Apparatus and method for manipulating scanned documents in a computer aided design system
DCFirst Claim
1. In an electronic data processing system, apparatus for manipulating a scanned document, comprising, in combination:
- first means for electronically displaying a first image representing the scanned document, said first image being a raster image comprised of a plurality of discrete picture elements defining at least one graphic element having a first shape;
second means for electronically displaying in response to user input commands, simultaneously with the display of said raster first image, a second image, said second image being a vector-based image comprised of a plurality of vectors having respective defined starting and ending points having predetermined positions relative to said picture elements of said raster first image and representing user-generated alterations to the first shape of said at least one graphic element, and said second image being displayed in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin, wherein said first image is maintained in registration with said second image using said coordinates; and
merging means for merging said first and second images to provide an edited raster image wherein said at least one graphic element has a second shape differing from said first shape in accordance with at least one of said plurality of vectors displayed responsive to the user input commands.
0 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Reexaminations
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for manipulating scanned documents using computer aided design (CAD) commands includes a link program which receives the CAD commands and displays all or selected portions of a raster-based image, which is created by scanning a hard copy document. The link program will display the portion of the raster image which fits within a predetermined CAD window and will scale the raster image up or down as necessary to fit within the display window. The raster image is displayed on a computer screen and provides a useful reference for an operator to create a CAD image which is a duplicate of the raster image by tracing directly over the raster image or, alternatively, to implement desired changes in the raster image using CAD commands. An edit program merges the CAD image and the original raster image to create a new, updated raster image, which includes all CAD-generated changes made by the operator. The updated raster image can be reproduced in hard copy form by a raster plotter.
-
Citations
114 Claims
-
1. In an electronic data processing system, apparatus for manipulating a scanned document, comprising, in combination:
-
first means for electronically displaying a first image representing the scanned document, said first image being a raster image comprised of a plurality of discrete picture elements defining at least one graphic element having a first shape;
second means for electronically displaying in response to user input commands, simultaneously with the display of said raster first image, a second image, said second image being a vector-based image comprised of a plurality of vectors having respective defined starting and ending points having predetermined positions relative to said picture elements of said raster first image and representing user-generated alterations to the first shape of said at least one graphic element, and said second image being displayed in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin, wherein said first image is maintained in registration with said second image using said coordinates; and
merging means for merging said first and second images to provide an edited raster image wherein said at least one graphic element has a second shape differing from said first shape in accordance with at least one of said plurality of vectors displayed responsive to the user input commands. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 66, 67, 68, 69)
-
-
14. In an electronic data processing system, a method of manipulating a scanned document, comprising the steps of:
-
electronically displaying a first image representing the scanned document, said first image being a raster image comprised of a plurality of discrete picture elements defining at least one graphic element having a first shape;
electronically displaying in response to user input commands, simultaneously with the display of said raster first image, a second image, said second image being a vector-based image comprised of a plurality of vectors having respective defined staring and ending points having predetermined positions relative to said picture elements and representing user-generated alterations to the first shape of said at least one graphic elements, said second image being displayed in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin, wherein said first image is maintained in registration with said second image using said coordinates; and
merging said first and second images to provide an edited raster image wherein said at least one graphic element has a second shape differing from said first shape by at least one of said plurality of vectors displayed responsive to the user input commands. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
-
-
20. In an electronic data processing system which is responsive to user input commands, apparatus for manipulating a scanned document, comprising:
-
first means for generating a first digital coded image of the scanned document, said first digital coded image being a raster image comprised of a plurality of discrete picture elements each of which has a defined position relative to at predetermined reference position for defining at least one graphic element having a first shape;
display means for electronically displaying the raster image;
second means for generating a second digital coded image in response to the user input commands simultaneous with the display of said raster image, said second digital coded image being a vector-based image comprised of a plurality of vectors having respective defined starting and ending points relative to the predetermined reference position such that said vectors register with predetermined locations in said raster image and define alterations to the first shape of said at least one graphic element, said second digital coded image being displayed in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin, wherein said raster image is maintained in registration with said vector-based image using said coordinates; and
merging means for electronically merging said raster and vector-based images to provide an edited raster image wherein said at least one graphic element has a second shape differing from said first shape in accordance with at least one of said plurality of vectors displayed responsive to the user input commands. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. Apparatus for manipulating a scanned document in a computer aided design system responsive to user input commands, comprising:
-
