Method and display control system for accentuating

• US 5,682,181 A
• Filed: 05/23/1994
• Issued: 10/28/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Proxima Corporation (Ask ASA)
• Original Assignee: Proxima Corporation (Ask ASA)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Hung, Shaw, Robert W., Hauck, Lane T.
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US08/247,720
• Time in Patent Office: 1,254 Days
• Field of Search: 345/158, 345/157, 345/156, 345/180, 345/145, 345/146, 345/150, 345/162, 345/163, 345/169, 345/181, 345/182, 345/173, 345/7-9, 348/734, 348/744, 348/61, 348/62, 348/214, 348/211, 356/375, 353/122, 353/28, 353/42, 353/43, 434/323, 434/324, 434/337
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/04 Changes in size, position or resolution of an image
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0414 Vertical resolution change
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0421 Horizontal resolution change
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0471 Vertical positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0478 Horizontal positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0485 Centering horizontally or vertically
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/14 Picture signal circuitry for video frequency region cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7441 the modulator being an array of liquid crystal cells

Abstract

A new and improved display control system which includes a logic arrangement for causing auxiliary light information projected from a hand held light generating device upon a projected primary image to be integrated into the primary video image upon command from a user. A display control circuit causes the underlying primary image to be altered to include an accentuating image indicative of the path of travel followed by a spot of auxiliary control light as it is directed by a user via the hand held light generating device. A color control circuit responsive to user input commands enables the accentuating image to be displayed in one of at least eight primary colors. An erase control circuit also responds to user input commands to enable the user entered accentuating images to be deleted selectively individually or in total simultaneously.

Claims

1. A display control system, comprising:

accentuating means responsive to a detected spot of light directed by a user along a user selected path corresponding to a selected portion of a projected primary video image displayed on a remote viewing surface for generating an accentuating image information indicative of an accentuating image to be displayed in place of the user selected portion of the primary video image;

bit map memory means for storing and retrieving primary video information indicative of said primary video image and for storing and retrieving the accentuating image information to facilitate displaying the accentuating image on said primary video image;

said bit map memory means includes an overlay bit map memory means for storing said accentuating image information continuously as the user directs said spot of light along said path to enable said accentuating image to replace said selected portion for simulating said path on said primary video image as said accentuating image;

said retrieving of the accentuating image information being retrieved from said overlay bit map memory means in synchronization with the primary video information corresponding to the user selected portion of primary video image to facilitate the accentuating image replacing the selected portion of said primary video image;

means responsive to said bit map memory means and to said accentuating means for supplying to a projection display unit the retrieved accentuating image information indicative of an accentuating video image and for supplying to the projection display unit in the absence of retrieved accentuating image information indicative of said accentuating video image, the retrieved primary video information indicative of the unselected portions of the primary video image;

control means coupled to said accentuating means for selectively causing said overlay bit map memory means to begin storing said accentuating image information and for selectively causing said overlay bit map memory means to stop storing said accentuating image information to enable said accentuating image to be selectively defined; and

whereby the projection display unit generates and projects the primary video image onto the remote viewing surface with user selected portions thereof being replaced with accentuating images to help facilitate audience presentations.

2. An information input arrangement for use with a computer system having a central processor for generating primary video information, an auxiliary light device for generating auxiliary light information indicative of a path traversed by an auxiliary light on a projected primary video image, a control device for entering control information to effect the display of desired video information, and a projection display unit for generating and projecting the primary video image onto a remote viewing surface, comprising:

bit map memory means responsive to the primary video information for storing and retrieving it to facilitate displaying the primary video image onto said remote viewing surface;

information control means responsive to the control information for generating display command signals to control the display of the desired video information;

said bit mar memory means including overlay bit map memory means responsive to said auxiliary light information and to said display command signals for storing the auxiliary light information and retrieving it in synchronization with the retrieval of the primary video information stored in said bit map memory means to facilitate displaying an auxiliary video image onto said remote viewing surface;

wherein said overlay bit map memory means stores said auxiliary light information continuously as said auxiliary light traverses said path on said primary video image to enable said path to be reproduced as said accentuating video image within said primary video image;

means responsive to said bit map memory means and to said accentuating means for supplying to the projection display unit retrieved auxiliary light information indicative of an accentuating video image and for supplying to the projection display unit in the absence of retrieved auxiliary light information indicative of said accentuating video image, retrieved primary video information indicative of the primary video image;

said display command signals including an activation signal for selectively causing said overlay bit map memory means to begin storing said auxiliary light information and for selectively causing said overlay bit map memory means to stop storing said auxiliary light information to enable said accentuating video image to be selectively defined; and

whereby the projection display unit generates and projects the primary video image onto the remote viewing surface with user selected portions thereof being replaced with accentuating images to help facilitate audience presentations.

3. An information input arrangement according to claim 2, further comprising:

color selection means responsive to certain ones of said display command signals for storing color selection information indicative of the color appearance of the accentuating images.

4. An information input arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said display command signals include a color select command to enable the accentuating images to be displayed in one of N number of different colors.

5. An information input arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the N number of different colors is about eight different colors.

6. An information input arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said activation signal includes a draw command signal to enable user selected portions of the primary image to be accentuated with at least one accentuating image.

7. An information input arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said computer system includes a computer mouse for generating control information to effect the display of desired video information and wherein said accentuating means includes microprocessor means having an interface for receiving the control information generated by said computer mouse.

8. An information input arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said computer system includes a keyboard for generating control information to effect display of desired video information and wherein said accentuating means includes microprocessor means having an interface for receiving the control information generated by said keyboard.

9. A method of controlling the display of a projected primary video image displayed upon a remote viewing surface, comprising:

detecting an auxiliary light traversing a selected path to generate auxiliary light information corresponding to said path;

generating display command signals to control the display of desired video information;

storing primary video information in frame buffer bit map memory means;

retrieving the stored primary video information from said frame buffer bit map memory means;

storing in overlay bit map memory means auxiliary light information indicative of at least one accentuating video image;

said storing including storing said auxiliary light information continuously as said auxiliary light traverses said path for simulating said path on said primary video image as said accentuating image;

retrieving the stored auxiliary light information from said overlay bit map memory means in synchronization with the retrieval of the stored primary video information in said frame buffer bit map memory means;

said generating display command signals including generating an activation signal for selectively causing said overlay bit map memory means to begin storing said auxiliary light information and for selectively causing said overlay bit map memory means to stop storing said auxiliary light information to enable said accentuating video image to be selectively defined;

supplying to a projection display unit retrieved auxiliary light information indicative of an accentuating video image; and

supplying to the projection display unit in the absence of retrieved auxiliary light information indicative of said accentuating video image, retrieved primary video information indicative of the primary video image.

10. A method of controlling a display system, comprising:

projecting a primary video image onto a remote viewing surface as a projected primary video image;

detecting a spot of light directed by a user along a user selected path on said projected primary video image displayed on said remote viewing surface;

generating accentuating image information in response to the detected spot of light, said accentuating image information indicative of said user selected path relative to the projected primary video image;

storing and retrieving primary video information indicative of said primary video image;

storing and retrieving the accentuating image information;

modifying said primary video image to project a modified primary video image including an accentuating image corresponding to said user selected path instead of projecting said primary video image;

said storing of the accentuating image information including storing said accentuating image information continuously as the user directs said spot of light along said path to enable said accentuating image to simulate said path as a part of said modified primary video image;

selectively initiating the storage of said accentuating image information;

selectively terminating the storage of said accentuating image information to enable said accentuating image to be selectively defined;

said retrieving of the accentuating image information being retrieved in synchronization with the retrieving of the primary video information to facilitate incorporating the accentuating image into said projected primary video image;

supplying to a projection display unit the retrieved accentuating image information;

supplying selectively to the projection display unit the retrieved primary video information and said retrieved primary video information for combining selectively said primary video information and said accentuating image information to generate said modified primary video image; and

whereby the projection display unit generates and projects the modified primary video image as said protected primary video image onto the remote viewing surface with said primary video image being replaced with said modified primary video image including said accentuating image simulating said user selected path to help facilitate audience presentations.

11. A display system, comprising:

means for projecting a primary image onto a viewing surface as a projected primary image;

means for detecting an auxiliary control light image directed along a user selected path on the projected primary image;

means for generating image accentuation information indicative of said user selected path traversed by said auxiliary light image relative to said projected primary image;

means for storing said image accentuation information;

means for storing primary image information indicative of said primary image;

means for initiating the storage of said image accentuation information;

means for terminating the storage of said image accentuation information to enable said image accentuation information to be selectively defined;

means responsive to said stored image accentuation information for modifying the primary image to a modified primary image to simulate the auxiliary light image path as an accentuating image incorporated into the projected primary image for accentuating a desired portion of said projected primary image, wherein said modified primary image is projected as said projected primary image instead of said primary image; and

said means for modifying including means for retrieving selectively said image accentuation information and said primary image information to enable said image accentuation information to replace primary image information corresponding to said user selected path.

12. A method of controlling display information projected onto a remote viewing surface, comprising:

projecting a primary image onto the remote viewing surface as a projected primary image;

detecting an auxiliary control light image directed along a user selected path on the projected primary image;

generating image accentuation information indicative of said user selected path traversed by said auxiliary light image relative to said projected primary image;

storing said image accentuation information;

storing primary image information indicative of said primary image;

initiating the storage of said image accentuation information;

terminating the storage of said image accentuation information to enable said image accentuation information to be selectively defined;

modifying the primary image to a modified primary image in response to said stored image accentuation information to simulate the auxiliary light image path as an accentuating image incorporated into the projected primary image for accentuating a desired portion of said projected primary image;

projecting said modified primary image as said projected primary image instead of said primary image; and

retrieving selectively said image accentuation information and said primary image information to enable said image accentuation information to replace primary image information corresponding to said user selected path.