JPH08129475A - Image display system and image data transfer method in image display system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] (Correction) [Purpose] To enable efficient image data transfer with a small amount. An information processing apparatus 1 for processing image data of an image to be displayed on the image display apparatus 2, and an image display apparatus 2
And a data transfer path 3 connecting the information processing apparatus 1 and the information processing apparatus 1. Video memories 12 and 22 for storing image data are provided in the image display device 2 and the information processing device 1, respectively, and monitoring is performed to monitor writing of the image data to the video memory 12 provided in the information processing device 1. Means 34,
When the monitoring means 34 detects writing of image data into the video memory 12, the transfer means 35 for transferring the image data relating to the written portion via the data transfer path 3 and the data transfer path 3 are transferred. The writing means 41 receives the transferred image data and writes the image data to the corresponding address of the video memory 22 provided in the image display means 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image display system in which an information processing device such as a personal computer or an office computer and an image display device such as a color CRT or LCD are connected via a data transfer path, and the same. The present invention relates to an image data transfer method in a system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional system of this type has been constructed, for example, as shown in FIG. Information processing device 10
0-1 is provided with an information processing unit 101 that takes in image data and the like from a file and performs edit processing and the like.
01 writes the image data to be displayed in the video memory 102. The image data in the video memory 102 is transferred to the data transfer path 30 according to the display cycle of the image display device 200-1.
Image display device 200 that has been transferred via
The -1 image display unit 201 converts this into a video signal and displays an image.

If the image display device 200-1 is a color display device, R (red), G (green), B
The image data of the three primary colors of (blue) are each set to 8 bits and 1
When the screen is composed of 1 million pixels (1000 × 1000), the display cycle is 60 Hz, and it is approximately 1.4 Gbit.
/ S data transfer is required. However, in order to transfer data at such a high speed, the data transfer path 300
Because of the transfer capability of the information processing device 100-1 and the image display device 200-1, the length cannot be increased. That is, if the data transfer path 300 is lengthened, problems of signal attenuation and reflection occur, and data errors are induced.

In order to solve this, a system having the structure shown in FIG. 7 is provided. That is, the information processing device 100
-2 is provided with the information processing unit 103 and is not provided with a video memory. On the other hand, the image display device 200-2 is provided with the drawing mechanism 202 together with the video memory 203, and
1 displays an image based on the image data in the video memory 203. In the information processing device 100-2, the information processing unit 103 has the drawing mechanism 2 in the image display device 200-2.
02 to instruct drawing contents. The drawing mechanism 202 interprets the supplied instruction of the drawing content, generates image data, and writes the image data in the video memory. This system is provided as a system in which the information processing device 100-2 is a host computer, the data transfer path 300 is a network, the image display device 200-2 is a so-called X terminal, and a drawing content instruction is a so-called X protocol.

According to the system of FIG. 7, since the data transferred through the data transfer path is an instruction of the drawing content, the amount of information transferred is smaller than that in the case where the image data is transferred as it is. The distance between the device 100-2 and the image display device 200-2 can be increased.

[0006]

However, the system shown in FIG. 7 requires a special device such as the drawing mechanism 202 and the information processing unit 103 for sending an instruction of drawing contents to the drawing mechanism 202, and uses image data. There was a problem that the treatment was not enough.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional system, and its purpose is to make it possible to increase the distance of the data transfer path and to perform processing using image data. An object of the present invention is to provide an image display system and an image data transfer method in the image display system that do not require the use of special information such as a content instruction.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, claim 1 of the present application
The image display system described in (1), an image display device that displays an image based on image data, an information processing device that processes image data of an image to be displayed on the image display device, the image display device, and the information processing device. An image display system, comprising: a data transfer path connecting to an apparatus, wherein each of the image display apparatus and the information processing apparatus is provided with a video memory for storing image data. Monitoring means for monitoring the writing of the image data to the video memory, and when the monitoring means detects the writing of the image data to the video memory, the image data relating to the written portion is transferred to the data transfer path. Transfer means for transferring the image data through the data transfer path, and the image data transferred through the data transfer path. Characterized in that it comprises a write unit that writes the corresponding address of the video memory provided in unit.

