The character numbers of the characters of line sprites and the color palette numbers are specified in the regions C.sub.1,0, C.sub.1,1 C.sub.1,2, . . . C.sub.1,31. The data for specifying display position of the lines and shrinkage are stored in the regions L.sub.1, L.sub.2 . . . to L.sub.380. also, the number of active characters to be displayed on the display screen is specified in the region L.sub.1, L.sub.2, . . . to L.sub.380. Since only one display position is specified to each of the line sprites, capacity of the memory can be decreased, and control of the display can be done easily. Also, since the number of active characters can be specified in line sprite units, operation for changing the display and other operations can be executed easily with sufficient flexibility. |
Citations|
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Referenced by|
| US7408546 | Dec 1, 2003 | Aug 5, 2008 | Volume Interactions Pte Ltd. | System and method for displaying and comparing 3D models (“3D matching”) | | US7445551 | Nov 28, 2000 | Nov 4, 2008 | Nintendo Co., Ltd. | Memory for video game system and emulator using the memory |
Claims1. A display control apparatus for displaying characters in sprite line units on a display screen by use of the sprite line consisting of a series of the characters, the apparatus comprising: - a character storing part for storing a plurality of different characters, each of the characters having a plurality of pixels provided in both vertical and horizontal directions;
- a video RAM with a display specifying part having a plurality of line display specifying parts, each of the line display specifying parts including a first means for individually specifying each of the characters of the series of characters consisting the sprite line, a second means for specifying display positions of the sprite line, and a third means for specifying the number of the characters capable of being displayed form the series of characters consisting the sprite line; and
- a control means for controlling display of the desired characters on the display screen, the desired characters being selected from the characters stored in the character storing part in accordance with the specifications made by the display specifying part.
2. The display control apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein display of a background image is specified with predetermined numbers of the line display specifying parts while display of a sprite image is specified with the line display specifying parts not used for the specification of the background images. 3. The display control apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sprite line is not displayed on the display screen by setting the number of the characters to be displayed as zero in the third means. 4. The display control apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a size specification means for specifying in sprite line units an image shrink ratio and an image enlargement ratio in both vertical or horizontal directions. 5. The display control apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the line display specifying parts further include a sequence specification means for specifying whether or not one sprite line specified by one line display specifying part is displayed on the display screen sequentially to another sprite line specified by another line display specifying part. 6. A display control method for displaying characters in sprite line units on a display screen by use of sprite lines consisting of a series of the characters as specified in a video RAM, said characters being stored in a character storing part, the method comprising the steps of: - storing a plurality of different characters in said character storing part, each of the characters for display using a plurality of pixels provided in both vertical and horizontal directions;
- in said video RAM, specifying each sprite line by individually specifying the characters of the series of characters consisting each sprite line, specifying display positions of each sprite line, and specifying the number of the characters capable of being displayed from the series of characters consisting each sprite line; and
- controlling display of desired characters on the display screen, the desired characters being selected from the characters being stored in the character storing part as specified in the video RAM.
7. The display control method in accordance with claim 6, wherein display of a background image is controlled by specifying the sprite lines which at least required for displaying entire background image while display of a sprite image is controlled by specifying the sprite line which required for displaying the sprite image. |
