JPH0315931A - 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:When an operator designates two points on a digitizer 4 by a first cursor device for drawing a straight line, for example, the straight line having two points on both ends is displayed on the digitizer 4 in the case of drawing a straight line. At the time of drawing the straight line on the digitizer 4, the right-angled scale line 64 on the digitizer 4 is moved in parallel to a deseired position, rotated by a deseired angle to draw the graphic on the digitizer 4 with the right-angled scale line 64 as a reference by operating a second control cursor device 54. When the right-angled scale line 64 is brought close to two points or the straight line on the digitizer 4, the right-angled scale line 64 is pulled into two points or the straight line and overlapped with two points or the straight line. Thus, an 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
This relates to a drawing coordinate input device used in D.

[Conventional technology]

A common CAD drawing coordinate input device is a combination of a tablet-type digitizer and a cursor device such as a stylus pen, light pen, or free cursor, and the coordinate signal of each point on the digitizer indicated by the cursor device is , 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 display graphics on the display. Also,
As an input device for a word processor, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 58-14428
As shown in No. 7, a transparent coordinate input tablet board (digitizer) is placed on the display surface of a flat display device.
A superposition of the two is known. In addition, special public service 1986-
Publication No. 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. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] When the display device and the digitizer are configured separately, when drawing a straight line, the straight line is not drawn at the designated place, that is, on the digitizer, and the straight line is not drawn at the designated place and the digitizer. A straight line is drawn at a different location, that is, on the screen of a display device. Therefore, it is not possible to draw a drawing in the same way as drawing a straight line using a writing instrument on paper on a drawing board. If you are not used to CAD input operations, you will feel uncomfortable with the input operations, and C
The flaw was that AD was difficult to handle. In addition, when drawing on paper on a drawing board using a universal parallel ruler, move the head parallelly in any direction on the drawing board, 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 free parallel ruler, and there is a problem in that people who are used to operating a free parallel ruler 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 board-like digitizer, so that 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 apparatus, 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. a control means for translating and rotating the orthogonal scale line on the screen; A scale drawing means is provided for moving the scale along a line or straight line connecting the two points. [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 having both ends of these two points 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 or rotate it by a desired angle. It is possible to draw on the digitizer using the scale line as a reference. Furthermore, when a right-angled scale line is brought close to two points or a straight line on the digitizer, the right-angled scale line is drawn into the two points or the straight line, and the right-angled scale line overlaps the two points or the straight line.

〔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 operated by an operator who controls the digitizer 4's control device I! !
When a point on the digitizer 4 is specified with an absolute type cursor device 6 such as a stylus pen (not shown) connected by a cord, the 7 absolute coordinate signals of the specified point are sent to the driver 8 shown in FIG. The data is converted into paper coordinate data through the conversion means 10, and is supplied to the cursor pattern generator l2. The paper coordinates are the actual data plane coordinates that serve as the reference for the drawing program. The cursor pattern generator 12 supplies cursor pattern data to the coordinate conversion means 14. The coordinate conversion means 4 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 can be acquired by the drawing program means l by bringing the tip of the cursor device 6 into contact with the digitizer 4 and hitting it.
8, and the means 18 outputs plotting data based on a plotting command position signal which the cursor device 6 has previously instructed 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, and 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 substantially the same dimensions as the digitizer 4, and is disposed close to the back surface of the digitizer 4.

In FIG. 4, numeral 22 is a display device made from 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 U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,723,651 and 4,343.
Since it is disclosed in detail in Japanese Patent No. 535, etc., a detailed explanation thereof will be omitted. The light valve 26 converts the image of the display device 22 into a clear image by interacting with the input from the xenon lamp 30, and illuminates the polarizing prism 28 with this image. The image irradiated onto the polarizing prism 28 is configured to be enlarged and projected onto the screen 16 via a half mirror 32 and a lens 34. 36 is a display device consisting of a cathode ray tube for red, and a lens 38 is installed in front of the display surface of this device.
and a light valve 40 are provided, the light valve 40
is facing the polarizing prism 28. 42 is blue (B
This is a display device consisting of a cathode ray tube for lua), in which a lens 44, a reflecting mirror 46, and a light valve 48 are arranged in front of the display surface, and the light valve 48 faces the polarizing prism 28. The lenses 24, 38, 44, the light valves 26, 38, 48, the lamp 30, the polarizing prism 28, the half mirror 32, and the reflecting mirror 46 enlarge and project the image on the display surface of the display device 22, 36, 42 onto the screen 16. The enlargement ratio of the enlargement projection mechanism 50 is based on the position indicated by the cursor device 6 on the digitizer 4 and the coordinate signal of the position on the screen 16. The position of the cursor 15 above is set to match. 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 devices 22, 36, and 42 are control devices consisting of a host CPU! ! 52.

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 contact points a and b are configured to be switched by operating a switch key of the cursor device 54. The cursor pattern generator 62 displays a rectangular scale line 64 with graduations shown in FIG.
This orthogonal scale l&l 64 is configured to be able to perform angle conversion based on the contents of the cursor parameter table 66. The cursor pattern generator 62 is connected to the cursor pattern generator 62 via a coordinate conversion means 68. Connected to display driver l7. 72 is a keyboard. The cursor 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, the Y-axis length, and the scale width of the line figure.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. screen 16
The orthogonal scale line 64 displayed can be manipulated by the 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. g64 is converted into a parallel movement of the origin position and displayed. When the mouse key of the cursor device 54 is pressed, the switch 70 connects to the b contact. When the force-sol 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 the cursor device 54 Δy or ΔX, and converts this amount of change Δy or ΔX is linearly transformed into an angle Δθ by the function f(Δy). This angle change amount Δθ 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 generates a rectangular scale I as shown in FIG.
The vI 64 is rotated by an angle θ and displayed on the screen 16.

The angle θ of this right angle scale $64 is displayed on the screen 16 by the drawing program means 18. Meanwhile, the operator points the tip of the cursor device 6 to the digitizer 4.
Instruct the upper command area 4a, for example, instruct a green straight line command to the control device 520 plotting program means 18, and use the tip of the cursor device 6 to
When points A and B are designated, the plotting coordinate signals of points A and 82 are input to the plotting program means l8. The control device 52 generates drawing data based on the input coordinate signal, 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 screen of the display device 22 is directly 1iA
B is displayed 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 by the light bulb 26 toward the polarizing prism 28, and through the polarizing prism 28, the half mirror 32, and the lens 34, the image on the display device 22 is enlarged and projected onto the screen l6. The origin of the XY coordinate reference of this enlarged projection view and the XY coordinate reference of the digitizer 4 match, and the reference points of the lengths of the XY axes match each other at a ratio of 1:1. Therefore, when the operator indicates points A and B on the digitizer 4 with the cursor device 6, a green straight line connecting the indicated points A and 82 is displayed on the digitizer 4 in real time in actual size. The above is a case where a green straight line is displayed, but based on the same principle, a red, blue, etc. straight line, a circle, a point, etc. can be drawn at a 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 tAMed so that it can be output to the XY plotter. Drawing with the cursor device 6 is performed with reference to the orthogonal scale line 64 on the screen l6. This right angle scale 11X64 corresponds to a right angle scale, that is, a pair of straight rulers provided on the head of a universal parallel ruler device, and the cursor device 6 corresponds to a writing instrument. The operator moves the orthogonal scale line 64 in parallel and converts the angle using the cursor device 54 in the same way as operating the head of a universal parallel ruler device, and performs drawing operations using the other cursor device 6. As is clear from the above description, the cursor pattern generator 62 constitutes a means for displaying a rectangular scale line on the screen of a display device, and includes a cursor parameter table 66, a length change amount/angle change amount conversion means 60, and a cursor pattern generator 62. The generator 62 sets the right angle scale #I64 to the screen 1.
6 constitutes a control means for parallel movement and rotation. 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 Figure 3. The incremental coordinate signal of the cursor device 54 is supplied to the scale state table change management means 92 through the a contact point of the switch 70 (see FIG. 6). The management means 92 adjusts the rectangular scale of the scale state table 84 corresponding to the cursor parameter table 66 shown in FIG. 64 origin coordinates are sequentially rewritten. The contents of this scale state table 84 are read out to the scale display memory 94 and displayed on the right angle scale line 64 via the screen of the display device and the projector 50.
is displayed on screen 16. The origin or center point of the orthogonal scale m64 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, 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 8l corresponds to the switch 70 in FIG.
, the y-coordinate recording means 82, and the 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
This is a structure for a newly added minimum unit angle rounding function not shown in FIG. Output to.

