CA1278888C - Apparatus for aligning raster scanned image touch panel - Google Patents
Apparatus for aligning raster scanned image touch panelInfo
- Publication number
- CA1278888C CA1278888C CA000535027A CA535027A CA1278888C CA 1278888 C CA1278888 C CA 1278888C CA 000535027 A CA000535027 A CA 000535027A CA 535027 A CA535027 A CA 535027A CA 1278888 C CA1278888 C CA 1278888C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- count
- synchronizing signal
- alignment
- establishing
- display system
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
- G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
- G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
- G06F3/041—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
- G06F3/0416—Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
- G06F3/0418—Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- H04N3/00—Scanning details of television systems; Combination thereof with generation of supply voltages
- H04N3/10—Scanning details of television systems; Combination thereof with generation of supply voltages by means not exclusively optical-mechanical
- H04N3/16—Scanning details of television systems; Combination thereof with generation of supply voltages by means not exclusively optical-mechanical by deflecting electron beam in cathode-ray tube, e.g. scanning corrections
- H04N3/22—Circuits for controlling dimensions, shape or centering of picture on screen
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Apparatus for aligning a raster scanned display uses a microprocessor to control timing for horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals. An additional delay device may be provided to improve alignment resolution. When the aligning apparatus is used with a touch panel, an alignment screen is displayed, including aligning touchkeys. By depressing the touch panel at the displayed touchkeys, a user provides image position information to the microprocessor. The microprocessor corrects image alignment to the touch panel by varying timing interval counts stored in registers of a video controller for front and back porch intervals of horizontal and vertical signals. where resolution is to be improved, delay parameter settings are provided to the additional delay device. Alternatively, the counts in the registers may be fixed and alignment may be controlled completely by the delay.
Apparatus for aligning a raster scanned display uses a microprocessor to control timing for horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals. An additional delay device may be provided to improve alignment resolution. When the aligning apparatus is used with a touch panel, an alignment screen is displayed, including aligning touchkeys. By depressing the touch panel at the displayed touchkeys, a user provides image position information to the microprocessor. The microprocessor corrects image alignment to the touch panel by varying timing interval counts stored in registers of a video controller for front and back porch intervals of horizontal and vertical signals. where resolution is to be improved, delay parameter settings are provided to the additional delay device. Alternatively, the counts in the registers may be fixed and alignment may be controlled completely by the delay.
Description
~2'7~ 38 APPARATUS FOR ALIGNING RASTER SCANNED IMAGE TO TOUCH PANEL
Technical Fleld Thi~ invention relate~ to display device~, and more specifically to an arrangement for aligning ra~ter ~can displays without resorting to the use of magnetic structures .
Background Art Many devices are known for display o~ data, text, and other information. One of the mo~t widely used dlsplay devices i~ a raster scanned cathode ray tube (CRT), wherein an electron beam is focussed and directed onto a phosphor bearing screen by èlectric and magnetic fields. However, due to aglng, temperature variations, differences in terrestrlal magnetic field, parameter difference~ among similar device~, and other causative factors, the raster ~can generated by similar CRT display~ at dlfferent geographical locations may vary, as may the displays generated by a slngle devlce change with time.
Such variations ln the ra~ter scan of a displAy re~ult in mlsalignment of the displayed image, and thu~ provide degrada-tion of the display. The resulting image misalignment is particularly harmful when the CRT is u3ed in con~unction with a touch control screen (TCS), whereln a touch sensitive panel is overlaid on a CRT and a user input~
','',',' . ' ~x~
signals to a computer controlled system by touching the panel at input locations defined by the image generated by the CRT
display. In such an arrangement, misalignment of the image may result in definition of a particular input area at an erroneous loca-tion of the touch sensitive panel.
Accordingly, it is necessary to provide correction for alignment errors in a display system, and more particularly to provide misalignmen-t correction for touch sensltive systems.
Realignment has been provided in the prior art by analog methods. One such method uti]izes magnets, provided over the back of a CRT, for example, to influence the scanning beam.
However, magnetic correction of misalignment suffers from the above described deficiency. That is, magnetic alignment of the display screen is inherently sensitive to the magnetic field of the earth.
Thus, since the magnetic field of the earth varies with location, a correction performed for a specific misalignment at one location may be inappropriate for the same misalignment occurring a-t another location. Other analog correction methods, wherein synch pulses are delayed, are inherently unstable because of parameter drift with time, temperature, tolerance variation and the like. For these reasons, a uniform realignment procedure cannot be developed for particular misalignment problems.
It is thus seen that prior art realignment techniques require a significant amount of manual skill and dexterity, resulting in increased training expenses for maintenance personnel. Moreover, once aligned, the po~ition of a ~ 2~
scanning beam is fixed, and cannot be readily realigned by non skilled personnel. There i9 accordingly a need in the prior art for realignment techni~ues which result in stable alignment independent of time, temperature, tolerance variatlon, or magnetic field, and which are thus also independent of geographical location.
There is moreover a need for realignment apparatus an~
techniques which may be uniformly applied to display devices, and which may be readily learned by maintenance personnel with a minimum of training.
isclosure of Invention It is accordingly an ob~ect of the present invention to overcome the difficulties of the prior art with respect to alignment of an image generated by a raster scanned display.
It is a more specific ob~ect of the invention to provide a digital method and apparatus for correction of alignment difficulties arising between a display device such as a CRT
and a utilization device such as a TCS.
It is a particular ob~ect of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for alignment of a CRT to a touch control screen lndependently of magnetic effects, thereby to provide an alignment which is independent of geographical location, and is stable with variation of time, temperature, and other parameters affecting performance of analog components.
Yet another ob~ect of the invention is the provision of method and apparatus for alignment of a CRT display to an independently provided alignment index by variation of timing ~L2~8~38 of synchronization signals generated for the C~T.
Still another ob~ect of the invention is the correctlon of misalignment between a CRT display and an alignment index by providing a digitally controllable delay for synchronization signals generated by a video controller, thereby to move the image displayed on the CRT in horizontal and/or vertical directions.
It is still a further ob~ect of the invention to provide a modification to a video controller wherein delays to be added to synchronization signals generated thereby, as well as register count values generated therein for timing of the synchronization signals, are stored in a separate memory of a nonvolatile type.
ln accordance with these and other ob~ects of the invention, there is provided an improved raster scan display system. In the system, wherein a sync siynal generator is provided for synchronizing the displayed image, the generator including a count register for setting a timing relationship between various portions of the sync signal, the lmprovement is provided as an alignment correcting means which includes a timing control for altering the timing relationship established by the register. A connecting means is provided for connecting the alignment correcting means to the sync signal generator.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the timing control may include a delay for delaying signals generated by the count register, which includes a count establishing circuit. Thus~ at least one portion of the sync signal is varied.
127~
Preferably, a storage facility is provided for storing the various count settings of the display system, as well as storing the delay for the generated signals.
The display device may be a CRT or any other device, such as a flat panel, which uses horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals. In such devices, digital variation of the count settings and delay settings in accordance with the invention results in horizontal and/or vertical displacement of the lmage, thus correcting a misalignment between the image and an ex-ternal alignment index.
In one form of the invention, the raster scanned image is provided on a display having a touch control panel overlaid thereon. Alignment between the image and the panèl is necessary to assure that user input via the panel corresponds to the intended input areas of the panel as indicated on the display. ThUs, the alignment correcting means provides correction of such a relative alignment. The alignment correcting means includes a timing controller for alteration of the timing relationship among portions of the sync signal. The timing controller include3 a delay for delaying the various signal portions and for thereby displacing the image along a corresponding direction.
