Image display device

An image display device which includes a ROM 33 where a multiplicity of image data on face parts such as eyes, eyebrows, a nose, and a face contour, and a hair style is stored. The user selectively reads any image data out of the ROM 33 by operating a key input unit 32, and synthesizes the read data into portrait data. The portrait data is displayed on a display 24 and stored sequentially in a RAM 36. The stored portrait data may be set as secret data which others cannot see. The secret portrait data is displayed as a silhouette and is returned from silhouette display to portrait one only when input data matches with password data stored beforehand in a password storage 39.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to image display devices which each display 
image data stored in a memory on an optical display. 
PRIOR ART 
Conventionally, a portrait creation device is known which combines image 
data on a hair style and parts of a face such as eyes, a nose, a mouth and 
a face contour to creates a portrait which resembles the face of a 
particular person, stores such image data in a memory, reads any such data 
out of the memory and displays such image data on a display. 
Although a portrait creation device of this type useful, for example, for 
reminding us of the face of a person which we rarely see, it only stores 
data on a created portrait and displays same. Thus, which is not desired 
to be known to others its secrecy cannot be kept. It gives us the pastime 
of creating our, our family member's and our friend's portraits, but gives 
only the pastime of expecting how extent the portraits will resemble them. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image 
display device which is capable of keeping secrecy. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image display 
device which has high degree of pastime. 
In order to achieve those objects, the present invention provides an image 
display device comprising: 
image data storage means for storing image data; 
first display means for displaying image data stored in said image data 
storage means with at least part of the image data being masked; 
detection means for detecting that a predetermined data keying-in operation 
has been performed; and 
second display means for displaying unmasked image data in response to said 
detection means having detected that the predetermined keying-in operation 
has been performed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with respect 
to the accompanying drawings. 
FIG. 1 shows the appearance of an electronic device with an image display 
thereon such as, for example, an electronic pocketbook. In the present 
invention, the electronic pocketbook is a portable electronic device which 
is capable of storing data on items such as individuals and/or firms and 
some information about the corresponding items into a memory and 
selectively displaying for each item the data stored in the memory as 
required. 
The pocketbook 11 has pocketbook type casing including right-and left-hand 
casing halves 12a and 12b openable right and left. An operative face of 
the left-hand casing half 12a is provided thereon with "ON" and "OFF" keys 
13a and 13b for respectively turning on and off a power supply (not 
shown); a "portrait creation" key 14 which is operated to set a portrait 
creation mode; a "side" key 15 which is operated to create an individual's 
side portrait in the portrait creation mode; basic portrait selection keys 
16a, 16b which are used to select a basic portrait data on which is 
beforehand stored when a front portrait of an individual's face is to be 
created; part designation keys 17a, 17b which are used to designate parts 
such as eyes, a nose, a mouth and a face contour to be replaced with 
others when a front or a side portrait of an individual's face is to be 
created; pattern selection keys 18a, 18b which are used to select the 
patterns of parts which are designated as being replaced; a "silhouette 
creation" key 19 which is operated to set a silhouette creation mode to be 
described in more detail later; a "data input" key 20 which is operated to 
set a data input mode in which data such as that on individuals is input; 
a "secret" key 20a which is operated to set a portrait involving data on 
an individual in the data input mode while keeping the portrait secret 
from others except the user; a "record" key 21 which is operated to store 
and record data on a portrait or an individual created and input in the 
portrait creation mode and in the data input mode, respectively; a 
"retrieval" key 22 which is operated to set a data retrieval mode; and a 
"silhouette game" key 23 which is operated to set a silhouette game mode. 
A liquid crystal dot matrix display 24 is provided on the left-hand casing 
half or operative face 12a of the pocketbook 11. 
Provided on the right-hand casing half or operative face 12b are a ten-key 
unit 25 which is operated to input a numerical value to the pocketbook, an 
operator key unit 26 and an alphabet key unit 27 which is operated to 
input various data to the pocketbook. 
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic circuit of the pocketbook. A CPU 
(Central Processing Unit) 31 controls the respective operations of the 
elements of the circuit on the basis of key operation signals supplied by 
the various keys provided on an input unit 32 or right- and left-hand 
operative faces 12a, 12b of the pocketbook 11 in accordance with a 
pre-stored program. CPU 31 is connected to the input unit 32 as well as a 
basic part pattern ROM (Read Only Memory) 33, a portrait RAM (Random 
Access Memory) 34, a silhouette RAM 35, an individual's data RAM 36, a 
synthesis RAM 37, a random number generator 38, a password storage 39, and 
a display driver 40 connected to the display 24. 
FIG. 3 shows a stored sate of image data on basic part patterns for a front 
portrait in the basic part pattern ROM 33. 
The basic part patterns of a front portrait are for a face contour, hair 
style, eyes, nose, mouth, and neck-shoulder of the living body of each of 
a human being, animal, or spaceman. Image data on 20 kinds of part 
patterns for each part is numbered and stored as bit map data at 
predetermined positions of storage (Nos. 1-20). 
FIG. 4 shows a stored state of image data on basic part patterns of a side 
portrait in the basic part pattern ROM 33. 
The basic patterns of the parts of the side portrait are for a contour, 
hair style, eyes, and neck-shoulder. Image data on multiple kinds of side 
part patterns for each part is numbered and stored as bit map data at 
predetermined positions of storage (Nos. 1a, 1b, . . .). In this case, 
multiple kinds of side part patterns of each of an expected contour, hair 
style, eyes and neck-shoulder are prepared beforehand in correspondence to 
a respective one of the individual's front part patterns of the front 
contour, hair style, eyes, and neck-shoulder. For example, side part 
patterns "Nos. 1a, 1b, . . ." are prepared beforehand in correspondence to 
the contour "No. 1" of the front part pattern. 
FIG. 5 shows a stored state of image data on basic part patterns for an 
entire portrait in the basic part pattern ROM 33. 
The basic part patterns of the entire body portrait are for a face, trunk, 
both hands, and both legs. Image data on multiple kinds of patterns of 
each part is numbered as bit map data at predetermined positions "Nos. 1, 
2, . . .". 
Although not shown, in this case, basic part patterns of a side portrait 
are provided for each of the basic part patterns of the entire body 
portrait. 
Twenty predetermined kinds of basic front portraits are obtained by a 
combination of patterns of parts (contour, hair style, eyes, nose, mouth, 
and neck-shoulder) for each of the basic part patterns "Nos. 1-20" of a 
front portrait in the basic part pattern ROM 33. 
A side portrait corresponding to the front portrait is obtained by a 
selective combination of basic patterns of parts (contour, hair style, 
eyes, nose, mouth, and neck-shoulder) of a side portrait in correspondence 
to the respective part patterns of the front portrait. 
In addition, many predetermined kinds of basic entire body portraits are 
obtained by a combination of patterns of parts (face, trunk, both hands, 
both legs) in each of the basic part patterns "Nos. 1, 2, . . ." of the 
front entire body portrait in the basic part pattern ROM 33. 
FIG. 6 shows a stored state of data on the respective numbers of the part 
patterns composing a front and a side portrait recorded in the portrait 
RAM 34. 
Data on the pattern numbers of the parts (contour, hair style, eyes, nose, 
mouth, and neck-shoulder) composing the front portrait selected by the 
user is stored as data on the front portrait in the portrait RAM 34 when 
the front portrait is to be created. 
For example, according to the front portrait data, the front portrait 
created by the user is constructed by a combination of a contour pattern 
"No. 1", a hair style pattern No. 2, a nose pattern No. 2, an eye pattern 
"No. 1", a mouth pattern "No. 1", and a neck-shoulder "No. 1" of a front 
portrait in the basic part pattern ROM 33. 
The pattern numbers of the parts (contour, hair style, eyes, and 
neck-shoulder) composing a side portrait selected by the user and 
corresponding to the front portrait are stored as data on the side 
portrait in the portrait RAM 34 when the side portrait corresponding to 
the front portrait is created. 
