Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device – Touch panel
Reexamination Certificate
1996-05-10
2002-10-08
Luu, Matthew (Department: 2672)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
Touch panel
C345S156000, C345S184000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06462733
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus which is used with a computer system which comprises a position indicator and a coordinate detecting device which detects a coordinate indicated by the position indicator. Especially, the present invention relates to an apparatus which mechanically and physically indicates on a tablet indications of menus, switches, etc., which are displayed on a screen of a display device when software or a program is operated in a computer system.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, in a computer system which has a CAD system, a graphic user interface (GUI), etc., selection and operation switches of software functions, such as operation modes and tools, are displayed as icons on a screen of a display device. The icons are in the forms of a button, a sliding bar, etc., and they are displayed on a part of the screen. A user uses an input device such as a digitizer and a mouse to move a cursor onto an icon which indicates a desired function, then executes a click operation whereby the desired function is selected.
FIG. 1
shows an example of a conventional computer system which utilizes a digitizer which comprises a tablet and a pen-shaped position indicator. In the
FIG. 1
denotes a display device,
2
a display screen,
3
a computer,
4
a tablet of a digitizer,
5
a frame part of tablet
4
,
6
a coordinate position detecting surface,
7
a position indicator, and
7
a
a tip of the position indicator
7
.
In
FIG. 1
, an example of a display, when an application program for drawing is used, is shown in the screen
2
.
The left side of the screen
2
is an area for indicating functions, or a function display area
8
. In this function display area
8
, a mode menu display
9
, a color menu display
10
and a line menu display
11
are displayed. Each menu display is comprised of a plurality of icons, each icon representing a function in a menu. On the left side of menus, triangle-shaped marks
12
,
13
and
14
which indicate currently selected functions are displayed.
The mode menu display
9
includes icons which indicate a tool for drawing a straight line, a tool for drawing a rectangular, a tool for drawing a circle, a tool for drawing a free line, and a tool for erasing a drawn line. The color menu display
10
includes icons which indicate a plurality of selectable colors, such as black, white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, form the top. The line menu display
11
includes icons which indicate a plurality of selectable kinds of lines such as a very fine line, a fine line, a thick line and a very thick line, from the top. The area other than the function display area
8
of the screen
2
is an area for display and drawing, that is, a display and drawing area
15
. The display and drawing area
15
is an area which a user can freely utilize. In the area
15
, a pen-shaped cursor
16
and a drawn line are shown. The shape of the cursor
16
changes in accordance with a selected function. For example, when the tool for drawing a free line is selected, a pen-shaped cursor appears, and when the tool for erasing a drawn line is selected, an eraser-shaped cursor appears.
Area
17
,
18
and
19
of left side of the detecting surface
6
of the tablet
4
, which are delineated by dotted lines, correspond to the menu displays
9
,
10
and
11
of function the display area
8
of the screen
2
, respectively. The dotted lines are indicated only for the purpose of explanation, and are not drawn on the actual detecting surface
6
.
FIG. 2
shows a main part of the tablet
4
and the computer
3
. The tablet
4
includes a plurality of antennas
20
, a control part
21
and a coordinate value storage
22
.
The antennas
20
are placed beneath the detecting surface
6
, and they receive a signal outputted from the position indicator
7
. The control part
21
has a function of converting a signal received by the antennas
20
into a signal representing a X-Y coordinate value of X-Y coordinate system of the tablet
4
, and a function of generating a control signal corresponding to each X-Y coordinate value. The coordinate value storage
22
stores data which indicate corresponding relations between functions/processes to be executed and coordinate values.
Next, an operation of the application program for drawing will be explained. In this example, it is supposed that the functions of “tool for drawing a free line,” “red,” and “fine line” will be selected.
When the application program is started, the function display area
8
including the menu displays
9
,
10
and
11
, and the display and drawing area
15
are displayed on the screen
2
.
A user moves the cursor
16
, which is displayed on the screen
2
, onto an icon which indicates the desired function. The cursor
16
is moved by contacting or closely placing the tip
7
a
of the position indicator
7
to the detecting surface
6
of the tablet
4
and moving it.
The user moves the cursor
16
to the icon indicating the “tool for drawing a free line” of the mode menu display
9
. That is, the user indicates, by contacting or closely placing the tip
7
a
of the position indicator
7
, the position in the area
17
of the detecting surface
6
which corresponds to the position of the icon of “tool for drawing a free line”. Then, the user moves the position indicator
7
away, or lifts it from the detecting surface
6
.
The tablet
4
serially receives signals sent from the position indicator
7
by the antennas
20
which are placed under the position that the position indicator
7
points to. The received signals are inputted to the control part
21
. Based on the received signals, the control part
21
serially calculates coordinate values (X,Y) of the points that the position indicator
7
has indicated, of the X-Y coordinate system of the tablet
4
. The control part
21
stores the last calculated coordinate value, that is, the coordinate value just before the position indicator
7
separates from the detecting surface
6
.
To determine which thing the last calculated coordinate value indicates, the control part
21
accesses the coordinate value storage
22
to read data corresponding to the last calculated coordinate value.
The data read from the coordinate value storage
22
indicates that the coordinate value corresponds to the tool for drawing a free line. Based on the extracted data, the control part
21
generates a signal to select the “tool for drawing a free line,” and sends the signal to the computer
3
.
The computer
3
receives the signal and switches the presently executing mode of the application program for drawing to mode of “tool for drawing a free line.”
When the mode is selected, the triangular mark
12
is displayed on the left side of the icon indicating the “tool for drawing a free line,” that is, the mark
12
is displayed on the left side of the forth icon of the mode menu display
9
, to indicate that the function is presently selected.
In a similar manner, the user selects the third icon from icons of the color menu display
10
to select “red,” and selects the second icon from icons of the line menu display
11
to select “fine line.” The marks
13
and
14
are respectively displayed on the left sides of the selected icons.
After a setting for drawing is completed, that is, after a selection of a tool, a color and a line is completed, the user starts drawing a picture or a character on the display and drawing area
15
. Since the “tool for drawing a free line” is selected, the pen-shaped cursor
16
is displayed in the display and drawing area
15
. Also, since functions of “red” and “fine line” are selected, the drawn line is red and fine.
The user puts, at his desired position, the tip
7
a
of the position indicator
7
in contact (or put closely) with the detecting surface
6
of the tablet
4
and moves it. The cursor
16
moves in correspondence with the movement of the position indicator
7
, and a line is drawn on the screen
2
along a trace of movement of the cursor
16
.
Another example
Luu Matthew
Tarolli, Sundheim, Covell Tummino & Szabo L.L.P.
Wacom Co. Ltd.
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