Patent ID: 8233012

Claim:
An image processing apparatus displaying an image on a display screen having a predetermined image size, the image processing apparatus comprising: a first memory area storing image information on a main image layer; a second memory area storing image information on an on-screen display layer that includes display information including character information or graphic data and that has a predetermined reference size; image scaling means for scaling the image information on the main image layer in the first memory area in accordance with the image size of the display screen; on-screen display enlarging means for reading out the image information on the on-screen display layer from the second memory area and enlarging the readout image information so as to be fitted in the image size of the display screen; and mixing means for mixing the enlarged image information on the on-screen display layer with the enlarged or reduced image information on the main image layer, wherein the on-screen display enlarging means includes first on-screen display partial enlargement means for enlarging the image information in an area where the display information is not present on the on-screen display layer and second on-screen display partial enlargement means for enlarging the image information in an area where the display information is present on the on-screen display layer by a method different from that of the first on-screen display partial enlargement means, wherein the first on-screen display partial enlargement means enlarges the area where the display information is not present on the on-screen display layer at a scaling factor of a real number, wherein the second on-screen display partial enlargement means enlarges the area where the display information is present on the on-screen display layer at a scaling factor “N” (“N” is an integer not smaller than one), and wherein the first on-screen display partial enlargement means reads out the same pixel twice on a predetermined cycle while normally reading out pixels one by one or the first on-screen display partial enlargement means increases the number of times of readout of the same pixel on a predetermined cycle while normally continuously reading out the same pixel a predetermined number of times, in order to enlarge the area where the display information is not present on the on-screen display layer at a scaling factor of a real number.