For example, according to the side portrait data, the side portrait created 
by the user is composed of a contour pattern "No. 1a", a hair style 
pattern "No. 1b", eye pattern "No. 1a", and a neck-shoulder "No. 1a" of 
the side portrait in the basic part pattern ROM 33. 
FIG. 7 shows a stored state of data on silhouette patterns in a silhouette 
RAM 35. 
When a contour, a hair style and a neck-shoulder one of the part patterns 
composing a front or a side portrait are given, the respective given 
patterns are masked, converted and stored in the silhouette RAM 35 as 
silhouette patterns, which provides silhouette image data by lighting all 
the dots in each of the part patterns. 
FIG. 8 shows a stored state of data on individuals in the individual's data 
RAM 36. 
Since the individual's data RAM 36 stores data on the characters of, for 
example, 50 individuals each including his name, address, telephone 
number, etc., as well as data on his portrait. While in this case the 
portrait data is shown in the form of a portrait in FIG. 8, it is actually 
stored by data on respective numbers indicative of the part patterns 
stored in the basic part pattern ROM 33. A silhouette flag F which sets 
the presence/absence of a displayed silhouette at "1/0" is added to the 
portrait data. 
That is, information on each of the individuals' portraits in the 
individual's data RAM 36 is composed of data on the numbers of the part 
patterns of his portrait and the silhouette flag F. 
The synthesis RAM 37 stores image data on a synthetic portrait. Image data 
corresponding to the respective pattern numbers of the parts of the 
portrait data on which is stored in the portrait RAM 34 and the 
individual's data RAM 36 is read out of the basic part pattern ROM 33 in 
accordance with those pattern numbers. The read image data is synthesized 
and the resulting data is stored in the synthesis RAM 37, which also 
stores data on the synthetic image of the respective silhouette patterns 
stored in the silhouette RAM 35. A portrait obtained by the synthesis of 
the respective part patterns in the synthesis RAM 37 or a silhouette of 
the portrait obtained by the synthesis of silhouette patterns is displayed 
on the liquid crystal dot matrix display 24 through the display driver 40. 
The random number generator 38 randomly generates recording numbers 
"1"-"50" of data on the individuals stored in the individual's data RAM 
36. When a silhouette game mode to be described in more detail later is 
set, data on the portrait of an individual's data stored in the 
individual's data RAM 36 is read in accordance with the value of a random 
number generated by the generator 38. 
The password storage unit 39 stores a password inherent to and set by the 
user. In an individual data retrieval mode to be described in more detail 
later, a retrieved portrait will be displayed in the form of a silhouette. 
If at this time keyed-in data matches with the user's password, the 
silhouette display is released and the retrieved individual data and its 
portrait are displayed. 
The operation of the electronic pocketbook, thus constructed, will be 
described next. 
FIG. 9 is a flowchart indicative of a basic process for creation of a 
portrait and display of a silhouette in the pocketbook. 
A desired portrait is created in a portrait creating/recording process at 
step T1. The respective part patterns composing the created portrait are 
converted to corresponding silhouette patterns, which are then displayed 
in a silhouette conversion/display process at step T2. 
FIG. 10 is a flowchart indicative of a front portrait creation sub-process 
of the portrait creating/recording process at step T1. 
FIG. 11 is a flowchart indicative of a side portrait creation sub-process 
of the process at step T1. 
In FIG. 10 when the portrait creation key 14 is operated, the CPU 31 is set 
in the portrait creation mode (step S1). 
Then, the respective part patterns "No. 1" of a first basic front portrait 
are designated and set among the front part patterns in the basic part 
pattern ROM 33, and a first part (in this case, a contour) is set as a 
part having a pattern to be changed (step S2). 
Then, image data on the respective front part patterns "No. 1" (FIG. 3) set 
as composing the first basic front portrait in the basic part pattern ROM 
33 is read, transferred to and synthesized in the synthesis RAM 37 to 
display the first basic front portrait on the display 24 (steps S3, S4). 
