Graphics display system and method

Claim 1

In a system for displaying graphics on a beam-type display device that exhibits a television raster scan line pattern wherein the beam traverses successive generally parallel scan lines with a plurality of predetermined positions along each scan line corresponding to a respective point from which a line may be drawn in a direction generally orthogonal to said scan lines comprising storage means providing digital data coded with a number representing a first predetermined dot position along one of said scan lines and further coded to designate that said line in said generally orthogonal direction is to be drawn from said first dot position, first circuit means responsive to said number code to generate a beam switching control signal when scanning reaches said first dot position in said one scan line and means including a recirculating memory responsive to said beam switching control signal and to said line drawing code for producing a plurality of beam switching signals during scan lines subsequent to said one scan line, said recirculating memory having at least a number of stages corresponding to the number of useable dot positions in any given scan line and being recirculated in synchronism with said scanning raster.

Claim 4

The method of generating a graphics display on a beam-type display device that exhibits a television raster scan line pattern wherein the beam traverses successive generally parallel scan lines with a plurality of dot positions along each scan line corresponding to respective points at which the beam may be intensified to display a dot, said display device having a first predetermined maximum number of dot positions at which a dot can be displayed, the steps of providing a plurality of storage locations for digital data corresponding to a second predetermined maximum number of dot positions to be intensified in any given display, said second number of dot positions being substantially less than said first number of dot positions, storing in said storage locations a plurality of digital data words coded to identify selected positions at which dots are to be displayed, successively reading each of said words from said storage location one by one in synchronism with raster scanning over a plurality of scan lines while intensifying said beam in response to each word when said beam reaches each predetermined dot position, said words being read successively one by one by reading another code each time said beam reaches that selected dot position identified by that code which was last read, and wherein said data words are coded to designate whether each dot is to be displayed at a dot position specified thereby during the scan line then being traversed by said beam or during the next succeeding scan line to be traversed by said beam, and further comprising the step of inhibiting beam intensification at a dot position in the scan line being traversed in response to a word coded to designate that the dot be displayed at a dot position in the next scan line.

Claim 5

The method of generating a graphics display on a beam-type display device that exhibits a television raster scan line pattern wherein the beam traverses successive generally parallel scan lines with a plurality of dot positions along each scan line corresponding to respective points at which the beam may be intensified to display a dot, said display device having a first predetermined maximum number of dot positions at which a dot can be displayed, the steps of providing a plurality of storage locations for digital data corresponding to a second predetermined maximum number of dot positions to be intensified in any given display, said second number of dot positions being substantially less than said first number of dot positions, storing in said storage locations a plurality of digital data words coded to identify selected positions at which dots are to be displayed, successively reading each of said words from said storage location one by one in synchronism with raster scanning over a plurality of scan lines while intensifying said beam in response to each word when said beam reaches each predetermined dot position, said words being read successively one by one by reading another code each time said beam reaches that selected dot position identified by that code which was last read, and wherein said data words are coded to designate whether each dot is to be displayed at a dot position specified thereby during the scan line then being traversed by said beam or during the next succeeding scan line to be traversed by said beam, and further comprising the step of inhibiting beam intensification at a dot position in the scan line being traversed in response to a word coded to designate that the dot be displayed at a dot position in the next scan line.

Claim 6

The method of generating a graphics display on a beam-type display device that exhibits a television raster scan line pattern wherein the beam traverses successive generally parallel scan lines with a plurality of dot positions along each scan line corresponding to respective points at which the beam may be intensified to display a dot, said display device having a first predetermined maximum number of dot positions at which a dot can be displayed, the steps of providing a plurality of storage locations for digital data corresponding to a second predetermined maximum number of dot positions to be intensified in any given display, said second number of dot positions being substantially less than said first number of dot positions, storing in said storage locations a plurality of digital data words coded to identify selected positions at which dots are to be displayed, successively reading each of said words from said storage location one by one in synchronism with raster scanning over a plurality of scan lines while intensifying said beam in response to each word when said beam reaches each predetermined dot position, said words being read successively one by one by reading another code each time said beam reaches that selected dot position identified by that code which was last read, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of coding a first word to designate that a line is to be drawn from a starting point dot position designated by said first word, and then, in response to said line drawing code, intensifying said beam at a dot position adjacent said starting point dot position.

