JPS6252888B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a digitizer having an enlarged projection mechanism.

Conventionally, various types of digitizers have been known, and some examples of them are as follows.

In other words, the electromagnetic induction method uses magnetic induction between a cursor and a wire stretched perpendicular to the digitizer table surface to detect the position, and the electrostatic induction method between the cursor and a wire stretched perpendicular to the digitizer table surface. an electrostatic induction method that detects the position using This is an encoder method in which movable rails are provided in the X and Y directions of the digitizer table, and the position of a cursor on the rails is detected by an encoder.

These conventionally known digitizers directly place an original of an image to be digitized on a digitizer table, and directly convert position information from this original into an electrical signal.

By the way, in order to create printed matter, it is common practice to use a block copy in which the layout of images such as photographs and headings to be printed is written, and the creation of this block copy was previously done by hand. However, in recent years, electronic computers have been used to automatically create block copies. In order to automatically create a block copy using a processing device such as a computer, it is necessary to input information on the outline of the image of the manuscript into the processing device such as a computer, and for this purpose, the above-mentioned A digitizer may also be used.

However, since the conventional digitizer places the original directly on the digitizer table as described above, it has the following drawbacks. In other words, when placing a small-sized transmissive original, such as a 35 mm or 6x6 transmissive original, on a conventional digitizer table and inputting image position information, the accuracy is extremely low. That's true. As a way to overcome these drawbacks, it is possible to create a secondary manuscript enlarged to the final finished size, but in this case, not only would extra materials be required to create the secondary manuscript, but Since the number of steps required to create a secondary manuscript increases, new drawbacks arise, such as longer work steps and reduced work efficiency.

The present invention solves these drawbacks, and when inputting image position information to a processing device such as a computer,
The aim is to provide a digitizer that can input data with high accuracy even in the case of small images.

The digitizer of the present invention not only inputs image position information to a processing device such as a computer for creating a block plate used when creating printed matter, but also outputs information to a computer, etc. as appropriate to suit the purpose of the user. When position information is required to be input using a processing device, even a small image can be input with high accuracy.

Such a digitizer of the present invention includes a document mounting mechanism, an enlargement projection mechanism for enlarging and projecting the document attached by the document mounting mechanism onto the digitizer table surface, and an image of the document enlarged and projected by the enlargement projection mechanism. The digitizer includes a position information-to-electrical signal conversion mechanism that converts position information into an electric signal, and a movement mechanism for the digitizer table and/or document mount.

That is, the digitizer of the present invention can solve the following disadvantages of a digitizer equipped with an enlarged projection mechanism and can achieve further improvement in functionality.

One of the above-mentioned disadvantages is that when a small original is placed on the original table, it is often held at a certain angle, resulting in a projected image that is deviated from the horizontal and vertical directions, resulting in errors. Furthermore, even if the document is placed correctly, it may be photographed at a certain angle and must be corrected. Furthermore, when digitizing precise manuscripts or blueprint manuscripts, the origin may be specified, or a certain angle of inclination may be required. In such a case, if the output information from the digitizer is corrected again using a data processing device such as an electronic computer, it will require calculation time on the electronic computer, and it will also be difficult to adjust the original angle and set it on the original table while maintaining accuracy. requires considerable effort and time.

The present invention eliminates these drawbacks and makes it possible to easily input positional information of an image that has undergone angle correction and positional correction when inputting image information to a processing device such as a computer.

The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment of the digitizer of the present invention, in which a document holder 2 is provided at the bottom of a frame 1.
is attached to frame 1. The original plate 2 is a horizontal surface, and the original placed on the original plate 2 is held by a transparent sheet-like or plate-shaped original holding device such as a transparent overlay film or a transparent glass plate. It is preferable to be able to hold down 3. In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, the document mounting mechanism is constituted by the document table 2 and the document presser.

If the original placed on the original platen 2 is a transmissive type original, the light source 4 for transmissive type originals installed below the original platen 2 will cause the light source 4 to light up the original plate. The original is irradiated with light by a reflective original light source 5 installed above 2,
An image of the original is enlarged and projected onto a projection surface 7 by an optical system 6 consisting of lenses and the like.

The projection surface 7 serves as a digitizer table.

In order to be usable for both transparent type originals and reflective type originals, the original plate 2 is preferably made of matte glass, opal glass, or the like.

Lenses and the like of the optical system 6 are attached to the frame 1 by a support bar 8 so that the support bar 8 can move along a guide rail 9. By moving a lens or the like along this guide rail 9, the projection magnification of the projected image can be adjusted. The image projected onto the projection surface 7 is visible from above the projection surface 7, and it is preferable that the focusing surface is formed of matte glass, opal glass, or the like. The above constitutes the enlarged projection mechanism. In the case of FIG. 1, the projection surface 7 also serves as a digitizer table, and in the case of the electromagnetic induction method, a large number of wires are arranged so as to intersect at right angles.

In order to read the position of an image enlarged and projected onto a projection surface, that is, a digitizer table surface, the stylus pen 11 or a cursor or the like is used to convert the position information of the image into an electrical signal.

This position information-electrical signal conversion mechanism converts the image position information into an electric signal, and if necessary, it is further processed into a form convenient for inputting into a processing device such as a computer, and then stored. Appropriate processing such as being stored in a device or directly input to a processing device such as a computer is performed.

