JPH0315925A - Cad input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To draw a graphic on a screen with the sense of handling the head of a free parallel rule device and writing tools by allowing one cursor device to move and rotate a right-angled scale line and allowing the other cursor device to designate a coordinate position. CONSTITUTION:The designated position of a first cursor device 6 on a digitizer 4 and one point on the screen of a display device, designated with the cursor device 6 are the same on the digitizer 4. When two points on the digitizer 4 are designated by the cursor device 6 in the case of drawing a straight line, for example, the straight line having two points on both ends is displayed on the digitizer 4 on a real time basis. At the time of drawing the graphic on the digitizer 4, the right-angled scale line on the digitizer 4 is moved in parallel to the deseired position, rotated by a deseired angle, or the length of the right- angled straight line 64 is changed so as to draw the graphic on the digitizer 4 with the right-angled scale line 64 as a reference by operating a second cursor device 54 for control. Thus, the operation can be executed with the sense of handling the free parallel rule.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is a computer-aided design and drafting system, or CA
Regarding the drawing coordinate input device used in D. [Prior Art] As a drawing coordinate input device for CAD, a combination of a tablet-type digitizer and a cursor device such as a stylus pen, light pen, or free cursor is generally used. The coordinate signal of each point is supplied from the digitizer to the control device, and based on this coordinate signal, the control device
It is configured to control a CRT display device and cause graphics to be displayed on the display.

In addition, as an input device for word processors, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-14
As shown in No. 4287, a flat display device in which a transparent coordinate input tablet board (digitizer) is superimposed on the display surface of the flat display device is known. Further, Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-59329 discloses an input device for a word processor in which a tablet (digitizer) is superimposed on the bottom surface of a liquid crystal display.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

If the display device and digitizer are configured separately, when drawing a straight line, the straight line will not be drawn at the indicated location, that is, on the digitizer, but will be drawn at a different location from the indicated location, that is, on the display device. A straight line is drawn on the screen. Therefore, you cannot draw a drawing as if you were drawing a straight line using a writing instrument on paper on a drawing board, so if you are not used to CAD input operations, you will feel strange about the input operations, and C
The flaw was that AD was difficult to handle. When drawing on paper on a drawing board using a flexible parallel ruler, move the head in parallel on the drawing board in any direction, move the right angle scale on the drawing board, and move the right angle scale on the drawing board. The scale is rotated and drawings are drawn using this orthogonal scale as a reference. Conventional CAD cannot be operated in the same way as using a parallel ruler, and there is a problem in that people who are used to operating parallel rulers may feel uncomfortable when operating CAD. The present invention aims to solve the above problems.

[Means to solve problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention projects the screen of a display device on a diagram-like digitizer, and the indicated position of a first cursor device on the digitizer and the indicated position on the screen of the display device are aligned on the digitizer. In the device, the drawing is drawn on the screen of the display device by inputting a position signal to a control device using the first cursor device.
means for displaying a rectangular scale line on the screen of the display device; a second cursor device for controlling the rectangular scale line provided separately from the first cursor device; and an output signal of the second cursor device. The apparatus is provided with a control means for translating and rotating the orthogonal scale line on the screen, and a scale length changing means for changing the length of the orthogonal scale line. [Operation] In the above configuration, the position indicated by the first cursor device on the digitizer and the position of a point on the screen of the display device indicated by the first cursor device are the same on the digitizer. Therefore, when an operator wants to draw a straight line, for example, by pointing at two points on the digitizer with the first cursor device, a straight line with these two points as both ends is displayed on the digitizer in real time.
When drawing a drawing on the digitizer, the operator operates the second cursor device for controlling the orthogonal scale line on the digitizer to translate it to a desired position, rotate it by a desired angle, or rotate it at a right angle. You can change the length of the scale line and draw on the digitizer using this orthogonal scale line as a reference.