An image display system according to claim 2 of the present application is the image display system according to claim 1 of the present application, in which a video memory provided in an information processing device is divided into a plurality of blocks and an image is displayed in block units. While monitoring the writing of data, when the writing of the image data to the video memory provided in the information processing device is detected, the image data of the written block is transferred in block units through the data transfer path. It is characterized by doing.

An image display system according to a third aspect of the present application is the image display system according to the second aspect of the present application, in which a video memory provided in an information processing device is provided in a plurality of boxes corresponding to image display screens. It is characterized by being divided into blocks consisting of.

The image display system according to claim 4 of the present application is the image display system according to claim 2 or 3 of the present application, in which the block address is sent when the image data is transferred, and the writing means writes the block address. Based on the above, an address corresponding to the video memory is created, and writing is performed in the video memory provided in the image display means.

An image display system according to claim 5 of the present application is the image display system according to any one of claims 1 to 4 of the present application, wherein compression means is provided for compressing image data when transferring the image data. And a decompression unit for decompressing the compressed data that has been obtained.

An image data transfer method in an image display system according to claim 6 of the present application processes an image display device for displaying an image based on the image data and image data of the image to be displayed on the image display device. An image data transfer method in an image display system, comprising: an information processing device; and a data transfer path connecting the image display device and the information processing device, wherein image data for a video memory provided in the information processing device is provided. And a second step of transferring the image data through the data transfer path when the monitoring means detects the writing of the image data into the video memory. The second step is characterized in that only the image data relating to the written portion of the image data is transferred. That.

The image data transfer method in the image display system according to claim 7 of the present application is the image data transfer method in the image display system according to claim 5 of the present application, in which the first step is provided in the information processing device. The divided video memory is divided into a plurality of blocks, the writing of the image data is monitored in block units, and in the second step, when the writing of the image data to the video memory provided in the information processing device is detected. The image data of the written block is transferred in block units via the data transfer path.

[0015]

The image display system according to claim 1 of the present application,
The writing of the image data to the video memory provided in the information processing device is monitored, and when the writing of the image data to the video memory is detected, the image data related to the written portion is transferred via the data transfer path. Then, by receiving the image data transferred through the data transfer path and writing this image data in the corresponding address of the video memory provided in the image display means,
The contents of the video memory on the information processing device side and the contents of the video memory on the image display device side are matched.

The image display system according to claim 2 of the present application divides the video memory provided in the information processing apparatus into a plurality of blocks, and monitors the writing of the image data in block units, while the information processing apparatus is being operated. When the writing of image data to the video memory provided in is detected,
By transferring the image data of the written block in block units through the data transfer path, the contents of the video memory on the information processing device side and the video memory on the image display device side are matched.

In the image display system according to claim 3 of the present application, the video memory provided in the information processing device is divided into blocks composed of a plurality of cells corresponding to the image display screen, and the image data is divided into blocks. Is monitored while writing of image data to the video memory provided in the information processing device is detected, the image data of the written block is transferred in block units through the data transfer path. As a result, the writing range of the image data due to the image change can be efficiently transferred, and the contents of the video memory on the information processing device side and the video memory on the image display device side can be matched.

In the image display system according to claim 4 of the present application, at the time of transferring the image data, the block address is sent, and the writing means creates an address corresponding to the video memory based on the block address, and the image display means displays the address. By writing to the provided video memory, the amount of data to be transferred is reduced as compared with the case where each address of the video memory is sent.

The image display system according to claim 5 of the present application compresses the image data when transferring the image data, and decompresses the transferred compressed data.
Reduce the amount of data transferred.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image data transfer method in an image display system, comprising: a first step of monitoring writing of image data into a video memory provided in an information processing device; When the writing of the image data to the image data is detected, the image data is transferred by the second step of transferring the image data through the data transfer path, and in the second step, the writing of the image data is performed. By transferring only the image data relating to the performed portion, the amount of data to be transferred is reduced as compared with the case where the image data for the entire screen is transferred.

In the image data transfer method in the image display system according to claim 7 of the present application, in the first step,
The video memory provided in the information processing device is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the writing of the image data is monitored in block units. In the second step, the writing of the image data in the video memory provided in the information processing device is performed. When detecting, the image data of the written block is transferred in block units via the data transfer path, and the contents of the video memory on the information processing device side and the video memory on the image display device side are transferred in block units. Match.

