Method and apparatus for providing translucent images on a computer display

Abstract

A method and apparatus is described for producing a translucent image over a base image created on the display screen of a computer system by a selected first application program, and conducting image operations either on the base image created by the selected application program with reference to the translucent image produced, or conducting image operations on the translucent image with reference to the base image of the first application program. The first application program runs on a central processing unit (CPU) of a computer system to produce a base image, and another application program referred to as the overlay program is run to produce the translucent image such that portions of the base image which are overlapped by the overlay image are at least partially visible through the translucent image. There is also a mechanism for blending the first video data and the second video data to produce a blended image on the screen assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for establishing a translucent window having a translucent window background and a translucent window frame on a display screen of a computer system, comprising the steps of:
 displaying a translucent window on a display screen such that a base window can be seen through said translucent window, and   conducting image operations on at least one of said translucent window and said base window.   
     
     
       2. A method as recited in  claim 1  wherein said base window is produced on said display screen by a first computer implemented process running on said computer system, and said translucent window is produced by a second computer implemented process running on said computer system. 
     
     
       3. A method as recited in  claim 2  wherein said second computer implemented process receives screen inputs which are associated with said translucent window and processes said screen inputs. 
     
     
       4. A method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said second computer implemented process receives screen inputs which are physically applied in connection with said translucent window and processes said screen inputs. 
     
     
       5. A method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said second computer implemented process receives screen inputs which make image contact with said translucent window and processes said screen inputs. 
     
     
       6. A method as recited in  claim 1  wherein image operations are conducted with respect to said translucent window. 
     
     
       7. A method as recited in  claim 1  wherein image operations are conducted below said translucent window. 
     
     
       8. A method as recited in  claim 1  wherein image operations are conducted in connection with windows referenced by a cursor indication. 
     
     
       9. A method for displaying images on a display screen of a computer system, comprising the steps of:
 displaying a base image on a display screen of a computer system; and   displaying a translucent image on said screen such that portions of said base image which are covered by said translucent image are at least partially visible through said translucent image.   
     
     
       10. A method as recited in  claim 9  wherein said base image and said translucent image are produced by independent computer implemented processes. 
     
     
       11. A method as recited in  claim 9  wherein said base image is active to receive user inputs. 
     
     
       12. A method as recited in  claim 9  wherein said translucent image is active to receive user inputs. 
     
     
       13. A method as recited in  claim 12  wherein said translucent image is made active by user action. 
     
     
       14. A method as recited in  claim 12  wherein said translucent image is made active by positioning the cursor at a portion of the translucent image and conducting a select action. 
     
     
       15. A method as recited in  claim 12  wherein said translucent image is made active by clicking a mouse when the cursor is over a portion of the translucent image. 
     
     
       16. A method as recited in  claim 9  wherein said translucent image and said base image are selectably active to receive user inputs. 
     
     
       17. A method for displaying images on a display screen of a computer system comprising the steps of:
 running an application program on the central processing unit (CPU) of a computer system to produce a base image on a display screen coupled to said CPU; and   running an overlay program on said CPU to produce a translucent image on said display screen such that portions of said base image are overlapped by said translucent image and are at least partially visible through said translucent image.   
     
     
       18. A method as recited in  claim 17  wherein said step of running an overlay program comprises the steps of:
 displaying a translucent image on said display screen; 
 intercepting screen inputs which contact the translucent image; 
 processing said intercepted screen inputs in said CPU; and 
 updating said application program based upon said processed screen inputs. 
 
     
     
       19. A method as recited in  claim 18  wherein said step of displaying a translucent image comprises the step of blending a translucent image with said base image. 
     
     
       20. A method as recited in  claim 19  wherein said step of blending is accomplished in said CPU. 
     
     
       21. A method as recited in  claim 19  wherein said step of blending is accomplished externally to said CPU. 
     
     
       22. A method as recited in  claim 18  wherein said step of processing said intercepted screen inputs includes redirecting at least one page of memory within the memory management means of said computer system. 
     
     
       23. A method of performing image operations in a computer system having a display screen, including the steps of:
 presenting a first selected image with respect to which image operations are desired, and   producing a translucent image effective for overlapping at least a portion of said first selected image.   
     
     
       24. A method according to  claim 23  wherein said first selected image contains features of interest, and image operations are conducted on said translucent image with respect to said features of interest. 
     
     
       25. A method according to  claim 23  wherein said translucent image contains features of interest, and image operations are conducted with respect to said first selected image based upon said features of interest. 
     
