Context-base input/output system

• US 5,012,521 A
• Filed: 12/29/1988
• Issued: 04/30/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takenaka Corporation
• Original Assignee: Takenaka Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshida, Kyoko, Endo, Yasuo, Akimichi, Shinji, Furukawa, Motonori, Hirose, Tadayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, David K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mancuso, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US07/291,619
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 382/59, 382/61, 382/44, 382/47, 382/57, 382/13, 382/1, 340/707, 340/723, 340/731
• US Class Current: 382/189
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

When a pattern is manually drawn on a tablet with an electronic pen, a computer executes a graphic processing to display on a CRT a geometrically defined pattern which best resembles the manually drawn pattern. Moreover, a pattern element is erased, divided or copied by memorizing a graphic processing command in advance in a manner to correspond to a predetermined pattern or operator and by manually drawing this operator on the tablet with the electronic pen.

The pattern data can be inputted to the computer to display the pattern by the same operations as those for drawing on a paper with writing apparatus so that the pattern can be drawn on the basis of the human engineering without feeling any physical disorder.

Claims

1. A context-base input/output system comprising:

input means having an electronic pen and a tablet for converting a locus which was drawn by said electronic pen on said tablet into dot data and inputting said dot data;

first determining means based on the inputted dot data for determining what of at least segment, circle and arc is expressed by said locus;

display means based on the determination result of said first determining means for displaying the pattern expressed by said locus in a display unit;

memory means for memorizing graphic processing commands corresponding to a plurality of predetermined patterns for graphic processing, respectively;

second determining means based on the determination result of said first determining means for determining whether or not said predetermined patterns stored in said memory means are expressed by said locus and identifying any expressed predetermined patterns; and

processing means based on the determination result of said second determining means for graphic processing in response to the graphic processing commands corresponding to said predetermined patterns identified by said second determining means.

2. A context-base input/output system according to claim 1, wherein said graphic processing commands identified by said electronic pen are displayed on said tablet of said input means.

3. A context-base input/output system according to claim 1, wherein said graphic processing commands include at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

the function to erase a designated pattern element;

the step of dividing a designated pattern element into a plurality of pattern elements;

the step of copying a designated pattern;

the function of magnifying a designated pattern; and

the function of reducing a designated pattern.

4. A context-base input/output system according to claim 1, wherein said second determining means is based on the length of each element of the pattern determined by said first determining means for determining whether the pattern corresponds to the graphic processing command or is to be drawn.

5. A context-base input/output system according to claim 1, wherein said display means is based on a determination result of said first determining means for displaying the pattern expressed by said locus on said display unit after the same has been automatically edited.

6. A context-base input/output system according to claim 5, wherein said automatic edition edits the segment determined by said first determining means into a horizontal or vertical line in the screen of said display unit if the angle between said horizontal or vertical line and said segment is no more than a predetermined value.

7. A context-base input/output system according to claim 5, wherein said automatic edition edits the end points of a plurality of segments, which are determined by said first determining means, so that they may be connected, if the distance between said end points is no more than a predetermined value.

8. A context-base input/output system comprising:

input means having an electronic pen and a tablet for converting a pattern, which is manually drawn with said electronic pen on said tablet, into dot data to input said dot data;

first determining means based on the inputted dot data for determining what of patterns geometrically defined said manually drawn pattern resembles;

display means for displaying the geometrically defined pattern determined by said first determining means in a display unit after the same has been automatically edited;

memory means for memorizing graphic processing commands corresponding to a plurality of predetermined patterns for graphic processing, respectively;

second determining means for determining whether or not the geometrically defined pattern judged by said first determining means expresses said predetermined patterns stored in said memory means and identifying any expressed predetermined patterns; and

processing means for graphic processing in response to the commands corresponding to said predetermined patterns identified by said second determining means if it is determined by said second determining means that said predetermined patterns are expressed.

