Method and system for digitizing freehand graphics with user-selected properties
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for digitizing a freehand graphic, the system comprising:
- a base including;
a surface;
a position-coding pattern fixed to the surface and detectable by an optical sensor;
a first area of the surface; and
a second area of the surface;
a drawing device having an optical sensor functional to detect a position in the position-coding pattern; and
a microprocessor adapted to perform the following actions;
determining if the position detected by the optical sensor is in the first area or the second area;
if the position is in the first area of the surface, then interpreting the position as a point in the freehand graphic; and
if the position is in the second area of the surface, then interpreting the position as a selection of a property for the freehand graphic.
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method for inputting graphical information into a computer system. The graphical information may arise when a drawing device is moved relative to a base having a position-coding pattern detectable by an optical sensor in the drawing device. The computer system may record position information arising from a first area of the base as graphical input while recording position information arising from a second area of the base as the selection of a property associated with the graphical input. Such a property may be a visual property, such as line type, line thickness, and color.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A system for digitizing a freehand graphic, the system comprising:
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a base including;
a surface;
a position-coding pattern fixed to the surface and detectable by an optical sensor;
a first area of the surface; and
a second area of the surface;
a drawing device having an optical sensor functional to detect a position in the position-coding pattern; and
a microprocessor adapted to perform the following actions;
determining if the position detected by the optical sensor is in the first area or the second area;
if the position is in the first area of the surface, then interpreting the position as a point in the freehand graphic; and
if the position is in the second area of the surface, then interpreting the position as a selection of a property for the freehand graphic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A base enabling the digitization of a freehand graphic, the base comprising:
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a surface;
a position-coding pattern fixed to the surface and detectable by an optical sensor;
a first area of the surface; and
a second area of the surface visually distinct from the first area, wherein the second area includes a plurality of visually distinct sub-areas, and at least one of the sub-areas comprises an indication of a property for a freeform graphic. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for digitizing a freehand graphic, the method comprising:
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receiving a position indicator detected on a position-coding pattern fixed to a surface by an optical sensor as the optical sensor moves over a surface;
determining if a position corresponding to the position indicator lies in a first area of the surface;
if the position lies in the first area, then interpreting the position as defining part of the freehand graphic;
determining if the position corresponding to the position indicator lies in a second area of the surface; and
if the position lies in the second area, then determining a property for the freehand graphic. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for digitizing a freehand graphic, the method comprising:
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receiving from an optical sensor an indicator of a position in a selection area of a position-coding pattern fixed to a surface;
determining from a plurality of visual properties a visual property mapped to the position in the selection area; and
until a new indicator of a position in the selection area of the position-coding pattern is received, applying the visual property to portions of the freehand graphic thereafter drawn by movement of the optical sensor over a drawing area of the position-coding pattern. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A base enabling the digitization of a freehand graphic, the base comprising:
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a surface;
a position-coding pattern fixed to the surface and detectable by an optical sensor;
a first area of the surface;
a second area of the surface having no overlap with the first area;
the second area having a plurality of sub-areas; and
at least one of the plurality of sub-areas having a visual indicator representing specific information a user can submit to a computer system by moving a drawing device including the optical sensor over the at least one of the plurality of sub-areas. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification