Multiple resolution data display
First Claim
1. A device comprising:
- a central processing unit (CPU);
data storage coupled to the CPU, the data storage including a display memory for storing a frame of display data, the frame having I rows and J columns of pixels; and
a display device coupled to the CPU, having M rows and N columns of pixels, product MN being less than the product IJ; and
means for mapping a first subset of the frame of display data at a first resolution from the data storage onto a first area of the display device and for selectively mapping a second subset of the display data at a reduced resolution, less than the first resolution, from the data storage onto a second area of the display device adjacent the first, wherein said mapping means omits from the second subset selected rows and/or columns of display data according to a pattern when mapping display data to the second area of the display device, said pattern being interrupted for display of the first subset of frame data, said pattern being achieved without consideration of the subjective importance of the displayed second subset of data.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A relatively large set of image data (e.g. 640×480) is mapped onto a relative smaller physical display device (e.g. 320×240) by one of a variety of techniques, usually characterized by display of a subset of the data at full resolution (i.e. 1:1). In some embodiments, the entire physical display is dedicated to display of the subset of data at 1:1 resolution; data beyond this subset is not displayed. In other embodiments, only a portion of the physical display is dedicated to 1:1 resolution, with the remainder of the physical display being used to represent some fraction of the remaining data at a lower resolution. In one embodiment, the resolution decreases with distance from the 1:1 resolution area, resulting in a fisheye lens-like geometrical distortion. A variety of other alternatives are possible. Data displayed in these lower resolution portions of the display device are geometrically compressed or distorted, but provide useful context information for the user. Desirably, user-responsive control means are provided by which the user can move the 1:1 resolution window to show different portions of the data set.
212 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU); data storage coupled to the CPU, the data storage including a display memory for storing a frame of display data, the frame having I rows and J columns of pixels; and a display device coupled to the CPU, having M rows and N columns of pixels, product MN being less than the product IJ; and means for mapping a first subset of the frame of display data at a first resolution from the data storage onto a first area of the display device and for selectively mapping a second subset of the display data at a reduced resolution, less than the first resolution, from the data storage onto a second area of the display device adjacent the first, wherein said mapping means omits from the second subset selected rows and/or columns of display data according to a pattern when mapping display data to the second area of the display device, said pattern being interrupted for display of the first subset of frame data, said pattern being achieved without consideration of the subjective importance of the displayed second subset of data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. In a computer including a CPU with intercoupled memory and display, the memory having I rows and J columns, and the display having M rows and N columns where the product of MN is less than IJ, an improved method of displaying data from said memory on said display comprising:
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mapping a first set of data from the memory to a first region of the display at a first resolution; selectively mapping a second set of data from the memory to a second region of the display at a second resolution different than the first, said selective mapping of the second set of data being performed without consideration of the subjective importance of the displayed second set of data; and mapping transition data from the memory to a region of the display between the first and second regions, said mapping being performed in conjunction with a DDA technique, said transition data avoiding an abrupt change in resolution between the first and second sets of data. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A computer executed method of displaying pixel data stored in a memory on a display device, the memory storing I rows by J columns of pixel data, the display presenting M rows by N columns of pixel data, where product IJ is greater than product MN, the method comprising the following steps:
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mapping a first subset of data from the memory to the display device at a first resolution; selectively mapping a second subset of data from the memory to the display device at a second resolution different than the first, said mapping of the second subset omitting selected rows and/or columns of the pixel data according to a pattern, said pattern being achieved without consideration of the subjective importance of the displayed second subset of data, said pattern being interrupted for mapping of the first subset. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of displaying data on a computer comprising:
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a central processing unit (CPU); data storage coupled to the CPU, the data storage including a display memory for storing a frame of display data, the frame having I rows and J columns of pixels; a display device coupled to the CPU, having M rows and N columns of pixels, product MN being less than product IJ; the method including; mapping a subset of the frame of display data to the display device, changing said subset by moving an indicia displayed on the display device to move a center of said subset within the frame of display data; and changing the extent of said subset by changing a pattern of skipped rows or columns, said changing including operating a switch associated with the computer while moving the indicia on the display device. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A computer including a CPU, a memory, and a display device, intercoupled together, the memory having a portion thereof allocated to storing a frame of display data, said portion storing more display data than can be displayed on the display device, the computer further includes a mapping means for mapping a contiguous subset of the frame of display data from said portion of memory to the display device at one-to-one correspondence to completely fill said display device, the computer further including a user interface allowing a user to select different subsets of the data stored in said portion for display at said one-to-one correspondence, said user interface further including means for changing the extent of the contiguous subset of data by changing a pattern of skipped rows or columns, said means including a switch and means for moving an indicia on the display device while said switch is closed.
Specification