Method and apparatus for creating a graphic using graphic icons

• US 5,671,380 A
• Filed: 11/02/1992
• Issued: 09/23/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hidaka, Kazuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US07/970,513
• Time in Patent Office: 1,786 Days
• Field of Search: 395/159, 395/152, 395/156, 395/141, 395/142, 395/143, 395/140, 395/348, 395/339, 395/977, 395/326, 395/352, 395/354, 345/121, 345/122, 345/127, 345/130
• US Class Current: 715/861
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/203 Drawing of straight lines or curves

Abstract

A method to easily draw a graphic having many control points using graphical icons. The control points necessary for defining a graphic are displayed on an icon display screen together with a graphical icon. Information on the operation sequence for the control points is also displayed on the screen by blinking the control points. The state of the control points specified by the user is displayed in the form of animation by a control-point moving and displaying apparatus and is displayed on a graphical display screen in the form of drawing points. When a user draws a graphic, he or she can quickly and clearly tell which points at which positions of a graphic should be specified in what sequence, and the present step of the drawing process.

Claims

1. A method for creating a graphic using graphical icons for defining a graphic in a graphical creating apparatus having an input means, a graphical processing means, and a display screen, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of graphical icons on the display screen;

responsive to selection of a selected graphical icon of the plurality of graphical icons, displaying on the selected graphical icon on the display screen an operation sequence for a plurality of control points necessary for creating a graphic; and

responsive to input of a plurality of drawing points, each corresponding to one of the plurality of control points, creating the graphic according to the plurality of drawing points.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein in the display of the operation sequence for the plurality of the control points of the selected graphical icon, the plurality of control points of the selected graphical icon are highlighted in a predetermined sequence.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the plurality of control points are visually displayed on the display in the operation sequence for the plurality of control points of the selected graphical icon while continuously moving the control points from the selected graphical icon to the plurality of drawing points corresponding to the highlighted control points when the drawing points are specified on the display screen through the input means.

4. A method for creating a graphic using graphical icons for defining a graphic in a graphic creating apparatus having an input means, a graphical processing means, and a display screen, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of graphical icons on the display screen;

responsive to the selection of a selected graphical icon of the plurality of graphical icons, displaying an enlarged version of the selected graphical icon and a plurality of control points in the selected graphical icon necessary for creating the graphic;

highlighting the plurality of control points in a predetermined sequence; and

responsive to input of a plurality of drawing points, each corresponding to one of the plurality of control points, creating the graphic according to the plurality of drawing points.

5. A method for creating a graphic using graphical icons in a graphical creating apparatus having an input means, a storage means for storing graphical icons and data for sets of corresponding control points, a graphical processing means, and a display screen, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a set of control points in a graphical icon menu area on the display screen on at least one selected graphical icon;

highlighting the set of control points on the selected graphical icon in a predetermined sequence;

visually displaying the set of control points while continuously moving each control point from the graphical icon menu area to a set of graphic drawing points, each corresponding to a respective highlighted control point, when the graphic drawing points are specified in a drawing area on the display screen through the input means; and

,

displaying the graphic corresponding to the selected graphical icon in the drawing area on the display screen when the set of the drawing points have all been specified.

6. A graphical creating apparatus using graphical icons for defining a graphic, comprising:

a storage means for storing a set of graphics, a plurality of graphical icons and a set of corresponding data for a plurality of control points necessary for creating each graphic, wherein each graphic corresponds to one of a plurality of graphical icons;

a means for displaying the plurality of graphical icons on the display screen;

a means for displaying a plurality of control points in an operation sequence on a selected graphical icon of the plurality of graphical icons; and

means responsive to input of a plurality of drawing points, each corresponding to one of the plurality of control points, for creating the graphic according to the plurality of drawing points.

7. The graphical creating apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the means for displaying the operation sequence on the selected graphical icon highlights the plurality of control points on the selected graphical icon in a predetermined sequence.

8. The graphical creating apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the means for displaying the operation sequence for the plurality of control points of the graphical icons includes a control point moving and displaying means for visually displaying the plurality of control points while continuously moving them from the selected graphical icon to a set of drawing points corresponding to the highlighted control points when the drawing points are specified on the display screen through the input means.

9. The graphical creating apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the means for displaying the operation sequence for the plurality of control points of the selected graphical icon includes a means for enlarging the selected graphical icon on the display screen together with the plurality of control points for creating the graphic and a means for highlighting the plurality of control points of the selected graphical icon in a predetermined sequence.

10. A graphical creating apparatus having a graphical processing means for executing processing in accordance with a set of operation commands and data imputed through a mouse operation and a means for creating a graphic on a display screen in accordance with the graphic processing means, the apparatus comprising:

a graphical icon table for storing a plurality of graphical icons for defining a plurality of graphics and a plurality of control points necessary for creating the plurality of graphics;

a means for displaying the plurality of graphical icons in a graphical icon menu area on the display screen;

a means for highlighting a set of control points on one graphical icon selected through the mouse in a predetermined sequence;

a graphical object table for recording data for a set of drawing points of a graphic when the drawing points of the graphic corresponding to the control points of the selected graphical icon are specified in a drawing area on the display screen through the mouse;

a point moving and displaying means for displaying highlighted points while continuously moving the highlighted points from the control points in the graphical icon to the drawing points when the drawing points corresponding to the control points are specified; and

a means for displaying the graphic corresponding to the selected graphical icon in the drawing area by the drawing means when all the drawing points corresponding to the control points of the selected graphical icon are specified.

11. The graphical creating apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the point moving and displaying means divides up a distance between the control points of the graphical icon and corresponding drawing points prior to moving the highlighted points from control points to drawing points.