Claim 7

The method of generating a graphics display on a beam-type display device that exhibits a television raster scan line pattern wherein the beam traverses successive generally parallel scan lines with a plurality of dot positions along each scan line corresponding to respective points at which the beam may be intensified to display a dot, said display device having a first predetermined maximum number of dot positions at which a dot can be displayed, the steps of providing a plurality of storage locations for digital data corresponding to a second predetermined maximum number of dot positions to be intensified in any given display, said second number of dot positions being substantially less than said first number of dot positions, storing in said storage locations a plurality of digital data words coded to identify selected positions at which dots are to be displayed, successively reading each of said words from said storage location one by one in synchronism with raster scanning over a plurality of scan lines while intensifying said beam in response to each word when said beam reaches each predetermined dot position, said words being read successively one by one by reading another code each time said beam reaches that selected dot position identified by that code which was last read, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of coding a first word to designate that a line is to be drawn from a starting point dot position designated by said first word, and then, in response to said line drawing code, intensifying said beam at a dot position adjacent said starting point dot position.

Claim 12

A system for displaying graphics including line-like segments on a beam-type display device that exhibits a television raster scan line pattern wherein the beam traverses successive generally parallel scan lines in a first direction and a plurality of predetermined positions along each scan line correspond to points at which the beam may be intensified to display a dot, comprising data storage means providing a digitally coded data signal having first data components each of which designates respective dot positions along said scan lines, said data signal further having second data components associated with respective first data components and designating whether its associated dot position is contained in a line segment, first circuit means operable in synchronism with raster scanning on said display device and responsive to said first data components to generate first video components for intensifying said beam at said designated dot positions and second circuit means operable in synchronism with raster scanning on said display device and responsive to both said first and said second data components to generate second video components for intensifying said beam at other dot positions such that associated first and second data components cause said beam to be intensified at one of said predetermined dot positions on a given line segment and at other dot positions on the same given line segment.

Claim 13

A system for displaying graphics including line-like segments on a beam-type display device that exhibits a television raster scan line pattern wherein the beam traverses successive generally parallel scan lines in a first direction and a plurality of predetermined positions along each scan line correspond to points at which the beam may be intensified to display a dot, comprising data storage means providing a digitally coded data signal having first data components each of which designates respective dot positions along said scan lines, said data signal further having second data components associated with respective first data components and designating whether its associated dot position is contained in a line segment, first circuit means operable in synchronism with raster scanning on said display device and responsive to said first data components to generate first video components for intensifying said beam at said designated dot positions and second circuit means operable in synchronism with raster scanning on said display device and responsive to both said first and said second data components to generate second video components for intensifying said beam at other dot positions such that associated first and second data components cause said beam to be intensified at one of said predetermined dot positions on a given line segment and at other dot positions on the same given line segment.

Claim 21

The method of generating a graphics display on a beam-type display device that exhibits a television raster scan line pattern wherein the beam traverses successive generally parallel scan lines with a plurality of display positions along each scan line at which the beam may be intensified to change the display, said display device having a first predetermined maximum number of display positions, the steps of providing a plurality of storage locations for digital data corresponding to a second predetermined maximum number of display positions at which the intensity of the display may be changed, storing in said storage locations a plurality of digital data words coded to identify selected display positions at which the intensity of the display is to be changed, successively reading each of said words from said storage locations one by one in synchronism with raster scanning of a plurality of scan lines while changing the intensity of the display by reading another word in response to said beam reaching that selected display position identified by that word which was last read and also changing the intensity of said display in response to said beam reaching that selected display position identified by that word which was last read so that storage locations are required for data corresponding to display positions where beam intensity is to be changed rather than for data at each of said first predetermined maximum number of display positions.

Claim 22

The method of generating a graphics display on a beam-type display device that exhibits a television raster scan line pattern wherein the beam traverses successive generally parallel scan lines with a plurality of display positions along each scan line at which the beam may be intensified to change the display, said display device having a first predetermined maximum number of display positions, the steps of providing a plurality of storage locations for digital data corresponding to a second predetermined maximum number of display positions at which the intensity of the display may be changed, storing in said storage locations a plurality of digital data words coded to identify selected display positions at which the intensity of the display is to be changed, successively reading each of said words from said storage locations one by one in synchronism with raster scanning of a plurality of scan lines while changing the intensity of the display by reading another word in response to said beam reaching that selected display position identified by that word which was last read and also changing the intensity of said display in response to said beam reaching that selected display position identified by that word which was last read so that storage locations are required for data corresponding to display positions where beam intensity is to be changed rather than for data at each of said first predetermined maximum number of display positions.

