GB2258067A

GB2258067A - Input device conversion.

Info

Publication number: GB2258067A
Application number: GB9205804A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michio Miwa; Miwa Hukino; Masao Kato
Original assignee: INST PERSONALIZED INFORMATION; Institute for Personalized Information Environment
Current assignee: INST PERSONALIZED INFORMATION; Institute for Personalized Information Environment
Priority date: 1991-07-18
Filing date: 1992-03-17
Publication date: 1993-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 2012-03-17
Also published as: JPH0573195A; GB2258067B; GB9205804D0

Abstract

An operation conversion apparatus and a method of achieving the same result from input operations entered through different entry devices. The operation entry devices may be a mouse, a tracking ball, a keyboard etc. The input operations through such operation entry means are converted into common operations which may be interpreted by common operation interpretation means 30 and executed by operation execution means 40. <IMAGE>

Description

OPERATION CONVERSION APPARATUS The present invention relates to an operation conversion apparatus for achieving the same result through a plurality of different operation means.

As computer technologies have progressed in recent years, various data entry devices have been developed.

Unfortunately, however, their operation techniques are different from one another depending on the designers who designed such entry devices. Accordingly, there are various different operations despite the fact that their ultimate functions are the same.

One conventional means for executing operations is, for example, illustrated in Fig. 8 as a block diagram and comprises first operation entry means 15, such as, a keyboard, operated by the user and operation execution means 40 for executing the operation entered through the operation entry means 15.

In order to enter operations through second operation means 16, such as, a mouse, different from the first operation entry means 15, it is necessary to provide new operation execution means 40 to match the operation entry means 16.

It is preferable that common operation execution means be provided for achieving the same result even if operations are instructed by different devices. In this way, if operations through one input device are mastered, operation conversion apparatus enable to apply to various other systems.

In order to achieve the aim of the present invention, an operation conversion apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises operation entry means to enter operations, common operation generation means to convert the operations entered by the operation entry means into common operations, common operation interpretation means to interpret the common operations generated by the common operation generation means, and operation execution means to execute the operations interpreted by the common operation interpretation means.

In operation, the common operation conversion means of the invention converts the operations entered through various operation entry means into common operations. The common operations are interpreted by the common operation interpretation means before being executed by the operation execution means. As a result, if new operation entry means is used, it is only required to add the common operation generation means for the new operation entry means.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an important part of a first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 illustrates a display screen image for executing the operations used for describing the operation of the first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 4 is a block diagram of an important part of a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is a block diagram of an important part of a third embodiment of the invention; Fig. 6 is a flow chart describing the operation of a part of the apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 7 is a block diagram of an important part of a fourth embodiment of the invention;; Fig. 8 is a block diagram of an example of conventional operation execution apparatus.

As illustrated in detail in the block diagram of Fig. 1, the operation conversion apparatus according to the present invention comprises a plurality of operation entry means, such as, a mouse 11, a tracking ball 12, a keyboard 13, and arrow keys 14, etc., common operation generation means 21,22,23,24 for converting the operations entered through these operation entry means into common operation 25, common operation interpretation means 30 to interpret the common operations converted by the common operation generation means 21,22,23,24, and operation execution means 40 for executing the interpreted operations.

Illustrated in Fig. 2 is an example employing the mouse 11 having a ball and a button as the operation entry means and also a detailed block diagram of the common operation generation means 21 to be used therefor.

The common operation generation means 21, as illustrated in Fig. 2 receives the rotary information of the ball and the click information of the button from the mouse 11. Input signal separation means 41 separates these two items of input information. Pulse signal conversion means 42 counts the pulse data generated in response to rotation of the ball and converts it into actual length of movement on a two dimensional screen. Position maintenance means 44 stores the cursor position on a two dimensional drafting tool. Movement generation means 43 adds the length of movement on the two dimensional screen generated by the pulse signal conversion means 42 to the position held by the position maintenance means 44 to output the mouse cursor position.Common operation output means 45 receives the output from the movement generation means 43 and the click signal of the mouse button from the input signal separation means 41 to output the common operation signal.

Now, the operation of the common operation generation means 21 applied to the mouse is described by reference to Fig. 3 illustrating, as an example, the drawing of a straight line.

Firstly, a cursor (arrow) is moved to "LINE" position 31 in the graphic means. Simultaneously with the movement, the rotary information of the mouse ball is converted into the length of movement on the two dimensional drafting screen by way of the input signal separation means 41 and the pulse signal conversion means 42 before being sent to the movement generation means 43.

When the mouse button is clicked or pressed, the input signal separation means 41 sends the click information to the common operation output means 45 to notice line drafting with "LINE" operation identifier.

