Method and apparatus for single source entry of analog and digital data into a computer
First Claim
1. A method for inputting two-dimensional graphical data from a first, construction drawing and processing instructions from a second drawing into a computer system through a digitizer means for sensing location coordinates of a user-designated point on a drawing and outputting a corresponding digitizer output signal;
- the computer system including a computer having logic and memory circuitry, a keyboard and a display terminal connected to the computer via data input and output means, and a prestored construction cost estimation program;
the keyboard including keys defining a set of alphanumeric keyboard symbols and electrical circuitry for transmitting to the computer different signals uniquely defining each of said keyboard symbols; and
the second drawing containing image of a keyboard comprising a first set of visible symbols corresponding to the set of keyboard symbols and a second set of symbols corresponding to preselected formulae;
the method comprising;
storing in the computer memory circuitry a coordinates map defining the coordinates of the first and second keyboard image, a first set of formulae in the logic and memory circuitry for making dimensional computations and a second set of unique signals corresponding to the keyboard symbols and which mimic the electrical signals generated by the keyboard circuitry;
digitizing the coordinates of user-designated points on each of said drawings and outputting corresponding digitizer output signals;
processing each digitizer output signal in accordance with the stored coordinates map to determine upon which drawing said point was designated and the coordinates of the location of the point thereon;
for a digitizer output signal corresponding to a location of a point on the first drawing, formatting said coordinates as graphic data point coordinates;
for a digitizer output signal corresponding to a location of a point on the second drawing, generating from the logic and memory circuitry a selected one of said set of unique symbols;
processing a first digitizer output signal corresponding to a first location on the keyboard image through said coordinates map to select one of said formulae;
processing a second digitizer output signal corresponding to graphic data coordinates of at least two points on the construction drawing including utilizing said coordinates within the selected formula to produce a resultant answer; and
transmitting said resultant answer to the keyboard data input means for further processing by said estimation program.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for inputting data to a single port of a host computer in parallel from a terminal keyboard and a graphic data digitizer. An adapter circuit includes inputs from the digitizer, the host computer and the terminal, outputs to the host computer and terminal and switching circuitry for routing signals from selected inputs to selected outputs, so that the use of the digitizer is transparent to the host computer. A microprocessor in the adapter circuit controls switching and, additionally, is programmed so that the digitizer, provided with menu images of keyboards, can mimic the function of the keyboard. The microprocessor memory contains a coordinates map of the menus, locatable as the user desires in the work area, which allows the user to access stored keyboard symbols and functions by using the digitizer.
90 Citations
10 Claims
-
1. A method for inputting two-dimensional graphical data from a first, construction drawing and processing instructions from a second drawing into a computer system through a digitizer means for sensing location coordinates of a user-designated point on a drawing and outputting a corresponding digitizer output signal;
- the computer system including a computer having logic and memory circuitry, a keyboard and a display terminal connected to the computer via data input and output means, and a prestored construction cost estimation program;
the keyboard including keys defining a set of alphanumeric keyboard symbols and electrical circuitry for transmitting to the computer different signals uniquely defining each of said keyboard symbols; and
the second drawing containing image of a keyboard comprising a first set of visible symbols corresponding to the set of keyboard symbols and a second set of symbols corresponding to preselected formulae;
the method comprising;storing in the computer memory circuitry a coordinates map defining the coordinates of the first and second keyboard image, a first set of formulae in the logic and memory circuitry for making dimensional computations and a second set of unique signals corresponding to the keyboard symbols and which mimic the electrical signals generated by the keyboard circuitry; digitizing the coordinates of user-designated points on each of said drawings and outputting corresponding digitizer output signals; processing each digitizer output signal in accordance with the stored coordinates map to determine upon which drawing said point was designated and the coordinates of the location of the point thereon; for a digitizer output signal corresponding to a location of a point on the first drawing, formatting said coordinates as graphic data point coordinates; for a digitizer output signal corresponding to a location of a point on the second drawing, generating from the logic and memory circuitry a selected one of said set of unique symbols; processing a first digitizer output signal corresponding to a first location on the keyboard image through said coordinates map to select one of said formulae; processing a second digitizer output signal corresponding to graphic data coordinates of at least two points on the construction drawing including utilizing said coordinates within the selected formula to produce a resultant answer; and transmitting said resultant answer to the keyboard data input means for further processing by said estimation program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- the computer system including a computer having logic and memory circuitry, a keyboard and a display terminal connected to the computer via data input and output means, and a prestored construction cost estimation program;
-
7. A system for detecting and processing analog graphic data shown on a drawing in a computer operable from an electrical alphanumeric keyboard through digital keyboard data input means for inputting electrical symbols to the computer and programmed with an applications program, the system comprising:
-
a digitizer means disposable on a flat work surface for digitizing coordinates of a designated point on a predetermined area of said surface and outputting digital signals uniquely identifying the coordinates of each designated point; means defining an image of a computer keyboard for displaying visible symbols including a first set of alphanumeric characters and a second set of predetermined function symbols; and digitizer interface program means for preprocessing the digital signals output from the digitizer means to generate and transmit a modified set of digital output signals to the applications program via the digital data input means, the interface program means including; first prestored keyboard character means for generating first digital symbols in a form which mimic the electrical alphanumeric keyboard characters; second prestored function means including a set of formulae for making dimensional computations and generating second digital symbols defining results of the computations in the form of said keyboard characters; means for discriminating between digitized coordinates of points of said image and said drawing positioned in common within said predetermined area; and addressing means responsive to each of a predetermined subset of the digital signals from the digitizer means for accessing one of the first and second prestored means, the addressing means comprising; logic means for comparing the digital signals from the digitizer to said predetermined subset and, for a digital signal within said subset, selecting one the first and second prestored means, means including a prestored coordinates map defining relative coordinates of the first and second set of visible symbols for selectively accessing one of a first unique symbol stored in the first prestored keyboard character means, or a unique formula stored in the second prestored function means to generate a second unique symbol; means for outputting the selected unique symbol to the digital data input means; and locating means operable by a user after positioning the image means in said predetermined area for inputting digital signals identifying the location of the first and second sets of symbols as image coordinates within said area and linking said image coordinates to the relative coordinates of the coordinates map of the first and second drawings. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
-
Specification