JPH0258169A - Method for designating range on screen - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify range designation and to improve operability and workability by designating an arbitrary range on a picture drawn on a two-dimensional screen based on a series of processings according with the algorithm executed in human brains. CONSTITUTION:Two points of a first point and a second point are designated in arbitrary positions on the two-dimensional screen (S1). The first point is regarded as the center of a range to be designated and the second point is regarded as one point on the boundary of the range to be designated (S2). The picture in the range designated in this manner is subjected to a prescribed processing (S3) to complete a series of processing. That is, an operator designates the center of the picture to be subjected to the prescribed processing as the first point and designates one of boundary points of this range as the second point to complete designation of the arbitrary range. Thus, the operator can easily designate the arbitrary range of the picture drawn on the two-dimensional screen without skill, and the time required for the operation is shortened and the operability and the workability are improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Purpose of the Invention (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention is to limit a two-dimensional image displayed on a two-dimensional screen to an arbitrary range and apply a predetermined image to the image within the range. This invention relates to an on-screen range designation method for designating an arbitrary range of an image on a two-dimensional screen for processing.

(Prior art) Conventionally, CA1. ) Due to advances in technology, work such as drawing images on a two-dimensional screen is being done to design and create designs. With this CAD technology, two-dimensional screens (for example,
Because predetermined processing such as enlarging, moving, or deleting images within that range is performed instantly by limiting the two-dimensional image displayed on the CRT to an arbitrary range, the design This reduces the time required to create designs, etc., and improves work efficiency.

In this type of technology, the following method is adopted as an on-screen range designation method for designating an arbitrary range in the image.

As shown in Figure 9, first, the well-known mouse, tablet,
An arbitrary point T1 on the two-dimensional screen is specified using a manual device such as a light pen. If you operate the input device from this state, a rectangle whose diagonal vertices are the point T to be moved and the specified point T1 will be displayed (for example, the dotted line and - dot-dashed line). Therefore, the above-mentioned manual input device is operated so that the desired image area falls within the range of this rectangle, and finally another point T2 is manually input. In this way, when one area surrounded by a rectangle is specified, predetermined processing such as movement, deletion, and enlargement is performed only in this area.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, the above method of specifying a range on the screen has the following problems.

Before specifying an arbitrary range using the above method, the operator performs the following process in his/her mind.

First, as shown in FIG. 9, an image to which a predetermined processing is to be applied is confirmed on the screen.

Next, it is determined how far around the confirmed image the processing should be applied.

Then imagine a rectangle that encloses that defined area.

After the above-mentioned mental processing, the two vertices of the rectangle that have been imagined are designated by the human power device, and the designation of the points TI and T2 shown in FIG. 9 is completed.

In this way, the conventional method of specifying a range on the screen consists of two points (T
I, T2) may seem like a simple operation, but in reality, it is necessary to execute the above three steps of processing in your mind. Therefore, it is necessary to get used to this mental processing, and if you make a mistake in any of the processing, you will not be able to specify the desired range and you will be forced to redo the specification, which may cause problems in operability. there were.

For example, if an operator who is not accustomed to the above-mentioned mental processing specifies a range by relying on his/her senses, he/she will specify the point T1 as an approximate position. Then, when determining another point T2 to be executed subsequently, by operating the human power device to move point T, no matter where point T2 is set, it is possible to form a rectangle that surrounds the image range desired to be processed. proves impossible. At this time, a new correction process such as canceling the designation of the initially designated point T1 is required, which is an extremely inconvenient range designation method.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems,
A method for specifying a range on a screen that allows you to easily specify any range of an image drawn on a two-dimensional screen without the need for any skill, and that requires less time and is excellent in both operability and workability. Its purpose is to provide.

Configuration of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problems) The configuration of the present invention for solving the above problems is as shown in the configuration explanatory diagram of FIG. In order to limit the image to an arbitrary range and apply predetermined processing to the image within the range,
In the on-screen boundary designation method of designating an arbitrary range of the image on the two-dimensional screen, specifying a first point and a second point at arbitrary positions on the two-dimensional screen Sl), setting a range in which the first point is the center of the arbitrary range and the second point is a point on the boundary of the arbitrary range (S2); The gist is a method of specifying a range on the screen, which is characterized by adding a process (S3).

(Operation) Also in the on-screen range designation method of the present invention, two points, the first point and the second point, are designated at arbitrary positions on the two-dimensional screen (Sl).

However, these two designated points have the following significance, unlike the conventional range designation method. That is, the first point is regarded as the center of the specified range, the second point is regarded as one point on the boundary of the specified range, and the range is set (S2).

Then, a predetermined processing is applied to the image within the range thus set (S3), and a series of processing is completed.

That is, the operator first specifies the center of the image to which a certain processing is to be applied as the first point, and then specifies one of the boundary points of the range to which the processing is to be applied as the second point. This completes the specification of an arbitrary range.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, in order to explain the present invention more specifically, examples will be given and explained.

(Example) Figures 2 to 4 show a pattern creation device that adopts the range specification method shown in Screen-A of the example, and a multi-needle embroidery machine that is driven and controlled by the pattern creation device. It is a system configuration explanatory diagram.

As shown in FIG. 2, the two-head type multi-needle embroidery machine 10 manually inputs control data from the pattern creation device 60, and the driver unit 20 analyzes the manually input control data to select one of the many needles to sew. Driving a needle change motor that selects the needle to be used, rotationally driving a sewing motor that moves the selected sewing needle up and down, an X-axis motor and a Y-axis that move the embroidery frame 30 in the X-Y direction in tandem with the rotation. Controls motor drive, etc.