For example, if the minimum unit of angle is 0.5 degrees, when the angle conversion means 86 outputs 5 degrees from O degrees, the angle rounding means 88 receives the signal from the angle conversion means 86 and outputs O degrees.
．． O. 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.
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 detected by the switch detection means 80, which detects the angle conversion means 86, y
A trigger signal that puts the coordinate recording means 82 into operation is output. Among the XY coordinate outputs of the cursor device 54 when the mouse key is turned on, a certain Y-axis coordinate output is supplied to the y/I mark recording means 82 and the angle conversion means 86. The Y-axis component coordinate output is written to the y-coordinate table 83. The angle conversion means 86 collects the amount of change in the Y4i111 coordinate output from the table 83, and converts this amount of change into an angle 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. This rewritten right angle scale 6
The angle data of 4 is read out to a 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.

Next, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, 2 on the digitizer 4.
A scale drawing means for drawing a perpendicular scale line to a point or straight line will be described in detail.

The locator stop event detection means 95 detects movement and stop of the cursor device, and outputs the detection signal to the driver 96 as a trigger. The driver 96 receives the trigger signal and the coordinate output of the cursor device 54, and when the cursor device 54 stops, the rectangular scale I!
64 is output to the coordinate search means 98. The coordinate search means 98 selects the two points A and B closest to the orthogonal scale line 64 based on the data from the driver 96.
The coordinate data or straight line is read out, and the read straight line data is supplied to the scale state table change management means 92. The scale status table change management means 92 has two points A.
, B or the straight line data, the coordinates O and angle of the intersection of the orthogonal scale lines in the scale state table 84 are rewritten. As a result, the orthogonal scale line 64 becomes
As shown in FIG. 2, it is drawn into two points A and B or a straight line (not shown) and overlaps them.

〔effect〕

As described above, the present invention uses one of the two cursor devices to move and rotate the orthogonal scale line, and the other cursor device to indicate the coordinate position. You can draw on the screen as if you were using a writing utensil. In addition, by the action of the scale line drawing means, a right-angled scale line is drawn between two points or a straight line on the digitizer, so it is easy to draw a straight line parallel to a straight line using the right-angled scale line as a reference. There are effects such as being able to do it.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

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 an explanatory block 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, 4o...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.

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; and a digitizer. scale drawing means for drawing the orthogonal scale line to the two upper points or the straight line and moving the orthogonal scale line onto the line or straight line connecting the two points; An input device for CAD characterized by the following. (2) The scale retrieving means searches the database for two points or straight lines close to the orthogonal scale line based on the scale state table that stores the coordinates and angles of intersections of the orthogonal scale lines and the coordinate output of the second cursor device. Based on the coordinate search means and the coordinate values of the two points or both ends of the straight line outputted from the coordinate search means, the coordinates and angle of the intersection point of the scale state table are determined, and the orthogonal scale line connects the two points. 2. The CAD input device according to claim 1, further comprising scale state table change management means for rewriting the scale status table so as to move along a line or a straight line.