〔Example〕

The structure of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 9, reference numeral 2 denotes a drafting table, and a transparent tablet-type digitizer 4 is supported on the support frame of this table. The digitizer 4 is set to the same dimensions as a normal drawing board,
It has a flat surface like a drawing board. The digitizer 4 is configured so that the operator can control the digitizer 4's control device If(
The digitizer is connected to the digitizer using an absolute type cursor device 6 such as a stylus pen connected to the digitizer (not shown) with a cord.
4, the absolute coordinate signal of the designated point is converted into paper surface coordinate data via the driver 8 and coordinate conversion means 10 shown in FIG. 5, and is supplied to the cursor pattern generator 12. What are paper coordinates?
These are the actual data plane coordinates that serve as the basis for the drawing program. The cursor pattern generator 12 supplies cursor pattern data to the coordinate conversion means l4. The coordinate conversion means 14 converts the input cursor pattern data into screen coordinate data, and converts the input cursor pattern data into screen coordinate data.
7, a cursor 15 corresponding to the indicated position on the digitizer 4 of the cursor device 6 is displayed on the screen of the display device, and the cursor 15 (see FIG. (see figure). The position coordinate data of the cursor device 6 is acquired by the drawing program means 1 by bringing the tip of the cursor device 6 into contact with the digitizer 4 and hitting it.
8, and the means 18 outputs drawing data based on a drawing command position signal which the cursor device 6 has previously specified from the command menu. This drawing data is converted into screen coordinate data by the coordinate conversion means 20 and supplied to the display driver 16, so that a figure based on the drawing program is displayed on the screen 16. The above drawing commands can be called up by pointing to the command menu area 4a (see FIG. 9) of the digitizer 4. The screen 16 is connected to the digitizer 4.
The digitizer 4 has approximately the same dimensions as the digitizer 4, and is placed close to the back surface of the digitizer 4. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 22 denotes a display device consisting of a green cathode ray tube, and a lens 24, a light valve 26, and a polarizing prism 28 are arranged in front of the display surface of this display device. The light valve 26 constitutes a device that converts an image input from one side into a clear image and irradiates it to the other side.The structure and principle of the light valve 26 are disclosed in US Pat. No. 3,723.
Since it is disclosed in detail in Japanese Patent No. 651, Japanese Patent No. 4343535, etc., a detailed explanation thereof will be omitted. The light valve 26 interacts with the input from the xenon lamp 30 to convert the image on the display device 22 into a clear image and illuminates the polarizing prism 28 with this image.

The image irradiated onto the polarizing prism 28 is transmitted to the half mirror 3
2 and a lens 34, the image is enlarged and projected onto the screen l6. 36 is red
This is a display device consisting of a cathode ray tube, and a lens 38 and a light valve 40 are disposed in front of the display surface of the display device, and the light valve 40 faces the polarizing prism 28.

42 is a display device consisting of a cathode ray tube for blue, and a lens 44 is installed in front of the display surface of this device.
, a reflecting mirror 46 and a light valve 48 are arranged, and the light valve 48 faces the polarizing prism 28.
The lenses 24, 38, 44, the light valves 26, 38
, 48, lamp 30, polarizing prism 28, half mirror 3
2 and the reflective mirror 46 are connected to the display devices 22, 36.
, 42 on the screen l6 in an enlarged manner.
The position indicated by the upper cursor device 6 is set so as to match the position of the cursor 15 on the screen 16 based on the coordinate signal of the position. The screen 16 and the enlarged projection mechanism (projector) 50 are housed inside a box of the drafting table 2. The digitizer
4 and display device [22, 36.42 is host CP
It is connected to a certain control device 52 from U.

Reference numeral 54 denotes an incremental type cursor device consisting of a mouse, that is, a type that outputs the amount of movement, and is connected to a driver 56 in the control device 52. The driver 56 is connected to a coordinate conversion means 58 and a length change/angle change amount conversion means 60 via switch contacts a and b. The switching between the contacts a and b can be performed by operating a switch key of the cursor device 54. The cursor pattern generator 62 displays a graduated orthogonal scale line 64 as shown in FIG.
This orthogonal scale line 64 is configured so that its angle can be converted based on the contents of the cursor parameter table 66. The cursor pattern generator 62 is connected to the display driver 17 via a coordinate conversion means 68. 72 is a keyboard. The force-sol pattern parameter table stores various data such as the positional coordinates of the intersection point of the orthogonal scale line 64, that is, the origin, the angle, the X-axis length, y-axis length, and scale width of the line figure.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