FIG. 12 shows the process at step S3. When the pattern numbers of the parts 
of a portrait to be constructed is designated to the basic part pattern 
ROM 33, the corresponding image data is read out of the ROM 33 and 
transferred to the synthesis RAM 37 (steps A1-A5 of FIG. 12). 
In this case, the respective front part patterns of the first basic front 
portrait are sequentially synthesized in the synthesis RAM 37. Thus, the 
first basic front portrait composed of the respective front part patterns 
"No. 1" is displayed on the display 24 (step A6 in FIG. 12). 
When the basic portrait selection key 16a, of the input unit 32 is operated 
at step S5 of FIG. 10, the respective part pattern numbers for a basic 
front portrait (FIG. 3) in the basic part pattern RAM 33 are changed from 
"No. 1" to "No. 2" (steps S5, S6). 
Data on the respective front part patterns (in this case, all for "No. 2" 
of FIG. 3) stored in the basic part pattern ROM 33 is read and data on the 
respective patterns is transferred to and synthesized in the synthesis RAM 
37 in accordance with the "No. 2" indicative of the respective part 
patterns designated as composing basic front portrait. Thus, in the case 
of this portrait, a second basic front portrait composed of all the part 
patterns "No. 2" ranging from the contour pattern to the neck-shoulder 
pattern is displayed on the display 24 (steps S3, S4). 
That is, when the appropriate one of the basic portrait selection keys 16a, 
16b of the input unit 32 is operated, the processes at steps S3-S6 are 
iterated, and the 20 kinds of basic front portraits stored beforehand as 
"No. 1" to "No. 20" in the basic part pattern ROM 33 are sequentially 
changed, synthesized and the resulting images are displayed. 
Thus, the user beforehand selects a basic front portrait close to that 
which the user desires to obtain and displays it on the display 24. 
When the appropriate one of the part designation keys 17a, 17b of the input 
unit 32 is operated, any part having a pattern to be changed is changed to 
another one. For example, if a particular part, for example a contour, of 
the basic front portrait which is selected and displayed as a portrait 
close to a desired front one on the display 24 by steps S3-S6 is desired 
to be changed to another part, for example a hair style, the appropriate 
one of the part designation keys 17a, 17b is required to be operated to 
that end (steps S7, S8). 
When the appropriate one of the pattern selection keys 18a, 18b is then 
operated, the pattern of a front part in the basic part pattern ROM 33 and 
of the parts which are designated as ones to be changed is changed and 
selected and the changed and selected front part pattern is read out of 
the basic part pattern ROM 33 (FIG. 3), transferred to the synthetic RAM 
37 and displayed on the display 24 instead (steps S9, S10.fwdarw.S3, S4). 
Thus, the user arbitrarily selects and changes any part pattern other than 
a desired part pattern of any one of the basic front portrait patterns 
selected and displayed beforehand on the display 24 and displays the 
resulting portrait. 
When the pattern of another part is desired to be changed, the appropriate 
one of the part designation keys 17a, 17b is operated to change the 
appropriate part, the appropriate one of the pattern selection keys 18a, 
18b is operated to change a pattern number in any front part area of the 
basic part pattern ROM 33 to change all the patterns of the parts of the 
synthetic displayed basic portrait to any part patterns selectively to 
thereby create a desired front portrait (steps S7-S10.fwdarw.S3, S4). 
When, for example, a contour pattern "No. 1", a hair style pattern, "No. 
2", an eye pattern "No. 2", a nose pattern "No. 1", a mouth pattern "No. 
1", and a neck-shoulder pattern "No. 1" are selected as the part patterns 
composing a front portrait and synthesized to thereby provide a front 
portrait desired by the user, as shown in FIG. 14A, the "record" key 21 of 
the input unit 32 is operated to complete the synthesis of the front 
portrait and to store and record as data on a front portrait in the 
portrait RAM 34 (FIG. 6) the pattern numbers of the parts corresponding to 
the front portrait data on which is synthesized and stored in the 
synthesis RAM 37 (steps S4.fwdarw.S11, S12). 
