A moving picture display apparatus comprises a main body and an external memory detachably mounted on the main body. The main body of the moving picture display apparatus is provided with a video data memory for storing therein graphic data of characters which constitute objects. A program data memory of the external memory has object data of an object to be displayed on a raster-scan type monitor, i.e., color pallet data, object name data, vertical position data, horizontal position data, object size selection data and size designation data and etc., all of which have previously been stored therein. Object data of an object to be displayed during the next vertical period is read from the program data memory so as to be stored in an object attribute memory. An inrange detection circuit makes a decision as to whether or not an object is in an inrange state, based on the vertical position data, the size selection data and the size designation data, and also makes a decision as to whether or not the object is in the inrange state, based on the horizontal position data, the size selection data and the size designation data.

A pattern data processing apparatus processes pattern data based on which a predetermined pattern is displayed in a display area. The pattern data has data corresponding to both said display area and a data calculating area outside of said display area, the display area being divided into a plurality of pixels. The pattern data processing apparatus comprises a flag data generator for generating first flag data indicating whether each of the pixels is located within a closed area of the pattern from the pattern data, a flag data memory having a memory area substantially corresponding to the display area for storing the flag data, read-out means for reading out the flag data from the flag data memory in a predetermined scanning direction, means for processing the pattern data inside of the closed area of the pattern by using the flag data read out of the flag data memory, and means for successively mapping the pattern data from the data calculating area into an outermost peripheral portion of the flag memory and for storing second flag data representing flags of the data in the data calculating area.

A method of filling a polygonal region enables a polygon of any shape to be filled with pixels with a simple algorithm. A display memory area and a working area each having a plurality of addresses correponding to all the pixels on a display screen are provided. A minimum rectangular area including the polygon is determined in accordance with all the polygon vertices, and the minimum rectangular area within the working area is cleared. A straight line (or an edge) connecting each pair of adjoining vertices of the polygon is described to the display memory area with predetermined values. The edges are also described to the working area but in accordance with three rules. Under Rule 1, when a constituent dot of the edge is described to the corresponding address, the data in the address is inverted. Under Rule 2, a start constituent dot of each edge is described only when the edge to be described has an inclination different in polarity from the precedingly described edge. Under Rule 3, the constituent dot of each edge is described only when the constituent dot is shifted in the vertical direction. Then, the rectangular area in the working area is scanned to detect dots in the state of "1" for each scanning line and to number the detected dots. Finally, addresses of the display memory area corresponding to each interval from the odd-numbered detected dot to the even-numbered detected dot are filled with predetermined values.

In a real-time computer-image generation system, processing resources for manipulating polygons that define objects are generally limited. This results in a trade-off with respect to the amount of detail to be displayed in an object versus the number and type of objects to be displayed. The value of a predetermined viewing criterion is used to determine when an object can be represented by a single polygon. The single polygon is rotatable about a predetermined number of axes for maintaining a predetermined relationship with respect to a view point. Since processing resources are saved by using a single polygon, additional objects and/or more detail may be included in a display.

Disclosed herein is a method of controlling a numerically controlled machine tool comprising the steps of classifying cutting tools and machining order for the respective machining patterns determined in response to the final machining contour of a workpiece machined by a numerically controlled machine tool like a machining center, for example in case of the final machining contour with a counter bore and a tap, the cutting tools and machining order of centering--drilling--end milling for a counter bore and centering--drilling--tapping for a tap, by the unit of machining patterns; storing the classification in the numerically controlled machine tool; reading, during machining of the workpiece, a unit of machining patterns corresponding to the machining contour of the workpiece on a display unit; machining the workpiece with numerical information as to each machining patterns entered in the numerically controlled machine tool; and displaying the machining process conditions on the display unit.