A rectangular scale line 64 displayed on screen 16 can be manipulated by cursor device 54 . When no key of the cursor device 54 is pressed, the switch 70 is connected to the a contact. In this state, when the cursor device 54 is moved in the XY direction on the digitizer 4 or on another table plane, as shown in FIG. The line 64 is converted into a parallel movement of the origin position and displayed. Cursor device 54
When the mouse key is pressed, the switch 70 connects to the b contact. When the cursor device 54 is moved in the XY direction on the table plane while pressing the mouse key, the conversion means 60
collects the amount of change in length of Δy or ΔX of the cursor device 54, and this amount of change Δy or ΔX is the function f(Δy)
is linearly converted into an angle Δθ by This angle change amount Δ0 is added to the angle θ on the current parameter table 66. According to the contents of the parameter table 66, the cursor pattern generator 62 rotates the orthogonal scale line 64 by an angle θ and displays it on the screen 16, as shown in FIG. The angle θ of this orthogonal scale line 64 is displayed on the screen 16 by the drawing program means 18. On the other hand, the operator points the command area 4a on the digitizer 4 with the tip of the cursor device 6, instructs, for example, a green line command to the drawing program means 18 of the control device 52, and uses the tip of the cursor device 6 to point the command area 4a on the digitizer 4. When the upper two points A and B are specified, the drawing coordinate signals of the 82 points A and 82 are input to the drawing program means 18. The control device 52 creates drawing data based on input coordinate signals, converts this drawing data into screen coordinate data by the coordinate conversion means 20, and controls the display device 22 based on the data. As a result, the display device 22
A straight line AB is displayed on the screen with the XY coordinate axes (screen coordinates) of the image plane as a reference. The image on the display surface of the display device 22 is projected in the direction of the polarizing prism 28 by the light valve 26, passes through the polarizing prism 28, the half mirror 32, and the lens 34, and then is transmitted to the display device 1 [22].
The image is enlarged and projected onto the screen 16. The origin of the XY coordinate reference of this enlarged projection view and the XY coordinate reference of the digitizer 4 coincide, and the reference points of the length of the XY axes are 1.
:L matches. Therefore, if the operator
When points A and B are designated with the cursor device 6 above, a green straight line connecting the designated points A and 82 is displayed in real time on the digitizer 4 in actual size. The above is a case where a green straight line is displayed, but based on the same principle, red, blue, etc. straight lines, circles, points, etc. can be drawn at the designated position on the digitizer 4. The input data of the control device 52 is stored in the processing device of the control device 52, and
It is configured so that it can be output to a printer. Drawing with the cursor device 6 is performed with reference to the rectangular scale $64 on the screen 16. This right angle scale line 6
4 corresponds to a right angle scale, that is, a pair of straight rulers provided on the head of the universal parallel ruler device, and the cursor device 6 is
Equivalent to a writing instrument. The operator uses the cursor device 54 to translate and convert the angle of the orthogonal scale line 64 in the same way as operating the head of a universal parallel ruler device, and uses the other cursor device 6 to perform drawing operations. As is clear from the above description, the cursor pattern generator 62 constitutes means for displaying orthogonal scale lines on the screen of the display device, and the cursor parameter table 62
6. The length change amount/angle change amount conversion means 60 and the cursor pattern generator 62 constitute a control means for translating and rotating the orthogonal scale line 64 on the screen 16. In this embodiment, the screen of the display device is projected onto the screen 16 by the enlarged projection mechanism 50, but a display device having a screen of the same size as the digitizer 4 may be placed below the digitizer 4. ．． Next, the parallel movement function of the orthogonal scale line will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG.

The incremental coordinate signal of the cursor device 54 is transmitted through the a contact point of the switch 70 (see FIG. 6).
The data is supplied to the scale status table change management means 92.
The management means 92 sequentially rewrites the origin coordinates of the orthogonal scale line 64 in the scale state table 84 corresponding to the cursor parameter table 66 shown in FIG. 3 in response to changes in the coordinate signals of the cursor device 54. The contents of this scale status table 84 are read out to the scale display memory 94 and displayed on the screen of the display device and on the projector 50.
A rectangular scale line 64 is displayed on screen l6 via . The origin or center point of the orthogonal scale line 64 is rewritten according to changes in the output of the cursor device 54, so that the orthogonal scale line 64 moves in parallel on the screen 16. Next, regarding the rotation control function of the orthogonal scale line. , will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 4, the switch detection means 81 corresponds to the switch 70 in FIG.
, y-coordinate recording means 82, and scale state table change management means 92 correspond to the length change amount/angle change amount conversion means 60 shown in FIG. Also, the angle rounding means 88
5 is a configuration for a newly added minimum unit angle rounding function, which is not shown in FIG. Output.

For example, if the minimum unit of angle is 0.5 degrees, when the angle converting means 86 outputs 5 degrees from 0 degrees, the angle rounding means 88 receives the signal from the angle converting means 86 L, t.
O. O, 0.5, 1.0.1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3
．． It outputs angle signals of 0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0. When the angle conversion mouse key of the cursor device 54 is turned on, this key signal is sent to the switch detection means 80.
The means 80 includes angle converting means 86,
A trigger signal that puts the y-coordinate recording means 82 into operation is output. Cursor device 54 at mouse key on
Among the XY coordinate outputs, the coordinate output of the Y-axis component is supplied to the y-coordinate recording means 82 and the angle conversion means 86. The Y-axis partial coordinate output is written into the y-coordinate table 83. The angle conversion means 86 collects the amount of change in the Y-axis component coordinate output from the table 83, and converts this amount of change into an angular amount. The angle signal output from the angle conversion means 86 is input to the angle rounding means 88, where it is rounded to the minimum unit of angle and supplied to the scale state table change management means 92. On the other hand, an event signal of the normal angle conversion mode of angle conversion is supplied from the angle conversion means 86 to the scale state table change management means 92. The scale state table change management means 92 rewrites the angle data in the scale state table 84 based on the output angle signal of the angle rounding means 88. The rewritten angular data of the rectangular scale 64 is read out to the rectangular scale line display memory 94, and the contents of the memory 94 are displayed on the screen of the display device as well as on the screen 16 via the projector 50. It will be done. Next, the structure of the scale length changing means will be explained in detail with reference to FIG.