first means for electronically displaying a first image representing the scanned document, said first image representing at least one graphic element having a first shape, said first image being displayed in foreground and background colors, said background color being different from said foreground color; and
second means for electronically displaying a second image simultaneously with the display of said first image, said second image being generated in response to user input commands and representing alterations to the first shape of said at least one graphic element, said second means displaying said second image such that said second image registers with predetermined locations of said first image and overlays at least a portion of said first image, and such that said second image is displayed in at least two colors, one of which is said background color, said second image being displayed in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin said first image is maintained in registration with said second image using said coordinates; said first and second means operating in cooperation to effect a visual erasure of a first portion of said graphic element of said first image when said first portion of said first image is displayed in said foreground color and is overlaid by a portion of said second image in said background color, and said first and second means operating in cooperation to effect a visual addition to a second portion of said first graphic element of said first image displayed in said background color where a portion of said second image having the other of said at least two colors overlays the second portion of said first image displayed in said background color. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 62, 63, 64, 102)
-
-
30. Apparatus for manipulating a scanned document in a computer aided design system which uses computer aided design user input commands for producing a design drawing on a computer screen display, said apparatus comprising:
-
means for determining the location and boundaries in real world units of a rectangular window representing a selected portion of the scanned document which is to be displayed;
means for identifying picture elements of a first image representing at least a portion of the scanned document which fall within the boundaries of said window;
means for adjusting a scale of said first, image, as necessary, to conform to said window;
first means for electronically displaying said first image as a raster image including a plurality of discrete picture elements defining at least one geometric object having a first shape and for displaying said first image in foreground and background colors, said foreground color being different from said background color;
second means for electronically displaying a second image simultaneous with the display of said first image, said second means generating said second image in response to user input commands and representing alterations tied the shade of said first shape of said at least one geometric object, ; said second means displaying said second image in registration with predetermined locations of said first image, and to overlay at least a portion of said first image, said second means displaying said second image in at least two colors, one of which is said background color, said second image being displayed in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin, wherein said first image is maintained in registration with said second image using said coordinates; said first and second means operating in cooperation so that when first portions of said first image displayed in said foreground color are overlaid by portions of said second image displayed in said background color, said first portions visually appear to have been erased, and so that at positions where portions of said second image displayed in the other color of said at least two colors of said second image overlay second portions of said first image displayed in said background color additions are provided to said second portions, thus altering said first shape to provide a second shape for said at least one graphic element; and
means for merging said first image and said second image to provide a resulting edited raster image incorporating said second shape of said at least one graphic element of said second image. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. In a computer aided design (CAD) system utilizing computer aided design user input commands to produce and modify a vector-based image, the improvement comprising:
-
raster data base means for storing raster data representing a plurality of discrete picture elements defining at least one geometric object having a first shape, and ; edit program means, responsive to vector-based CAD user input commands to generate or modify said vector-based image, for modifying said raster data representing said plurality of discrete picture elements in accordance with said vector-based CAD user input commands;
wherein each of said plurality of discrete picture elements has at least one associated coordinate location referenced to a vector origin; and
wherein each of the plurality of discrete picture elements are maintained in registration with said vector based image using said at least one associated coordinate location. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 56, 57, 58)
-
-
59. In an electronic data processing system, apparatus for manipulating a scanned document, comprising, in combination:
-
first means for electronically displaying a first image representing the scanned document, said first image being a raster image comprised of a plurality of discrete picture elements defining at least one graphic element having a first shape;
second means for electronically displaying in response to user input commands, simultaneously with the display of said raster first image, a second image, said second image being a vector-based image comprised of a plurality of vectors having respective defined starting and ending points having predetermined positions relative to said picture elements of said raster first image and representing user-generated alterations to the first shape of said at least one graphic element;
merging means for merging said first and second images to provide an edited raster image wherein said at least one graphic element has a second shape differing from said first shape in accordance with at least one of said plurality of vectors displayed responsive to the user input commands;
wherein said second means comprises a computer aided design system (CAD), and said merging means includes;
editing means responsive to CAD user input commands of said second image for modifying said first image in accordance therewith; and
wherein said electronic data processing system includes an operating system having an interrupt vector table, further comprising;
driver identification means for identification of existence of a display driver interrupt address in the vector table, relocation means for relocating a CAD generated display driver interrupt from said display driver interrupt address to a clear location, and remapping means for remapping a link program means to said display driver interrupt address.
-
-
60. Apparatus for manipulating a scanned document in a computer aided design system which uses computer aided design user input commands for producing a design drawing on a computer screen display, said apparatus comprising:
-
means for determining the location and boundaries of a rectangular window representing a selected portion of the scanned document which is to be displayed;
means for identifying picture elements of a first image representing at least a portion of the scanned document which fall within the boundaries of said window;
means for adjusting a scale of said first, image, as necessary, to conform to said window;
first means for electronically displaying said first image as a raster image including a plurality of discrete picture elements defining at least one geometric object having a first shape and for displaying said first image in foreground and background colors, said foreground color being different from said background color;
second means for electronically displaying a second image simultaneous with the display of said first image, said second means generating said second image in response to user input commands and representing alterations tied the shade of said first shape of said at least one geometric object, said second means displaying said second image in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin, wherein said first image is maintained in registration with said second image using said coordinates, and overlaying at least a portion of said first image, said second means displaying said second image in at least two colors, one of which is said background color;
said first and second means operating in cooperation so that when first portions of said first image displayed in said foreground color are overlaid by portions of said second image displayed in said background color, said first portions visually appear to have been erased, and so that at positions where portions of said second image displayed in the other color of said at least two colors of said second image overlay second portions of said first image displayed in said background color additions are provided to said second portion, thus altering said first shape to provided a second shape for said at least one graphic element; and
means for merging said first image and said second image to provide a resulting edited raster image incorporating said second shape of said at least one graphic element of said second image;
wherein said means for merging includes;
editing means responsive to CAD user input commands of said second image for modifying said first image in accordance therewith; and
wherein said CAD system includes an operating system having an interrupt vector table, further comprising;
driver identification means for identification of existence of a display driver interrupt address in the vector table, relocation means for relocating a CAD generated display driver interrupt from said display driver interrupt address to a clear location, and remapping means for remapping a link program means to said display driver interrupt address.
-
-
61. Apparatus for manipulating a scanned document in a computer aided design system which uses computer aided design user input commands for producing a design drawing on a computer screen display, said apparatus comprising:
-
means for determining the location and boundaries of a rectangular window representing a selected portion of the scanned document which is to be displayed;
means for identifying picture elements of a first image representing at least a portion of the scanned document which fall within the boundaries of said window;
means for adjusting a scale of said first, image, as necessary, to conform to said window;
first means for electronically displaying said first image as a raster image including a plurality of discrete picture elements defining at least one geometric object having a first shape and for displaying said first image in foreground and background colors, said foreground color being different from said background color;
second means for electronically displaying a second image simultaneous with the display of said first image, said second means generating said second image in response to user input commands and representing alterations tied the shape of said first shape of said at least one geometric object, said second means displaying said second image in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin, wherein said first image is maintained in registration with said second image using said coordinates, and overlaying at least a portion of said first image, said second means displaying said second image in at least two colors, one of which is said background color; said first and second means operating in cooperating so that when first portions of said first image displayed in said foreground color are overlaid by portions of said second image displayed in said background color, said first portions visually appear to have been erased, and so that at positions where portions of said second image displayed in the other color of said at least two colors of said second image overlay second portions of said first image displayed in said background color additions are provided to said second portions, thus altering said first shape to provide a second shape for said at least one graphic element; and
means for merging said first image and said second image to provide a resulting edited raster image incorporating said second shape of said at least one graphic element of said second image;
wherein said means for merging includes;
editing means responsive to CAD user input commands of said second image for modifying said first image in accordance therewith; and
wherein said CAD system includes an operating system having an interrupt vector table, further comprising;
driver identification means for identification of existence of a display driver interrupt address in the vector table, relocation means for relocating a CAD generated display driver interrupt from said display driver interrupt address to a clear location, and remapping means for remapping a link program means to said display driver interrupt address; and
wherein said apparatus further comprises intercepting means for intercepting a display driver interrupt generated by said CAD system in response to a user input command, and service means for serving said interrupt by accessing and editing raster data in a raster data base and by driving the computer screen display in accordance with the edited data from raster data base.
-
-
65. In a computer aided design (CAD) system utilizing computer aided design user input commands to produce and modify a vector-based image, the improvement comprising:
-
raster data base means for storing raster data representing a plurality of discrete picture elements defining at least one geometric object having a first shape, and edit program means, responsive to vector-based CAD user input commands to generate or modify said vector-based image, which is displayed in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin, for modifying said raster data representing said plurality of discrete picture elements in accordance with said vector-based CAD user input commands, wherein each of said plurality of discrete picture elements are in registration with said vector-based image using said coordinates;
wherein said edit program means includes;
driver identification means for identification of existence of a display driver driven by the CAD system, relocation means for relocating a display driver identified by said driver identification means from a driver address to a clear location therefore, and remapping means for remapping the edit program means to said driver address.
