Method and system for selective display of images from a video buffer

Claim 2

In an image display system that includes a device for selectively displaying portions of a total picture, means for reproducing first and second images which represent contiguous discrete portions of a total picture, each of said first and second images comprising a series of information lines followed by at least one directional retrace line, means for positioning said first and second images in said reproducing means so that the first information line of said second image corresponds in time to the first retrace line of said first image, means connected to the reproducing means for display of said first and second images on a cathode ray tube output, and means connected between the reproducing means and the display means for selectively and alternately switching from the last information line of said first image to the first information line of said second image, and from a selected information line of said second image back to a selected information line of said first image, thereby to permit the continuous sequential and panoramic display of contiguous portions of said total picture.

Claim 3

In an image display system that includes a device for selectively displaying portions of a total picture; means for cyclically reproducing first and second images representing contiguous first and second portions of a total picture, in a video buffer; said second picture portion being located vertically below said first picture portion and having a common horizontal boundary therewith; each of said first and second images comprising a series of picture information lines followed by a series of vertical retrace lines, means for positioning said first and second images in said cyclic reproducing means so that the first picture information line of the second image corresponds in time to the first vertical retrace line of said first image, means connected to the cyclic reproducing means for display of said first and second images on a cathode ray tube output, and selective switching means connected between the reproducing means and the display means for selectively and alternately switching from the last picture information line of the said first image to the first picture information line of said second image and from a selected picture information line of said second image back to a selected picture information line of said first image, thereby to permit the continuous sequential display in a vertical direction of contiguous portions of said first and second images including the horizontal boundary therebetween.

Claim 4

In an image display system that includes a device for selectively displaying portions of a total picture; means for cyclically reproducing first and second images representing contiguous first and second portions of a total picture, in a video buffer; said second picture portion being located vertically below said first picture portion and having a common horizontal boundary therewith; each of said first and second images comprising a series of picture information lines followed by a series of vertical retrace lines, means for positioning said first and second images in said cyclic reproducing means so that the first picture information line of the second image corresponds in time to the first vertical retrace line of said first image, means connected to the cyclic reproducing means for display of said first and second images on a cathode ray tube output, and selective switching means connected between the reproducing means and the display means for selectively and alternately switching from the last picture information line of the said first image to the first picture information line of said second image and from a selected picture information line of said second image back to a selected picture information line of said first image, thereby to permit the continuous sequential display in a vertical direction of contiguous portions of said first and second images including the horizontal boundary therebetween.

Claim 5

The image display system of claim 2, wherein the reproducing means is a video disc recorder having a rotatable recording disc with first and second tracks formed thereon, said first track having the picture information and vertical retrace lines of said first image recorded thereon, said second track having the picture information and vertical retrace lines of said second image recorded thereon, and first and second transducers associated respectively with said first and second tracks and connected to the selective switching means for alternatively picking up signals representative of said first and second images for transmission to the display means.

Claim 6

In an image display system that includes a device for selectively displaying portions of a total picture; means for cyclically reproducing first and second images representing contiguous first and second portions of a total picture, in a video buffer; said second picture portion being located horizontally to the right of said first picture portion and having a common vertical boundary therewith; each of said first aNd second images comprising a series of picture information lines followed by a series of horizontal retrace lines; means for positioning said first and second images in said cyclic reproducing means so that the beginning of the first picture information line of the second image corresponds in time with the first horizontal retrace line of the first picture information line of said first image; means connected to the cyclic reproducing means for displaying said first and second images on a cathode ray tube; and switching means connected between the reproducing means and the display means for selectively and alternately switching from the end of the first picture information line of said first image to the beginning of the first picture information line of said second image and from a selected horizontal position of the information lines of said second image back to a selected horizontal position of the information lines of said first image; thereby to permit continuous sequential display in a horizontal direction of contiguous portions of said first and second images including the vertical boundary therebetween.

