JPS58225788A - Still picture receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the utilization efficiency of a circuit by providing frame memories for plural screens, receiving a next screen is advance while observing a picture written in one of frame memory, and storing the picture of the next screen in another frame memory. CONSTITUTION:A microprocessor 9 read starting picture data stored in a frame memory 41 and displays it on a television receiver 6. Once the reception of the 2nd picture data is completed, a request for a next screen is sent out and the 3rd picture data is received, thus storing picture data in frame memories 43 and 44, one after another, in advance while an operator observes the received screen. When the request for the next screen is inputted with a key actually, the picture data of the next screen is read out of the frame memory 42 instead of the frame memory 41 without sending any request to sent the screen. Consequently, the starting picture data is switched to the next picture data on the receiver 6 instantaneously.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a still image receiving device, and in particular to a still image receiving device used in so-called videotex, which connects a general television receiver to a telephone network or the like and provides individual information services using images. Regarding equipment.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional receiving device in a Videotex system. First, a conventional still image receiving device will be explained with reference to FIG. A subscriber telephone line 13 is connected to the line connection device 1 . This line connecting device 1 responds to a υ'' control signal from the ti control circuit 2 and switches the subscriber telephone line 13 to either the telephone 8112 or the variable II device f3 included in the receiving device [14]. The modem @3 demodulates the voice signal sent from the subscriber telephone line into a digital signal, or modulates the digital signal from the microprocessor 9 into a voice signal. For this purpose, the modulator 11 device 3 is connected to a microprocessor 9. The microprocessor 9 also includes a IIJllIN1 circuit 2, a frame memory 4, a keyboard interface 8, and a read-only memory (ROM).
10 and a random access memory (RAM>11) are connected.The frame memory 4 includes a storage area for storing still image data for 1111i sides.The keyboard 7 is used when the operator wants to view a desired still image. It is a work of human power.

Key input signals from the keyboard 7 are provided to the microprocessor 9 via the keyboard interface 8. The video interface 5 converts the still image data stored in the frame memory 4 into a television signal and supplies it to the television receiver 6. Programs necessary for the microprocessor 9 to operate are stored in the ROM10 in advance. It stores data input from the keyboard 7 and data written by the microprocessor 9.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the usage status of a conventional receiving device in chronological order. Next, the operation of the receiving apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be explained with reference to FIG. Generally, in a Videotex system, an operator can view a still image sent from an information center (not shown) and displayed on a television receiver 6.
Ii! Sympathize. The operator first calls the information center using the telephone 112, then switches the line connection device*i to connect the information center and the receiving device! 114. Then, the user inputs search information for the desired image using the keyboard 7.

Key input signals from keyboard 7 are provided to microprocessor 9 via keyboard interface 8 . The microprocessor 9 encodes human input signals according to a preprogrammed method and modulates them.
l device 3'c-modulate. The modulated signal is transmitted to the subscriber telephone line 13 via the line connection device 1 and sent to the information center.

On the other hand, the information center encodes the retrieved image data according to the sent information and sends it back to the receiving device 14 via the subscriber telephone line 13. The receiving device 14 demodulates and decodes the signal using the modulation/demodulation device 3, and then writes it into the frame memory 4 for one screen.

The data written in the frame memory 4 is continuously outputted and provided to the television receiver 6 via the video interface 5. The operator then observes the desired still image displayed on the television receiver.

By the way, the conventional Videotex system assumes that a home-use pre-vision receiver is used to display still images, so the number of characters that can be displayed on one screen is limited to about 180 characters, including kanji and kana. be. Therefore, the information desired by the operator often spans the next screen. In that case, as shown in Figure 2, the operator first detects the first screen that is sent, and when that is finished, sends a request to the information center to send the next screen, and the information center responds accordingly. Sends out the second screen. The operator is the second
11! When the user sends a request to send the third screen after viewing the first screen, the third screen is sent from the information center in response. In this way, the screens are observed one after another. However, in the conventional Videotex system, as is clear from FIG. 2, the received image is 1! During the period under consideration, even though the line was not in use, there were only 5 people holding the line, which had the disadvantage of poor line usage efficiency and high line usage fees.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a still image receiving device that can improve line usage efficiency and shorten apparent search time.

To summarize this invention, frame memories for multiple sides are provided in a receiving device, and while an image written in one of the frame memories is being observed, the next screen is preemptively received, and the other screen is received in advance. By storing it in frame memory,
Writing to the frame memory and observing still images are performed in parallel.

The above objects and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description given below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is the same as that in FIG. 1 except that frame memories 41 to 44 for four screens are provided in place of the frame memory 4 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in the previous elementary school. .

6- FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a table for managing the frame memories 41 to 44 shown in FIG. 3.

Next, referring to FIG. 4, the table 20 shows which of the four frame memories 41 to 44 shown in FIG. It shows the stored memory and its order, as well as unused empty memory. That is, the storage area 121 of the table 20 is a derived memory (D
), and there is only one n such that D(n) = 1, and the contents of that memory are successively retrieved and the television reception 1
6 is displayed. At this time, no data is stored in the other three memories, resulting in D (n)-0. The storage area 22 indicates a memory that stores the data of the pre-fetched screen, and if P(n)≠0, the pre-fetched screen is stored, and the value (K to 3) indicates the pre-fetching order. It shows. The storage area 23 indicates unused memory, and if it is F(n)-1,
Indicates that the contents of the memory are not valid. Then, P(n) = Or or -)D (11) ≠ n of 1
with respect to F(n)-1.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing initial values of the table shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 5, the table 20 in the initial state displays the contents of the memory 41, which is not the first screen, and also indicates that the frame memories 42 to 44 are not in use. There is.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the specific operation of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a diagram chronologically showing the usage status of the frame memory in the receiving apparatus.

Next, the specific operation of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. In step 101, the operator operates the keyboard 7 to input search information for a desired screen, as in the conventional manner. In response, the microprocessor 9 encodes the key human input signal and sends it to the information center in step 102 to request the screen to be sent.

In response, the information center sends image data. The microprocessor 9 decodes the image data from the information center in step 103 and stores the image data in the four frame memories 4.
The frame memory 41 is stored in one of the frame memories 1 to 44. Furthermore, the microprocessor 9 has a frame memory 4.
The contents of 1 are read out and displayed on the television receiver 6. When the reception for one screen is completed, the microprocessor 9
automatically sends a transmission request signal for the next screen to the information center without any key input from the operator. As a result, the data for the next screen that has been sent is written into a frame memory 42 that is different from the previous one. At this time, the microprocessor 9 reads out the first image data stored in the frame memory 41 and displays it on the television receiver 6. As soon as the reception of the second image data is finished, the next screen request is sent and the third image data is received. The data is read in advance and stored in the frame memories 43 and 44 in sequence. When the operator actually performs a key command to request the next screen, the next screen image is sent from the frame memory 42 instead of from the frame memory 41 to the frame memory 41 without sending a screen sending request to the information sensor 9-1. Read data. Thereby, the television receiver 6
The first image data displayed on the screen is instantly switched to the next image data. Furthermore, when the operator requests an image other than the next screen data, the image data that has been fetched up to that point is discarded and the information center is requested to leave the new image data. Then, the prefetching starts again from the time when the reception of the new image data is finished. This operation will now be explained in detail.

In general, in the screen display method of Videotex, each screen continuously sends information on several screens in addition to an independent fixed display, and the television receiver 6 has a method in which it is scrolled and displayed, There is a method of displaying the image by overlaying it on the screen.

Regarding image data of this type, it is impossible to perform prefetching. For this reason, if scroll display or overlapping display is specified by the control information sent at the beginning of the image data 1[i, prefetching is stopped. Here, to request a specific screen, press the screen number, and to request the next screen following the current screen, press the "#" key, and to return to the previous screen. ``retreat'' shall be the key force.

First, in step 101, the operator manually inputs a screen number, and in step 102, the screen number is sent to the information center. In response, the information center sends image data corresponding to the screen number.

In step 103, upon receiving the image data, D
The data is written to the frame memory 41, for example, where (n)=1, and is displayed on the television receiver 6.While this data is being received, the microprocessor 9
In step 104, it is determined whether a key human power signal has been newly input. If there is key human power, perform the corresponding operation, but if there is no key human power, step 1
In step 05, it is determined whether or not the reception has been completed. If reception has been completed, the process moves to a preemption operation. Note that, here, a case where no significant signal is received within a predetermined time is considered to be completion of reception.

First, in step 106, it is determined whether or not there is a frame memory of F(n)=1. If there is such a frame memory, the contents of the table 20 are changed to F(n)=O,P(n) in step 107. =PN+1, PN
The value of is counted up one by one to set PN=PN+1. Thereafter, in step 108, a next screen request signal "#" is sent to the information center. In step 109,
Prefetch screen data sent from the information center is stored in the frame memory. At this time, it is determined in step 110 whether scroll display or meal image display is specified, based on the control information first sent from the information center. If scroll display or overlapping image display is specified, the prefetching operation is canceled.