[0022]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image display system according to an embodiment of the present invention and a data transfer method in the system will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of each drawing, the same constituents will be denoted by the same reference symbols and redundant description will be omitted.
FIG. 1 shows an image display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this image display system, an image display device 2 that displays an image based on image data and an information processing device 1 that processes image data of an image to be displayed on the image display device 2 are connected by a data transfer path 3. It is connected. The information processing device 1 is provided with a video memory 12, and the image data is written in the video memory 12 by the information processing unit 11. Image data transmission processing unit 13
Monitors the writing of the image data to the video memory 12, and when detecting the writing of the image data to the video memory 12, the image data relating to the written portion and the address of the image data are transferred through the data transfer path 3. Transfer through.

On the other hand, the image display device 2 also has a video memory 2
2 is provided, and the image display unit 23 displays an image based on the image data written in the video memory 22. An image data reception processing unit 21 is connected to the video memory 22, and this image data reception processing unit 2
1 writes the image data coming through the data transfer path 3 in the video memory 22 based on the address coming together with this image data. By the above processing, the contents of the video memory 12 in the information processing device 1 and the contents of the video memory 22 in the image display device 2 can be matched. Moreover, the amount of data transferred is the image data written in the video memory 12 and its address, which is significantly larger than that in the conventional example in which image data for the entire screen is sent in the display cycle. Can be reduced.

FIG. 2 shows a more detailed structure of the image display system. An image writing unit 33 for writing image data to the video memory 12 is provided,
The image writing unit 33 writes necessary image data to a predetermined address of the video memory 12 based on an instruction of the central control unit 30, and sets the modification bit area 12A attached to each address of the video memory 12 to "1". Write. For example, when displaying on a color display device, 24 bits (8 bits) in RGB as described above.
× 3) image data, 25 bits of data are written by adding 1 bit of the modify bit to this.

The information processing apparatus 1 is composed of a processor and the like, and is a central control unit 30 that controls the entire apparatus.
Further, the central control unit 30 is provided with an image scanner, a file device, etc., and an image input unit 31 for reading or taking in image data; and a keyboard, a mouse, etc. for inputting various commands and position data. Possible instruction input unit 32 is connected. Then, the image data is fetched from the image input unit 31, and the central control unit 30 gives it to the image writing unit 33 to write the image data and the modified bits to the video memory 12. Then, by an instruction or the like from the instruction input unit 32,
A predetermined position on the screen is designated, rewriting of the image data and a window display are instructed, and new image data is written in the video memory 12 at a position (address) corresponding to a certain portion on the screen. Of course, the modify bit is also set to "1".

With respect to the video memory 12, the writing monitoring means 34 monitors the writing of image data. That is,
The write monitoring unit 34 sequentially reads the modified bits of each address of the video memory 12 and detects whether or not this is “1”, that is, whether or not writing is performed,
When writing is done, the address is given to the image transfer means 35. The image transfer means 35 reads the image data from the video memory 12 based on the given address and transfers the image data and the address via the data transfer path 3. As described above, the writing monitoring unit 34 and the image transfer unit 35 configure the image sending unit 13 in FIG.

In the image display device 2, the image writing means 41 receives the image data and the address via the data transfer path 3, and writes the image data in the same address position of the video memory 22 based on the address. The display control unit 42 reads out image data from the video memory 22 at a display cycle, converts the image data into a video signal, and supplies the video signal to the display unit 43 to display an image.
In this way, the video memory is provided in the information processing device 1 and the image display device 2 so that the image data for one screen may not be transferred in the display cycle, and the image data of the written pixel may be stored. The amount of transfer data is reduced by transferring. Therefore, the information processing device 1 and the image display device 2
It is also possible to take a large distance between and.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the image display system. In this embodiment, the modify bit area 12B is provided for each block obtained by dividing the video memory 12 into blocks. Specifically, when one screen is set to X pixels (pixels) × Y pixels (pixels) as shown in FIG. 4, this is defined as one block each including x pixels in the X direction and y pixels in the Y direction, and for each block. Add the modify bit. Therefore, when the image writing unit 33A writes the image data, the modification bit of the corresponding block is set to "1".