When a side portrait corresponding to the front portrait is desired to be 
created, the "side" key 15 is operated at step S13, as shown in FIG. 11, 
to set a side portrait creation mode. At the next step S14 side basic part 
patterns (FIG. 4) in the basic part pattern ROM 33 are set in 
correspondence to the respective pattern numbers of the parts of the front 
portrait already created and recorded in the portrait RAM 34 (FIG. 6) in 
the process for selection and recording of the front portrait at steps S3 
to S12 (steps S13, S14). 
This causes the respective part patterns of the side part patterns (FIG. 4) 
in the basic part pattern ROM 33 set as the basic side portrait 
corresponding to the front portrait at step S14 are read, transferred to 
and synthesized in the synthesis RAM 37, and displayed as a basic side 
portrait on the display 24 (steps S15, S16, i.e., steps A1-A6 of FIG. 12). 
By repeated designation of parts to be changed with the part designation 
keys 17a, 17b and repeated selection of part patterns with the pattern 
selection keys 18a, 18b, data on respective side part patterns 
corresponding to a desired side portrait is read out of the basic part 
pattern ROM 33 (FIG. 4), transferred to the synthesis RAM 37 and displayed 
on the display 24 (steps S17-S20.fwdarw.S15, S16). 
When, for example, a contour pattern "No. 1a", hair style pattern "No. 3b", 
eye pattern "No. 2a", and neck-shoulder pattern "No. 1a" are selected as 
the respective part patterns composing a side portrait and synthesized as 
a side portrait which the user desires to obtain, as shown in FIG. 14C, 
operation of the "record" key 21 of the input unit 32 completes the 
synthesis of the side portrait to store and record as side portrait data 
in the portrait RAM 34 (FIG. 6) the pattern numbers of the parts of the 
side portrait synthesized and stored in the synthesis RAM 37 (step 
S16.fwdarw.S21, S22). 
FIG. 13 is a detailed flowchart indicative of a silhouette 
conversion/display process. When, for example, a silhouette corresponding 
to the front portrait created in the front portrait creation process at 
the steps S1-S12 (FIG. 10) is desired to be created, the "silhouette 
creation" key 19 of the input unit 32 is operated to set the CPU 31 in the 
silhouette creation mode (step B1). 
This causes a contour part pattern "No. 1" corresponding to the contour 
pattern number of the data on the front portrait recorded already in the 
portrait RAM 34 (FIG. 6) to be read out of the basic part pattern ROM 33 
and stored in a front contour area 70a of the silhouette RAM 35 (FIG. 7) 
(steps B2, B3). 
The CPU 31 reads data on the front portrait contour pattern stored in the 
front contour area 70a of the silhouette RAM 35, converts it to a 
silhouette pattern by inversion of "0" of the data on the contour to "1" 
and again stores data on the silhouette in a created silhouette front 
contour area 70b of the silhouette RAM 35 (FIG. 7) (step B4). 
Subsequently, data on a neck-shoulder pattern "No. 1" corresponding to the 
pattern number of a neck-shoulder of the front portrait already recorded 
in the portrait RAM 34 (FIG. 6) is read out of the basic part pattern ROM 
33 and stored in a front neck-shoulder area 72a of the silhouette RAM 35 
(FIG. 7) (steps B5, B6). 
The CPU 31 then reads data on the neck-shoulder pattern of the front 
portrait stored in the front neck-shoulder area 72a of the silhouette RAM 
35, inverts "0" in the data to "1" to thereby convert the front 
neck-shoulder pattern to a silhouette pattern and stores the data on the 
silhouette pattern in the created silhouette front neck-shoulder area 72b 
in the silhouette RAM 35 (FIG. 7)(step B7). 
Data on a hair style part pattern "No. 2" corresponding to that of the 
front portrait already recorded in the portrait RAM 34 (FIG. 6) is read 
out of the basic part pattern ROM 33, stored in the front hair style area 
71a in the silhouette RAM 35 (FIG. 7), and also stored intactly in the 
created silhouette front hair style area 71a (steps B8, B9). 