At this time, in step 119, P(n)-PN,
The frame memory currently being written is set to F(n)=0, and P(n)=0. After setting F (n) = 1,
1 screen “Send the reverse J signal to the information center and step 1
Moving on to the operation of the key manpower holder in step 14.

Since the above-mentioned "backward" is performed to return the information center to the state before the prefetch operation, the screen sent by this is not written anywhere. Step 1 above
1, if it is determined that the display is not a scroll display or an overlapping image display, the prefetching operation is continued and the process proceeds to step 11.
In step 1, it is determined whether or not there was key human power. If there is no key human power, each time reception is completed, F (n) −
Search for frame memory 0 and sequentially capture the pre-fetched screens.

If a prefetch operation is performed over three screens, F (n)
Since there will be no more frame memories with =0, the prefetching is stopped at step 113, and the operation moves to key manual operation at step 114.

When the operator presses the key during a preemption operation or in a state where the key is pressed, P is set in step 115.
It is determined whether or not it is N-0.

If PN-0, prefetching is not being performed (13-), the process returns to the initial state, that is, step 102, and performs normal operation. If the PN is not 0 in step 115, one or more prefetched screens are stored in the frame memory, so if the content of the key input is (#) in step 116, that screen is displayed in step 117. . In other words, D(n)- which is currently being displayed
1 frame memory as D(n)-0,F(n)
= 1, the P(n)-1 frame memory in which the first pre-fetched image data is stored is searched. Then, the frame memory is [] (n)-1,P(n
)=O and its contents are displayed.

Through the above series of operations, the number of prefetched screens has been reduced by one, so P that has a value other than PN and O
The value of (n) is decremented by one in step 117, and the process proceeds to step 106 for further prefetching.

In step 116, if the key force is not "#",
If the request is for a new screen based on the screen number, in step 118, all frames except the frame memory of D(n)=1, which is currently displayed 14-, are set to P(
After clearing the prefetch screen by setting n)=O and F(n)=1, the system returns to the initial state and performs normal operation.

FIG. 7 shows the above-mentioned series of operations in chronological order. Of course, the first received request tiiv+ data is stored in frame memory 0, and while it is being observed, the next image data is stored in frame memory 1, and then the next image data is stored in frame memory 2 and frame memory 3. Memorize sequentially. When the operator presses the key to request the next screen while the image data is being stored in the frame memory 3, the contents of the frame memory 1 will be displayed.
When the storage in the frame memory 3 is completed, the next image data is stored in the roughly empty memory O.

As described in 1- below, according to the present invention, the receiving device is provided with a frame memory for multiple sides, and while observing a screen based on received image data, continuous image data is automatically stored one after another. Since it is possible to memorize in advance,
Line usage efficiency can be increased and line usage charges can be reduced. Furthermore, when the next image data is requested, it is only necessary to change the readout area of the frame memory and display the previously fetched screen, so that the next screen can be displayed almost instantaneously. As a result, it is possible to shorten the search and transmission time on the viewing page.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional receiving device in a Videotex system. Figure 2 shows the conventional reception 1fl
It is a diagram showing the usage status of f in chronological order. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a receiving apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a table managed by a microprocessor included in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing initial values of the table shown in FIG. 4. 6th
The figure is a flow diagram showing the operation of one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram chronologically showing usage conditions in an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a line connection device, 2 is a 1 control circuit, 3 is a variable/modulator 141 device, 41 to 44 are frame memories, 5 is a video interface circuit, 6 is a television receiver, 7 is a keyboard, and 8 is a keyboard interface. ,
9 is a microprocessor, 10 is ROM, 11 is RAM
, 13 indicates a telephone line. Agent Makoto Kuzuno - (1 other person) 17- Procedural amendment (voluntary) 57115 Showa year, month, day 2, name of the invention Still image reception gi, position 3, person making the amendment 5, invention of the specification subject to amendment Detailed explanation column 6, contents of amendment (1) "Top screen" on page 8, line 6 of the specification is corrected to "pre-fetch screen". (2) "Step" on page 13, line 7 of the specification is corrected. 11” to 1
Correct to "Step 110". Above 2-

Claims (1)

[Claims] Television receiver 1! lt device connected to a telephone line to receive a video based on still image data transmitted from a center Ml via the telephone line and display it on the television receiver, the still image receiving device comprising: Transmission requesting means for requesting the apparatus to transmit static ii* data related to each other in a predetermined order; storage means for storing static double-sided data for a plurality of sides transmitted from the center device; and the transmission requesting means a writing means for sequentially storing each still image data sent out in response to a request from the storage means, and a control means for sequentially displaying the still image data stored in the storage means on the television receiver. Equipped with a still image receiving device.