JPH0529952B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a figure input device that allows figures to be input online by hand when inputting figures into a CAD (Computer Aided Design) system.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

When inputting figures into a CAD system, especially figures used in mechanical drawings, with conventional equipment, you have to select and combine dozens of different and similar commands via a tablet and keyboard, and then precisely specify the coordinate position of the figure you want to input. I had to specify it. Therefore, unless the operator is familiar with the operation method, it takes a lot of time and puts a heavy burden on the operator. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, two devices, a keyboard and a tablet, must be operated, resulting in poor space efficiency in installing the devices.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art described above, and is a space-efficient system that can be easily operated even by a designer who is not familiar with operating CAD systems, and that can be installed on a designer's desk. The purpose of this invention is to provide a graphic input device.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention provides handwritten character recognition, handwritten figure recognition,
By combining the proximity calculation between figures,
This is a graphic input device that internally recognizes instructions equivalent to conventional commands, calculates the coordinate position of an input graphic internally, and generates a clean drawing from handwritten characters and graphics.

[Embodiments of the invention]

FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of the drawing input device according to the present invention. Figures and characters are input by handwriting on the tablet 12 using a stylus pen 13. The CRT 11 displays the recognition result of the input handwritten characters, the handwritten input figures or the figures after the cleanup process, and also displays several command menus. The plotter 14 outputs a faired drawing. The graphic input device main body 10 recognizes characters or graphics based on the coordinate data sent from the tablet 12. A detailed representation of this part is shown in FIG. In character recognition, perform character recognition processing
CREC103 operates, and in figure recognition, pick detection unit PICK102, figure recognition unit PREQ104,
Proximity calculation unit DIST105, coordinate value calculation unit LOC1
06, End point/contact calculation part that calculates contact points and contact points
TREQ107 operates. Coordinate value input section other than these IN100, stroke end detection section SDET1
01. Graphic memory MEMORY 108, display control unit DSP 109 that controls the CRT display, plotter control unit PLOT 110 that controls output to the plotter.
is a part that operates in common to character recognition and figure recognition.

The operation of the present invention will be described with reference to an example of graphic input shown in FIG. Figure 3 a shows a straight line L connecting the intersection A of straight lines L1 and L2 and the intersection B of straight lines L3 and L4.
This is an example of inputting 5.

In the conventional device, in order to specify point A, a command to specify the intersection between straight lines is input from the keyboard (F1 in Figure 7), and then the stylus pen of the tablet is moved to move the cursor between straight lines L1 and L2. (F3 in Fig. 7, called pick). Point B is similarly determined by the above operation.
The picked shape will be highlighted on the CRT (7th
F4 in the figure). Next, a command for inputting a straight line is input from the keyboard (F1 in FIG. 7), and a subcommand indicating that the input specifies a starting point and an end point is input from the keyboard (F2 in FIG. 7). To specify the starting point and ending point, move the cursor to match the above two points A and B (F3 in Fig. 7). When the above operations are completed, the straight line L5 to be input is displayed on the CRT (F4 in Figure 7).

On the other hand, in the present invention, the stylus pen 13 is moved on the tablet 12, the cursor displayed on the CRT 11 is moved to the vicinity of point A, the pen is moved down, and the cursor is moved to point B in the same way as writing with a pen.
If you upload the pen here, you will see the clean-cut straight line L5.
Displayed on CRT11. In this way, there is no need to input or pick commands using conventional devices. The operation of the present invention when this operation is performed will be described with reference to FIG. The coordinate values of the stylus pen 13 input via IN100 are input to PREQ104,
Pass it to DIST105. This value is also DSP109
The handwritten figure is sent to the CRT 11 via the CRT 11 and displayed.

