Video display apparatus and external storage device used therein

An external storage unit used in association with a video display apparatus which displays a plurality of still picture cells, each cell composed of a plurality of still picture characters, in an overlaid state on a monitor screen based on video data of still picture characters generated by a still picture video data generator, said external storage unit comprising:

• still picture character code storing means for storing a still picture character code that designates a still picture character to be displayed, said still picture character video data generator generating the video data on the basis of still picture character codes pertaining to said plurality of still picture cells to which predetermined priorities are applied in advance;
• and
• first priority data storing means for storing and applying first priority data for each still picture character generated by said still picture video data generator, said first priority data being different from the data of the still picture character and designating a change of said predetermined priorities in displaying the still picture characters in the overlaid state,
• wherein said video display apparatus includes selecting means for selecting at least two still picture cells on the basis of said predetermined priorities applied to said still picture cells, and at a time that said first priority data designates the change of said predetermined priorities, for selectively outputting the video data of the one still picture character having the highest priority among still picture characters of selected still picture cells on the basis of said predetermined priorities and said first priority data, thereby changing said predetermined priorities in an overlaid state of the plurality of still picture cells with respect to each still picture character.

A video display apparatus which displays a plurality of still picture cells each composed of a plurality of still picture characters in an overlaid state, said video display apparatus, comprising:

• still picture logic circuits which produce video data of said still picture characters to be displayed regarding each of said plurality of still picture cells to which predetermined priorities are applied in advance;
• first priority data logic circuits for separately producing and applying first priority data for each produced still picture character generated by said still picture logic circuits, said first priority data being different from the video data of the still picture character from said still picture logic circuits and ›designates!designating a change of said predetermined priorities in displaying the still picture characters in the overlaid state;
• a selection circuit for selecting at least two still picture cells on the basis of said predetermined priorities applied to said still picture cells, and at a time that said first priority data designates the change of said predetermined priorities, for selectively outputting the video data of the one still picture character having the highest priority among still picture characters of selected still picture cells on the basis of said predetermined priorities and said first priority data, thereby changing said predetermined priorities in an overlaid state of the plurality of still picture cells with respect to each still picture character;
• and
• a display device for displaying the still picture character outputted selectively by said selecting circuit.

An external storage unit used in association with a video display apparatus which displays a plurality of still picture cells, each cell composed of a plurality of stiff picture characters, in an overlaid state on a monitor screen based on video data of still picture characters generated by a still picture video data generator, said external storage unit comprising:

• a still picture character code storage device for storing a still picture character code that designates a still picture character to be displayed, said still picture character video data generator generating the video data on the basis of still picture character codes pertaining to said plurality of still picture cells to which predetermined priorities are applied in advance;
• and
• a first priority data storing element for storing and applying first priority data for each still picture character generated by said still picture video data generator, said first priority data being different from the data of the still picture character and designating a change of said predetermined priorities in displaying the still picture characters in the overlaid state,
• said video display apparatus including selecting circuits for selecting at least two still picture cells on the basis of said predetermined priorities applied to said still picture cells, and at a time that said first priority data designates the change of said predetermined priorities, for selectively outputting the video data of the one still picture character having the highest priority among still picture characters of selected still picture cells on the basis of said predetermined priorities and said first priority data, thereby changing said predetermined priorities in an overlaid state of the plurality of still picture cells with respect to each still picture character.

A video display apparatus for displaying a plurality of picture cells in an overlaid state, each cell including a plurality of picture characters, said video display apparatus comprising:

• a still picture video data generator for producing video data of still picture characters to be displayed for each of said plurality of picture cells to which predetermined priorities are applied in advance;
• a first storing element for storing and applying first priority data for each still picture character generated by said still picture video data generator for each of said plurality of picture cells, wherein the first priority data is distinct from the video data and designates a change of said predetermined priorities in displaying the still picture characters in the overlaid state;
• a moving picture video generator for producing video data of a moving character;
• a second storing element for storing and producing a second priority data associated with the moving character video data;
• and
• a control and selection circuit responsive to said predetermined priorities, the video data of moving and still picture characters and said first and second priority data for selectively outputting the video data of a still picture character having the highest priority of the still picture characters of the overlaid cells to be displayed or the moving picture character based on the first and second priority data.

A video display apparatus which displays a plurality of still picture cells each composed of a plurality of still picture characters in an overlaid state, said video display apparatus, comprising:

• still picture character storing means for storing video data of said plurality of still picture characters to be displayed regarding each of said plurality of still picture cells to which predetermined priorities are applied in advance;
• still picture name data storing means for storing still picture name data for designating a position on a screen at which each of said plurality of still picture characters is to be displayed;
• first priority data applying means for separately applying, by each still picture character, for each still picture character displayed at the position on the screen designated by said still picture name data first priority data which is different from the data of the still picture character and designates a change of said predetermined priorities in displaying the still picture characters in the overlaid state;
• selecting means for selecting at least two still picture cells on the basis of said predetermined priorities applied to said picture cells, and at a time that said first priority data designates the change of said predetermined priorities, for selectively outputting the video data of the one still picture character having the highest priority among still picture characters of selected still picture cells on the basis of said predetermined priorities and said first priority data, thereby changing said predetermined priorities in an overlaid state of the plurality of still picture cells by each still picture character;
• and
• display means for displaying the still picture character outputted selectively by said selecting means.