The CPU 31 then reads data on the respective silhouette patterns stored in 
the created silhouette part areas 70b, 71b, 72b in the silhouette RAM 35, 
transfers the data to the synthesis RAM 37, synthesizes the data in the 
RAM 37 and displays the resulting image as a silhouette corresponding to 
the front portrait obtained in the front portrait creation mode, as shown 
in FIG. 14B (steps B10, B11). 
In this case, data on the silhouette patterns created and displayed in the 
processes at steps B1-B11 is intactly stored and recorded in the 
respective created silhouette front part areas 70b, 71b, 72b of the 
silhouette RAM 35 (step B12). 
Also, when a silhouette corresponding to the side portrait created in the 
side portrait creation processes at steps S13-S22 (FIG. 11) is desired to 
be created, a silhouette conversion/display process (FIG. 13) similar to 
that mentioned above is performed. Data on the respective silhouette 
patterns of the parts corresponding to data on the side portrait stored in 
respective side part areas 70c, 71c, 72c is converted, displayed, for 
example, as shown in FIG. 14D, stored or recorded in the respective 
created silhouette side part areas 70d, 71d and 72d of the silhouette RAM 
35 (FIG. 7). 
FIG. 15 is a flowchart indicative of a process for inputting/recording data 
such as character data in the pocketbook. 
Operation of the "data input" key 20 of the input unit 32 to record data on 
an individual and data on its portrait in the individual's data RAM 36 
(FIG. 8) causes the CPU 31 to be set in the data input mode. 
When various character input keys 25, 26, 27 are operated to input data 
items on a particular individual's name, address, telephone number, and 
date of his birth, those input data items are sequentially stored in an 
individual's data area 80 of the individual's data RAM 36 (FIG. 8) (steps 
C1, C2). 
The CPU 31 then creates a front portrait corresponding to the individual's 
data stored in the individual's data area 80 of the individual's data RAM 
36 in the portrait creation/recording process (FIGS. 10-12) and records 
data on the front portrait in the portrait RAM 34 (steps C3, C4). 
When the individual's portrait created in the portrait creation process is 
desired to be kept secret from persons other than the user, the "secret" 
key 20a is operated, which sets a secret flag F at "1" in a secret flag 
area 82 provided in the portrait data storage area 81 (steps C5, C6). 
After data on an individual and his portrait is input/created and the 
presence/absence of the secret flag F is set for the portrait data, the 
"record" key 21 is operated, which causes the data on the portrait created 
beforehand in the front portrait creation process at steps C3, C4 to be 
read out of the portrait RAM 34, transferred to, stored and recorded in 
the portrait area 81 corresponding to the individual's data area 80 of the 
individual's data RAM 36 which stores data on individuals (steps C7, C8). 
Thus, information on an individual including desired data on an individual 
and its portrait is recorded in the individual's data RAM 36. 
FIG. 16 is a flowchart indicative of a process for retrieval and display of 
the data on the individuals recorded as mentioned above. 
FIG. 17 shows the display of data on an individual involved in the 
individual's data retrieval/display process. 
When the "retrieval" key 22 is operated to retrieve desired data on an 
individual recorded beforehand in the individual's data RAM 36 in the data 
input/recording process (FIG. 15), the CPU 31 is set in the data retrieval 
mode. When a person's name is then input through the alphabetic key "A-Z" 
unit and the ten-key unit, the CPU 31 reads data on the individual 
corresponding to the name in the individual's data RAM 36 (FIG. 8)(steps 
D1, D2). 
When the CPU 31 reads, for example, data on an individual corresponding to 
a record number "1" in the individual's data area 80 of the individual's 
data RAM 36, and determines that the secret flag added to the portrait 
data is set at "1", the data on the portrait is converted to data on a 
silhouette in the silhouette conversion/display process (FIG. 13) and the 
retrieved individual's portrait is displayed as a silhouette on the 
display 24, as shown in FIG. 17A (steps D3-D5). 