The fact that I put the pen down at point A and started writing is SDET.
101 detects and sends to PREQ104 and DIST105,
Send a signal to start each operation. DIST1
05 accesses the MEMORY 108 in which the already input straight lines L1 to L4 and other figure data is stored, calculates the distance between the coordinate values after pen down and the already input straight lines (i.e. L1 to L4), and sets it in advance. TREQ the distance between the graphic data (L1 and L2 in this example) whose distance is less than the specified threshold.
Send to 107. PREQ104 is stylus pen 1
Input the coordinate values of 3 via IN100 and calculate the stroke vector of the handwritten figure. When the sliver pen 13 is brought up near point B, the SDET 101 detects that writing has finished and indicates this.
Notify DIST 105 and PREQ 104. DIST
105 ends the operation by pen-up.
TREQ107 starts writing from the coordinates close to the end point of straight line L1 or L2 based on the figure data and distance sent from DIST105, and
It is recognized that writing has been completed at the coordinates close to the end point of , and the coordinate values of the start and end of writing are sent to the LOC 106 as points A and B. PREQ 104 recognizes the shape of the input figure from the stroke vector calculation results. In this example, it is recognized as a straight line. A code representing the graphic format of the recognition result is sent to the LOC 106. LOC1
06 determines that the graphic code sent from PREQ 104 is a straight line, and that it is a straight line whose starting and ending points are the two coordinate values sent from TREQ 107, that is, the coordinate values of points A and B. . This data is stored in the MEMORY 108 and sent to the CRT 11 via the DSP 109, erasing the handwritten figure that had been displayed up to that point and displaying the clean-cut figure.

FIG. 3b is an example in which a circle that is in contact with two straight lines L6 and L7 and whose radius value is 100 is input. As with straight line input, move the stylus pen 13 to input straight lines L6, L.
Input the circle close to 7 by hand. It doesn't matter where you start writing. The value of the radius is inputted in the same way as writing with the stylus pen 13. The first character R is an identification character indicating that the numerical value is a radius. The character input and graphic input may be the reverse of the above. As with straight line input, there is no need to pick the straight lines L6 and L7, and there is no need to input numerical values from the keyboard.

The operation of the present invention when performing this operation will be described with reference to FIG. 1 in the same way as for linear input. IN100
The coordinate values of the stylus pen 13 input through
Pass to PREQ104 and DIST105. DSP109
Displaying a handwritten figure on the CRT 11 via the input line is the same as the example of linear input. PREQ104 calculates the stroke vector during pen down and DIST
105 calculates the distance to the already input graphic data stored in MEMORY 108 and sends this result to TREQ 107. TREQ indicates that the handwritten input figure was written close to straight lines L6 and L7.
Send to LOC106. CREQ 103 obtains strokes from the coordinate values of stylus pen 13 and performs character recognition. The character recognition technology itself is described in publicly known examples (Nikkei Collectronics 1983, 12, 5. PP115-133). Character string R100 by character recognition
is calculated, the character following the letter R is recognized as the radius value, and the radius value 100 is set as LOC10.
Send to 6. LOC106 receives the data of straight lines L6 and L7 sent from TREQ107 and CREQ10.
Radius value 100 sent from 4, and PREQ
Since the graphic code sent from 104 is a circle, a point E having a distance of 100 from the straight lines L6 and L7, that is, the center point is found. DSP this result
Straight lines L6, L7 sent to CRT11 via 109
A circle that is tangent to and has a radius of 100 is corrected and displayed.
These coordinate values are stored in MEMORY 108. The numerical input in this example is the radius of the circle, but other numerical values such as the diameter of a circle or arc, coordinate values in a rectangular or polar coordinate system, the length of a straight line, and the distance from a reference line are also possible.

Next, a priority control method according to the present invention will be described.