Claim 23

A system for generating displays on a beam-type display device that exhibits a television raster scan line pattern wherein each scan line includes a plurality of predetermined positions at which the intensity of said beam may be selectively switched between first and second states of intensification comprising memory storage means for storing a plurality of codes that identify selected display positions in a plurality of scan lines, first means responsive to sequencing signals to read said codes from said memory means one at a time and provide a respective digital signal representing each of said codes, second means responsive to a clock pulse signal synchronized with scanning of said beam and to each of said digital Signals as it is read from memory to generate a beam control signal each time said beam reaches that display position identified by the last code read from said storage means, third means responsive to each said control signal to generate a beam switching signal adapted to switch said beam from one intensification state to the other intensification state and fourth means responsive to each said control signal to generate a respective sequencing signal for said first means to thereby cause another code to be read from memory identifying another selected position at which said beam is to be switched.

Claim 24

A system for generating displays on a beam-type display device that exhibits a television raster scan line pattern wherein each scan line includes a plurality of predetermined positions at which the intensity of said beam may be selectively switched between first and second states of intensification comprising memory storage means for storing a plurality of codes that identify selected display positions in a plurality of scan lines, first means responsive to sequencing signals to read said codes from said memory means one at a time and provide a respective digital signal representing each of said codes, second means responsive to a clock pulse signal synchronized with scanning of said beam and to each of said digital Signals as it is read from memory to generate a beam control signal each time said beam reaches that display position identified by the last code read from said storage means, third means responsive to each said control signal to generate a beam switching signal adapted to switch said beam from one intensification state to the other intensification state and fourth means responsive to each said control signal to generate a respective sequencing signal for said first means to thereby cause another code to be read from memory identifying another selected position at which said beam is to be switched.

Claim 25

The method of generating a graphics display on a beam-type display device that exhibits a television raster scan line pattern wherein a beam scans consecutive scan lines each of which includes a plurality of predetermined positions at which the intensity of said beam may be selectively switched between first and second states of intensification to create a display comprising the steps of storing a plurality of data codes in a main memory with each code identifying a respective selected display position at which said beam is to be switched, said stored codes identifying consecutive positions at which said beam is to be switched in at least first and second consecutive scan lines, and wherein said method further comprises generating said display by sequentially reading said codes from said memory one at a time to consecutively identify said selected display positions as said beam scans said consecutive scan lines, said sequential code reading including the steps of reading a first data code from memory, identifying a first selected display position in said first line corresponding to said first data code, generating a first beam control signal in response to said beam reaching said first display position, generating a first beam switching signal in response to said first control signal to switch said beam at said display, reading a second data from said memory in response to said first control signal to identify a second selected display position in said second line, generating a second beam control signal in response to said beam reaching said second display position, generating a second beam switching signal in response to said second control signal to switch said beam at said display, and reading a third data code from said memory in response to said second control signal to identify a third selected display position at which said beam is to be switched and wherein each time said beam reaches a selected display position identified by that code which was read last, a beam control signal is generated to cause another code to be read from said memory.

Claim 26

The method of generating a graphics display on a beam-type display device that exhibits a television raster scan line pattern wherein a beam scans consecutive scan lines each of which includes a plurality of predetermined positions at which the intensity of said beam may be selectively switched between first and second states of intensification to create a display comprising the steps of storing a plurality of data codes in a main memory with each code identifying a respective selected display position at which said beam is to be switched, said stored codes identifying consecutive positions at which said beam is to be switched in at least first and second consecutive scan lines, and wherein said method further comprises generating said display by sequentially reading said codes from said memory one at a time to consecutively identify said selected display positions as said beam scans said consecutive scan lines, said sequential code reading including the steps of reading a first data code from memory, identifying a first selected display position in said first line corresponding to said first data code, generating a first beam control signal in response to said beam reaching said first display position, generating a first beam switching signal in response to said first control signal to switch said beam at said display, reading a second data from said memory in response to said first control signal to identify a second selected display position in said second line, generating a second beam control signal in response to said beam reaching said second display position, generating a second beam switching signal in response to said second control signal to switch said beam at said display, and reading a third data code from said memory in response to said second control signal to identify a third selected display position at which said beam is to be switched and wherein each time said beam reaches a selected display position identified by that code which was read last, a beam control signal is generated to cause another code to be read from said memory.