That is, when recorded data on an individual is retrieved with a secret 
flag F being set beforehand, the portrait involved in the data on the 
individual is first displayed in the form of a silhouette. 
When the CPU 31 determines that a password input by the operation of the 
ten-key unit 25 to release the silhouette state of the portrait matches 
with a password unique to the user and stored beforehand in the password 
storage unit 39, it converts the current displayed silhouette again to a 
basic part pattern the data on which is stored in the silhouette RAM 35 
(FIG. 7) in correspondence to a silhouette pattern of each of the parts 
(contour, hair style, neck-shoulder) to thereby release the silhouette 
state, as shown in FIG. 17B (steps D6-D8). 
The contents of data on the individual such as "name", "address", and 
"telephone number" read beforehand at step D2 are displayed on the display 
24 along with the individual's portrait the silhouette state of which has 
been released (step D9). 
If the secret flag F is not set in the flag area 82 for the portrait data, 
for example, as shown by a record number "2" when data on the individual 
to be retrieved is read out at step D2, data on the respective part 
patterns corresponding to the read data on the individual is read out of 
the basic part pattern ROM 33, and synthesized in the synthesis RAM 37 and 
the resulting portrait is displayed concurrently along with the read data 
on the individual on the display 24, as shown in FIG. 17B (step 
D3.fwdarw.D10). 
Thus, data on an individual and his portrait which is not desired to be 
known to others except for the user is explicitly displayed only when the 
user's password matches. 
FIG. 18 is a flowchart indicative of a process for enjoying a silhouette 
guessing game of the electronic pocketbook. 
When a "silhouette game" key 23 is operated to enjoy a silhouette guessing 
game using data on individuals recorded beforehand in the individual's 
data ROM 36, the CPU 31 is set in a silhouette game mode (step El). 
This causes the random number generator 38 to generate a random number 
value corresponding to an appropriate one of individual's data recording 
numbers (1-50) stored in the individual's data RAM 36 (FIG. 8). The CPU 31 
reads data on the individual related to an individual's data recording 
number corresponding to the generated random number value, and recorded 
data on the portrait (steps E2, E3). 
If the secret flag F is set at "1" in the portrait data read by the CPU 31, 
the portrait data is handled as being kept secret and not displayed on the 
display 24. The random number generator 38 again generates another random 
number value and the CPU 31 reads data on a portrait related to an 
individual's data record number corresponding to the random number value 
(steps E4.fwdarw.E5.fwdarw.E2, E3). 
If the secret flag F is not set in the data on the portrait read by the CPU 
31 at step E3, the secret flag F is set at "1" for the read data on the 
portrait to indicate that silhouette display to be described in more 
detail later has once made. Then the silhouette conversion/display process 
(FIG. 13) is performed to convert/store the read portrait silhouette 
pattern in the silhouette RAM 35 (FIG. 7) (step E4.fwdarw.E6, E7). 
This causes the respective silhouette patterns of the parts obtained in the 
silhouette RAM 35 to be synthesized in the synthesis RAM 37 and displayed 
as a silhouette on the display 24 (step E8). 
When the CPU 31 determines that keyed-in data on an individual (for 
example, name) expected on the basis of the silhouette displayed on the 
display 24 matches with data on the individual (name) corresponding to 
data on the portrait for the current displayed silhouette and read out of 
the individual's data RAM 36 at step E6, the respective part silhouette 
patterns of the current displayed silhouette are re-converted to 
corresponding basic part patterns data on which is stored in the 
silhouette RAM 35 (FIG. 7) to release the silhouette state and a message 
"right guessed" is displayed along with the individual's portrait the 
silhouette of which is released (steps E9, E10.fwdarw.E11). 
This causes the random number generator 38 to again generate another random 
number value, and data on a portrait recorded as another data on an 
individual corresponding to the random number value is read out (step 
E11.fwdarw.E2, E3). 