Brief Description of Drawin~
_ _ The foregoing and other ob~ects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readil~ apparent to those s~illed in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following detailed description of one of the ~L2~8a~8 best modes for carrying out the invention, when considered in con~unction with the accompanying drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described by way of illustration, and not of limitation, wherein:
Figure 1 shows a simplified diagram of a display system, including an alignment correction circuit of the invention;
Figure 2 shows a more detailed diagram illustrating the connection of the inventive alignment correction circuit to a prior art video controller in the system of Fig. l;
Figure 3 shows a detailed block diagram of a typical video controller, connected in accordance with the illustration of Figure 2, and Figure 4 shows a display image generated by a Touch Control System operating in an ALIGN mode in accordance with the lnvention.
Best Mode for Carrying out the Inventio Referring now to Figure 1, a display system incorporating the present invention is generally shown at 10.
Therein, a source of image display signals is shown at 12.
The source 12 may be a computer or any other image information source, such as a character generator, a vldeo camera, or the like, as known in the art.
The image generated by the sys-tem is displayed on a display 14. While the illustrated display is shown in Figure 1 as a CRT, the present invention is applicable to any raster scan display, and more generally to any display device wherein image position is effected by timing control of ~ 2~ 8~3 synchronizing signals.
The display system of Figure l thus provldes video imaging signals from the video source 12 to CRT display 14, using a video controller 16. A typical controller may access the image data and provide the same i.n a proper sequence with appropriate control signals, such as synchronizing signals, to the display. One such controller is available from the Signetics Corporation under the designation Advanced Video Display Controller (AVDC) SCN2674. However, the present invention is applicable to display systems utilizing other controllers as well. As is known in the art, such controllers could be embedded within VL5I chip in the form of discrete clrcuitry.
Controller 16 outputs to the display 14 vertical and horizontal synchronizing signals, which are of interest in the present invention. Other signals whlch may be a~fected by the controller 16 and provided to display 14 may set various attributes of tha displayed image, such as size manipulation, image flashing, reverse video, cursor control and the like. As seen in Figure l, however, the synch signals, provided on lines 18, are not passed directly to the display.
Rather, in accordance with the invention, the synch signals are first manipulated by an aligning circuit 22 in accordance with parameters stored in a storage 22. A control logic 24, which preferably includes a microprocessor or other computer, is in communication with the video controller 16 to determine appropriate parameter settings. The microcomputer of logic 24 stores the appropriate settings to storage 22 for -` ~27~
use in controlling aligning circult 20. It should be recognized that the microcomputer of lo~ic 24 may perform some of the functions of signal source 12. Such an overlap in function is not inconsistent with the present invention.
AS also shown in Figure 1, a touch panel 26, used in a manner known in the art, is associated with the video display 14. The touch panel (or other keyboard input) provides position information to the computer of control logic 24, thus identifying a selectlon made by a system user. Although Fig. 1 shows the same control logic 24 in control of both the aligning circuit and the touch panel operation, it is apprecia-ted that the two functions may be performed by separate processors.
As is known in the art, touch control screen systemq include a touch sensitive panel in association with a display. An image generated on the display identifies a number of touch areas on the touch panel with specific input codes. For example, a display may be generated requesting a user input of "yes" or "no". The generated image includes a first box having a "yes~ label and a second box having a "no"
label. Corresponding areas of the touch panel are identified with "yes" and "no" input codes.
Upon touching an area of the touch panel, position information is provided on lines 28 to the computer of logic 24 identifying the area touched ~y the user. The position of the area detected as having been touched is compared with positions of the areas of the panel identi~led with the specific input codes, and the significance of the user response is ascertained by the input code associated with the 3B~
area touched by the user.
As previously summarized herein, for TCS operation it is necessary that the image displa~ed on the screen be properly positioned so that the areas of the touch panel correspond to the appropriate image areas. Even in systems utllizing a separate keyboard, however, proper alignment of an image is necessary.
Referring now to Figure 2, the connection of the aligning circuit 20, store 22 and a microprocessor 34, forming part of control logic 24, to video controller 16 i9 shown in greater detail. A clock 32 provides appropriate timing signals to the controller.
~ s shown in the Figure, aligning circuit 20 may comprise a controlled delay element 30. Nonvolatile memory 22, which may be a 256 bit Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) or other device, is used to store the various parameters to be provided to the controlled delay element 30 of aligning circuit 20. As will be seen upon reference to Figure 3, video controller 16 includes a number of registers which may be used in the aligning process. EEPROM 22 store~
both the settings of the registers of controller 16 and the amount of any external delay which may be provided by delay element 30 to increase resolution. Thus, store 22 is also part of the aligning circuit 20.
Of course, although an EEPROM is shown as comprlsing memory 22, other types of memory may be used. For example, it will be apparent to those skllled in the art that battery backed RAM may be used, as well as optical laser disk.
Moreover, it should be clear that magnetic memory such a~
-' ~2~Y~
floppy disk or bubble memory provides similar non-volatility for storage of the parameter settings.
In the arrangement of Fig. 2, the microprocessor 34 accesses the settings of the registers of controller 16 and provides the same for storage in EEPROM 22. Moreover, when the touch control system is operated in an ALIGN mode, the microprocessor 34 computes the necessary displacement of the image in horizontal and/or vertical directions, in response to user inputs via the touch panel or keyboard. Appropriate modlficatlons in the register settings, as well as the proper delay to be added to the synch signals, are computed and sent to storage 22. The delay element, under control of the parameters stored in storage 22, provides any additional delay needed for the synch signals, thus properly aligning the image with the touch panel. Microprocessor 34, video controller 16, store 22 and delay 30 communicate via a data bus 40.
Referring now to Figure 3, details of a generic video controller are shown in the dashed lines. A number of programmable registers are provided therein at 36, as well as other components unrelated to the present inventlon.
Externally connected to con-troller 16 are a number of circuits, unrelated to the present invention. For example, a frame buffer 37 includes a screen memory and storage for various attributes of the display, as well as character storage. A dual row buffer may be provided, along with a character font ~OM and a parallel-serial converting shift register. An attributes controller generally receives various signals from the controller and generates the 7 ~ a8~
appropriate video signals for displ.ay on CRT 14.
of significance to the present invention are the controlled delay 30 which receives on llnes 18 the horizontal and vertical synch signals generated by the controller, the programmable registers 36, and the various components 38 forming the computer 34 of control logic 24.
As seen in the Figure, the microprocessor unit MPU is connected to data bus 40 accessing the programmable registers 36 of the video controller 1~. The computer of control logic 24 further includes separate ROM and RAM storage units, as known in the art, for storage of program and data. In the SCN2674 controller, the ROM and R~M also function as a synch signal memory. The computer is thus operable for providing various control signals to the video controller, and for generating appropriate image display signals for output to the video display, in a manner known in the art.
However, in the present structure, the control logic computer is further connected via data bus 40 to the nonvolatile store 22, and to controlled delay element 30, in order to provide the appropriate delay control thereto.
Thus, the controlled delay 30 receives as inputs the horizontal and vertical synchronization signals, as well as the appropriate delays to be added thereto as computed by the computer 34 for enhanced resolution. Controlled delay element 30 thus delays the synch signals as directed, in accordance with the data stored in store 22, and outputs signals ~' and V~ to the raster scanned display 14.
The nonvolatile memory 22 is connected to data bus 40 via a pair of registers (not shown). ~imilarly, buffering may be provided in the connections among the attributes controller, the font ROM, and the storages therefor in frame buffer 37, and between the font ROM and the parallel/serial converter.
It should be noted that although applicants have identified a particular video controller, the circuitry provided therein may be provided as discrete integrated circuits or may be embedded within a VLSI chlp. In the latter case, the circuit may not be referred to as a video controller. However, it is believed clear from the foregoing description that the particular components of the video controller are known in the art and need not be described herein in detail.
