Electronic boundary generation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of generating an electronic representation of a boundary comprising the steps of:
- in a first mode, moving a cursor about a screen display to spaced points along a desired boundary;
determining the coordinates of the boundary by interpolating straight lines between the adjacent points; and
displaying the interpolated straight lines; and
ion a second, continuous drawing mode, defining at least part of the boundary by continuously moving the cursor along the boundary of the coordinates of successive cursor positions being determined, wherein the movement of the cursor in the first and second modes so as to generate the boundary is controlled by moving an indicating device in a drawing region of a detection plane, and wherein the second, continuous drawing mode is selected when the pressure exerted by the indicating device in the drawing region on the detection plane satisfies predetermined conditions.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for generating an electronic representation of a boundary, particularly for use in generating an outline around a displayed image. The apparatus comprises a screen (30) and a control system (1,2). The control system enables a cursor to be moved to spaced points along the boundary and determines the coordinates of the boundary by interpolating straight lines between adjacent points. The control system also permits at least part of the boundary to be defined in a continuous drawing mode in which the cursor is moved continuously along the boundary, the coordinates of the successive cursor positions being determined.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of generating an electronic representation of a boundary comprising the steps of:
- in a first mode, moving a cursor about a screen display to spaced points along a desired boundary;
determining the coordinates of the boundary by interpolating straight lines between the adjacent points; and
displaying the interpolated straight lines; and
ion a second, continuous drawing mode, defining at least part of the boundary by continuously moving the cursor along the boundary of the coordinates of successive cursor positions being determined, wherein the movement of the cursor in the first and second modes so as to generate the boundary is controlled by moving an indicating device in a drawing region of a detection plane, and wherein the second, continuous drawing mode is selected when the pressure exerted by the indicating device in the drawing region on the detection plane satisfies predetermined conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
- in a first mode, moving a cursor about a screen display to spaced points along a desired boundary;
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6. A method of generating an electronic representation of a boundary comprising the steps of:
- in a first mode, moving a cursor about a screen display to spaced points along a desired boundary;
determining the coordinates of the boundary by interpolating straight lines between the adjacent points; and
displaying the interpolated straight lines; and
in a second, continuous drawing mode, defining at least part of the boundary by continuously moving the cursor along the boundary of the coordinates of successive cursor positions being determined, wherein the movement of the cursor in the first and second modes so as to generate the boundary is controlled by moving an indicating device within a drawing region of a detection plane, and wherein the second, continuous drawing mode is selected when the time at which the indicating device remains at a current coordinate position in the drawing region exceeds a threshold. - View Dependent Claims (7)
- in a first mode, moving a cursor about a screen display to spaced points along a desired boundary;
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8. An apparatus for generating an electronic representation of a boundary comprising:
- a screen for displaying the boundary;
an indicating device and a detection plane including a drawing region, wherein movement of the indicating device across the detection plane causes corresponding movement of a cursor about the screen; and
control means responsive to movement of the indicating device within the drawing region of the detection plane, being operable in a first mode to move the cursor about the screen to spaced points along a desired boundary, to determine the coordinates of the boundary by interpolating straight lines between the adjacent points, and to display the interpolated straight lines; and
in a second, continuous drawing mode to define at least part of the boundary by continuously moving the cursor along the boundary and to determine the coordinates of successive cursor positions, wherein the control means selects the second, continuous drawing mode when the pressure exerted by the indicating device in the drawing region on the detection plane satisfies predetermined conditions. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
- a screen for displaying the boundary;
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11. An apparatus for generating an electronic representation of a boundary comprising:
- a screen for displaying the boundary;
an indicating device and a detection plane including a drawing region, wherein movement of the indicating device across the detection plane causes corresponding movement of a cursor about the screen; and
control means responsive to movement of the indicating device within the drawing region of the detection plane, the control means being operable in a first mode to move the cursor about the screen to spaced points along a desired boundary, to determine the coordinates of the boundary by interpolating straight lines between the adjacent points, and to display the interpolated straight lines, and operable in a second, continuous drawing mode to define at least part of the boundary by continuously moving the cursor along the boundary and to determine the coordinates of successive cursor positions, wherein the control means monitors the time at which said indicating device is at a current coordinate position within the drawing region of the detection plane and selects said second, continuous drawing mode when said monitored time exceeds a threshold.
- a screen for displaying the boundary;
Specification