driving elements corresponds to which pixel. 5. The image display device according to claim 4, wherein the display position control means adds identification numbers of the plurality of driving elements to each pixel of the image data. 6. The driving element further includes a buffer,
5. The image display device according to claim 4, wherein the image data corresponding to the image display device is input to the buffer under the control of the plurality of display position control means. 7. The image display device according to claim 6, wherein said display position control means further controls a storage position of image data in a buffer of said drive element. 8. A synthesizing unit for synthesizing a signal indicating a display position controlled by the display position control unit and image data input by the plurality of image input units, wherein the display unit includes: 2. An image display according to data synthesized by said synthesizing means.
The image display device as described in the above. 9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one holding unit that holds the image data input by the plurality of image input units. 2. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein a display position on said display means is set by setting. 10. A display means for displaying image data in a unit of a pixel arranged in a matrix by driving a plurality of driving elements, and a plurality of images each receiving image data controlled by a plurality of graphic controllers. An input unit, and an identification number of the driving element to be driven for each pixel unit of the image data so that each image data input from the plurality of image input units is displayed in one screen of the display unit. An image display device comprising: a plurality of display position setting means for performing the operation; and a display position changing means for changing a display position by controlling an identification number of the driving element added in the display position setting means. 11. An image display system in which an image processing device and an image display device are connected, wherein the image processing device has a plurality of display image control means for controlling image data to be displayed including its display position. The image display device includes: a display unit that displays image data; and controls transmission of information of the display unit and reception of display position information of the controlled image data to the plurality of display image control units. Communication control means, a plurality of image input means for respectively inputting image data output from each of the plurality of display image control means, and the communication control for each image data input from the plurality of image input means. And a plurality of display position control means for controlling display on one screen of the display means based on the display position information received by the means. Image display system for the butterflies. 12. The image display system according to claim 11, wherein said display image control means is a graphic controller. 13. The communication control means transmits an output timing regulation request for each image data to the plurality of display image control means, and the plurality of image input means transmits a request to a corresponding display image control means. 12. The image display system according to claim 11, wherein the image data output permission signal is transmitted through the image display system. 14. The display unit displays image data in units of pixels arranged in a matrix by driving a plurality of drive elements, and the display position control unit controls each pixel of the image data. 12. The image display system according to claim 11, wherein which one of the plurality of driving elements is controlled is controlled. 15. A display method in a display device having a monitor for displaying image data in a pixel unit arranged in a matrix by driving a plurality of drive elements, wherein the display device is controlled by a plurality of graphic controllers. An image input step of inputting image data, a display position setting step of adding an identification number of the driving element to be driven for each pixel of the plurality of image data input in the image input step, and the display position setting A display step of displaying the plurality of image data within one screen based on the identification number of the driving element added in the step. 16. A computer-readable memory storing a control program code in a display device having a monitor for displaying image data in a pixel unit arranged in a matrix by driving a plurality of driving elements, A code of an image input step for inputting image data controlled by a plurality of graphic controllers, and an identification number of the drive element to be driven for each pixel of the plurality of image data input in the image input step are added. A code for a display position setting step, and a code for a display step for displaying the plurality of image data in one screen based on the identification number of the driving element added in the display position setting step. And computer readable memory.