Patent · US Expired

Method for dynamically viewing image elements stored in a random access memory array

US4197590A · kind A · utility

154Cited by
11References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 19, 1978
Grant dateApr 8, 1980
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 19, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG09G2340/12
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A computer graphics display system including random access raster memory for storing data to be displayed, a raster memory control unit for writing data into the raster memory, a video control unit for causing such information to be displayed on a CRT display screen, a micro control unit for controlling the function and timing of the raster memory control unit and the video control unit, and a computer adapted for facilitating data exchange between the micro control unit and a host computer. The displayed image can have extremely high complexity with essentially no problem of display flicker. Zoom and pan features allow the use of a very complex stored image in a flexible manner, and a split-screen technique enables an operator to work on a very complex picture at a detail level while still having an overview of the total picture, or any portion thereof, simultaneously presented before him. The split-screen feature also allows the simultaneous display of alphanumeric messages such as prompts, menus, or X-Y readouts added to the graphics display and a small area of the raster memory is usually reserved for this purpose. An XOR feature allows a selective erase that restores lines cro…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.