The cursor is then moved to the position 32 or 33.

In response to the movement, the rotary information of the mouse ball is converted into the length of movement on the two dimensional drafting screen to be sent to the movement generation means 43. The button is clicked at positions 32,33 so that the common operation output means 45 recognises the two positions on the two dimensional drafting screen.

The common operation output means 45 adds the two coordinate values to the above "LINE" identified as the operations. As a result, the operations to be generated and output to the common operation interpretation means 30 are as follows.

"LINE", (X1,Y1),(X2,Y2) In Fig. 4, the tracking ball 12 is chosen as the operation entry means. The common operation 25 can be output in a similar manner from the length of movement on the two dimensional drafting screen. Hence, the input signal from the tracking ball 12 is determined by the direction and angle of rotation of the tracking ball 12.

For example, the output signal 12a is "the tracking ball is rotated 3 turns upwardly". Such output signal 12a is applied to the common operation generation means 22 and is converted to the common operation 25 of "moving 20cm in the Y-axis direction". This identifies the position on the two dimensional drafting screen.

This is an example of choosing the arrow keys 14 annexed to a keyboard and the like as the operation entry means. The common operation generation means 24 is used as shown in Fig. 5. The input signal derived from the arrow keys 14 depends on the particular key to be pressed and the length of time when the particular key is being pressed.

For example, the signal 14a may be "the up-key is pressed for 2 seconds". The signal 14a is applied to the common operation generation means 24 to be converted to the common operation representing "moved 10cm in the Y-axis direction". This identifies the position on the two dimensional drafting screen.

The common operation 25 converted in the second and the third embodiments are applied to the common operation interpretation means 30. The common operation 25 of "moved 10cm in the Y-axis direction" is replaced by the signal 31 representing "10 pixels upwardly". Also, the common operation of "moved 20cm in the Y-axis direction" is replaced by "20 pixels upwardly" before being applied to the operation execution means 40. The operation execution means 40 executes the input signal to move the cursor to the distance equal to the pixels of the input signal thereto.

The common operation generation means 23 as shown in Fig. 7 is used when the keyboard 13 is chosen as the operation entry means. As illustrated in Fig. 7, applied to the common operation generation means 23 is the key information entered from the keyboard 13. The common operation generation means 23 comprises input data interpretation means 51 to convert into character information and common operation output means 52 to receive the character data converted by the input data interpretation means 51 for outputting to the common operation 25.

The output data from the keyboard 13 is the data representing the pressed key on the keyboard 13. For example, it may be the information representing that the key on the third row and the fifth row from the left on the keyboard 13 has been pressed. Then, input information interpretation means 51 converts the data into the character information "d". In this manner, the output from the keyboard 13 is converted into a character string or train to be applied to the common operation output means 52 for generating the common operation 25.

The operation of the common operation generation means 23 applied to the keyboard 13, for example, for drawing a straight line, will now be described.

It is assumed that the following keys are sequentially pressed on the keyboard: LINE,Xl,Yl,X2,Y2 Such character data is converted into the corresponding character string by the input data interpretation means 51 before being applied to the common operation output means 52. The common operation output means 52 generates the following common operation from the character string data "LINE", (Xl,Y1) , (X2,Y2) The output identifiers and coordinate values from the common operation output means depend on the particular items to the drafted and are represented by the following Table 1: : Table 1

Graphics Identifier Coordinate values straight line "LINE" (X1,Y1) (X2,Y2) start point end point ellipse "ELLIPSE" (X1,Y1) (X2,Y2) focus 1 focus 2 radius arc "ARC" (X1,Y1) (X2,Y2) start point end point (XO,YO) center radius curved line "CURVE" (X1,Y1) ~~~ (Xn,Yri) coordinates for n points polygon "POLYGON" (X1,Y1) ~-- (Xn,Yn) coordinates for n points

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An operation conversion apparatus comprising operation entry means for input operations; common operation generation means for converting the input operations from said operation entry means into common operations; common operation interpretations means for interpreting the common operations generated by said common operation generation means; and operation execution means for executing the operations interpreted by said common operations interpretation means.
2. An operation conversion apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operation entry means are selected from a mouse, a tracking ball, and a keyboard.
3. A method of converting operations, comprising the steps of inputting operations from different data entry means, such as, a mouse, a tracking ball, and a keyboard; converting the operations from said different data entry means into common operations; interpreting the converted common operations; and executing the interpreted common operations to achieve the same result with the operations from different data entry means.
4. A method of converting operations, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
5. An operation conversion apparatus constructed and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.