At this time, the coordinate axis 10 on the table is aligned with the origin and coordinates of the image, and rotation can be achieved by turning the rotary knob 13 that is interlocked with the rotary plate 12 that supports the digitizer through gears. The rotation knob 13 also serves as a stopper for fixing rotation. The rotating plate 12 rotates smoothly because a bearing 15 is inserted between it and the disc 14. Rotation and fixation are realized by the above mechanism. Movement in the X-axis direction is realized by moving the disk 14 on the rectangular plate 16. Specifically, a wire is arranged in two rings in the rectangular plate 16 in the same way as an arm 17 shown later, so that it can move in the X-axis direction, and the disk 14 is connected to this wire. Fixation in the X-axis direction is achieved by holding down this wire or fixing the ring on which the wire is hung. A fixing mechanism (stopper) for fixing the ring on which the wire is attached is operated by a handle 18. Movement in the Y-axis direction is realized by moving the rectangular plate 16 on the arm 17. The mechanism is similar to that for movement in the X-axis direction, and a movable wire is stretched inside the arm as shown by hidden lines in the figure, and a rectangular plate 16 is connected to this. The fixing mechanism in the Y-axis direction also uses the same method as the fixing mechanism in the X-axis direction, that is,
This is achieved by holding down the wire or fixing the ring around which the wire is attached. 19 is a handle for operating this fixing mechanism (stopper). Movement and fixation in the X and Y axis directions are realized by the above mechanism.

On the digitizer table 7, rules and an origin, ie, a coordinate axis 10, are set for indicating the position of the image. The coordinate axis 10 is parallel to the absolute coordinate axis of the digitizer, and it is better if they coincide. Depending on the digitizing mechanism of the digitizer, a wire stretched perpendicular to the surface of the digitizer table may be used. The coordinate axis 10 is preferably a thin line of about 100 μm or less in order to ensure accuracy.

When using the digitizer of the present invention, place the original 3 on the original stand 2, adjust the optical system 6 such as a lens system on the digitizer table 7 to form a focused image, and then turn the rotary knob. At step 13, release the fixed rotation, turn the rotation knob so that the coordinate axis aligns with the horizontal and vertical lines of the image that you have determined in advance, and fix the rotation again. When aligning the origin, release the fixed handle 18 in the X-axis direction and the fixed handle 19 in the Y-axis direction, move the digitizer table 7 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, align the image origin with the origin of the coordinate axis 10, and then use the handle 18 and fix again at 19. After completing the settings as described above, the data output from the digitizer is angle-corrected and origin-extrapolated data.

The above description has been made regarding the movement of the digitizer table, but the original table 2 may be moved instead of the digitizer table using a similar mechanism, or both the digitizer table and the document table may be movable.

The light source 4 for transmissive documents may be a plurality of fluorescent lamps arranged in parallel, and the light source 5 for reflective documents may be an appropriate one such as a xenon lamp or an iodine lamp. Can be used. These light sources can be freely selected as long as the purpose of the present invention can be achieved. It is convenient if a suitable changeover switch can be used to switch between using a transmissive original light source and a reflective original light source.

In addition, when creating a block copy, if the enlargement magnification is known in advance, when enlarging and projecting with the enlargement projection mechanism, the enlargement magnification is automatically set to the required enlargement magnification. It would be convenient if it had an automatic adjustment mechanism. Alternatively, when measuring the enlargement magnification by looking at the enlarged and projected image, it is also possible to automatically measure the enlargement magnification.

It would be more convenient to have both of these mechanisms.

Note that the switch for switching between the light source for transmissive documents and the light source for reflective documents, the input section for setting the enlargement magnification, etc., can be operated by putting them together as an operation panel on the same surface as the digitizer table or in another appropriate part. easy.

Furthermore, the digitizing method of the digitizer of the present invention is not limited to the electromagnetic induction method;
It may be of any type.

Furthermore, although the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is designed to be vertical, it goes without saying that it may also be horizontal.

Furthermore, the magnification may be adjusted by making the document table movable instead of by moving the lens.

Note that it is preferable to use an appropriate interface in order to output the information converted into electrical signals by the digitizer of the present invention to the outside, and it is more convenient to incorporate this interface into the digitizer of the present invention.

As described above, according to the digitizer of the present invention,
Even small images can be input to the processing device with high accuracy, and the operation is easy.

Further, according to the digitizer of the present invention, such high precision can be ensured without creating secondary originals such as enlarged photographs, thus saving resources and being economically superior.

Furthermore, according to the digitizer of the present invention, it is now possible to arbitrarily specify the tilt of the projected image, the origin, etc., which were conventionally determined by the way the document is placed, without post-processing, and the output information of the digitizer can be transferred to an electronic computer. It is no longer necessary to perform angle correction and origin correction using a processing device such as the above, and the time required for angle measurement and the like for angle correction is naturally also eliminated, resulting in a reduction in processing time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows an explanatory diagram of one embodiment of the digitizer of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Frame, 2...Document stand, 3...Document, 4...Light source for transmissive documents, 5...Light source for reflective documents, 6...Optical system, 7...Projection surface, 8...Support Bar, 9... Guide rail, 10... Coordinate axis,
11... Stylus pen, 12... Rotating plate, 13
... Rotating knob, 14 ... Disc, 15 ... Bearing, 16 ... Rectangular plate, 17 ... Arm, 19,
18...Toride.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A document mounting table on which a document with an image to be drawn on the bottom of the plate is placed, and a document mounting table which is arranged opposite to the document mounting mechanism and has ruled lines on its surface for indicating the image position, and the placed document. a digitizer table on which an enlarged image is projected, an enlargement projection mechanism for enlarging and projecting the placed original onto the digitizer table surface, and converting position information of the image of the original enlarged and projected by the enlargement projection mechanism into an electrical signal. Position information to be converted - has an electrical signal conversion mechanism and a movement mechanism for the digitizer table and/or document mount, and the movement mechanism is a rotational movement mechanism or the rotation within the digitizer table plane and/or document mount plane. A digitizer characterized by being a combination of a movement mechanism and a parallel movement mechanism in the X-Y direction.