Image processor for displayed message, balloon, and character's face

• US 5,943,049 A
• Filed: 04/23/1996
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Casio Computer Company Limited
• Inventors: Koyama, Hirohisa, Toriyama, Koji, Inoshita, Atsushi, Nakamura, Kazuhisa, Nakae, Tetsuichi, Matsubara, Kunihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US08/636,774
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326-358
• US Class Current: 715/715
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation

Abstract

A plurality of images each indicative of a file to be processed or its items to be processed is displayed on a display. When message information is displayed which is to be transmitted to the user with respect to each of the images, a surrounding image which surrounds the message information is displayed to emphasize and display the message information. When a face image is displayed on the display screen, the message information is displayed in the form of a balloon used frequently in a cartoon or animation as if the message information were uttered from the face image. The displayed shape of the balloon is changed in accordance with attributes of the face image displayed on the display screen so as to harmonize with the face image.

Claims

1. An image processor comprising:

first display signal outputting means for outputting a first display signal to display a face image;

second display outputting means for outputting, based on the first display signal, a second display signal to display a message image which indicates message information accompanying the face image; and

third display outputting means for outputting, based on the second display signal, a third display signal to display a surrounding figure image which surrounds a display area of the message image;

wherein said third display signal outputting means comprises surrounding figure control means for changing attributes of the surrounding figure image; and

wherein said surrounding figure control means includes means for changing a color of a background of the surrounding figure image.

2. An image processor comprising:

first display signal outputting means for outputting a first display signal to display a face image;

second display outputting means for outputting, based on the first display signal, a second display signal to display a message image which indicates message information accompanying the face image; and

third display outputting means for outputting, based on the second display signal, a third display signal to display a surrounding figure image which surrounds a display area of the message image;

wherein said third display signal outputting means comprises surrounding figure control means for changing attributes of the surrounding figure image; and

wherein said surrounding figure control means includes means for changing a shape of the surrounding figure image.

3. An image processor comprising:

first display signal outputting means for outputting a first display signal to display a face image;

second display outputting means for outputting, based on the first display signal, a second display signal to display a message image which indicates message information accompanying the face image; and

third display outputting means for outputting, based on the second display signal, a third display signal to display a surrounding figure image which surrounds a display area of the message image;

wherein said third display signal outputting means comprises surrounding figure control means for changing attributes of the surrounding figure image; and

wherein said surrounding figure control means includes means for determining a situation of use of a particular symbol in the message information, and means for changing a shape of the surrounding figure image in accordance with a result of the determination.

4. An image processor comprising:

first display signal outputting means for outputting a first display signal to display a face image;

second display outputting means for outputting, based on the first display signal, a second display signal to display a message image which indicates message information accompanying the face image; and

third display outputting means for outputting, based on the second display signal, a third display signal to display a surrounding figure image which surrounds a display area of the message image; and

surrounding figure moving means for moving as a unit the surrounding figure image and at least one of a symbol and a letter indicated within the surrounding figure image.

5. An image processor comprising:

first display signal outputting means for outputting a first display signal to display a face image;

second display outputting means for outputting, based on the first display signal, a second display signal to display a message image which indicates message information accompanying the face image; and

third display outputting means for outputting, based on the second display signal, a third display signal to display a surrounding figure image which surrounds a display area of the message image; and

symbol arrangement control means for changing an arrangement including at least one of a letter and a symbol of the message image in accordance with at least one of a size and shape of the surrounding figure image.

6. An image processor comprising:

first display signal outputting means for outputting a first display signal to display a face image;

second display outputting means for outputting, based on the first display signal, a second display signal to display a message image which indicates message information accompanying the face image;

third display outputting means for outputting, based on the second display signal, a third display signal to display a surrounding figure image which surrounds a display area of the message image; and

image control means for changing at least one of the message image and the surrounding figure image in response to attribute data indicative of a feature of the face image to be displayed;

wherein said first display signal means further comprises storage means for storing data in respective ones of a plurality of storage areas, and outputs as the first display signal a plurality of signals to display a plurality of marks which respectively correspond to each of the plurality of storage areas;

wherein said second display signal outputting means comprises selecting means for selecting any one of the displayed plurality of marks, and outputs as the second display signal a signal derived from the storage area corresponding to the selected mark;

wherein said third display signal outputting means outputs as the third display output signal a signal for displaying the surrounding figure image to emphasize the image information represented by the second display signal; and

wherein said image control means includes means for changing at least one of a color and shape of the surrounding figure image in response to an update of the attribute data.

7. An image processor comprising:

personal information providing means for providing personal information relating to a character;

part determining means for determining a plurality of part images of a face of said character based on said provided personal information;

face composing means for composing said determined plurality of part images into a face image display signal representing a face image of said character, and for outputting said face image display signal to display the face image;

message display signal outputting means for outputting a message display signal to display a message image which indicates message information accompanying the face image; and

balloon display signal outputting means for outputting a balloon display signal to display a balloon which surrounds a display area of said message image.

8. An image processor according to claim 7, wherein said personal information comprises at least one of a sex, age, body shape, personality and state of feeling of said character.

9. An image processor according to claim 7, further comprising message determining means for determining said message display signal based on said provided personal information.

10. An image processor according to claim 7, further comprising balloon determining means for determining said balloon display signal based on said provided personal information.

11. An image processor comprising:

face image display signal outputting means for outputting a face image signal to display a face image of a character;

message display signal outputting means for outputting a message display signal to display a message image which indicates message information accompanying the face image;

balloon display signal outputting means for outputting a balloon display signal to display a balloon which surrounds a display area of said message;

feeling display signal outputting means for outputting a feeling display signal indicative of a plurality of different states of feeling of the character;

state-of-feeling selecting means for selecting one of said plurality of states of feeling; and

face image transforming means for transforming said face image based on said selected state of feeling.

12. An image processor according to claim 11, further comprising message changing means for changing said message image based on said selected state of feeling.

13. An image processor according to claim 11, further comprising balloon changing means for changing said balloon based on said selected state of feeling.