In operation, the controller includes registers which control counters determining front porch and back porch durations, as well as pulse width, for both the vertical and horizontal synchronizing signals. In the present invention, the register counts are controlled, and appropriate delays are added thereby, to increase or decrease the fro~t porch ~FP) or back porch (BP) of the horizontal ~ynch (HSYNC) signal and the vertical synch (VSYNC) signal.
Increasing the FP and decreasing -the BP of HSYNC shifts to the left the image displayed on the screen, increaslng the number of blanked characters at the right side of the screen and decreasing the number of blanked characters at the left side thereof. Similarly, decreasing the FP and increasing the ~P of HSYNC shifts the displayed image to the right side of the screen, increasing the number of blanked characters at the left and decreasing the number of blanked characters at , . , .
~ ;~7~3~8~3 the right.
In a similar manner, increasing the FP and decreasing the BP of the VS~NC signal shifts the image towards the top of the screen, by increasing the number of blanked scan lines at the bottom of the screen and decreasing the number of blanked lines at the top thereof. On the other hand, decreasing the FP of VSYNC and increasing the BP of VSYNC
shifts the image towards the bo-ttom of the screen, decreasing the number of blanked scan lines at the bottom of the screen and increasing the number of blanked lines at the top.
In the SCN2674 video chip, for example, the manufacturer identifies registers IRl, IR2, I~3 and IR7 as storing count data identifying the various interval lengths of the HSYNC
and VSYNC pulses; Thus, register IR1 stores a count setting the front porch for the HSYNC pulse, whlle IR2 ~tores counts setting the back porch of HS~NC and the width of the HS~NC
pulse. IR3 stores the FP and sP counts for VSYNC, while IR7 stores a count indicating the width of VSYNC.
Microprocessor 34 is connected for changing the contents of the various registers of the video controller, thus varying the FP, BP, and pulse width of one or both of HSYNC
and VSYNC. As described above, such variation results in displacement of the image on the screen, and provides the proper alignment for the image as described below. ~Iowever, it is noted that in the registers used in the above identified chip, vertical front porch variations are provided in ~ scan line increments, so that 4 scan line resolution ls provided thereby. Since such a resolution is insufficient for TCS application contemplated herein, external controlled 388~3 delay elemen~ 30 is provided, for providing selective delays equivalent to o, 1, 2 or 3 scan lines.
Accordingly, by changing the register contents and by providing the additional delay, as necessary, the present 'invention provides one scan line resolution for vertical alignment. A similar problem is overcome in the horizontal resolution by adding an appropriate one character delay, if needed. The prior art video controller provides only a two character resolution. The external delay element is thus used to increase the level of resolution to one character, in a manner similar to that described for vertical resolution.
AS previously noted, the present improvement is particularly helpful in aligning CRT displays to a touch panel. However, the improvement described herein is similarly applicable for aligning and shifting image displays which are not used in con~unction with touch panels. In the preferred embodiment, the touch panel is scanned under control of the microprocessor 34, though the particular scanning technique and specific touch panel technology form no part of the present invention.
In the illustrative embodiment described herein, a resistive membrane touch panel is used, although other technologies may be utilized. Microprocessor 34 continuously scans the touch panel. Upon detection of a touch, the control software for microprocessor 34 determines the touch area, or key which was pressed in a standard manner.
Preferably, the delay element described above is a PAL, programmed as a finite state rnachine, clocked by the character clock. Of course, any delay logic may be used, ..
7 ~
including logic embedded within a VLSI IC. The amount of delay provided thereby ls controlled by three bits from registers under microprocessor control. Two bits are used to form a binary code specifying the amount of delay to be 'provided for the VSYNC pulse, i.e., 0, 1, 2 or 3 scan lines, and a single bit code is used to specify the amount of horizontal delay, i.e., 0 or 1 character. O~ course, other display controllers, having different resolution limits, may require more or fewer bits to control the delay. A
controller having reglster counts which provide one scan line and one character resolutions vertically and horizontally, respectively, may thus be aligned without use of the external delay element. Alternatively, if the register contents of the controller are fixed, such as for image position at top-left most corner, all further alignment may be achieved by using only the external delay, independently of the controller.
To implement the present invention, a user causes the TCS to enter the ALIGN mode by touching a particular touchkey which may be offered in a setup screen menu, for example.
Alternatively, the system may be provided with a separate setup, or ALIGN, button provided on a rear panel of the display system or with a particular keyboard lnput sequence, e.g., ~shift/A~, to activate the ALIGN mode. Once having entered the ALIGN mode, a particular image is generated for display on the CRT. The image, shown in Figure 4, includes a number of touch areas, or keys 42, at the ends of a cross hair display 44.
The user touches the panel at the four areas over the four keys ~2. By standard software operation, the microprocessor 34 determines the regions of the touch panel 26 which were pressed by the user. A simple computation, such as subtraction, may be used to determine the differences between the actual positions of the four keys in the respective horizontal and vertical directions and the desired positions thereof. Upon determining the misalignment between the actual image and the properly aligned image, microprocessor 34 corrects the contents of the registers 36, and provides an appropriate delay value to storage 22. The procedure may be repeated, if necessary, in view of the finite areas occupied by the touchkeys.
Preferably, alignment indicia are provided on a bezel surrounding the display. In the align mode, the ~cross hair~
display of Figure 4 is generated upon appropriate input from the touch panel or the keyboard, the display is shifted horizontally and/or vertically until the cross hair area~ 42 align with the bezel.
Upon completion of the alignment procedure, the user again touches the panel, at touchkey 46, to exit the ALIGN
mode and to reenter the SETUP screen. Upon pushing a SAVE
key or ~'shift/S~ on the keyboard, the appropriate alignment parameter settings are stored in storage 22, for USQ until modified by the next use of the ALIGN mode.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustratlon and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, since many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachin~. The embodiment was chosen and described in order best to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby to enable others skilled in the art best to utilized the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are sulted to the particular use contemplated therefor. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, when interpreted in accordance with full breadth to which they are legally and equitably entitled.
Technical Fleld Thi~ invention relate~ to display device~, and more specifically to an arrangement for aligning ra~ter ~can displays without resorting to the use of magnetic structures .
Background Art Many devices are known for display o~ data, text, and other information. One of the mo~t widely used dlsplay devices i~ a raster scanned cathode ray tube (CRT), wherein an electron beam is focussed and directed onto a phosphor bearing screen by èlectric and magnetic fields. However, due to aglng, temperature variations, differences in terrestrlal magnetic field, parameter difference~ among similar device~, and other causative factors, the raster ~can generated by similar CRT display~ at dlfferent geographical locations may vary, as may the displays generated by a slngle devlce change with time.
Such variations ln the ra~ter scan of a displAy re~ult in mlsalignment of the displayed image, and thu~ provide degrada-tion of the display. The resulting image misalignment is particularly harmful when the CRT is u3ed in con~unction with a touch control screen (TCS), whereln a touch sensitive panel is overlaid on a CRT and a user input~
','',',' . ' ~x~
signals to a computer controlled system by touching the panel at input locations defined by the image generated by the CRT
display. In such an arrangement, misalignment of the image may result in definition of a particular input area at an erroneous loca-tion of the touch sensitive panel.
Accordingly, it is necessary to provide correction for alignment errors in a display system, and more particularly to provide misalignmen-t correction for touch sensltive systems.
Realignment has been provided in the prior art by analog methods. One such method uti]izes magnets, provided over the back of a CRT, for example, to influence the scanning beam.
However, magnetic correction of misalignment suffers from the above described deficiency. That is, magnetic alignment of the display screen is inherently sensitive to the magnetic field of the earth.
Thus, since the magnetic field of the earth varies with location, a correction performed for a specific misalignment at one location may be inappropriate for the same misalignment occurring a-t another location. Other analog correction methods, wherein synch pulses are delayed, are inherently unstable because of parameter drift with time, temperature, tolerance variation and the like. For these reasons, a uniform realignment procedure cannot be developed for particular misalignment problems.
It is thus seen that prior art realignment techniques require a significant amount of manual skill and dexterity, resulting in increased training expenses for maintenance personnel. Moreover, once aligned, the po~ition of a ~ 2~
scanning beam is fixed, and cannot be readily realigned by non skilled personnel. There i9 accordingly a need in the prior art for realignment techni~ues which result in stable alignment independent of time, temperature, tolerance variatlon, or magnetic field, and which are thus also independent of geographical location.
There is moreover a need for realignment apparatus an~
techniques which may be uniformly applied to display devices, and which may be readily learned by maintenance personnel with a minimum of training.
isclosure of Invention It is accordingly an ob~ect of the present invention to overcome the difficulties of the prior art with respect to alignment of an image generated by a raster scanned display.
It is a more specific ob~ect of the invention to provide a digital method and apparatus for correction of alignment difficulties arising between a display device such as a CRT
and a utilization device such as a TCS.
It is a particular ob~ect of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for alignment of a CRT to a touch control screen lndependently of magnetic effects, thereby to provide an alignment which is independent of geographical location, and is stable with variation of time, temperature, and other parameters affecting performance of analog components.
Yet another ob~ect of the invention is the provision of method and apparatus for alignment of a CRT display to an independently provided alignment index by variation of timing ~L2~8~38 of synchronization signals generated for the C~T.
Still another ob~ect of the invention is the correctlon of misalignment between a CRT display and an alignment index by providing a digitally controllable delay for synchronization signals generated by a video controller, thereby to move the image displayed on the CRT in horizontal and/or vertical directions.
It is still a further ob~ect of the invention to provide a modification to a video controller wherein delays to be added to synchronization signals generated thereby, as well as register count values generated therein for timing of the synchronization signals, are stored in a separate memory of a nonvolatile type.
ln accordance with these and other ob~ects of the invention, there is provided an improved raster scan display system. In the system, wherein a sync siynal generator is provided for synchronizing the displayed image, the generator including a count register for setting a timing relationship between various portions of the sync signal, the lmprovement is provided as an alignment correcting means which includes a timing control for altering the timing relationship established by the register. A connecting means is provided for connecting the alignment correcting means to the sync signal generator.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the timing control may include a delay for delaying signals generated by the count register, which includes a count establishing circuit. Thus~ at least one portion of the sync signal is varied.
127~
Preferably, a storage facility is provided for storing the various count settings of the display system, as well as storing the delay for the generated signals.
The display device may be a CRT or any other device, such as a flat panel, which uses horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals. In such devices, digital variation of the count settings and delay settings in accordance with the invention results in horizontal and/or vertical displacement of the lmage, thus correcting a misalignment between the image and an ex-ternal alignment index.
In one form of the invention, the raster scanned image is provided on a display having a touch control panel overlaid thereon. Alignment between the image and the panèl is necessary to assure that user input via the panel corresponds to the intended input areas of the panel as indicated on the display. ThUs, the alignment correcting means provides correction of such a relative alignment. The alignment correcting means includes a timing controller for alteration of the timing relationship among portions of the sync signal. The timing controller include3 a delay for delaying the various signal portions and for thereby displacing the image along a corresponding direction.
Brief Description of Drawin~
_ _ The foregoing and other ob~ects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readil~ apparent to those s~illed in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following detailed description of one of the ~L2~8a~8 best modes for carrying out the invention, when considered in con~unction with the accompanying drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described by way of illustration, and not of limitation, wherein:
Figure 1 shows a simplified diagram of a display system, including an alignment correction circuit of the invention;
Figure 2 shows a more detailed diagram illustrating the connection of the inventive alignment correction circuit to a prior art video controller in the system of Fig. l;
Figure 3 shows a detailed block diagram of a typical video controller, connected in accordance with the illustration of Figure 2, and Figure 4 shows a display image generated by a Touch Control System operating in an ALIGN mode in accordance with the lnvention.
Best Mode for Carrying out the Inventio Referring now to Figure 1, a display system incorporating the present invention is generally shown at 10.
Therein, a source of image display signals is shown at 12.
The source 12 may be a computer or any other image information source, such as a character generator, a vldeo camera, or the like, as known in the art.
The image generated by the sys-tem is displayed on a display 14. While the illustrated display is shown in Figure 1 as a CRT, the present invention is applicable to any raster scan display, and more generally to any display device wherein image position is effected by timing control of ~ 2~ 8~3 synchronizing signals.
The display system of Figure l thus provldes video imaging signals from the video source 12 to CRT display 14, using a video controller 16. A typical controller may access the image data and provide the same i.n a proper sequence with appropriate control signals, such as synchronizing signals, to the display. One such controller is available from the Signetics Corporation under the designation Advanced Video Display Controller (AVDC) SCN2674. However, the present invention is applicable to display systems utilizing other controllers as well. As is known in the art, such controllers could be embedded within VL5I chip in the form of discrete clrcuitry.
Controller 16 outputs to the display 14 vertical and horizontal synchronizing signals, which are of interest in the present invention. Other signals whlch may be a~fected by the controller 16 and provided to display 14 may set various attributes of tha displayed image, such as size manipulation, image flashing, reverse video, cursor control and the like. As seen in Figure l, however, the synch signals, provided on lines 18, are not passed directly to the display.
Rather, in accordance with the invention, the synch signals are first manipulated by an aligning circuit 22 in accordance with parameters stored in a storage 22. A control logic 24, which preferably includes a microprocessor or other computer, is in communication with the video controller 16 to determine appropriate parameter settings. The microcomputer of logic 24 stores the appropriate settings to storage 22 for -` ~27~
use in controlling aligning circult 20. It should be recognized that the microcomputer of lo~ic 24 may perform some of the functions of signal source 12. Such an overlap in function is not inconsistent with the present invention.
AS also shown in Figure 1, a touch panel 26, used in a manner known in the art, is associated with the video display 14. The touch panel (or other keyboard input) provides position information to the computer of control logic 24, thus identifying a selectlon made by a system user. Although Fig. 1 shows the same control logic 24 in control of both the aligning circuit and the touch panel operation, it is apprecia-ted that the two functions may be performed by separate processors.
As is known in the art, touch control screen systemq include a touch sensitive panel in association with a display. An image generated on the display identifies a number of touch areas on the touch panel with specific input codes. For example, a display may be generated requesting a user input of "yes" or "no". The generated image includes a first box having a "yes~ label and a second box having a "no"
label. Corresponding areas of the touch panel are identified with "yes" and "no" input codes.
Upon touching an area of the touch panel, position information is provided on lines 28 to the computer of logic 24 identifying the area touched ~y the user. The position of the area detected as having been touched is compared with positions of the areas of the panel identi~led with the specific input codes, and the significance of the user response is ascertained by the input code associated with the 3B~
area touched by the user.
As previously summarized herein, for TCS operation it is necessary that the image displa~ed on the screen be properly positioned so that the areas of the touch panel correspond to the appropriate image areas. Even in systems utllizing a separate keyboard, however, proper alignment of an image is necessary.
Referring now to Figure 2, the connection of the aligning circuit 20, store 22 and a microprocessor 34, forming part of control logic 24, to video controller 16 i9 shown in greater detail. A clock 32 provides appropriate timing signals to the controller.
~ s shown in the Figure, aligning circuit 20 may comprise a controlled delay element 30. Nonvolatile memory 22, which may be a 256 bit Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) or other device, is used to store the various parameters to be provided to the controlled delay element 30 of aligning circuit 20. As will be seen upon reference to Figure 3, video controller 16 includes a number of registers which may be used in the aligning process. EEPROM 22 store~
both the settings of the registers of controller 16 and the amount of any external delay which may be provided by delay element 30 to increase resolution. Thus, store 22 is also part of the aligning circuit 20.
Of course, although an EEPROM is shown as comprlsing memory 22, other types of memory may be used. For example, it will be apparent to those skllled in the art that battery backed RAM may be used, as well as optical laser disk.
Moreover, it should be clear that magnetic memory such a~
-' ~2~Y~
floppy disk or bubble memory provides similar non-volatility for storage of the parameter settings.
In the arrangement of Fig. 2, the microprocessor 34 accesses the settings of the registers of controller 16 and provides the same for storage in EEPROM 22. Moreover, when the touch control system is operated in an ALIGN mode, the microprocessor 34 computes the necessary displacement of the image in horizontal and/or vertical directions, in response to user inputs via the touch panel or keyboard. Appropriate modlficatlons in the register settings, as well as the proper delay to be added to the synch signals, are computed and sent to storage 22. The delay element, under control of the parameters stored in storage 22, provides any additional delay needed for the synch signals, thus properly aligning the image with the touch panel. Microprocessor 34, video controller 16, store 22 and delay 30 communicate via a data bus 40.
Referring now to Figure 3, details of a generic video controller are shown in the dashed lines. A number of programmable registers are provided therein at 36, as well as other components unrelated to the present inventlon.
Externally connected to con-troller 16 are a number of circuits, unrelated to the present invention. For example, a frame buffer 37 includes a screen memory and storage for various attributes of the display, as well as character storage. A dual row buffer may be provided, along with a character font ~OM and a parallel-serial converting shift register. An attributes controller generally receives various signals from the controller and generates the 7 ~ a8~
appropriate video signals for displ.ay on CRT 14.
of significance to the present invention are the controlled delay 30 which receives on llnes 18 the horizontal and vertical synch signals generated by the controller, the programmable registers 36, and the various components 38 forming the computer 34 of control logic 24.
As seen in the Figure, the microprocessor unit MPU is connected to data bus 40 accessing the programmable registers 36 of the video controller 1~. The computer of control logic 24 further includes separate ROM and RAM storage units, as known in the art, for storage of program and data. In the SCN2674 controller, the ROM and R~M also function as a synch signal memory. The computer is thus operable for providing various control signals to the video controller, and for generating appropriate image display signals for output to the video display, in a manner known in the art.
However, in the present structure, the control logic computer is further connected via data bus 40 to the nonvolatile store 22, and to controlled delay element 30, in order to provide the appropriate delay control thereto.
Thus, the controlled delay 30 receives as inputs the horizontal and vertical synchronization signals, as well as the appropriate delays to be added thereto as computed by the computer 34 for enhanced resolution. Controlled delay element 30 thus delays the synch signals as directed, in accordance with the data stored in store 22, and outputs signals ~' and V~ to the raster scanned display 14.
The nonvolatile memory 22 is connected to data bus 40 via a pair of registers (not shown). ~imilarly, buffering may be provided in the connections among the attributes controller, the font ROM, and the storages therefor in frame buffer 37, and between the font ROM and the parallel/serial converter.
It should be noted that although applicants have identified a particular video controller, the circuitry provided therein may be provided as discrete integrated circuits or may be embedded within a VLSI chlp. In the latter case, the circuit may not be referred to as a video controller. However, it is believed clear from the foregoing description that the particular components of the video controller are known in the art and need not be described herein in detail.
In operation, the controller includes registers which control counters determining front porch and back porch durations, as well as pulse width, for both the vertical and horizontal synchronizing signals. In the present invention, the register counts are controlled, and appropriate delays are added thereby, to increase or decrease the fro~t porch ~FP) or back porch (BP) of the horizontal ~ynch (HSYNC) signal and the vertical synch (VSYNC) signal.
Increasing the FP and decreasing -the BP of HSYNC shifts to the left the image displayed on the screen, increaslng the number of blanked characters at the right side of the screen and decreasing the number of blanked characters at the left side thereof. Similarly, decreasing the FP and increasing the ~P of HSYNC shifts the displayed image to the right side of the screen, increasing the number of blanked characters at the left and decreasing the number of blanked characters at , . , .
~ ;~7~3~8~3 the right.
In a similar manner, increasing the FP and decreasing the BP of the VS~NC signal shifts the image towards the top of the screen, by increasing the number of blanked scan lines at the bottom of the screen and decreasing the number of blanked lines at the top thereof. On the other hand, decreasing the FP of VSYNC and increasing the BP of VSYNC
shifts the image towards the bo-ttom of the screen, decreasing the number of blanked scan lines at the bottom of the screen and increasing the number of blanked lines at the top.
In the SCN2674 video chip, for example, the manufacturer identifies registers IRl, IR2, I~3 and IR7 as storing count data identifying the various interval lengths of the HSYNC
and VSYNC pulses; Thus, register IR1 stores a count setting the front porch for the HSYNC pulse, whlle IR2 ~tores counts setting the back porch of HS~NC and the width of the HS~NC
pulse. IR3 stores the FP and sP counts for VSYNC, while IR7 stores a count indicating the width of VSYNC.
Microprocessor 34 is connected for changing the contents of the various registers of the video controller, thus varying the FP, BP, and pulse width of one or both of HSYNC
and VSYNC. As described above, such variation results in displacement of the image on the screen, and provides the proper alignment for the image as described below. ~Iowever, it is noted that in the registers used in the above identified chip, vertical front porch variations are provided in ~ scan line increments, so that 4 scan line resolution ls provided thereby. Since such a resolution is insufficient for TCS application contemplated herein, external controlled 388~3 delay elemen~ 30 is provided, for providing selective delays equivalent to o, 1, 2 or 3 scan lines.
Accordingly, by changing the register contents and by providing the additional delay, as necessary, the present 'invention provides one scan line resolution for vertical alignment. A similar problem is overcome in the horizontal resolution by adding an appropriate one character delay, if needed. The prior art video controller provides only a two character resolution. The external delay element is thus used to increase the level of resolution to one character, in a manner similar to that described for vertical resolution.
AS previously noted, the present improvement is particularly helpful in aligning CRT displays to a touch panel. However, the improvement described herein is similarly applicable for aligning and shifting image displays which are not used in con~unction with touch panels. In the preferred embodiment, the touch panel is scanned under control of the microprocessor 34, though the particular scanning technique and specific touch panel technology form no part of the present invention.
In the illustrative embodiment described herein, a resistive membrane touch panel is used, although other technologies may be utilized. Microprocessor 34 continuously scans the touch panel. Upon detection of a touch, the control software for microprocessor 34 determines the touch area, or key which was pressed in a standard manner.
Preferably, the delay element described above is a PAL, programmed as a finite state rnachine, clocked by the character clock. Of course, any delay logic may be used, ..
7 ~
including logic embedded within a VLSI IC. The amount of delay provided thereby ls controlled by three bits from registers under microprocessor control. Two bits are used to form a binary code specifying the amount of delay to be 'provided for the VSYNC pulse, i.e., 0, 1, 2 or 3 scan lines, and a single bit code is used to specify the amount of horizontal delay, i.e., 0 or 1 character. O~ course, other display controllers, having different resolution limits, may require more or fewer bits to control the delay. A
controller having reglster counts which provide one scan line and one character resolutions vertically and horizontally, respectively, may thus be aligned without use of the external delay element. Alternatively, if the register contents of the controller are fixed, such as for image position at top-left most corner, all further alignment may be achieved by using only the external delay, independently of the controller.
To implement the present invention, a user causes the TCS to enter the ALIGN mode by touching a particular touchkey which may be offered in a setup screen menu, for example.
Alternatively, the system may be provided with a separate setup, or ALIGN, button provided on a rear panel of the display system or with a particular keyboard lnput sequence, e.g., ~shift/A~, to activate the ALIGN mode. Once having entered the ALIGN mode, a particular image is generated for display on the CRT. The image, shown in Figure 4, includes a number of touch areas, or keys 42, at the ends of a cross hair display 44.
The user touches the panel at the four areas over the four keys ~2. By standard software operation, the microprocessor 34 determines the regions of the touch panel 26 which were pressed by the user. A simple computation, such as subtraction, may be used to determine the differences between the actual positions of the four keys in the respective horizontal and vertical directions and the desired positions thereof. Upon determining the misalignment between the actual image and the properly aligned image, microprocessor 34 corrects the contents of the registers 36, and provides an appropriate delay value to storage 22. The procedure may be repeated, if necessary, in view of the finite areas occupied by the touchkeys.
Preferably, alignment indicia are provided on a bezel surrounding the display. In the align mode, the ~cross hair~
display of Figure 4 is generated upon appropriate input from the touch panel or the keyboard, the display is shifted horizontally and/or vertically until the cross hair area~ 42 align with the bezel.
Upon completion of the alignment procedure, the user again touches the panel, at touchkey 46, to exit the ALIGN
mode and to reenter the SETUP screen. Upon pushing a SAVE
key or ~'shift/S~ on the keyboard, the appropriate alignment parameter settings are stored in storage 22, for USQ until modified by the next use of the ALIGN mode.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustratlon and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, since many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachin~. The embodiment was chosen and described in order best to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby to enable others skilled in the art best to utilized the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are sulted to the particular use contemplated therefor. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, when interpreted in accordance with full breadth to which they are legally and equitably entitled.
Claims (32)
1. In a display system having a raster scan display and a synchronizing signal generating means for generating a synchronizing signal for synchronizing an image displayed on said raster scan display, said synchronizing signal generating means including count registering means for establishing a timing relationship among portions of said synchronizing signal generated thereby, the improvement comprising:
a) alignment correcting means in said display system for correcting misalignment of the image displayed thereby, b) said alignment correcting means including timing control means for altering said timing relationship established by said count registering means, and c) synchronizing connecting means for connecting said alignment correcting means to said synchronizing signal generating means.
a) alignment correcting means in said display system for correcting misalignment of the image displayed thereby, b) said alignment correcting means including timing control means for altering said timing relationship established by said count registering means, and c) synchronizing connecting means for connecting said alignment correcting means to said synchronizing signal generating means.
2. An improved display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said count registering means comprises count establishing means for establishing counts for said count registering means for defining durations of front and back porch portions and of a synchronizing pulse portion of said synchronizing signal generated by said synchronizing signal generating means, thereby to effect variation of at least one of said portions of said synchronizing signal.
3. An improved display system as recited in claim 2 further comprising storage means for storing counts established by said count establishing means.
4. An improved display system as recited in claim 3 wherein said timing control means includes delay means for delaying signals of said count establishing means.
5. An improved display system as recited in claim 4 wherein said storage means is further operable for storing settings for said delay means.
6. An improved display system as recited in claim 1 wherein said synchronizing signal generating means comprises pulse generating means for generating horizontal and vertical synchronizing pulses for effecting horizontal and vertical synchronization of said image displayed on said raster scan display, and said alignment correcting means comprises aligning means for aligning said image in at least one of horizontal and vertical directions.
7. An improved display system as recited in claim 6 wherein said aligning means comprises controllable delay means connected to said pulse generating means for varying timing of at least one of said horizontal and vertical synchronizing pulses thereby effecting alignment of said image in at least one of said horizontal and vertical directions.
8. An improved display system as recited in claim 7 further comprising storage means for storing settings for said controllable delay means.
9. An improved display system as recited in claim 6 further comprising control means for said aligning means.
lo. An improved display system as recited in claim 9 wherein said control means comprises programmable computer means for programmably controlling said horizontal and vertical synchronizing pulses to realign said image.
11. An improved display system as recited in claim 10 further comprising controllable delay means connected to said pulse generating means for varying timing of at least one of said horizontal and vertical synchronizing pulses, and count establishing means for establishing counts for said count registering means for defining durations of front and back porch portions and of a synchronizing pulse portion of said synchronizing signal generated by said synchronizing signal generating means
12. An improved display system as recited in claim 11 further comprising storage means for storing settings for said controllable delay means.
13. An improved display system as recited in claim 12 wherein said storage means is further operable for stoning counts established for said count registering means.
14. An improved display system as recited in claim 13 wherein said raster scan display comprises a cathode ray tube together with a touch control screen overlaid thereon.
15. An improved display system as recited in claim 11 further comprising storage means for storing counts established for said count registering means.
16. In a display system having a raster scan display having a touch control screen means overlaid thereon and a synchronizing signal generating means for generating a synchronizing signal for synchronizing an image displayed on said raster scan display, said touch control screen means including a touch sensitive panel over said raster scan display, said synchronizing signal generating means including count registering means for establishing a timing relationship among portions of said synchronizing signal generated thereby and count establishing means for establishing counts for said registering means to define durations of front and back porch portions and of a synchronizing pulse portion of said synchronizing signal, the improvement comprising:
a) alignment correcting means in said display system for correcting misalignment of the image displayed thereby relative to said touch control screen means, b) said alignment correcting means including timing control means for altering said timing relationship established by said count registering means, c) said timing control means including delay means for delaying signals of said count establishing means thereby to effect variation of at least one of said portions of said synchronizing signal and to displace said image along a scan direction synchronized thereby, and d) synchronizing connecting means for connecting said alignment correcting means to said synchronizing signal generating means.
a) alignment correcting means in said display system for correcting misalignment of the image displayed thereby relative to said touch control screen means, b) said alignment correcting means including timing control means for altering said timing relationship established by said count registering means, c) said timing control means including delay means for delaying signals of said count establishing means thereby to effect variation of at least one of said portions of said synchronizing signal and to displace said image along a scan direction synchronized thereby, and d) synchronizing connecting means for connecting said alignment correcting means to said synchronizing signal generating means.
17. An improved display system as recited in claim 16 further comprising storage means for storing settings for said delay means.
18. An improved display system as recited in claim 17 wherein said storage means is further operable for storing counts established by said count establishing means.
19. An improved display system as recited in claim 16 further comprising storage means for stoning counts established by said count establishing means.
20. An improved display system as recited in claim 16 wherein said alignment correcting means further includes means for generating an alignment screen for display on said raster scan display, said alignment screen including display areas representing touch keys for activation by a user, said touch keys identifying vertical and horizontal alignment indices, said alignment correcting means further including means for determining location of touch keys activated by the user and providing delay data to said delay means for delaying said signals of said count establishing means to displace said image.
21. In a display system having a raster scan display having a touch control screen means overlaid thereon and a synchronizing signal generating means for generating a synchronizing signal for synchronizing an image displayed on said raster scan display, said touch control screen means including a touch sensitive panel over said raster scan display, said synchronizing signal generating means including count registering means for establishing a timing relationship among portions of said synchronizing signal generated thereby and count establishing means for establishing counts for said registering means to define durations of front and back porch portions and of a synchronizing pulse portion of said synchronizing signal, the improvement comprising:
a) alignment correcting means in said display system for correcting misalignment of the image displayed thereby relative to said touch control screen means, b) said alignment correcting means including timing control means for altering said timing relationship established by said count registering means, c) said timing control means including delay means for delaying said synchronizing signal to displace said image along a scan direction synchronized thereby, and wherein said alignment correcting means further includes means for generating an alignment screen for display on said raster scan display, said alignment screen including display areas representing keys for activation by a user, said keys identifying vertical and horizontal alignment indices, said alignment correcting means further including means for determining keys activated by the user and providing delay data to said delay means.
a) alignment correcting means in said display system for correcting misalignment of the image displayed thereby relative to said touch control screen means, b) said alignment correcting means including timing control means for altering said timing relationship established by said count registering means, c) said timing control means including delay means for delaying said synchronizing signal to displace said image along a scan direction synchronized thereby, and wherein said alignment correcting means further includes means for generating an alignment screen for display on said raster scan display, said alignment screen including display areas representing keys for activation by a user, said keys identifying vertical and horizontal alignment indices, said alignment correcting means further including means for determining keys activated by the user and providing delay data to said delay means.
22. An improved display system as recited in claim 21, further comprising storage means for storing counts established by said count establishing means.
23. An improved display system as recited in claim 21, further comprising storage means for storing delay settings for said delay means.
24. An improved system as recited in claim 23, wherein said storage means is further operable for storing counts established by said count establishing means.
25. In a display system including a raster scan display and a synchronizing signal generating means for generating a synchronizing signal for synchronizing an image displayed on said raster scan display, a touch control screen means including a touch sensitive panel over said raster scan display and location means for determining location of touch keys activated by the user, said synchronizing signal generating means including count registering means for establishing a timing relationship among portions of said synchronizing signal generated thereby and count establishing means for establishing counts for said registering means to define durations of front and back porch portions and of a synchronizing pulse portion of said synchronizing signal, the improvement comprising:
alignment correcting means in said display system, including means for generating for display on said raster scan display an alignment screen, said alignment screen defining a plurality of discrete touch key means of said touch control screen means for correcting misalignment of the displayed alignment screen relative to said touch control screen means, said defined touch key means respectively operating upon activation by a user for providing respective instructions to said count establishing means for varying respective ones of said counts established thereby for said registering means to displace said displayed alignment screen in a respective predetermined direction in accordance with the respective one of said defined touch key means activated by the user.
alignment correcting means in said display system, including means for generating for display on said raster scan display an alignment screen, said alignment screen defining a plurality of discrete touch key means of said touch control screen means for correcting misalignment of the displayed alignment screen relative to said touch control screen means, said defined touch key means respectively operating upon activation by a user for providing respective instructions to said count establishing means for varying respective ones of said counts established thereby for said registering means to displace said displayed alignment screen in a respective predetermined direction in accordance with the respective one of said defined touch key means activated by the user.
26. A method for aligning an image displayed by a display system having a raster scan display, a synchronizing signal generating means for generating a synchronizing signal for synchronizing images displayed on said raster scan display, a touch control screen means including a touch sensitive panel over said raster scan display and location means for determining location of touch keys activated by the user, said synchronizing signal generating means including count registering means for establishing a timing relationship among portions of said synchronizing signal generated thereby and count establishing means for establishing counts for said registering means to define durations of front and back porch portions and of a synchronizing pulse portion of said synchronizing signal, and means for generating an image for display on said raster scan display, said image defining a plurality of discrete touch key means for identifying to said location means locations thereof, comprising the steps of:
a) generating for display a screen which includes aligning indicia and which defines a plurality of discrete touch keys for said touch control screen means, b) determining misalignment between at least one of said aligning indicia and a predetermined corresponding locator indicium therefor, c) activating one of said plurality of discrete touch keys of said touch control screen means in accordance with the determined misalignment thereby to provide an instruction to said count establishing means to change a count established thereby for said registering means, and d) varying in a predetermined direction a count of a registering means corresponding to the activated one of said touch keys in accordance with the activated one of said plurality of discrete touch keys of said touch control screen means, e) thereby displacing said generated screen in said predetermined direction and reducing the misalignment determined at step b).
a) generating for display a screen which includes aligning indicia and which defines a plurality of discrete touch keys for said touch control screen means, b) determining misalignment between at least one of said aligning indicia and a predetermined corresponding locator indicium therefor, c) activating one of said plurality of discrete touch keys of said touch control screen means in accordance with the determined misalignment thereby to provide an instruction to said count establishing means to change a count established thereby for said registering means, and d) varying in a predetermined direction a count of a registering means corresponding to the activated one of said touch keys in accordance with the activated one of said plurality of discrete touch keys of said touch control screen means, e) thereby displacing said generated screen in said predetermined direction and reducing the misalignment determined at step b).
27. A method for aligning an image displayed by a display system having a raster scan display having a touch control screen means overlaid thereon and a synchronizing signal generating means for generating a synchronizing signal for synchronizing an image displayed on said raster scan display, said touch control screen means including a touch sensitive panel over said raster scan display and location means for determining location of touch keys activated by the user, said synchronizing signal generating means including count registering means for establishing a timing relationship among portions of said synchronizing signal generated thereby and count establishing means for establishing counts for said registering means to define durations of front and back porch portions and of a synchronizing pulse portion of said synchronizing signal, and means for generating for display on said raster scan display a screen including therein a plurality of discrete touch key means for identifying to said location means locations thereof, comprising the steps of:
a) generating for display a screen including aligning indicia and a plurality of discrete touch keys, b) determining misalignment between at least one of said aligning indicia and a predetermined corresponding locator indicium therefor, c) activating one of said plurality of discrete touch keys in accordance with the determined misalignment thereby to provide an instruction to said count establishing means to change a count established for said registering means, and d) varying a count of a corresponding registering means in a predetermined direction in accordance with the activated one of said plurality of discrete touch keys, e) thereby displacing said generated screen in said predetermined direction and reducing the misalignment determined at step b).
a) generating for display a screen including aligning indicia and a plurality of discrete touch keys, b) determining misalignment between at least one of said aligning indicia and a predetermined corresponding locator indicium therefor, c) activating one of said plurality of discrete touch keys in accordance with the determined misalignment thereby to provide an instruction to said count establishing means to change a count established for said registering means, and d) varying a count of a corresponding registering means in a predetermined direction in accordance with the activated one of said plurality of discrete touch keys, e) thereby displacing said generated screen in said predetermined direction and reducing the misalignment determined at step b).
28. The method for aligning recited in claim 27, comprising the further steps of: storing the count varied in said step (d) in a non-volatile storage means, and providing the stored count from said non-volatile storage means to said registering means.
29. The method for aligning recited in claim 27, comprising the further steps of repeating said steps (b) through (e) until misalignment between said aligning indicia and said locator indicium is below a predetermined threshold.
30. The method for aligning recited in claim 29, comprising the further step of activating an exit-key provided as one of said plurality of discrete touch keys of said touch control screen means, thereby terminating the alignment method and clearing the screen.
31. In a display system for generating a raster scan display, having a user input means and a synchronizing signal generating means for generating a synchronizing signal for synchronizing an image displayed on said raster scan display, said synchronizing signal generating means including count registering means for establishing a timing relationship among portions of said synchronizing signal generated thereby and count establishing means for establishing counts for said count registering means to define a timing relationship among portions of said synchronizing signal, the improvement comprising:
user operated alignment key means in said user input means, alignment correcting means in said display system, including means for generating for display on said raster scan display an alignment screen including therein a plurality of indicia for indicating an alignment of the generated screen relative to predetermined orientation and displacement, location means responsive to ones of said key means operated by a user for correcting misalignment of the displayed alignment screen relative to said predetermined orientation and displacement, said location means including count establishing means operable responsively to said location means and to said user opera-ted key means to displace said displayed alignment screen in a respective predetermined direction in accordance with a respective one of said alignment key means operated by the user by varying respective ones of said counts.
user operated alignment key means in said user input means, alignment correcting means in said display system, including means for generating for display on said raster scan display an alignment screen including therein a plurality of indicia for indicating an alignment of the generated screen relative to predetermined orientation and displacement, location means responsive to ones of said key means operated by a user for correcting misalignment of the displayed alignment screen relative to said predetermined orientation and displacement, said location means including count establishing means operable responsively to said location means and to said user opera-ted key means to displace said displayed alignment screen in a respective predetermined direction in accordance with a respective one of said alignment key means operated by the user by varying respective ones of said counts.
