Display device and computer

A display device converts an animation file into first binary data in a data format which can be processed by a first graphics library of a first display, the binary data including a DL, and converts the converted first binary data into second binary data in a data format which can be processed by a second graphics library of a second display.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a display device that renders binary data into which an animation file is converted by a computer by using a display, and plays back an animation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For example, patent reference 1 discloses a device that mixes an animation sequence with computer graphics in order to display an animation on a computer display screen.

RELATED ART DOCUMENT

Patent Reference

Patent reference 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H7-20849

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

A problem with the conventional technology represented by patent reference 1 is that in a process of decompressing an animation sequence to provide pixel information, when an animation sequence generator (e.g., a display) does not comply with the data format of an animation to be played back, the animation sequence generator cannot play back this animation.

The present invention is made in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a display device that, even if the display device has a display having a data format in which to be able to perform a playback process of playing back a video, such as an animation, and which differs from the original data format of the video, can perform the playback process without adding any large-scale structure.

Means for Solving the Problem

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a display device including: a plurality of displays each including an GUI application that generates a GUI (Graphical User Interface), a graphics library that expands a display list included in binary data specified in the GUI generation by the GUI application in a memory, a graphics engine that renders the display list which is expanded in the memory by the graphics library, and a display unit that displays an image which is a result of the rendering by the graphics engine; and a computer including an animation converter that converts an animation file into binary data in a data format which can be processed by the graphics library of either one of the plurality of the displays, the binary data including the display list, and a DL converter that converts the binary data into which the animation file is converted by the animation converter into binary data in a data format which can be processed by the graphics library of a remaining one of the plurality of displays.

Advantages of the Invention

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an advantage of being able to perform a playback process on a display without adding any large-scale structure even though the display has a data format in which to be able to perform the playback process of playing back a video, such as an animation, and which differs from the original data format of the video.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Hereafter, in order to explain this invention in greater detail, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1is a view showing the structure of a display device in accordance with Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The display device shown inFIG. 1is provided with displays1and2and a computer (referred to as a PC from here on)3. The display1is provided with a GUI application10, a graphics library11, a graphics engine12, and a display unit13. Further, the display2is similarly provided with a GUI application20, a graphics library21, a graphics engine22, and a display unit23.

The graphics libraries11and21read binary data a and b into which an animation file is converted by the PC3according to commands from the GUI applications10and20, extract display lists (referred to as DLs from here on) from the binary data a and b and expand the display lists in a VRAM (video RAM), and set values required for rendering of the DLs to the registers of the graphics engines12and22, respectively. It is assumed that the data formats of the binary data which the graphics libraries11and21handle differ from each other. More specifically, the binary data a which an animation converter30, which will be mentioned below, acquires from the animation file cannot be subjected to the above-mentioned process which the graphics library21performs while keeping the binary data in its original format.

The graphics engines12and22render the DLs in the VRAM on the basis of the values which are set to the registers by the graphics libraries11and21, respectively. The display units13and23display the results of the rendering by the graphics engines12and22on the screens thereof, respectively. For example, the animations which are the results of the rendering are played back.

The PC3is provided with the animation converter30and a DL converter31. The animation converter30converts the animation file into the binary data a including the DL which is a command group used for the rendering. In this embodiment, the animation converter30generates the binary data having a data format which can be processed by the graphics library11of the display1.

The DL converter31converts the binary data a into which the animation file is converted by the animation converter30into binary data b having a data format which can be processed by the graphics library21of the display2. For example, the data format which can be processed by the graphics library21of the display2, in addition to the data format which can be processed by the graphics library11, is preset for the DL converter31, and the DL converter converts the data format according to whether the display which plays back the animation is either the display1or the display2.

Next, the operation of the display device will be explained. First, the PC3receives an animation file, such as an SWF (Shock Wave Flash; registered trademark) file. The animation converter30converts the inputted animation file into binary data a including a DL which can be rendered by the graphics engine12of the display1. Further, when playing back the animation on the display2, the DL converter31converts the binary data a acquired by the animation converter30into binary data b having a data format which can be processed by the graphics library21of the display2.

The display1then performs a playback process of playing back the animation by using the binary data a converted by the animation converter30. More specifically, the GUI application10specifies the binary data a about the video which is to be played back by using a GUI from among the binary data acquired by the animation converter30, and commands the graphics library11to perform the process. The graphics library11reads the specified binary data a according to the command from the GUI application10, extracts the DL from this binary data a, expands the DL in the VRAM, and sets the value required for rendering of the DL to the register of the graphics engine12. The graphics engine12renders the DL in the VRAM on the basis of the value which is set to the register by the graphics library11. The display unit13displays the animation which is the result of the rendering by the graphics engine12on the screen thereof.

On the other hand, the display2performs a playback process of playing back the animation by using the binary data b whose data format is converted by the DL converter31. As examples of the conversion of the data format, there are conversion of animation data into data consisting of a plurality of still images, conversion of compressed graphic data into uncompressed graphic data, and conversion into a format having a different graphical hierarchical structure. More specifically, the GUI application20specifies the binary data b about the video which is to be played back by using a GUI from among the binary data acquired by the DL converter31, and commands the graphics library21to perform the process. The graphics library21reads the specified binary data b according to the command from the GUI application20, extracts the DL from this binary data b, expands the DL in the VRAM, and sets the value required for rendering of the DL to the register of the graphics engine22. The graphics engine22renders the DL in the VRAM on the basis of the value which is set to the register by the graphics library21. The display unit23displays the animation which is the result of the rendering by the graphics engine22on the screen thereof.

As mentioned above, the display device in accordance with this Embodiment 1 includes: the displays1and2having the GUI applications10and20that generate GUIs, the graphics libraries11and21that expand DLs included in the binary data specified through the GUI generation by the GUI applications10and20in the VRAM, the graphics engines12and22that render the DLs expanded by the graphics libraries11and21in the VRAM, and the display units13and23that display images which are the results of the rendering by the graphics engines12and22; and the PC3having the animation converter30that converts an animation file into binary data a in a data format which can be processed by the graphics library11of the display1, the binary data including the DL, and the DL converter31that converts the binary data a into which the animation file is converted by the animation converter30into binary data b in a data format which can be processed by the graphics library21of the display2. Because the display device is constructed this way, the binary data a which the animation converter30converts for, for example, the display1can be applied also to the display2. More specifically, even a display having a data format in which to be able to perform a process of playing back a video, such as an animation, and which differs from the original data format of the video can perform the playback process. Further, because what is necessary is to perform only the conversion of the data format of the binary data and add the DL converter31which can be added to the display device via software, there is no necessity to newly dispose a large-scale animation converter used for the display2, and the amount of work needed for development can be reduced greatly.

Although in above-mentioned Embodiment 1 the case in which the display device in accordance with Embodiment 1 includes the displays1and2is shown, the display device can have three or more displays. In this case, when the display which plays back an animation is other than the display1, the DL converter31converts the binary data a acquired by the animation converter30into binary data having a data format which can be processed by the graphics library of the display which plays back the animation (including a plurality of displays other than the display1).

Although in above-mentioned Embodiment 1 the case in which the DL converter31converts the data format of binary data is shown, this Embodiment 2 shows an embodiment of correcting a DL according to the display performance of each display.

FIG. 2is a view showing the structure of a display device in accordance with Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The display device shown inFIG. 2is provided with displays1and2and a PC3A. The displays1and2are the same as those shown inFIG. 1. The PC3A is constructed in such a way as to include an animation converter30, a DL converter31A, and a device profile reader32. The animation converter30converts an inputted animation file into binary data a including a DL which is a drawing command group which can be rendered by, for example, a graphics engine12of the display1.