-
-
70. An apparatus for manipulating a scanned document in an electronic data processing system comprising:
-
a scanner for scanning a document to produce a raster image comprised of a plurality of discrete picture elements defining at least one graphic element having a first shape;
a computer aided design system for generating a vector-based image in response to user input commands, said vector-based image comprising a plurality of vectors representing user-generated alterations to the first shape of said raster image;
a first computer program for simultaneously displaying the vector-based image and the raster image;
a second computer program for merging the vector-based image with the raster image to generate an edited raster image having a second shape differing from the first shape in accordance with at least one of said plurality of vectors; and
wherein the vector-based image and the raster image are displayed in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin, and wherein the vector-based image is maintained in registration with the raster image using said coordinates. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 103, 104)
-
-
82. An apparatus for manipulating a scanned document in an electronic data processing system comprising:
-
a scanner for scanning a document to produce a raster image comprised of a plurality of discrete picture elements defining at least one graphic element having a first shape;
a computer aided design system for generating a vector-based image in response to user input commands, said vector-based image comprising a plurality of vectors representing user-generated alterations to the first shape of said raster image;
a computer and monitor for storing said raster image, receiving user input commands to generate said vector-based image, storing said vector-based image, and displaying said images;
a first computer program for displaying the raster image overlaid by the vector-based image on said monitor;
a second computer program for merging the vector-based image with the raster image to generate an edited raster image having a second shape differing from the first shape in accordance with at least one of said plurality of vectors; and
wherein the vector-based image and the raster image are displayed in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin, wherein the vector-based image is maintained in registration with the raster image using said coordinates. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90)
-
-
91. An apparatus for manipulating a scanned document in an electronic data processing system comprising:
-
a scanner for scanning a document to produce a raster image comprised of a plurality of discrete picture elements defining at least one graphic element having a first shape and wherein each of said plurality of discrete picture elements is displayed in a foreground color or a background color and wherein said foreground color is different from said background color;
a computer aided design system for generating a vector-based image in response to user input commands, said vector-based image comprising a plurality of vectors representing user-generated alterations to the first shape of said raster image and wherein each of said plurality of vectors is displayed in a foreground color or a background color and wherein said foreground color is different from said background color;
a first computer program for simultaneously displaying the raster image with the vector-based image;
a second computer program for merging the vector-based image with the raster image to generate an edited raster image having a second shape differing from the first shape wherein said second shape is defined by each of said plurality of vectors displayed in a foreground color and each of said plurality of discrete picture elements that are displayed in a foreground color and not overlaid by one of the plurality of vectors displayed in a background color; and
wherein the vector-based image and the raster image are displayed in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin and wherein the vector-based image is maintained in registration with the raster image using said coordinates.
-
-
92. An apparatus for manipulating a scanned document in an electronic data processing system comprising:
-
a scanner for scanning a document to produce a raster image comprised of a plurality of discrete picture elements defining a first shape and wherein each of said plurality of discrete picture elements is displayed in a foreground color or a background color and wherein said foreground color is different from said background color; a computer aided design system for generating a vector-based image in response to user input commands, said vector-based image comprising a plurality of vectors defining a second shape and wherein each of said plurality of vectors is displayed in a foreground color or a background color and wherein said foreground color is different from said background color;
wherein the vector-based image and the raster image are displayed in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin;
a first computer program for simultaneously displaying the raster image with the vector-based image and for maintaining said vector-based image in registration with said raster image using said coordinates;
a second computer program for merging the vector-based image with the raster image to generate an edited raster image having a third shape;
wherein said third shape comprises at least a portion of the first shape of said raster image and at least a portion of the second shape of said vector-based image. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96, 97)
-
-
98. An apparatus for editing a raster image comprising:
-
a raster database for storing raster data;
a computer aided design system adapted to generate vector-based images in response to user input commands;
an editing system that displays an edited raster image, the edited raster image including;
at least one raster image formed from the raster data, the raster image being referenced to a predetermined vector origin; and
at least one vector-based image, the vector-based image being reference to the predetermined vector origin, the vector based image representing alterations to the raster image, and the vector-based image being maintained in registration with the raster image. - View Dependent Claims (99, 100, 101, 105, 106, 107)
-
-
108. A method for manipulating a scanned document in an electronic data processing system comprising:
-
providing a first raster image comprised of a first set of discrete picture elements defining a first shape;
electronically displaying said first raster image;
electronically displaying a vector-based image in response to user input commands, wherein said vector based image representes user generated alterations to said raster image;
wherein the vector-based image and the first raster image are displayed in a window having coordinates referenced to a vector origin;
electronically maintaining said vector-based in registration with said raster image using said coordinates;
merging said vector-based image with said first raster image to generate a new raster file. - View Dependent Claims (109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114)
-
Specification