Display control system which produces varying patterns to reduce flickering

• US 4,827,255 A
• Filed: 05/30/1986
• Issued: 05/02/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ascii Corp. (Kadokawa Dwango Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Ascii Corp. (Kadokawa Dwango Corp.)
• Inventors: Ishii, Takatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Brigance, Gerald L.
• Application Number:
  US06/868,673
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 340/701, 340/703, 340/793, 358/11, 358/81
• US Class Current: 345/692
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2018 by time modulation using two or more time intervals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2051 with use of a spatial dither pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/028 Circuits for converting colour display signals into monochrome display signals

Abstract

A display control system has a digital interface therein. When software using a color display is executed and displayed in a monochrome monitor, this system is responsive to color code information to arbitrarily select either a hatching pattern conversion or a grey scale display according to application software or the like. The system can thus discriminate the display contents thereof.

In a color monitor that permits input of a plurality of digital signals, the display control system can convert a given piece of color code information into digital video signals according to frames and display positions in a given area of a display screen for display of natural colors. In a monochrome monitor capable of displaying video and high-intensity brightness signals, the display control system not only converts a given piece of color code information into digital video signals according to frames and display positions in a given area of a display screen, but also outputs digital video signals in a plurality of bits according to a piece of color code information, so as to display more gradations of the color code.

Claims

1. A display control system which uses a single frame of color code information to display a plurality of frames of gray-scale information on pixel positions of a monochrome display screen, comprising:

means for receiving a single pixel of color code information for a pixel of said display screen; and

digital video signal control means, responsive to said pixel color code information, for producing a plurality of monochrome digital video signals for each color pixel of the video image, said plurality being indicative of a color with a gray scale value dependent on said color code information, the value of said monochrome digital video signal being based on both of (a) which of said frames of gray scale information is being displayed and (b) said pixel position.

2. The display control system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a dot counter, a frame counter and a line counter for storing a count indicative of an address of said pixel position and a number of said gray scale frame, and wherein said digital video signal control means receives output signals of said dot counter, said line counter and said frame counter.

3. The display control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said gray scale frames vary at a predetermined cycle, said cycle being short enough to prevent any flickers from being produced.

4. The display control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said gray scale frames vary such that any flickers which are produced have phases such to cancel out one another.

5. The display control system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a look-up table, wherein said digital video signal control means includes means for selecting the pixel patterns in accordance with said look-up table.

6. A display control system which uses a single frame of color code information to display a plurality of frames of gray scale information on pixel positions of a monochrome display screen, comprising:

means for receiving a pixel of color code information for a pixel of said display screen;

means for determining a dot position on said display screen, and a current gray scale frame count indicative of which of a plurality of frames of gray scale information is being displayed; and

a plurality of digital video signal conversion means, each for converting each said pixel of color code information into a plurality of monochrome digital video signals, said plurality being indicative of a color with a gray scale value dependant on said color code information, the value of said monochrome digital video signals being based on both of said gray scale frame count, and said dot position on said display screen.

7. The display control system as set forth in claim 6, further comprising a dot counter, a frame counter and a line counter for storing a count indicative of an address to specify said dot position and said gray scale frame count, and wherein each of said digital video signal conversion means receives output signals of said dot counter, said line counter and said frame counter.

8. The display control system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said gray scale frames vary such that any flickers which are produced have phases that cancel each other.

9. The display control system as set forth in claim 8, further comprising a look-up table, and wherein said digital video signal conversion means are respectively adapted to select pixel patterns, in accordance with said look-up table.

10. The display control system as set forth in claim 6, further comprising a look-up table wherein said digital video signal conversion means includes means for selecting pixel patterns, in accordance with said look-up table.

11. The display control system as set forth in claim 6, wherein there are provided three of said digital video signal conversion means, one each for red, for green, and for blue, respectively.

12. The display control system as set forth in claim 6, wherein there are provided three of said digital video signal conversion means, respectively for red, for green, and for blue.

13. A display control system which uses a single frame of color code information to display a plurality of frames of gray scale information on a monochrome display screen having a plurality of pixel positions comprising:

digital video signal conversion means for converting a single pixel of color code information into a plurality of monochrome digital video signals, each for a frame of the video image, said plurality being indicative of a color with a gray scale value dependant on said color code information, the value of said monochrome digital video signals being based on a gray scale frame count, indicative of which frame of gray scale information is being displayed and a count of said pixel positions on said display screen, such that at least some video signals indicative of a first color code and a first pixel position in a first gray scale frame, are different video signals from signals for said first color code and said same first pixel position in a second gray scale frame; and

means for outputting said digital video signals as a plurality of bits.

14. The display control system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a dot counter, a frame counter and a line counter for maintaining a count of an address on said screen and of said gray scale frame count, and wherein said digital video signal conversion means is connected to receive output signals of said dot counter, said line counter and of said frame counter.

15. The display control system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said gray scale frames vary such that any flickers which are produced have phases which cancel each other.

16. The display control system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said digital video signal conversion means includes a look-up table, and is adapted to select pixel patterns in accordance with said look-up table.

17. A display control system which uses a single frame of color code information to display a plurality of frames of gray scale information on pixel positions of a monochrome display screen, comprising:

means for receiving a color code for a pixel of said display screen;

means for determining a plurality of monochrome digital video signals for each said color code of each said pixel, said plurality being indicative of a color with a gray scale value dependent on said color code, and each of said plurality of signals indicative of a different one of said gray scale frames, the value of said video signals being based on a line and pixel count and a frame number; and

means for supplying said digital video signals to said display screen.

18. A system as in claim 17 further comprising:

a dot counter coupled to said look-up table means for producing a first output when a dot is an even numbered dot and a second output when a dot is an odd numbered dot;

a line counter coupled to said look-up table means for producing a first output when said line is an even numbered line and a second output when said line is an odd numbered line; and

a gray scale frame counter for producing an output indicative of which of a plurality of gray scale frames of said image is being displayed,

wherein said determining means includes means for determining said digital video signals based on said color code and said outputs of said dot counter, said line counter and said gray scale frame counter.

19. A system as in claim 18 further comprising varying means for reading varying display patterns for each of said frames such that any flickering of said display patterns have phases which cancel with one another.