The DL converter31A converts the binary data a acquired by the animation converter30into binary data b having a data format which can be processed by a graphics library21of the display2, like that according to above-mentioned Embodiment 1. The DL converter31A further acquires a device profile c showing the display performance of the display2from the device profile reader32, and corrects the DL included in the binary data b whose data format is converted for the display2according to the display performance of the display2.

The device profile reader32acquires the device profile c showing the display performance of the display (in this case, the display2) for which the data format of the binary data to be used is converted into a compliant data format by the DL converter31A. For example, information showing the display performance of the display2is stored beforehand in a storage or storage area from which the information can be read by the device profile reader32. Further, as the information showing the display performance of the display2, the screen size or the resolution of the display2, the colorimetry data about colors outputted from the display2, or the like can be provided.

Next, the operation of the display device will be explained.FIG. 3is a flow chart showing the operation of the display device in accordance with Embodiment 2, and the operation of the DL converter31A of the PC3A and that of the device profile reader32will be explained with reference to thisFIG. 3. Hereafter, a case in which the device profile c is the screen size of the display2will be explained as an example. First, the DL converter31A converts the binary data a acquired by the animation converter30into binary data b having a data format which can be processed by the graphics library21of the display2in the same way that the DL converter according to above-mentioned Embodiment 1 does. Next, the DL converter31A acquires the device profile c of the display2from the device profile reader32(step ST1). The DL converter31A sequentially analyzes DL data included in the binary data b to determine whether the screen size shown by the DL and the command in the DL (the screen size specified by the part of generation of the animation file) differs from the screen size shown by the device profile c (step ST2).

When the screen sizes differ from each other (when YES in step ST2), the DL converter31A changes the screen size by enlarging or reducing the screen (step ST3), and corrects the DL to a DL compliant with the change (step ST4). Further, when the screen sizes are the same as each other (when NO in step ST2) or when correcting the DL in step ST4, the DL converter31A determines whether DL data on which the above-mentioned process is not performed exist in the DL data included in the binary data b (step ST5). When yet-to-be-processed DL data exists (when YES in step ST5), the DL converter returns to step ST2and repeats the above-mentioned process. In contrast, when the process has been performed on all the DL data included in the binary data b (when NO in step ST5), the DL converter ends the process.

As mentioned above, the display device in accordance with this Embodiment 2 includes the device profile reader32that acquires a device profile showing the display performance of the display2, and the DL converter31A corrects the DLs included in the binary data b whose data format is converted on the basis of the device profile c acquired by the device profile reader32and according to the display performance of the display2corresponding to the converted data format. By doing this way, the display device can produce a display of an animation according to the display performance (e.g., screen size) of each display.

Further, although in above-mentioned Embodiment 2 the case in which the display device in accordance with Embodiment 2 includes the displays1and2is shown, the display device can have three or more displays. In this case, when the display which plays back an animation is other than the display1, the DL converter31A converts the binary data a acquired by the animation converter30into binary data having a data format which can be processed by the graphics library of the display which plays back the animation (including a plurality of displays other than the display1). Further, the DL converter31A acquires the device profile c of the display corresponding to the converted data format (including a plurality of displays other than the display1) from the device profile reader32, and corrects the DLs included in the binary data b on the basis of the device profile c of each display and according to the display performance of the display corresponding to the converted data format.

While the present invention has been described in its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that an arbitrary combination of two or more of the above-mentioned embodiments can be made, various changes can be made in an arbitrary component in accordance with any one of the above-mentioned embodiments, and an arbitrary component in accordance with any one of the above-mentioned embodiments can be omitted within the scope of the invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Because the display device in accordance with the present invention can perform a playback process on a display without adding any large-scale structure even though the display has a data format in which to be able to perform the playback process of playing back a video, such as an animation, and which differs from the original data format of the video, the display device is suitable for various information processing devices having a display.

EXPLANATIONS OF REFERENCE NUMERALS