§
Luxuse
Patent Intelligence
Sign In
Patent EP0200172A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
EP0200172A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Image transformations on an interactive raster scan or matrix display

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1982-12-22
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2002-12-22
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An interactive raster-scanned display device has a microprocessor (1) and random access memory - (3) which operate to issue instructions to a drawing engine (7) to cause it to load and erase image pel representation in an image buffer (9) in order to control display of images on, or removal of images from a display screen (8) in a conventional manner. A cursor control device (10) enables a user to interact by means of a cursor symbol with images on the screen. In order to reduce the demands imposed on the drawing engine during transformation of images over the screen, the system is configured so that, if during a transformation operation there is insufficient time for the engine to draw the entire image, it draws as much of the image as it is able in the time available. ' In the implementation, vectors representing the full image are held in a display list ordered by the user so that the most important visual elements of the image are specified, and hence drawn, first. Thus for example the order of the vectors may be such that those forming a simple skeletal or outline drawing are drawn first with, if time permits between move commands, the details added later. Clearly at the end of an operation the engine will go on drawing until the entire image is generated.

Inventors

  • 👤 Roger Leslie Anderton Cottrell
  • 👤 Alan Stanley Murphy

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 04:08
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/20; G06T11/23; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0484; G06F3/04845

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 223 words
An interactive raster-scanned display system including a microprocessor (1) and random-access store (3) operable to issue control signals to a drawing engine (7) in order to display an image on a display screen (8), said engine being operable in image transformation mode repetitively to erase and redraw such an image so as to change its position and/or shape in response to real-time commands received by said microprocessor from an interactive input device (10), characterised in that, in order to reduce the demands imposed on the drawing engine during real-time image transformation, said image is stored in said random access store as a vector display list ordered for selection by said engine during a drawing operation in a· predetermined sequence of vectors, the arrangement being such that those vectors at the head of the list define the general shape of the image whereas those vectors at the end of the list define details of the image, and control means are provided operable in response to receipt by said microprocessor of each transformation command from the input device to cause said engine to erase the image currently on display and to commence to re-draw said image from said ordered list incrementally transformed as required by said transformation command, the drawing operation continuing until receipt of a subsequent transformation command where upon the process is repeated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 223 words
An interactive raster-scanned display system including a microprocessor (1) and random-access store (3) operable to issue control signals to a drawing engine (7) in order to display an image on a display screen (8), said engine being operable in image transformation mode repetitively to erase and redraw such an image so as to change its position and/or shape in response to real-time commands received by said microprocessor from an interactive input device (10), characterised in that, in order to reduce the demands imposed on the drawing engine during real-time image transformation, said image is stored in said random access store as a vector display list ordered for selection by said engine during a drawing operation in a· predetermined sequence of vectors, the arrangement being such that those vectors at the head of the list define the general shape of the image whereas those vectors at the end of the list define details of the image, and control means are provided operable in response to receipt by said microprocessor of each transformation command from the input device to cause said engine to erase the image currently on display and to commence to re-draw said image from said ordered list incrementally transformed as required by said transformation command, the drawing operation continuing until receipt of a subsequent transformation command where upon the process is repeated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 72 words
An interactive raster-scanned display system as claimed in claim 1, including means for forming into a queue any multiple transformation commands from said input device received during an image processing operation by said engine and said control means being operable at the end of such a processing operation to cause said engine to commence to redraw said image as aforesaid transferred as required by the most recently received command in said queue.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 35 words
An interactive raster-scanned display system as claimed in claim 2, in which start of an image draw operation by said engine is synchronised with the start of a new frame scan of said display screen.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag