Information processing system and apparatus

• US 5,321,811 A
• Filed: 12/07/1992
• Issued: 06/14/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Inoue, Hiroshi, Kato, Takashi, Enomoto, Aiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US07/987,242
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 395/164, 395/166, 395/162, 340/718, 340/719, 340/750, 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 345/127, 345/129, 345/130, 345/132
• US Class Current: 345/520
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0205 Simultaneous scanning of several lines in flat panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0227 related to multiple interlacing, i.e. involving more fields than just one odd field and one even field
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/04 Partial updating of the display screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/06 Details of flat display driving waveforms
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/061 for resetting or blanking
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/065 Waveforms comprising zero voltage phase or pause
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0247 Flicker reduction other than flicker reduction circuits used for single beam cathode-ray tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3629 using liquid crystals having memory effects, e.g. ferroelectric liquid crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

In an information processing apparatus, transfer scan line addresses are monitored within a graphic microprocessor partial update routine to continuously transfer image information of addresses of the same scan line when a two-line simultaneous drive waveform is used to increase a frame frequency. The information processing system includes an image information memory for storing received image information a first control for controlling driving of a display memory, and a second control for controlling the image information memory so that storage of the image information in the image information memory and transfer of the image information stored in the memory to a drive control circuit are synchronized with each other.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising:

an image information memory for storing received image information;

first control means for controlling driving of a display panel; and

second control means in response to an occurrence of a partial write scanning which scans a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen only, for controlling said image information memory to store the image information for the partial write scanning therein, to set a timer with a time interval corresponding to the predetermined number, to inhibit memory access and interrupt a refresh scanning during the time interval set in the timer, to transfer the image information for the partial write scanning to said first control means and resume the refresh scanning after a commencement of the transfer of the image information.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received, and for controlling said image information memory to interrupt transfer of the image information to said second control means and to store the image information which is being received in said image information memory when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is lower than that of the image information which is being received.

4. An information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said display panel includes scan lines and information lines.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the stored image information consists of scan line address information for designating a scan line to be selected and display information for controlling a display information signal applied to an information line of the scan line to be selected, and further comprising means for serially transferring the image information.

6. A system according to claim 5, further comprising means for storing the scan line address information.

7. A system according to claim 4, wherein a highest priority display of the display priority order of the graphic events is a shift display.

8. An information processing apparatus comprising:

first means for controlling an image information memory so that received image information is stored in said image information memory;

second means for controlling said image information memory and a drive control circuit so that the image information stored in said image information memory is transferred to said drive control circuit; and

third control means in response to an occurrence of a partial write scanning which scans a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen only, for controlling said image information memory to store image information for the partial write scanning therein, to set a timer with a time interval corresponding to the predetermined number, to inhibit memory access and interrupt a refresh scanning during the time interval set in the timer, to transfer the image information for the partial write scanning to said first control means and resume the refresh scanning after a commencement of the transfer of the image information.

9. An information processing apparatus comprising:

first means for receiving image information having a plurality of graphic events;

second means for controlling an image information memory so that received image information is stored in said image information memory in a higher priority order of the graphic events on the basis of a preset priority order of the graphic events;

third means for controlling said image information memory so that the stored image information is transferred to drive control means in the higher priority order of the graphic events; and

fourth control means in response to an occurrence of a partial write scanning which scans a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen only, for controlling said image information memory to store the image information for the partial write scanning therein, to set a timer with a time interval corresponding to the predetermined number, to inhibit memory access and interrupt a refresh scanning during the time interval set in the timer, to transfer the image information for the partial write scanning to said first control means and resume the refresh scanning after a commencement of the transfer of the image information.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the stored image information consists of scan line address information for designating a scan line to be selected and display information for controlling a display information signal applied to an information line of the scan line to be selected, and further comprising means for serially transferring the image information.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising means for storing the output scan line address information.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a highest priority display of the display priority order of the graphic events is a shift display.

13. An information processing apparatus comprising:

first means for controlling an image information memory so that received image information is stored in said image information memory;

second means for serially receiving scan line address information for designating a scan electrode selected from said image information memory and display information for controlling a display information signal applied to an information electrode on the scan electrode to be selected, and transferring the scan line address information and the display information to drive control means;

third means for storing the scan line address information; and

fourth control means in response to an occurrence of a partial write scanning which scans a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen only, for controlling said image information memory to store image information for the partial write scanning therein, to set a timer with a time interval corresponding to the predetermined number, to inhibit memory access and interrupt a refresh scanning during the time interval set in the timer, to transfer the image information for the partial write scanning to said first means and resume the refresh scanning after a commencement of the transfer of the image information.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising means for controlling said drive control means for separating the scan line address information and the display information.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising means for synchronizing with said drive control means.

16. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the scan line address information is information for designating each scan electrode for partial update scan.

17. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the scan line address information is information for designating each of the scan electrodes for performing one-frame scan.

18. An information processing system comprising:

an image information memory for storing received image information and outputting scan line address information for designating a scan line and image information corresponding to the designated scan line;

first control means for controlling driving of a display panel; and

second control means for controlling the scan line address information output from the image information memory so as to interrupt a refresh-scan line scan display when a partial rewrite scan is instructed and prevent subsequent refresh-scan line scan for a new display from starting from a last scan line of previous refresh-scan line scan after the previous refresh-scan line scan is interrupted, in the partial rewrite scan a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen being scanned.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received.

20. A system according to claim 18, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received, and for controlling said image information memory to interrupt transfer of the image information to said first control means and to store the image information which is being received in said image information memory when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is lower than that of the image information which is being received.

21. An information processing system comprising:

an image information memory for storing received image information and outputting scan line address information for designating a scan line and image information corresponding to the designated scan line;

first control means for controlling driving of a display panel; and

second control means for storing first scan line address information for designating a last scan line obtained when a scan line scan for display is interrupted when a partial rewrite scan is instructed in the partial rewrite scan a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen being scanned, comparing the first scan line address information with second scan line address information for designating a start scan line for new scan line scan, and decrementing or incrementing the second scan line address information when the first scan line address information is equal to the second scan line address information as a result of comparison.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received.

23. A system according to claim 21, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received, and for controlling said image information memory to interrupt transfer of the image information to said first control means and to store the image information which is being received in said image information memory when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is lower than that of the image information which is being received.

24. An information processing system comprising:

an image information memory for storing received image information and outputting scan line address information for designating a scan line and image information corresponding to the designated scan line;

first control means for controlling driving of a display panel; and

second control means for controlling the scan line address information output from said image information memory so as to prevent subsequent scan line scan for a new display from starting from a last scan line of previous partial update scan when a predetermined number of scan lines are scanned for the partial update scan, in the partial update scan a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen being scanned.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received.

26. A system according to claim 24, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received, and for controlling said image information memory to interrupt transfer of the image information to said first control means and to store the image information which is being received in said image information memory when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is lower than that of the image information which is being received.

27. An information processing system comprising:

an image information memory for storing received image information and outputting scan line address information for designating a scan line and image information corresponding to the designated scan line;

first control means for controlling driving of a display panel; and

second control means for storing first scan line address information for designating a last scan line of scan line scan for a predetermined number of scan lines for partial update scan, comparing the first scan line address information with second scan line address information for designating a start scan line of subsequent scan line scan for a new display, and decrementing or incrementing the second scan line address information when the first scan line address information is equal to the second scan line address information as a result of comparison, in the partial update scan a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen being scanned.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received.

29. A system according to claim 27, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received, and for controlling said image information memory to interrupt transfer of the image information to said first control means and to store the image information which is being received in said image information memory when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is lower than that of the image information which is being received.

30. An information processing system comprising:

an image information memory for storing received image information and outputting scan line address information for designating a scan line and image information corresponding to the designated scan line;

first control means for controlling driving of a display panel so that a pixel on the scan line designated by the scan line address information is erased, the image information corresponding to the designated scan line is written, and a pixel on a scan line designated by another scan line address information next to the scan line address information is erased during writing of the image information; and

second control means for controlling the scan line address information output from said image information memory so as to interrupt a refresh-scan line scan for display when a partial rewrite scan is instructed and prevent subsequent refresh-scan line scan for a new display from starting from a last scan line of previous refresh-scan line scan after the previous refresh-scan line scan is interrupted, in the partial rewrite scan a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen being scanned.

31. A system according to claim 30, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received.

32. A system according to claim 30, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received, and for controlling said image information memory to interrupt transfer of the image information to said first control means and to store the image information which is being received in said image information memory when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is lower than that of the image information which is being received.

33. An information processing system comprising:

an image information memory for storing received image information and outputting scan line address information for designating a scan line and image information corresponding to the designated scan line;

first control means for controlling driving of a display panel so that a pixel on the scan line designated by the scan line address information is erased, the image information corresponding to the designated scan line is written, and a pixel on a scan line designated by another scan line address information next to the scan line address information is erased during writing of the image information; and

second control means for storing first scan line address information for designating a last scan line obtained when a scan line scan for display is interrupted when a partial rewrite scan is instructed, in the partial rewrite scan a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen being scanned, comparing the first scan line address information with second scan line address information for designating a start scan line for new scan line scan, and decrementing or incrementing the second scan line address information when the first scan line address information is equal to the second scan line address information as a result of comparison.

34. A system according to claim 33, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received.

35. A system according to claim 33, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received, and for controlling said image information memory to interrupt transfer of the image information to said first control means and to store the image information which is being received in said image information memory when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is lower than that of the image information which is being received.

36. An information processing system comprising:

an image information memory for storing received image information and outputting scan line address information for designating a scan line and image information corresponding to the designated scan line;

first control means for controlling driving of a display panel so that a pixel on the scan line designated by the scan line address information is erased, the image information corresponding to the designated scan line is written, and a pixel on a scan line designated by another scan line address information next to the scan line address information is erased during writing of the image information; and

second control means for controlling the scan line address information output from said image information memory so as to prevent subsequent scan line scan for a new display from starting from a last scan line of previous partial update scan when a predetermined number of scan lines are scanned for the partial update scan, in the partial update scan a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen being scanned.

37. A system according to claim 36, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received.

38. A system according to claim 36, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received, and for controlling said image information memory to interrupt transfer of the image information to said first control means and to store the image information which is being received in said image information memory when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is lower than that of the image information which is being received.

39. An information processing system comprising:

an image information memory for storing received image information and outputting scan line address information for designating a scan line and image information corresponding to the designated scan line;

first control means for controlling driving of a display panel so that a pixel on the scan line designated by the scan line address information is erased, the image information corresponding to the designated scan line is written, and a pixel on a scan line designated by another scan line address information next to the scan line address information is erased during writing of the image information; and

second control means for storing first the scan line address information for designating a last scan line of scan line scan for a predetermined number of scan lines for partial update scan, comparing the first scan line address information with second scan line address information for designating a start scan line of subsequent scan line scan for a new display, and decrementing or incrementing the second scan address information when the first scan line address information is equal to the second scan line address information as a result of comparison, in the partial update scan a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen being scanned.

40. A system according to claim 39, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received.

41. A system according to claim 39, wherein said second control means comprises means for controlling said image information memory to inhibit said image information memory from storing image information which is being received when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is higher than that of the image information which is being received, and for controlling said image information memory to interrupt transfer of the image information to said first control means and to store the image information which is being received in said image information memory when a display priority of a graphic event of the image information transferred to said first control means is lower than that of the image information which is being received.

42. An information processing apparatus comprising:

first means for controlling an image information memory so that received image information is stored in said image information memory and scan line address information for designating a scan line and image information corresponding to the designated scan line are output from said image information memory;

second means for controlling said image information memory and a drive control circuit so that an output from said image information memory is transferred to said drive control circuit; and

third means for storing first scan line address information for designating a last scan obtained when a scan line scan for display is interrupted when a partial rewrite scan is instructed, in the partial rewrite scan a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen being scanned, comparing the first scan line address information with second scan line address information for designating a start scan line for new scan line scan, and decrementing or incrementing the second scan line address information when the first scan line address information is equal to the second scan line address information as a result of comparison.

43. An information processing apparatus comprising:

first means for controlling an image information memory so that received image information is stored in said image information memory and scan line address information for designating a scan line and image information corresponding to the designated scan line are output from said image information memory;

second means for controlling said image information memory and a drive control circuit so that an output from said image information memory is transferred to said drive control circuit; and

third means for storing first scan line address information for designating a last scan line of scan line scan for a predetermined number of scan lines for partial update scan, comparing the first scan line address information with second scan line address information for designating a start scan line of subsequent scan line scan for a new display, and decrementing or incrementing the second scan line address information when the first scan line address information is equal to the second scan line address information as a result of comparison, in the partial update scan a predetermined number of scan lines less than a total number of lines in a full screen being scanned.