FIG. 4a shows an example of a connection input when figures that have already been input are close to each other and are difficult to identify or may be misrecognized. At this time, the graphic pick operation is performed in the same way as in the conventional device. First, the stylus pen 13 is moved, the cursor is placed on the circumference of the circle C2, the pen is brought down at point F, and the pen is brought up again. The same thing is done for circle C4 as well. Next, circle C
The handwritten figure begins to be drawn at a position near the tangent coordinates of circle C4, and ends at a position near the tangent coordinates of circle C4. The command for tangent to a circle in the conventional device is unnecessary. The operation of the present invention when this operation is performed will be described with reference to FIG. Pen down and pen up at point F is SDET10
1 is detected, DIST105 inputs the coordinate values of stylus pen 13 via IN100, and the already input circles C1 to C4 and other figures are stored.
Access MEMORY 108, calculate the distance between point F and these figures, and use this result as TREQ.
Send to 107. PICK102 is a stylus pen 13 that receives pen down and pen up on and off signals from SDET101 and inputs them from IN100.
Since the amount of movement of the coordinate values is small, it is determined that this is a pick operation, and this is sent to TREQ 107.
TREQ 107 recognizes from these actions that circle C2 has been picked. Furthermore, when the pen down and pen up operations are performed at point G, the same operation as above is performed. Next, start writing near the tangent coordinate of circle C2,
PREQ1 until it finishes writing near the tangent coordinate of circle C4
04, the operation of the DIST 105 is almost the same as the linear input example shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3a.

The difference is that the pick operation is performed on circles C2 and C4, so TREQ107 is DIST105.
The purpose is to send only the data of circles C2 and C4 from among the proximate figures C1 to C4 sent from the LOC 106.

The LOC 106 determines that the graphic code sent from the PREQ 104 is a straight line, determines the coordinates of two points of contact from the data of circles C2 and C4 sent from the TREQ 107, and determines that it is a straight line with these as the starting and ending points.

FIG. 4b is an example in which there are straight lines L8 to L11 and coordinate points P1 and P2 as proximate figures, and TREQ 107 determines that they are both proximate. TREQ107 starts writing at the end of L8, L9 or coordinate point P1, ends at straight line L10, L
The coordinate value of the end of 11 or coordinate point P2 is LOC1
Send to 06. LOC106 selects the coordinate point P1, which has a high priority as a proximal figure, from among the three candidates, straight lines L8, L9, and coordinate point P1, for the writing start coordinates.
Select. Regarding the writing end coordinates, the coordinate point P2 having a high priority is also selected.

Data with these two selected coordinate values as the starting point and ending point are stored in the MEMORY 108 and sent to the CRT 11 via the DSP 109.

Figure 4c shows a coordinate point P near the passing point of the handwritten trajectory.
This is an example when there is 3. The operation of the LOC 106 for determining the starting point as the end of L13 is similar to that described in the embodiment of FIG. 3a. Since the straight line L14 that is close to the end coordinates of the handwritten trajectory is neither the end nor the vicinity, coordinate point P3 that is near the passing point of the handwritten trajectory that has the second priority is selected and straight line data passing through this is generated. do. The end point is the intersection with the straight line L14 that is close to the writing end coordinates.

FIG. 4d is an example in which a straight line parallel to the straight line L18 and at a distance of 100 is inputted. Character input is the same as shown in the embodiment of Fig. 3b.
CREQ103 inputs the data that the distance from the reference line is 100 from the input character string d100 to LOC1.
Send to 06. TREQ107 is P as a proximity figure
4, C5, L16, L17 to LOC106.
Since the standard straight line L18 is recognized by TREQ 107 in the same way as the pick operation shown in the example of FIG. 4a, this graphic data is also recognized by LOC 106
send to

LOC106 has a straight shape type from PREQ104, a distance of 100 from CREC103, and a TREQ107.
From these data, pick straight line L18 from
A straight line parallel to the straight line L18 and at a distance of 100 from it is generated. In this embodiment, the coordinate data of the input figure is generated with the distance data from the CREC 103 as the top priority, and the coordinate point P4 near the passing point of the handwritten trajectory has the second priority, and the circle C5 has the third priority. Become. The starting point and the ending point are the intersection points of the proximal figures L16 and L17 sent from the TREQ 107, respectively.

Next, different embodiments of priority control will be described with reference to FIG. Figure 5a is an example in which a straight line L20 is input at the beginning of the stroke, a straight line L21 is at the end of the stroke, and circles C6 and C7 are located close to each other near the passing point, and recognition is performed based on the figures C6 and C7 near the passing point. be.