     
       26. A computer system comprising:
 a central processing unit (CPU);   screen means for displaying images, said screen means being coupled to said CPU;   display means coupled to said screen means for displaying a translucent image on said screen means; and   means for conducting image operations on a region including the level of a translucent image produced by said display means and the level beneath the translucent image.   
     
     
       27. A computer system according to  claim 26  wherein said means for conducting image operations performs image operations with reference to a translucent image on said screen means. 
     
     
       28. A computer system according to  claim 26  wherein said means for conducting image operations performs image operations selectably with reference to a translucent image on said screen means and below the level of a translucent image on said screen means. 
     
     
       29. A method comprising:
 producing a first image and a second image in memory, wherein at least a portion of the first image includes first blendable units, and at least a portion of the second image includes second blendable units, at least one of the first blendable units being blended with at least one of the second blendable units;   identifying updated first blendable units of the first image;   blending the updated first blendable units of the first image with the at least one of the second blendable units in a memory of an electronic device to yield a blended image; and   displaying the blended image on a display of the electronic device.   
     
     
       30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:
 activating the first image to receive inputs;   receiving inputs in the first image effective to require an update of the first blendable units.   
     
     
       31. The method of claim 30 wherein the first image is overlaid by the second image. 
     
     
       32. The method of claim 30 wherein the first image is overlaid by the second image while the first image is receiving inputs. 
     
     
       33. The method of claim 30, wherein the first image is produced by a first application. 
     
     
       34. The method of claim 33, wherein the received inputs are user inputs received via a user interface of an operating system and passed to the first application. 
     
     
       35. The method of claim 29, wherein the blended image is comprised of a portion of pixel values contributed by the first blendable unit, and a portion of pixel values contributed by the second blendable unit. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim 29, wherein the blended image appears as is the second image is over the first image, and appears as though the second image can be seen and seen through such that the portion of the first image can be seen through the second image. 
     
     
       37. A system comprising:
 a memory configured to store a first image and a second image, wherein at least a portion of the first image includes first blendable units, and at least a portion of the second image includes second blendable units, at least one of the first blendable units being blended with at least one of the second blendable units;   a processor configured to identify updated first blendable units of the first image, and blend the updated first blendable units of the first image with the at least one of the second blendable units in the memory of an electronic device to yield a blended image;   a display configured to display the blended image.   
     
     
       38. The system of claim 37, wherein the processor is futher configured to activate the first image to receive inputs, and to receive inputs in the first image effective to require an update of the first blendable units. 
     
     
       39. The system of claim 38 wherein the first image is overlaid by the second image. 
     
     
       40. The system of claim 38 wherein the first image is overlaid by the second image while the first image is receiving inputs. 
     
     
       41. The system of claim 38, wherein the first image is produced by a first application executed by the processor. 
     
     
       42. The system of claim 41, wherein the received inputs are user inputs received via a user interface of an operating system and passed to the first application. 
     
     
       43. The system of claim 37, wherein the blended image is comprised of a portion of pixel values contributed by the first blendable unit, and a portion of pixel values contributed by the second blendable unit. 
     
     
       44. The system of claim 37, wherein the blended image appears as is the second image is over the first image, and appears as though the second image can be seen and seen through such that the portion of the first image can be seen through the second image. 
     
     
       45. A device comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium configured to store computer-executable instructions; and   computer-executable instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium that when executed are effective to cause a computer processor to:
 produce a first image and a second image in memory, wherein at least a portion of the first image includes first blendable units, and at least a portion of the second image includes second blendable units, at least one of the first blendable units being blended with at least one of the second blendable units; 
 identify updated first blendable units of the first image; 
 blend the updated first blendable units of the first image with the at least one of the second blendable units in a memory of an electronic device to yield a blended image; and 
 display the blended image on a display of the electronic device. 
   
     
     
       46. The device of claim 45 further comprising:
 activating the first image to receive inputs;   receiving inputs in the first image effective to require an update of the first blendable units.   
     
     
       47. The device of claim 46 wherein the first image is overlaid by the second image. 
     
     
       48. The device of claim 46 wherein the first image is overlaid by the second image while the first image is receiving inputs. 
     
     
       49. The device of claim 46, wherein the first image is produced by a first application. 
     
     
       50. The device of claim 49, wherein the received inputs are user inputs received via a user interface of an operating system and passed to the first application. 
     
     
       51. The device of claim 45, wherein the blended image is comprised of a portion of pixel values contributed by the first blendable unit, and a portion of pixel values contributed by the second blendable unit. 
     
     
       52. The device of claim 45, wherein the blended image appears as is the second image is over the first image, and appears as though the second image can be seen and seen through such that the portion of the first image can be seen through the second image.