When the CPU 31 determines that keyed-in data on the individual (for 
example, name) expected on the basis of the current displayed silhouette 
at step E9 does not match with data on the individual (name) corresponding 
to data on the portrait for the current displayed silhouette, the 
respective part silhouette patterns of the current displayed silhouette 
are re-converted to corresponding basic part patterns data on which is 
stored in the silhouette RAM 35 (FIG. 7) to thereby release the silhouette 
state and display a message "game end" along with the individual's 
portrait the silhouette state of which is released (steps E9, 
E10.fwdarw.E12, E13). 
Thereafter, repetition of the steps E2-E13 leads to enjoying the game of 
guessing silhouettes of portraits corresponding to data on all the 
individuals (1-50 in FIG. 8) stored in the individual's data RAM 36. If 
"yes" at step E5 or if it is determined that the secret flag F is set at 
"1" in data on the portraits corresponding to data on all the individuals 
(1-50), the message "all games ended" is displayed on the display 24 (step 
E5.fwdarw.E14). 
Thus, according to the present electronic pocketbook, when a silhouette of 
a portrait is displayed which is constructed by a combination of part 
patterns data on which is stored for each of the parts of, for example, a 
face (contour, hair style, eyes, nose, mouth, neck-shoulder) in the basic 
part pattern ROM 33, each of the patterns of the parts (contour, hair 
style, neck-shoulder) composing the contour of the portrait is converted 
to a corresponding silhouette pattern by inverting "0" of data in that 
pattern to "1". The resulting data on the silhouette patterns is stored in 
the silhouette RAM 35. The respective silhouette patterns of the parts are 
combined and synthesized in the synthesis RAM 37. The resulting silhouette 
is displayed on the display 24. Thus, no separate silhouette pattern 
storage RAMs are required to be provided in addition to the basic part 
pattern ROM 33 which stores data on the basic parts of the portrait and a 
silhouette matching with the portrait pattern is easily displayed. 
While in the embodiment a silhouette is displayed by lighting all dot-like 
data indicators in a part pattern, a portrait may be displayed which has a 
masked part of a part pattern. FIGS. 19A-19C show an example of displaying 
a silhouette with a masked part of a portrait. FIG. 19A shows an example 
of displaying an address and a telephone number of Mr. Ichiro Suzuki along 
with his portrait being masked at eyes by operation of the retrieval key 
22. By operation of the secret key 20a, "what is your password?" is 
displayed, as shown in FIG. 19B. Thus, when a password, for example, of 
numerals "3", "1", "4", "1" are keyed in and this password matches with 
the password already stored, a portrait with unmasked eyes is displayed, 
as shown in FIG. 19C. 
While the portrait's eyes are displayed masked in FIGS. 19A-19C, other 
parts of the portrait may be displayed masked. 
FIG. 20 shows another embodiment of the part pattern ROM 33 which includes 
storage areas 33A, 33B, 33C, 33D and 33E where image data items on masked 
patterns are stored in correspondence to the patterns of parts such as the 
face contour, hair style, eyes, nose and mouth. Image data items on the 
masked patterns stored in the storage areas 33A-33E are displayed on the 
display 24. Any one of those masked patterns can be selected by a select 
key (not shown). When a secret portrait is displayed and a silhouette 
guessing game is enjoyed, a portrait masked with a selected mask pattern 
is displayed. When, for example, a masked pattern of eyes is selected, a 
portrait with masked eyes is displayed, as shown in FIG. 21A, in a 
silhouette game. For example, when a name "Reiko Shiratori" is keyed in, 
as shown in FIG. 21B, and the silhouette is wrong guessed, this fact is 
displayed as shown in FIG. 21C. When a name "Ken Aida" is keyed in and 
hence the silhouette is right guessed, an unmasked portrait is displayed, 
as shown in FIG. 21D. It is to be noted that the number of part patterns 
to be masked is not limited to 1 (unity). For example, a plurality of 
parts such as "eyes" and "hair style" may be selected to display a 
plurality of masked parts of a single portrait.