JPS5816191B2 - Color image display device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvement of a color image display device without a memory function, mainly a color image display device using a color CRT.

Conventional devices of this type include those that faithfully reproduce color images with continuous gradation relative to the original, and those that display pseudocolor color images with a fixed number of display colors.

The former type completely includes the latter type in terms of functionality and performance, but is more expensive due to the capacity of the refresh memory, complexity of peripheral circuits, etc.

On the other hand, the latter is relatively simple to configure and cheap;
It has a problem with color reproducibility, can only display up to 16 colors at most, and because the displayed colors are fixed, its uses are limited.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks by adding a simple structure to the latter device.

Usually, a color image display device has a built-in image memory (referred to as a refresh memory or frame memory) for storing image information and reading it using a television scanning method.

In the conventional system for displaying pseudo-color images, graphic information and color information are configured in the image memory using 4-bit data per picture element.

Since coloring is performed using this 4-bit information, only 16 types of colors can be expressed.

Moreover, in the conventional device, this 4-bit information also includes color information, so the 16 colors are fixed colors and cannot be changed to other colors.

The present invention improves this part.

That is, a system is adopted in which the content of a newly provided color memory is referred to using 4-bit one pixel information and coloring is performed accordingly.

Moreover, the contents of the color memory can be changed manually or automatically by external equipment (mainly computers) to
The memory contents of each of the 16 channels can be independently varied up to 6 bits (64 levels).

Therefore, according to the music principle using the present invention, any type of color selected from a substantially uniform color space of 643 colors can be expressed.

The present invention will be described in detail below using the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, in which image information stored in an image memory 2 is read out using a standard television scanning method and displayed on a color television monitor 6.

An interface 1 is an interface for connecting a computer or other external equipment to this apparatus, and controls the entire apparatus.

Writing of image information into the image memory 2 is performed using the interface 1 and the image memory control section 3.

The image memory control section 3 mainly performs image memory writing and reading control and address management.

There are two types of image information reading from the image memory 2: one for displaying on the color monitor 6, and the other for transferring to an external device (mainly a computer).

Since the present invention is particularly useful when displaying image information in the image memory 2 on the color monitor television 6, this point will be specifically described in detail.

The image memory 2 consists of a 128 KB (512×512×4) IC memory (MO3RAM) and stores image information for each pixel of the color monitor television 6.

Image information for each pixel consists of 4 bits.

Therefore, in order to display an image on the color monitor television 6, it is sufficient to read out information (4 bits) for each pixel from the image memory 2 in response to the scanning of the color monitor television 6 and display it.

In this case, in the conventional device, 4-bit one pixel information was converted into three video signals of RG and B using a simple resistive IJ or the like.

Therefore, an image can be displayed using 16 types of pseudo colors, but once set, the 16 types of colors cannot be changed independently or freely.

In the present invention, a color memory 4 is introduced in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to obtain free color combinations.

This is analog memory with 16 channels each for R, G, and B (
It has a 6-bit latch and a D/A converter), and refers to the contents of one analog memory using 4-bit picture element information f and converts it into a video signal.

Furthermore, the 16-channel analog memory allows each R, G, and B channel to be freely varied from 0 to 63 levels using an external device such as a computer or by manual operation, making it possible to obtain the desired color combination. It makes it possible.

Note that 5 is a control signal generator that generates a clock signal for controlling the color monitor television 6 and reading out image information.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the color memory portion 4 of FIG.

A/D converter 11.21.31, selection circuit 12, 2
2, 32, analog memory 13゜23.33, clock decoder 15, 25゜35, etc., R, G,
B Each channel has a similar configuration.

As mentioned above, there are two ways to change the contents of the analog memo IJ13, 23°33.

First, the case of performing it manually will be explained. In this case, first specify the address of the analog memory 13°23.33 to be changed.

This updates the 4-bit counter 16 with a manual switch 19, supplies the contents to the clock decoders 15, 25, 35 through the selection circuit 18, and generates a clock signal only for the channel corresponding to the contents of the counter 16.

On the other hand, the data is processed by a 6-bit A/D converter 'II.
, 21.31, the signals are supplied to analog memories 13, 23, and 33 through selection circuits 12, 22, and 32.

