Display control device and reproduction display device for electronic books

• US 6,441,811 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Iwasaki, Keisuke, Nakamura, Yasuhisa, Saiga, Hisashi, Yamanoue, Masafumi, Sawada, Yuji, Kitamura, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jimmy H.
• Application Number:
  US09/530,393
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 345/204, 345/864, 345/547, 345/901, 345/776, 455/556
• US Class Current: 345/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0283 for data storage and retrieval
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/02 Handling of images in compressed format, e.g. JPEG, MPEG
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/393 Arrangements for updating the contents of the bit-mapped memory
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/395 Arrangements specially adapted for transferring the contents of the bit-mapped memory to the screen G09G5/399 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic book display control device capable of solving the problem of a conventional page turning method of an electronic book device that pages are turned in accordance with a value predetermined by a speed controller and hence it is difficult to turn pages flexibly in accordance with the contents of the book and the characteristics of the user. The control device is provided with a CPU (1) which controls the whole device, an image data storage unit (2) in which the contents of the book are stored as image data, an image data control unit (3) which receives the image data and performs the required control, a display preparation image data memory unit (4) in which image data of the page being displayed and the page to be displayed next are stored, and a display unit (5) on which information concerning the image data and information concerning the operation of the electronic book are displayed. The data displayed on the display unit at a specific time in a page turning period are stored in a page turning data memory unit (9) and the column information of the page turning data is stored in a column information storage table (10). In accordance with the column information, the address of the display preparation image data memory unit (4) and the image data on the page being displayed and the page to be displayed next are selected by a display changeover control unit (11).

Claims

1. An electronic book display control device comprising:

a central processing unit for controlling the whole device;

an image data storage portion for storing therein contents of a book as image data;

an image data control portion for receiving the image data and performing required control;

a display preparation image data storage portion for storing image data of a page being displayed and image data of a page to be displayed next;

a display portion for displaying thereon information concerning the image data of the contents of the book and information concerning operation of the electronic book;

a display control portion for controlling the display portion;

a display image data storage portion for storing data to be displayed on the display portion; and

an input portion for inputting user'"'"'s command for operating the electronic book, wherein it is further provided with a page-turning data storage portion for storing data displayed on the display portion at a specified time for a page-turning period, a column information storage table for storing column information of the page-turning data and a display changeover control portion including an address producing portion for producing an address of the display preparation image data storage portion from the column information and a memory selecting portion for selecting a memory for storing image data of the page being displayed or a memory for storing image data of the page to be displayed next.

2. An electronic book display control device as defined in claim 1, wherein the column information storage table is stored in the image data storage portion storing the image data.

3. An electronic book display control device as defined in claim 1, wherein the column information storage table is stored in a ROM or a rewritable ROM other than the image data storage portion.

4. An electronic book display control device as defined in claim 1, wherein the column information table is paired with image data.

5. An electronic book display control device as defined in claim 1, wherein the display portion comprises a display having an input portion integrally formed therewith and the column information is read in the column information storage table according to information observably input by the input portion.

6. An electronic book display control device comprising:

a central processing unit for controlling the whole device;

an image data storage portion for storing therein contents of a book as image data;

an image data control portion for receiving the image data and performing required control;

a display preparation image data storage portion for storing image data of a page being displayed and image data of a page to be displayed next;

a display portion for displaying thereon information concerning the image data of the contents of the book and information concerning operation of the electronic book;

a display control portion for controlling the display portion;

a display image data storage portion for storing data to be displayed on the display portion; and

an input portion for inputting user'"'"'s command for operating the electronic book, wherein it is further provided with a page-turning data storage portion for storing data displayed on the display portion at a specified time for a page-turning period, a column information storage table for storing column information of the page-turning data, a display changeover control portion including an address producing portion for producing an address of the display preparation image data storage portion from the column information and a memory selecting portion for selecting a memory for storing image data of the page being displayed or a memory for storing image data of the page to be displayed next, and a data latch for reading a part of the image data from the display image data storage portion and storing it therein.

7. An electronic book display control device as defined in claim 6, wherein a difference between data of a page being displayed and data of a page having been displayed just before the current page is stored in the table for storing column information of the page-turning data.

8. An electronic book display control device as defined in claim 6, wherein an input selector for selecting a memory and an output selector for selecting a memory are provided on input side and output side of the display preparation image data storage portion.

9. An electronic book display control device as defined in claim 8, wherein image data stored in the image data storage portion is divided to be readable in order necessary for turning pages.