On the other hand, the write monitoring means 34A sequentially searches the modified bit area 12B and detects the block which is "1", that is, the block in which the image data is written. A block address is given to each block, and the write monitoring unit 34A sequentially searches the modified bit area 12B by incrementing the block address. When the block in which the image data has been written is detected, the writing monitoring unit 34A gives the corresponding block address to the image transfer unit 35A. Image transfer means 35A
Has a conversion table 36 for obtaining the memory address of the video memory 12 from the block address, and when the block address is given from the write monitoring means 34A, this is held and the memory address is obtained by the conversion table 26. Then, the image data is read from the video memory 12. The image transfer means 35A uses the data transfer path 3 together with the block address holding the read image data.
To the image display device 2A side via.

On the image display device 2A side, the conversion table 3
Image writing means 41A having the same conversion table 44 as that of No. 6
Receives the block address and the image data, obtains a memory address from the block address using the conversion table 44, and writes the corresponding image data to the corresponding address in the video memory 22. Other configurations of the information processing apparatus 1A and the image display apparatus 2A are the same as those of the information processing apparatus 1 of FIG.
It is equivalent to the image display device 2.

Therefore, in the normal image processing, as shown in FIG.
On the screen as shown in, due to the change of the image, the multi-window display and the embedded display of the image, the range in which the image data is written often occurs in the range indicated by 60. At this time, the modify bit becomes "1" in four blocks indicated by 70, and the image data for these four blocks is transferred. At this time, the address is four block addresses, and normally, the transfer data amount can be reduced as compared with the case where the image data of the written pixel and the address are transferred.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, it is assumed that 5 × 5 pixels are rewritten when one block is configured by 7 × 7. Then, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the number of written pixels is five.
Address of 3 (byte) per pixel in × 5 and 1
Since (byte) image data is required, the whole (1
Per block), 5 × 5 × {3 (byte) +1 (byte)} = 100
On the other hand, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the number of pixels in the block is 7 × 7, and 1 (byte) block address and 1 (byte) image data are required for each pixel. (Per block), 7 × 7 × 1 (byte) +1 (byte) = 50 bytes
Thus, the transfer data amount is reduced. In general, the second embodiment is advantageous because the image can be rewritten in a collective range.

FIG. 5 shows an image display system according to another embodiment. In this embodiment, in comparison with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, the information processing apparatus 1B is provided with a compression unit 14 for performing data compression at the time of transferring image data, and the image display apparatus 2B is compressed. A decompression unit 24 that decompresses the received data and restores the original data is provided. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 or FIG. The compression method used here is Huffman coding, which compresses data as run-length code, or other data compression tools. However, from the viewpoint of displaying an image properly, it goes without saying that it must be completely restored when the image is decompressed and then decompressed, but it is not always completely restored depending on the purpose of use. In some cases, a method that cannot be used is adopted.

According to the above-described embodiment, it is necessary to make the distance between the computer main body (information processing device) and the input / output terminal relatively long, and a system in which a bit map type full color display is adopted as an output terminal. ,
It can be realized easily and cheaply.

[0035]

As described above, according to the image display system of claim 1 of the present application, the writing of the image data to the video memory provided in the information processing device is monitored and the writing of the image data to the video memory is performed. When it is detected, since the image data related to the written portion is transferred through the data transfer path, the amount of data to be transferred is much larger than that of the conventional one, even though the image data is transferred. The image processing apparatus can be placed in a place apart from the image display apparatus because the distance between the information processing apparatus and the image display apparatus can be long and the image data can be transferred efficiently. it can.

According to the image display system of the second aspect of the present application, the video memory provided in the information processing device is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the writing of the image data is monitored in block units. When the writing of the image data to the video memory provided in the information processing device is detected, the image data of the written block is transferred in block units through the data transfer path. Data transfer of an image that is often rewritten is performed in block units, and the amount of data to be transferred can be made much smaller than in the past, and there is an effect that efficient image data transfer is possible.

According to the image display system of claim 3 of the present application, the video memory provided in the information processing apparatus is divided into blocks each having a plurality of squares corresponding to the display screen of the image. While monitoring the writing of the image data in units, when detecting the writing of the image data to the video memory provided in the information processing device,
Since the image data of the written block is transferred in block units through the data transfer path, image data transfer that is often rewritten in a collective range on the image display screen can be performed in block units. In this case, the amount of data to be transferred can be made much smaller than in the conventional case, and there is an effect that efficient image data transfer is possible.

