Electronic graphic system

• US 5,357,265 A
• Filed: 03/06/1991
• Issued: 10/18/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quantel Limited (Belden Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Quantel Limited (Belden Inc.)
• Inventors: Searby, Anthony D., Kellar, Paul R. N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STOLL, KARA FARNANDEZ
• Application Number:
  US07/665,300
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 340/706, 340/709, 340/710, 340/703, 340/708, 340/798, 239/346, 178/18, 178/19, 345/113, 345/153, 345/179, 395/132
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation

Abstract

An electronic graphic system (1) comprises a memory (2) for storing data representing an image and a user operable stylus and touch tablet combination (4) by which the user can select a notional painting implement a color with which to paint and can create data defining positions in the image at which painting is to occur. An address generator (5) is arranged to generate address data identifying addresses in the memory (2) corresponding to the user created position data. The stylus and touch tablet (4) is pressure sensitive and generates a parameter depending on the pressure applied via the stylus by the user. The address generator (5) generates address data at intervals dependent on the instantaneous value of the pressure related parameter. In one embodiment the interval is a distance between identified addresses in the memory (2) and in another embodiment the interval is a period of time. In this way the system simulates an implement having a paint flow rate which is pressure related. The stylus may be connectable to a source of pressurized air and arranged so as to simulate the feel of an airbrush.

Claims

1. An electronic graphic system comprising:

storing means for storing image data;

means for providing brush profile data;

user manipulatable input means, providing position data and pressure data relating to pressure applied thereto by a user, for repeatedly addressing positions in the stored image determined by said position data at instances of time separated from each other by respective periods of time;

processing means for combining user selected color image data with data in the storing means at positions in the stored image addressed by said input means, the combining by said processing means being controlled by said brush profile data;

and wherein said user manipulatable input means includes generating means for generating, in response to said pressure data, a pulse signal comprising a sequence of strobe pulses each corresponding to a respective one of said instances of time, the period of time between each pulse being dependent upon said pressure data, said pulse signal being used to initiate the instances of time at which the user selected color image data and the image data in the storing means are combined.

2. An electronic graphic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said user manipulatable input means comprises a touch tablet and a stylus positionable thereon by the user, the stylus and touch tablet in combination being arranged to generate said position data identifying the position of the stylus on the touch tablet, wherein said positions in the store image addressed by said input means are calculated from position data.

3. An electronic graphic system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the user manipulatable input means further comprises an address generator responsive to the position data for generating a patch of addresses including the said position in the stored image addressed by said input means.

4. An electronic graphic system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the address generator further comprises a timing means responsive to the pressure data for timing the periods of time between said strobe pulses.

5. An electronic graphic system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the address generator further comprises a summing means responsive to the pressure data for integrating the data representing the position of the stylus on the touch tablet to determine when the position of the stylus has changed by an amount that exceeds a predetermined value, said generating means being arranged to generate said pulse signal in dependence on said position changing to exceed said predetermined value.

6. An electronic graphic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said processing means combines said user selected color image data and said data in said storing means in a weighted addition determined by said brush profile data to produce combined data which is written to the storing means replacing image data previously there.

7. An electronic graphic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the brush profile data defines a brush profile having a center and an edge which is defined by pixels with higher values in the vicinity of said center and pixels of lower values in the vicinity of said edge such that the color contribution made by pixels near the center of the profile is greater than that made by pixels near the edge.

15. A stylus in combination with a system as claimed in claim 1 for use with an electronic graphic facility in creating or manipulating data representing an image, the stylus comprising:

a housing defining a gas passage having an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion, the inlet end portion being connectable to a pressurized gas source such that in use pressurized gas is expelled from the outlet end portion;

user operable valve means in the gas passage for constricting the passage and thereby controlling the pressure at which gas is expelled from the outlet end portion in use; and

a pressure sensor mounted in the outlet end portion for sensing the pressure at which gas is expelled from the outlet end portion and outputting a signal related to the pressure sensed thereby, the signal being output for interpretation by the electronic graphic facility.

8. An electronic graphic system for modifying image data representing an image in accordance with user defined data to create modified data representing a modified image, the system comprising:

a memory for storing image data;

user operable input means for identifying areas of image data in the memory; and

modifying means for modifying image data in each identified area by combining the image data with data representing a user selected color in accordance with a preselected algorithm, the input means being sensitive to pressure applied hereto and being arranged to generate a pulse signal comprising a generate a pulse signal comprising sequence of strobe pulses at instances of time separated from each other by respective periods of time determined by the instantaneous pressure applied to the input means by a user, each strobe pulse of the pulse signal being used to initiate the modifying of image data by the modifying means.

9. An electronic graphic system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said period of time is a distance in memory between a point in one defined area and its corresponding point in a subsequently defined area.

10. An electronic graphic system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said interval is a period of time between the identifying of one image area in memory and the identifying of a next image area in memory.

11. An electronic graphic system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said input means comprises a touch tablet and a stylus positionable on the touch tablet by a user, the stylus and touch tablet in combination being arranged to generate instantaneous co-ordinate data representing the position of the stylus on the touch tablet in response to the stylus being brought to the touch tablet and to generate pressure data as pressure is applied to said stylus.

12. An electronic graphic system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said input means further comprises an address generator responsive to said instantaneous co-ordinate data for generating a patch of address data including address data corresponding to the instantaneous co-ordinate data thereby to identify an area in memory.

16. A stylus in combination with a system as claimed in claim 8 for use with an electronic graphic facility in creating or manipulating data representing an image, the stylus comprising:

a housing defining a gas passage having an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion, the inlet end portion being connectable to a pressurized gas source such that in use pressurized gas is expelled from the outlet end portion;

user operable valve means in the gas passage for constricting the passage and thereby controlling the pressure at which gas is expelled from the outlet end portion in use; and

a pressure sensor mounted in the outlet end portion for sensing the pressure at which gas is expelled from the outlet end portion and outputting a signal related to the pressure sensed thereby, the signal being output for interpretation by the electronic graphic facility.

13. A stylus for use with an electronic graphic facility in creating or manipulating data representing an image, the stylus comprising:

a housing defining a gas passage having an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion, the inlet end portion being connectable to a pressurized gas source such that in use pressurized gas is expelled from the outlet end portion;

user operable valve means in the gas passage for constricting the passage and thereby controlling the pressure at which gas is expelled from the outlet end portion in use; and

a pressure sensor mounted in the outlet end portion for sensing the pressure at which gas is expelled from the outlet end portion and outputting a signal related to the pressure sensed thereby, the signal being output for interpretation by the electronic graphic facility.

14. A stylus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the housing further defines a side bore and an opening, the side bore extending from the air passage through a position between said valve means and said outlet portion to said opening, the opening being positioned in the housing such as to facilitate closure thereof by a user thereby to facilitate user control of the pressure of the gas sensed by the sensor.