Since the ends of the straight lines L20 and L21 are located close to the coordinates of the start and end of the handwritten trajectory, there is a possibility that they may be mistakenly recognized as straight line input having the start and end points. If the operator raises the stylus pen 13 midway through inputting a handwritten figure and then brings it down again to continue inputting the handwritten figure, it is assumed that a pick operation has been performed on these coordinates. Fifth
In the embodiment shown in Figure A, when pen-up and pen-down are performed in the vicinity of the circumferences A4 and A5 of circles C6 and C7, respectively, these figures are considered to have been picked.

This embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The operation by which the SDET 101 detects that the pen is down at A3 and starts writing is the same as in the embodiment described above. When you move the stylus pen 13 up and down again at the handwritten figure input midpoint A4, PICK102
Since the coordinate values when the pen is up and the coordinates when the pen is down are small, it is determined that the same operation as the pick was performed, and this information is sent to TREQ 107. At this time, DIST105 has a nearby figure as circle C6.
This information is sent to TREQ 107. The same operation is performed at point A5. TREQ107 stores the data of proximal figures L20, L21, C6, C7 in LOC1
Send to 06. For C6 and C7, data indicating that a pick operation has been added is added. LOC106
selects C6 and C7 to which a pick operation of high priority has been applied from among the proximate figure data sent from the TREQ 107, and generates tangents for these.

FIG. 5b shows an example in which a circle tangent to two figures is input, similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3b. In Figure 5b, the touching figures are L23, L24, and L2.
5 and L26, and there is a possibility of erroneous recognition. At this time, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5a, pen-up and pen-down operations are repeated in the vicinity A7 and A8 of the desired figure.

The difference from the embodiment shown in FIG. 3b is that LOC 106 in FIG. 1 has an additional operation of selecting L23 and L26 to which a pick operation of high priority has been added.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the graphic input device of the present invention, by recognizing online handwritten characters, a keyboard is not required, and also by recognizing online handwritten input figures, the degree of proximity between the handwritten figures and the already input figures is calculated. Therefore, graphic input speed and operability can be dramatically improved compared to conventional devices.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing in detail the main body portion of the graphic input device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the graphic input device according to the present invention in which the main body portion and the input/output portion are combined, and FIGS. 3 to 5 The figure shows a display example of figures input to the figure input device of the present invention, Figure 6 is an equipment configuration diagram related to figure input in a CAD system according to the prior art, and Figure 7 shows figure input using the apparatus shown in Figure 6. This is a flow chart of the operation. 1... CAD system processing device, 2...
CRT, 3...Keyboard, 4...Tablet,
5...Protuter, 10...Graphic input device main body, 1
1... CRT, 12... Tablet, 13... Stylus pen, 14... Printer, 100... Coordinate value input section, 101... Stroke end detection section, 1
02...Pick detection unit, 103...Character recognition unit,
104... Figure recognition section, 105... Proximity calculation section, 106... Coordinate value calculation section, 107... End point,
Contact calculation unit, 108...Graphic memory, 109...
Display control section, 110... plotter control section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A graphic input device for inputting handwritten figures, etc. from a tablet, comprising: a first means for reading first coordinate values of figures, etc. written on the tablet; and the first means. a second means for determining the shape of the input figure from the first coordinate values read by the second means; and a second means for reading inputted figure information already stored in a memory, calculating and inputting the first coordinate values. a third means for determining a figure close to the figure; and a fourth means for determining, when a handwritten character is input, what the handwritten character is from the first coordinate values and converting it into coordinate data of the input figure. means, fifth means for determining second coordinate values of the input figure by giving priority to the adjacent figures based on the shape of the input figure and the coordinate data; A graphic input device comprising: sixth means for storing the content of the image in the memory and for displaying the formatted graphic. 2. When the fifth means detects pen-up and pen-down motions of a stylus pen in the vicinity of a figure that has already been inputted and is being displayed as a fair copy while inputting a figure by hand from the tablet, the fifth means Claim 1, characterized in that the proximate figure is determined to have the highest priority among the proximate figures.
The graphic input device described in Section 1.