JPS6242292B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an interactive drawing device using a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer).

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various devices for creating drawings with the aid of computers have appeared. For example, there is a plotting device that is constructed by combining a minicomputer and a graphics printer, etc., but although this device can produce plotting output, since it is a copy of a cathode ray tube display (hereinafter referred to as CRT), the image quality is limited. Another problem is that special paper is required. In addition, they were expensive because they were generally based on large, high-resolution CRTs. As a solution to this problem, plotting devices equipped with a graphics microcomputer and a plotter have appeared, but they do not support plotting applications that beginners can master, and low-priced devices do not have the resolution of a CRT. There were shortcomings such as a lack of. Furthermore, recently, an interactive drawing device using a minicomputer that can create extremely advanced and high-quality drawings in an interactive format has appeared, but on the other hand, it is too complicated to operate and too expensive for simple drawing purposes.
It had drawbacks such as being large and not suitable for personal use.

In view of these points, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system in which the entire device is integrated, is compact, inexpensive, has good operability, and has extremely high quality recording output as the final output.
The object of the present invention is to provide an interactive drawing device suitable for personal use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an interactive drawing device that is equipped with a general-purpose programming language so that the user can perform preprocessing for drawing and advanced drawing.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an interactive drawing device whose functions can be diversified by making the application software package supplied on a storage medium replaceable.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an interactive drawing device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an electrical configuration diagram thereof. In both figures, 10 is a keyboard, and 20 is an example of a display.
CRT, 30 is an X-Y plotter, 40 is a processor, 50 is a read-only memory (hereinafter referred to as ROM), and 60 is a random access memory (hereinafter referred to as RAM).
).

The keyboard 10 is comprised of a function key 11, a full key 12, and a plotter control key 13, as shown in FIG. Function keys 11 are keys for instructing the type of drawing, etc., and one key corresponds to one basic function. When the function of the device changes due to the replacement of the application package, which will be described later, the function name of each key will also change, so depending on the application you are using, insert the overlay card 15 with the function name written on the function key 11 side. The function display name can be changed by attaching it to the top. In addition, pattern information such as symbols that correspond to various applications is described below.
Although it is stored in ROM51, this pattern
Function key 11 is also used when specifying a pattern using ROM51.
Even if it is necessary to change the key name display due to replacing the ROM 51, the overlay card 15 can be used to change it. Note that a numeric keypad may be provided in addition to the function key 11 to facilitate numerical input.

The full keys 12 are mainly used for inputting programming languages, but they are also used to specify characters when plotting characters on the X-Y plotter 30, and also for auxiliary use of the function keys 11.

The plotter control key 13 mainly controls the plotter 3.
It is used to instruct the movement of the 0 cursor, to move the recording pen up and down, and to instruct the loading of plot paper, but it can also be used to control the CRT 20.

The CRT 20 has a character display function so that drawing information such as drawing parameters can be entered step-by-step in an interactive manner, and also has a graphic display function for monitoring drawn figures.

The X-Y plotter 30 has a recording head 31 equipped with a recording pen 32 and a cursor 33, and the other parts are configured similarly to the well-known X-Y plotter.
may be one or two or more. The cursor 33 specifies an X-Y coordinate point on the plotting work surface 34, and can be moved appropriately in the X-Y direction by operating the plotter control key 13.

The processor 50 is connected to a memory composed of a ROM 50 and a RAM 60, and the keyboard 1
0, CRT 20, X-Y plotter 30, etc., and transmits and receives parameters and data. In the ROM 50, an operating system, various programs for interactively drawing, and programs supporting a general-purpose programming language so that various tasks other than drawing can be executed can be written. The pattern ROM51 as part of the ROM50 is a plug-in
The ROM is configured in a modular format and is shown in Figure 1.
It is inserted into the slot 14 and can be exchanged with modules of various contents. An auxiliary storage device 61 is provided as a part of the RAM 60, and this storage device 61 can be roughly classified into three ways. That is, one is to save and load parameters and data stored during the drawing process using function keys, and the other is to save and load internally stored programs and data programmed in a general-purpose programming language. The remaining one is loading, in which programs supporting a specific application are stored in advance and used as appropriate. According to this last usage, it is possible to easily diversify the functions of the device. As the auxiliary storage device 61, for example, a floppy disk or the like can be used.

Processor 40 uses a suitable standardized bus (e.g. GP-IB) for communication with various external devices.
Through the X-Y plotter 30, it is possible to control an external device, collect data as needed, and create a graph or table in a predetermined format on the X-Y plotter 30.

In such a configuration, the operator stores a predetermined pattern ROM 51 in accordance with the contents of the drawing.
After inserting the card into the slot 14 and attaching the overlay card 15 if necessary, input plotting parameters by operating the keyboard 10 based on the character display on the CRT 20 screen that guides and instructs input of plotting information. You can get the drawings. If desired, the user can drive the cursor 33 to designate a specific range of the drawing, enlarge the drawing in that range on the CRT 20, and draw more precisely while closely monitoring the figures on the screen.

Furthermore, since a program supporting a general-purpose programming language is built-in, preprocessing for drawing and more advanced drawing can be performed as desired.

As explained above, the interactive drawing device of the present invention has the following features and effects.

(1) Keyboard for inputting various drawing information, X-
It is configured by integrating a Y plotter, CRT, auxiliary storage device, etc., and is small, inexpensive, and easy to operate, making it suitable for personal use.

(2) The operating method is centered on the printer, and
Plotting can be done by inputting information such as plotting parameters step by step from the keyboard according to the guidance displayed on the CRT screen, so even beginners can easily operate the machine.

(3) Since the application package system is adopted, various applications can be executed vertically and horizontally by exchanging packages, and therefore functions can be easily diversified.

(4) By using a pattern ROM that stores pattern information such as symbols that correspond to various applications in advance, the operability when drawing symbols etc. is further improved.

(5) By incorporating firmware that supports the creation of the most widely used typical graphs and symbols, it is easy to operate and can be easily created even by beginners.

(6) By supporting general-purpose programming languages, preprocessing for drawing and advanced drawing can be easily performed.

(7) The monitor range of the drawing can be specified using the plotter's cursor and enlarged on the CRT screen, which is extremely convenient when drawing.

(8) Adopts the standardized bus GP-IB and is configured to easily communicate with external devices, allowing you to control external devices, import measurement values, draw graphs, etc. It can be tabulated.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an external configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an interactive drawing device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an electrical configuration diagram of the device shown in FIG. 10...Keyboard, 20...CRT, 30...X-
Y plotter, 31...recording head, 34...plotting work surface, 40...processor, 50...ROM, 5
1...Pattern ROM, 60...RAM, 61...Auxiliary storage device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A program for drawing, a memory for storing various information related to drawing, a processor for executing the program for drawing, and a processor for plotting drawings under the control of the processor. In addition, it is equipped with an X-Y plotter equipped with a cursor that can position coordinate points on the plotting work surface, a keyboard for inputting various plotting information into the processor through operator operations, and an interactive guide for inputting plotting information. The screen is equipped with a display for displaying characters and drawing drawings for the purpose of drawing, and inputting information such as drawing parameters in a step-by-step interactive manner from the keyboard according to the guidance display on the display. An interactive system characterized in that when a drawing is drawn on a plotter and an enlarged range of the drawn drawing is specified with the cursor, an enlarged drawing of the specified range is displayed on the display under control of the processor. Plotting device.