Claim 7

In an image display system that includes a device for selectively displaying portions of a total picture; means for cyclically reproducing first and second images representing contiguous first and second portions of a total picture, in a video buffer; said second picture portion being located horizontally to the right of said first picture portion and having a common vertical boundary therewith; each of said first aNd second images comprising a series of picture information lines followed by a series of horizontal retrace lines; means for positioning said first and second images in said cyclic reproducing means so that the beginning of the first picture information line of the second image corresponds in time with the first horizontal retrace line of the first picture information line of said first image; means connected to the cyclic reproducing means for displaying said first and second images on a cathode ray tube; and switching means connected between the reproducing means and the display means for selectively and alternately switching from the end of the first picture information line of said first image to the beginning of the first picture information line of said second image and from a selected horizontal position of the information lines of said second image back to a selected horizontal position of the information lines of said first image; thereby to permit continuous sequential display in a horizontal direction of contiguous portions of said first and second images including the vertical boundary therebetween.

Claim 8

The image display system of claim 4, wherein the reproducing means is a video disc recorder having a rotatable recording disc with first and second tracks formed thereon, said first track having the picture information and horizontal retrace lines of said first image recorded thereon, said second track having the picture information and horizontal retrace lines of said second image recorded thereon, and first and second transducers associated respectively with said first and second tracks and connected to the selective switching means for alternatively picking up signals representative of said first and second images for transmission to the display means.

Claim 9

In an image display system for selectively displaying a plurality of portions of a total picture on a standard television monitor; a recording device including a rotatable recording medium; first, second and third tracks formed on said recording medium; first, second and third picture portions of the total picture recorded respectively on said first, second and third tracks; said second picture being located contiguously to the right of said first picture, forming part of said total picture, and having a common vertical boundary therewith; said third picture being located contiguously below said first picture, forming part of said total picture, and having a common horizontal boundary therewith; each of said tracks extending continuously in a closed path of said recording medium and including a series of working picture lines, a vertical retrace interval and a plurality of horizontal retrace intervals; the picture lines and horizontal retrace intervals of said first track being located relative to the picture lines, and horizontal retrace intervals of said second track so that the beginning of the horizontal retrace interval at the end of the first information line of said first picture is adjacent in time to the beginning of the first information line of said second picture; the picture lines and vertical retrace interval of said first track being located relative to the picture lines and vertical retrace interval of said third track so that the last information line at the bottom of the first picture is adjacent in time with the first information line at the top of said third picture; said recorder including first, second an third transducers associated respectively with said first, second and third tracks for reading the picture portions therefrom, and selective high speed switching means connected between said transducers and a standard television monitor for sequentially and selectively switching between said transducers to obtain a variable output image on said monitor which may include portions of each of said first, second and third pictures including the boundaries between said second and third picture portions and said first Picture portion.

Claim 10

In an image display system for selectively displaying a plurality of portions of a total picture on a standard television monitor; a recording device including a rotatable recording medium; first, second and third tracks formed on said recording medium; first, second and third picture portions of the total picture recorded respectively on said first, second and third tracks; said second picture being located contiguously to the right of said first picture, forming part of said total picture, and having a common vertical boundary therewith; said third picture being located contiguously below said first picture, forming part of said total picture, and having a common horizontal boundary therewith; each of said tracks extending continuously in a closed path of said recording medium and including a series of working picture lines, a vertical retrace interval and a plurality of horizontal retrace intervals; the picture lines and horizontal retrace intervals of said first track being located relative to the picture lines, and horizontal retrace intervals of said second track so that the beginning of the horizontal retrace interval at the end of the first information line of said first picture is adjacent in time to the beginning of the first information line of said second picture; the picture lines and vertical retrace interval of said first track being located relative to the picture lines and vertical retrace interval of said third track so that the last information line at the bottom of the first picture is adjacent in time with the first information line at the top of said third picture; said recorder including first, second an third transducers associated respectively with said first, second and third tracks for reading the picture portions therefrom, and selective high speed switching means connected between said transducers and a standard television monitor for sequentially and selectively switching between said transducers to obtain a variable output image on said monitor which may include portions of each of said first, second and third pictures including the boundaries between said second and third picture portions and said first Picture portion.

Claim 11

The image display system of claim 6, wherein the switching means is a high speed matrixing switch.

Claim 12

The image display system of claim 7, wherein the high speed matrixing switch is controlled by a row and column address logic unit, which unit is connected to and operated by a joystick.

Claim 15

The method described in claim 9 wherein the repeatable image storage device is a magnetic record.

Claim 18

The method described in claim 11 wherein the repeatable image storage source is a magnetic record.