The digitizer 4 that outputs the position signal of the cursor device 6 includes a coordinate comparing means 80 and a switch detecting means 82.
is connected. Reference numeral 84 denotes a scale state table corresponding to the cursor parameter table 66, and as described above, the center point, angle, and
Data such as the X-axis length, Y-axis length, and scale width are stored. Near the center point of the rectangular scale 1!64 on the digitizer 4, telescopic switch displays 86 and 88 are displayed as shown in FIG. Corresponding to a command to extend, display 86 corresponds to a command to shorten the line length of orthogonal scale line 64. The coordinate comparison means 80 reads out the data and angle data of the center point of the orthogonal scale 1164 from the scale state table 84, recognizes the position of the center point of the orthogonal scale line 64 on the digitizer 4, and also recognizes the position of the center point of the orthogonal scale line 64. Recognize the position of the telescopic switch display 86.88. When the operator hits the display 88 with the cursor device 6, this hit signal is detected by the switch detection means 82. This detection output and a position signal based on the X-axis, Y-axis and the center point of the orthogonal scale line 64 on the display 88 are input to the scale length change event generating means 90. The event generating means 90
is the output of the coordinate comparison means 80 and the switch detection means 8.
Recognizing that display 88 was hit from the output of step 2,
The expansion event signal is input to the scale state table change management means 92. This table change management means 92 inputs a scale length data rewrite signal to the scale state table 84 based on the expansion event signal, and
Rewrite the X-axis length and Y-axis length data in the expansion direction.
The amount of expansion of the scale length data is determined by the time the cursor device 6 hits the display 88. The data of the rewritten X-axis length and Y-axis length of the orthogonal scale line 64 is read out to the orthogonal scale line display memory 94,
The contents of the memory 94 are displayed on the screen of the display device and also on the screen l6 via the projector 50. Displayed by cursor device 6 86
When you hit , the X-axis length and Y-axis length data in the scale status table 84 is rewritten in the reduction direction based on the principle described above, and this rewritten data is displayed on the screen l.
6.

〔effect〕

As mentioned above, this invention is one of the two cursor devices. One cursor device moves and rotates the orthogonal scale line, and the other cursor device indicates the coordinate position, so you can draw on the screen as if you were using the head of a flexible parallel ruler device and a writing instrument. Moreover, since it is possible to expand and contract the orthogonal scale line, there are advantages such as improved operability in drawing.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a block explanatory diagram, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram, Fig. 3 is a block explanatory diagram, Fig. 4 is a block explanatory diagram, Fig. 5 is a block explanatory diagram, Fig. 6 is an explanatory diagram, and Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram. 8 is a block explanatory diagram, FIG. 9 is an external view, FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram, and FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram. 2... Drafting table, 4... Digitizer 6... Cursor device, 14... Cursor, 16... Screen, 22... Display device, 24... Lens, 26... Light Bulb, 28... polarizing prism,
30...Xenon lamp, 32...Half mirror
34... Lens, 36... Display device, 38
...Lens, 40...Light valve, 42...Display device, 44...Lens, 46...Reflection mirror, 48...Light valve, 50...Enlargement projection mechanism, 52... - Control device, 54... Cursor device, 64... Right angle scale, 86.88... Telescopic switch display.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Project the screen of the display device on a board-shaped digitizer so that the indicated position on the digitizer of the first cursor device and the indicated position on the screen of the display device match on the digitizer, and In the apparatus for drawing on the screen of the display device by inputting a position signal to a control device using a first cursor device, means for displaying a rectangular scale line on the screen of the display device; a second cursor device for controlling the orthogonal scale line provided separately from the cursor device; a control means for translating and rotating the orthogonal scale line on the screen by an output signal of the second cursor device; 1. An input device for CAD, comprising: scale length changing means for changing the length of a right-angled scale line. (2) The scale length changing means includes a command setting means for setting a command for changing the scale length, a scale status table storing length data of the X-axis and Y-axis of the orthogonal scale line, and the command setting means. 2. The CAD input device according to claim 1, further comprising scale state table change management means for rewriting the length data of the X-axis and Y-axis of the scale state table based on the output.