To change data, A/D converter IL21, 3
1 analog input amount with potentiometer 10, 20.3
3. If changing by automatic operation from an external device, change the analog memory address by 4.
A bit latch 17 is used and its contents are supplied to the clock decoders 15, 25, 35 through a selection circuit 18 to generate a clock signal on the channel corresponding to the contents of the latch 17.

On the other hand, data is transmitted to the selection circuits 12 and 22 through the data bus 50.
．． 32 and is supplied to analog memories 13, 23, and 33.

OR gate 14°24.34 is clock decoder 15,
It supplies strobe signals to 25 and 35, and is configured to pass the A/D converter if, conversion end signal of 21.31 during manual operation, and a command signal from the outside during automatic operation. .

Note that f is image information for each picture element, and is a 4-bit signal.

Figure 3 shows the analog memo IJ 13, 23 of Figure 2.

33 is shown in detail.

Analog memory consists of 6-bit latches 100 to 115 and 16 D/A converters 11 corresponding to each latch.
6 to 131, and the 6-bit color information is converted into an analog quantity and stored.

The image information f of one pixel is added to the decoder 131, which selects only one channel out of 16 channels according to the content, and selects 4 channels of 16 channels through clock drivers 138 to 153 to analog switches 132 to 135. one of them
Only the channel is turned on and the contents of the corresponding analog memory are supplied as a video signal to the color monitor television by the video amplifier 136.

Data is supplied to the 6-bit latches 100-115 from the selection circuit 12 shown in FIG. 2 using a data bus.

Furthermore, the clock supplied to the latches 100 to 115 is the second clock.
The signals are input from each output terminal of the clock decoder 15 shown in the figure in correspondence with each launch.

As described above, the present invention reads out image information from an image memory that stores image information, and converts this image information into 3n bits (
This is a color image display device that reads out the color according to the color specification of the color memory (n=2.3.4...), and the contents of this color memory can be read out manually or by using a computer. It is designed so that it can be freely set and varied by automatic operation using an external device.

Therefore, each pixel of the displayed image on the color monitor can be colored with one desired color, and a wide variety of color combinations can be obtained.

In the above embodiments, the case where the color memory is 6 bits has been explained, but generally it is 3n bits (n""2, 3,
4.・・・・・・）It is good to have it.

In this case (each color memory has 23n level latches and D
/A converter, and can be selected from a nearly uniform color space of 23×3H colors.

At this time, if the number of bits of picture element information is m, the circuit configuration may be three color memories of 23n//rT1 channels.

jThe present invention is to add a color memory of a simple configuration to a conventional pseudo color display device, thereby producing the following effects.

(1) The number of colors that can be expressed can be greatly expanded, allowing for free color combinations.

(2) The additional color memory has a simple configuration and is inexpensive.

Therefore, the added value of the device as a whole is improved.

(3) When developing industrial designs, clothing designs, architectural designs, etc., free coloring and combinations can be easily made and the range of uses can be expanded.

(4) It can be easily attached to existing pseudo-color image devices.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a color image display device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the color memory portion of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an analog memory portion. 1...Interface, 2...Image memory (-IJ, 3...Image memory pedestal, 4...
...Color memory, 5...Preparation 1# signal generator, 6...Color monitor, 10.20,30...
...Potentiometer, 11°21.31...
・・A/I) converter, 12,18°22.32・・
... Selection circuit, 13, 23, 33 ... Analog memory, 14, 24, 34 ... OR gate, 15, 25, 35, 37 ... Decoder, 16
...Counter, 17,100-115...
...Latch, 116-131...D/A converter, 132-135...Analog switch,
136...Video amplifier, 138...
clock driver.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1: an image memory for storing image information; a means for controlling writing and reading of the image memory; a color memory for specifying color information in the image read from the image memory; and a color memory for specifying color information by the color memory; The color memory includes a color display for displaying image information, and the color memory has 3n bits (n=2.3, 4...)
1. A color image display device comprising a plurality of sets of latches and D/A converters, wherein one of the latches is selected according to a manual operation or a signal from an external device to make the stored content variable.