9. A context base input/output system according to claim 8, wherein said first determining means executes:

a. the step of determining a straight line passing through start and end points of the dot data inputted;

b. the step of selecting from said dot data the remotest point having the maximum distance from said straight line;

c. the step of converting said straight line into a traverse having said remotest point as a broken point if said maximum distance exceeds a predetermined value;

d. the step of selecting from said dot data one remotest point having the maximum distance from the individual traverse lines composing said traverse;

e. the step of converting said traverse lines into a traverse having said remotest point as a broken point if said distance exceeds said predetermined value;

f. the step of repeating the steps d and e until said maximum distance is exceeded by said predetermined value;

g. the steps of determining a circle resembling the most the traverse which is finally determined; and

h. the step of determining that said locus expresses said circle or arc, if the maximum distance between the finally determined traverse and said circle is less than said predetermined value, and that said locus expresses said segment or traverse if said maximum distance exceeds said predetermined value.

10. A context-base input/output system according to claim 8, wherein said graphic processing commands include at least one member selected from the group consisting of:

the function to erase a designated geometrically defined pattern element;

the step of dividing a designated geometrically defined pattern element into a plurality of pattern elements;

the step of copying a designated geometrically defined pattern;

the function of magnifying a designated geometrically defined pattern; and

the function of reducing a designated pattern which is geometrically defined.

11. A context-base input/output system according to claim 8, wherein said second determining means is based on the length of each element of the geometrically defined pattern determined by said first determining means for determining whether the pattern corresponds to a graphic processing command or is to be drawn.

12. A context-base input/output system according to claim 8, wherein said display means is based on a determination result of said first determining means for displaying the geometrically defined pattern expressed by said locus on said display unit after the same has been automatically edited.

13. A context-base input/output system according to claim 12, wherein said automatic edition edits the segment determined by said first determining means into a horizontal or vertical line in the screen of said display unit if the angle between said horizontal or vertical line and said segment is no more than a predetermined value.

14. A context-base input/output system according to claim 12, wherein said automatic edition edits the end points of a plurality of segments, which are determined by said first determining means, so that they may be connected, if the distance between said end points is no more than a predetermined value.

15. A context-base input/output system according to claim 8, wherein said graphic processing commands identified by said electronic pen are displayed on said tablet of said input means.

16. A context-base input/output system, comprising:

input means having an electronic pen and a tablet for converting a locus which was drawn by said electronic pen on said tablet into dot data and inputting said dot data;

first determining means based on the inputted dot data for determining what of at least segment, circle and arc is expressed by said locus;

display means based on the determination result of said first determining means for displaying the pattern expressed by said locus in a display unit;

memory means for memorizing graphic processing commands corresponding to a plurality of predetermined patterns for graphic processing, respectively;

second determining means based on the determination result of said first determining means for determining whether or not said predetermined patterns stored in said memory means are expressed by said locus and identifying any expressed predetermined patterns; and

processing means based on the determination result of said second determining means for graphic processing in response to the graphic processing commands corresponding to said predetermined patterns identified by said second determining means

wherein said first determining means executes;

a. the step of determining a straight lien passing through start and end points of the dot data inputted;

b. the step of selecting from said dot data the remotest point having the maximum distance from said straight line;

c. the step of converting said straight line into a traverse having said remotest point as a broken point if said maximum distance exceeds a predetermined value;

d. the step of selecting from said dot data one remotest point having the maximum distance from the individual traverse lines composing said traverse;

e. the step of converting said traverse lines into a traverse having said remotest point as a broken point if said distance exceeds said predetermined value;

f. the step of repeating the steps d and e until said maximum distance is exceeded by said redetermined value;

g. the step of determining a circle resembling the most the traverse which is finally determined; and

h. the step of determining that said locus expresses said circle or arc, if the maximum distance between the finally determined traverse and said circle is less than said predetermined value, and that said locus expresses said segment or traverse if said maximum distance exceeds said predetermined value.