Method and apparatus for displaying a target region and an enlarged image

• US 6,388,684 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1993
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Information & Control Systems Incorporated, Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Seiko Limited
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Information & Control Systems Incorporated, Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Seiko Limited
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kazuo, Iwamura, Kazuaki, Kikuchi, Yasuyuki, Matsuo, Masakazu, Ito, Yoshizo
• Primary Examiner(s): BRIER, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US08/058,199
• Time in Patent Office: 3,245 Days
• Field of Search: 345/115, 345/118, 345/119, 345/127, 345/131, 345/788
• US Class Current: 715/788
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

An image displaying method and apparatus for simultaneously displaying an enlargement target of an entire original image and its enlarged image on a display screen by automatically disposing the enlarged image. The image displaying apparatus includes display for displaying an enlarged image of part of the entire original image including characters, patterns, etc. in a relation superposed on the entire original image, input apparatus for pointing to specify the enlargement target in the entire original image, and automatic disposing apparatus for preferentially specifying and computing the values of the area of the enlargement target region, the area of the enlarged image display region and the enlargement ratio so as to maximize one of these values and disposing the enlarged image on the basis of the result of computation. Further, in order that the enlarged image is easily visible, the enlargement target region and the enlarged image display region are disposed and displayed on the display screen so that a peripheral region adjoining the enlargement target region is displayed between these two regions.

Claims

1. An image displaying method, comprising the steps of:

displaying predetermined information on a display screen;

pointing to specify a target on said display screen where said predetermined information is displayed;

preserving a region including said specified target and a predetermined peripheral range thereof on said display screen; and

displaying without overlap at the same time, over said predetermined information, a corresponding enlarged image region pertaining to said specified target and said preserved region including said specified target;

said displaying step including the step of;

automatically arranging said preserved region including said specified target and said enlarged image region based on a size of said preserved region, a size of said enlarged image region and a value of an enlargement ratio between said preserved region and said enlarged image region.

2. An image displaying method, in an image displaying apparatus, of enlarging a specified region in an entire original image displayed on a display screen and displaying the enlarged specified region on said display screen, said method comprising the steps, performed by said image displaying apparatus, of:

pointing, by use of an input device, to specify a target on said display screen;

selecting one of a plurality of conditions including an area of an enlargement target region including said specified target, an area of an enlarged image display region and a value of an enlargement ratio between said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region;

determining other values so as to satisfy said selected condition; and

simultaneously displaying without overlap said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region on said display screen over said entire original image on the basis of said determined values;

said simultaneous displaying step including the step of;

automatically arranging said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region based on said selected condition.

3. An image displaying method, in an image displaying apparatus, of simultaneously displaying on a display screen an enlargement target region specified in an entire original image displayed on said display screen and an enlarge image display region displaying an enlarged image display region displaying an enlarged image of said enlargement target region, said method comprising the steps, performed by said image displaying apparatus, of:

pointing by use of an input device, to specify a target on said display screen;

setting said enlarged image display region so as to be spaced apart by a predetermined distance on said display screen from said enlargement target region and to preferentially satisfy one of a plurality of selected conditions including an area of said enlargement target region, an area of said enlarged image display region and a value of an enlargement ratio between said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region; and

displaying without overlap at the same time on said display screen over said entire original image said enlarged image on said enlarged image display region;

said simultaneous displaying step including the step of;

automatically arranging said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region based on said selected condition.

4. An image displaying method according to claim 3, wherein said enlargement target region includes a peripheral region adjoining a region corresponding to said enlarged image displayed on said enlarged image display region.

5. An image displaying method according to claim 3, wherein, when said enlargement target region is located in a central region of said display screen, said entire original image is scrolled so as to display said enlargement target region on the outside of said central region.

6. An image displaying method according to claim 3, wherein a pointing line drawn by a point shifting on said display screen is used to specify said enlargement target region so as to set said enlargement target region each time said point on said line shifts by a predetermined amount, and while shifting said enlargement target region along said line, both said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region are automatically disposed and displayed on said display screen.

7. An image display method according to claim 6, wherein said predetermined amount of shift of said point is variable according to the rate of pointing.

8. An image displaying method, in an image displaying apparatus, of simultaneously displaying on a display screen an enlargement target region specified in an entire original image displayed on said display screen and an enlarged image;

of enlargement target region, said method comprising the steps, performed by said image displaying apparatus, of;

determining values of an area of said enlargement target region so that said area of said enlargement target region on said display screen is maximized under a predetermined enlarging condition; and

according to said determined values automatically disposing and displaying without overlap both said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region on said display screen over said entire original image

said disposing and displaying step including the step of;

automatically arranging said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region based on a size of said enlargement target region, a size of said enlarged image display region and an enlargement ratio of said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region.