32. The improved display system of claim 31, wherein said alignment screen comprises touch keys generated by said display system for said touch control screen means.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US06/858,679 US4929935A (en) | 1986-05-02 | 1986-05-02 | Apparatus for aligning raster scanned image to touch panel |
| US858,679 | 1986-05-02 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1278888C true CA1278888C (en) | 1991-01-08 |
Family
ID=25328892
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000535027A Expired - Fee Related CA1278888C (en) | 1986-05-02 | 1987-04-16 | Apparatus for aligning raster scanned image touch panel |
Country Status (7)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US4929935A (en) |
| JP (1) | JPS62262894A (en) |
| CN (1) | CN1009149B (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1278888C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3714487C2 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2598274B1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2190267A (en) |
Families Citing this family (16)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USRE38419E1 (en) | 1986-05-13 | 2004-02-10 | Ncr Corporation | Computer interface device |
| JPH03145259A (en) * | 1989-10-31 | 1991-06-20 | Canon Inc | Composite electronic device |
| US5115107A (en) * | 1991-01-11 | 1992-05-19 | Ncr Corporation | Method of correcting skew between a digitizer and a digital display |
| US6141000A (en) * | 1991-10-21 | 2000-10-31 | Smart Technologies Inc. | Projection display system with touch sensing on screen, computer assisted alignment correction and network conferencing |
| JP3050348B2 (en) * | 1992-04-17 | 2000-06-12 | インターナショナル・ビジネス・マシーンズ・コーポレイション | Method and apparatus for user control in a process control system |
| FI94467C (en) * | 1992-09-03 | 1995-09-11 | Icl Personal Systems Oy | Microprocessor based monitor |
| US5283559A (en) * | 1992-09-21 | 1994-02-01 | International Business Machines Corp. | Automatic calibration of a capacitive touch screen used with a fixed element flat screen display panel |
| GB2286100A (en) * | 1994-01-19 | 1995-08-02 | Ibm | Touch-sensitive display apparatus |
| KR100235249B1 (en) * | 1997-05-27 | 1999-12-15 | 이형찬 | Image change detecting apparatus and method using character generater |
| US6262765B1 (en) * | 1997-08-20 | 2001-07-17 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Automatic picture adjustment system for monitor |
| US20030013522A1 (en) * | 2001-07-10 | 2003-01-16 | Muir David Hugh | Automatic electronic display alignment |
| US6760016B2 (en) * | 2002-01-02 | 2004-07-06 | Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. | Integrated digitizing tablet and color display apparatus and method of operation |
| FR2838273B1 (en) * | 2002-04-09 | 2004-11-12 | St Microelectronics Sa | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ALIGNING A VIDEO IMAGE WITH AN EDGE OF A DISPLAY SCREEN |
| US7532203B2 (en) * | 2004-04-26 | 2009-05-12 | Samsung Electronic Co., Ltd. | Data input device that utilizes a layer of magnetic particles to store non-volatile input data that is magnetically coupled to an underlying MRAM array |
| US8576204B2 (en) * | 2006-08-10 | 2013-11-05 | Intel Corporation | Method and apparatus for synchronizing display streams |
| EP2479652A4 (en) * | 2009-09-17 | 2014-05-07 | Nec Corp | Electronic apparatus using touch panel and setting value modification method of same |
Family Cites Families (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4035841A (en) * | 1975-09-26 | 1977-07-12 | Universal Research Laboratories, Inc. | Television picture centering control |
| US4474501A (en) * | 1982-07-01 | 1984-10-02 | Farrand Optical Co., Inc. | Optical simulation of scenic translation |
| US4523188A (en) * | 1982-10-25 | 1985-06-11 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army | Automated map and display alignment |
| GB2147771A (en) * | 1983-10-07 | 1985-05-15 | Philips Electronic Associated | A synchronising pulse regenerating circuit for a CRT display monitor |
| JPS6096965A (en) * | 1983-10-31 | 1985-05-30 | Nec Home Electronics Ltd | External input corresponding type television set |
| KR850005929A (en) * | 1984-01-04 | 1985-09-26 | 원본미기재 | Image Position Control Device and Method of Video Monitor |
| EP0150903A3 (en) * | 1984-01-04 | 1988-08-03 | Carroll Touch Technology, Inc. | Method and apparatus for dynamic alignment |
| EP0162123B2 (en) * | 1984-05-23 | 1992-03-04 | Deutsche ITT Industries GmbH | Method and circuit arrangement for digital deflection correction of television picture tubes |
| JPS616728A (en) * | 1984-06-21 | 1986-01-13 | Fujitsu Ltd | Correcting method of input address |
| US4677430A (en) * | 1984-08-23 | 1987-06-30 | American Telephone And Telegraph Company | Method and apparatus for operating a display monitor |
| US4710758A (en) * | 1985-04-26 | 1987-12-01 | Westinghouse Electric Corp. | Automatic touch screen calibration method |
-
1986
- 1986-05-02 US US06/858,679 patent/US4929935A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1987
- 1987-04-06 GB GB08708164A patent/GB2190267A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1987-04-16 CA CA000535027A patent/CA1278888C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1987-04-27 JP JP62104167A patent/JPS62262894A/en active Pending
- 1987-04-29 FR FR8706273A patent/FR2598274B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1987-04-30 DE DE3714487A patent/DE3714487C2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1987-05-02 CN CN87103333A patent/CN1009149B/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CN87103333A (en) | 1987-12-09 |
| DE3714487A1 (en) | 1987-11-05 |
| JPS62262894A (en) | 1987-11-14 |
| FR2598274B1 (en) | 1995-12-15 |
| CN1009149B (en) | 1990-08-08 |
| FR2598274A1 (en) | 1987-11-06 |
| GB2190267A (en) | 1987-11-11 |
| GB8708164D0 (en) | 1987-05-13 |
| US4929935A (en) | 1990-05-29 |
| DE3714487C2 (en) | 1995-05-24 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| CA1278888C (en) | Apparatus for aligning raster scanned image touch panel | |
| CA2043752C (en) | Method and apparatus for displaying simulated keyboards on touch-sensitive displays | |
| EP0272884B1 (en) | Touchscreen feedback system | |
| CA1158374A (en) | Display system for localizing regions in a mixed text and picture display | |
| US4823303A (en) | Display control apparatus for use in composite document processing apparatus | |
| JPS5848927B2 (en) | Microcomputer terminal system | |
| US4354185A (en) | Display system for localizing regions in a mixed text and picture display | |
| EP0124986B1 (en) | Apparatus and method for generating multiple cursors in a raster scan display system | |
| US4377810A (en) | Light pen detection circuit and method | |
| US5202671A (en) | Pick function implementation in a parallel processing system | |
| JPH0447847B2 (en) | ||
| JPS6037477B2 (en) | display device | |
| US5134389A (en) | Display terminal device | |
| US4484189A (en) | Memoryless artificial horizon generator | |
| US5084773A (en) | Image reading processing apparatus | |
| EP0150903A2 (en) | Method and apparatus for dynamic alignment | |
| JP3354725B2 (en) | Display device | |
| JPH0833718B2 (en) | Television screen display | |
| JPS5819624Y2 (en) | Graphic information reading device using a light pen | |
| JPS60227290A (en) | Dynamic matching method and apparatus | |
| EP0425171B1 (en) | Object identification in a display system | |
| JP2853749B2 (en) | Television screen display device | |
| JPS6022231A (en) | Marker display system for detecting light pen | |
| JPS6177086A (en) | Input unit | |
| JPH01137825A (en) | Photoelectric touch switch |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLA | Lapsed |