Further, according to the image display system of the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the block address is sent at the time of transferring the image data, as compared with the case of transferring the pixel data pixel by pixel together with the video memory address. Since it is sufficient to transfer one block address for one block of image data, the amount of data to be transferred can be made much smaller than in the conventional case, and there is an effect that efficient image data transfer is possible.

Further, according to the image display system of the fifth aspect of the present application, when the image data is transferred, the compressed data is expanded while the compressed data is transferred. The amount of data to be transferred can be much smaller than that in the case of being transferred as it is, and there is an effect that at the time of display, it can be expanded and restored to its original state for proper display, and efficient image data transfer is possible.

Further, according to the image data transfer method in the image display system of the sixth aspect of the present application, only the image data relating to the written portion of the image data is transferred. The amount of data to be stored is much smaller than that of the conventional one, efficient image data transfer is possible, and the distance between the information processing device and the image display device can be increased, and the information processing device can be displayed as an image. Can be placed away from the device.

According to the image data transfer method in the image display system of the present invention, the video memory provided in the information processing device is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the image data is written in block units. To monitor,
When the writing of the image data to the video memory provided in the information processing device is detected, the image data of the written block is transferred in block units through the data transfer path. Data transfer of an image that is often rewritten is performed in block units, and the amount of data to be transferred can be made much smaller than in the past, and there is an effect that efficient image data transfer is possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image display system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a more detailed configuration diagram of the image display system according to the embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed configuration diagram of a main part of an image display system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an image data transfer operation of an image display system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of an image display system according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a conventional image display system.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a conventional image display system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 1A Information processing device 2, 2A
Image display device 3 Data transfer path 11 Information processing unit 12, 22 Video memory 13 Image data transmission processing unit 21 Image data reception processing unit 23 Image display unit 30 Central control unit 31 Image input unit 32 Instruction input unit 33, 33
A image writing section 34, 34A writing monitoring means 35, 35
A image transfer means 36, 44 conversion table 41 image writing means 42 display control section 43 display section

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image display device for displaying an image based on image data, an information processing device for processing image data of an image to be displayed on the image display device, and the image display device and the information processing device. In an image display system including a data transfer path connecting between the image display apparatus and the information processing apparatus, a video memory for storing image data is provided in each of the image display apparatus and the video provided in the information processing apparatus. Monitoring means for monitoring writing of image data to the memory, and transfer for transferring the image data of the written portion via the data transfer path when the monitoring means detects writing of the image data to the video memory. Means for receiving image data transferred through the data transfer path, and providing the image data in the image display means. The image display system characterized by comprising a writing means for writing the video corresponding address of the memory. 2. A video memory provided in an information processing device is divided into a plurality of blocks, and while writing of image data is monitored in block units, writing of image data into a video memory provided in the information processing device is performed. 2. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein, when is detected, the image data of the written block is transferred in block units through the data transfer path. 3. The image display system according to claim 2, wherein the video memory provided in the information processing device is divided into blocks composed of a plurality of squares corresponding to an image display screen. 4. When transferring image data, a block address is sent, a writing means creates an address corresponding to a video memory based on this block address, and the address is written in a video memory provided in the image display means. The image display system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: 5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising compression means for compressing the data when transferring the image data, and decompression means for decompressing the transferred compressed data. The image display system described. 6. An image display device for displaying an image based on image data, an information processing device for processing image data of an image to be displayed on the image display device, and the image display device and the information processing device. In a method of transferring image data in an image display system including a data transfer path connecting between the first and second steps, a first step of monitoring writing of image data to a video memory provided in the information processing device; A second step of transferring the image data through the data transfer path when the writing of the image data is detected, and the second step relates to a portion of the image data to which the writing is performed. An image data transfer method in an image display system, characterized in that only image data is transferred. 7. The first step divides a video memory provided in the information processing device into a plurality of blocks, and the writing of image data is monitored in block units. In the second step, the information processing device is performed. 7. The image display according to claim 6, wherein when the writing of the image data to the video memory provided in is detected, the image data of the written block is transferred in block units through the data transfer path. Image data transfer method in system.