9. An image displaying method according to claim 8, wherein said enlargement target region includes a peripheral region adjoining a region corresponding to said enlarged image displayed on said enlarged image display region.

10. An image displaying method according to claim 8, wherein, when said enlargement target region is located in a central region of said display screen, said entire original image is scrolled so as to display said enlargement target region on the outside of said central region.

11. An image displaying method according to claim 8, wherein a pointing line drawn by a point shifting on said display screen is used to specify said enlargement target region so as to set said enlargement target region each time said point on said line shifts by a predetermined amount, and while shifting said enlargement target region along said line, both said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region are automatically disposed and displayed on said display screen.

12. An image displaying method according to claim 11, wherein said predetermined amount of shift of said point is variable according to the rate of pointing.

13. An image displaying apparatus for displaying an enlarged part of an entire original image displayed on a display screen of displaying means, comprising:

input means for pointing to specify a target to be enlarged in said entire original image; and

automatic disposing means for deciding, according to a predetermined basic rule, whether an area of an enlargement target region including said specified target on said display screen or an area of an enlarged image display region displaying an enlarged image representing details of said target in said enlargement target region is to be preferentially selected, and on the basis of the result of said decision, automatically disposing and displaying without overlap both said regions to be easily distinguishable on the same display screen over said entire original image;

said automatic disposing means including means for automatically arranging said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region based on a size of said enlargement target region, a size of said enlarged image display region and an enlargement ratio of said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region.

14. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said automatic disposing means includes means for preferentially specifying one of a plurality of selected conditions including an area of said enlargement target region, an area of said enlarged image display region and a value of an enlargement ratio between said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region, and means for computing values of said area of said enlargement target region, said area of said enlarged image display region and said enlargement ratio according to, said selected condition.

15. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 14, wherein at least one of said values is fixed according to said selected condition.

16. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the other values except that selected are computed so that said selected value becomes a maximum or close to a maximum under the given condition.

17. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region are displayed in a non-overlapping relation so that they can be readily clearly distinguished from each other.

18. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 13 wherein a peripheral region having an area and adjoining said enlargement target region is disposed between said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region so that said region can be readily clearly distinguished from each other.

19. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of lead lines or a frame is displayed so that said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region can be readily compared with and distinguished from each other.

20. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, when said enlargement target region is located in a central region of said display screen, said entire original image is scrolled so that said enlargement target region may not be displayed in said central region and can be readily clearly distinguished from said enlarged image display region.

21. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said input means has a function of pointing to specify said enlargement target by a line drawn by shifting a point on said display screen, and said automatic disposing means acts to automatically dispose and display said enlarged image display region in relation to said enlargement target region set each time said point on said line shifts by a predetermined amount.

22. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said input means is associated with means responsive to a key word input for seeking a corresponding position on said display screen.

23. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the enlarged image displayed on said enlarged image display region represents related information including a sectional figure, an explanatory figure and/or attribute data which is not displayed on said enlargement target region.

25. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said maximized enlarged image display region is set so as not to overlap an enlarged image display inhibited region previously set and displayed on said display screen.

24. An image displaying apparatus for simultaneously displaying an entire original image and its partly enlarge image on the same display screen, comprising:

input means for pointing to specify a target to be enlarged;

means for setting an enlargement target region including said specified target;

means for determining a maximized enlarged image display region which does not overlap said enlargement target region on said display screen;

means for providing priority to one of a plurality of selected conditions including an are of said enlargement target region an area of said enlarged image display region and a value of an enlargement ratio between said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region;

means for setting said area of said enlargement target region at a predetermined minimum value when said value of said enlargement ratio is preferentially selected, setting said enlargement ratio at a predetermined minimum value when said area of said enlargement target region is preferentially selected, setting said area of said enlarged image display region at that of said maximized enlarged image display region when said area of said enlarged image display region is preferentially selected, and determining other values; and

automatic disposing means for automatically disposing without overlap both said enlargement target region and said enlarge image display region on the basis of the result of computation of said area of said enlargement target region and said area of said enlarged image display region;

said automatic disposing means including means for automatically arranging said enlargement target region and said enlarged image display region based on one of a plurality of selected conditions provided with priority.

26. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said input means has a function of pointing to specify said enlargement target by a line drawn by shifting a point on said display screen, and said automatic disposing means acts to automatically dispose and display said enlarged image display region in selection to said enlargement target region set each time said point on said line shifts by a predetermined amount.

27. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said predetermined amount of shift of said point is variable according to the rate of pointing.

28. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said predetermined amount of shift of said point is variable according to the rate of pointing.

29. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said input means is associated with means responsive to a key word input for seeking 1 corresponding position on said display screen.

30. An image displaying apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the enlarged image displayed on said enlarged image display region represents related information including a sectional figure, an explanatory figure and/or attribute data which is not displayed on said enlargement target region.