The pattern creation device 60 also includes a CRT 60A for displaying two-dimensional images, a keyboard 60B and a mouse 60C for use in controlling the pattern.

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of the driver unit 20. As shown in the figure, the driver unit i 20 of the multi-needle embroidery machine 10 is connected to a pattern creation device 60,
It operates based on control data manually input from this pattern creation device 60. Further, the driver unit 20 includes sensors such as an encoder ALL for detecting the rotation angle of the sewing motor in order to control the driving of each of the above-mentioned motors based on the transmitted control data.

Its internal configuration is a digital logic circuit centered on a normal microcomputer, and a CP that executes logical operations.
U2OA, R0M2 that stores various programs
0B, and a RAM 20C for temporarily storing information. The various motors described above, that is, the embroidery frame 30
The controllers 20G to 20I that output drive signals for the X-axis motor 36, Y-axis motor 38, sewing motor 40, and needle change motor 42 that move the
The excitation phase of the motor is changed appropriately according to the control signal from the PU2OA, and the motor is rotated at a desired speed and by a desired rotation angle.

When control data is transmitted from the pattern creation device 60 to the driver unit 20 configured as described above, the sewing motor 40 is driven to rotate according to the control data, and the detection value of the encoder 34 that detects the rotation is By driving the X-axis motor 36 and Y-axis motor 38 and controlling the relative positional relationship between the embroidery frame 30 and the sewing needle, the embroidery pattern indicated by the control data can be sewn. can.

The operations of the driver unit 20 according to the control data are well known, and further detailed explanation will be omitted here.

Next, the detailed configuration of the pattern creation device 60 will be explained based on the block diagram of FIG. 4.

As mentioned above, the pattern creation device 60 is equipped with a CRT 60A as a two-dimensional image display device, and a keyboard 60B and a mouse 60C as human-powered devices, and the driver unit 2 is used to centrally manage and control these devices.
Similarly to 0, it is configured as a digital logic circuit centered on a microcomputer. That is, the logic element CPU
60D, R0M60 E, RAM60 F as the core,
CRT controller 60 for controlling CRT60A
G and video RAM 60H, keyboard 60B
and an interface (I/F) 6 that transmits human power from the mouse 60C to the CPU 60D at a predetermined timing.
0I, 60J, an interface (I/F) 60K that allows information to be exchanged with the driver unit 20;
Furthermore, flexible magnetic disk drives (F
DD) 60L, hard magnetic disk drive (F(
It has a built-in DD) 60M.

The pattern creation device 60 configured in this way has an HDD 60M
A large number of reference patterns in a format as illustrated in the schematic diagram of FIG. 5 are stored in a readable hard magnetic disk using a computer. The diagram shows the letter “A” as an example! l1i11
This represents the memory style of standard patterns for embroidery.

As shown in the figure, the pattern creation device 60 of this embodiment converts the data of the reference pattern into known column data with a small number of data (4
This is data on the relative position of each point for specifying a rectangular or straight column defined by points and an arcuate column defined by five points.

For the example alphabet rAJ, there are five columns (a,
b, c, d, e).

No matter how the reference pattern defined by such column data is rotated, enlarged or reduced, the technology to sew each column at a predetermined sewing pitch in the width direction (see Figure 6) is already known. Therefore, a more detailed explanation will be omitted.

Next, a method of specifying a range on the screen in an embodiment employed in the pattern creating device 60 configured as described above as part of the multi-needle embroidery machine system will be described in detail.

The pattern creation device 60 is basically configured using known CAD technology, and creates embroidery patterns using a CRT 60A.
can be run on. In order to facilitate this creation, a large number of column data of reference patterns are prepared in advance as described above.

Therefore, the operator reads out any reference pattern as appropriate and performs CR.
Displayed on the T60A, the displayed standard pattern can be enlarged, reduced, or moved in whole or in part on the second screen.
You can easily and quickly create unique patterns by rotating, reversing, or deleting. FIG. 7(a) is an example of an embroidery pattern expressed on the CRT 60A when creating the embroidery pattern as described above. The state shown is at the initial stage of creation, and the reference patterns rs, E (J's 2
It is simply a matter of placing the letters in appropriate positions. The range designation method of the embodiment is used when it is desired to expand from this state without destroying the relative relationship between the two characters "S" and rF (J).

First, when a command to process only the information of a predetermined range of images, for example an enlargement command, is manually input from the keyboard 60B as described above, the CPU 60D of the pattern creation device 60 first executes the R
The range specifying programs stored in the OM60E are sequentially read, processing is started, and the range is specified. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the range specifying program, and hereinafter, based on this flowchart, the pattern creating device 60
The operation will be explained.

Immediately after the CPU 60D starts executing the range specification program, it executes step 100 and executes the CRT controller 60.
A command is output to the CPU 60D to display a small dot (hereinafter referred to as the indicated point M) in the center of the screen of the CPU 60D (see FIG. 7(b)). Next, step 110
- At step 170, the keyboard 60B or mouse 60C is in standby mode, and the pointing point M can be moved and the first
, the second point is set as follows.

The movement judgment of the instruction point M in step 110 is made using the keyboard 6.
This is to determine whether or not the ``cursor keys'' of 0B or the mouse 60C are being operated, and when either of these is being operated, an instruction is displayed on the CRT 60A according to the amount of operation at step 120. Move point M. The operator can thus move the pointing point S to a desired position while visually recognizing the pointing point S that moves according to the operator's operation. The desired position here is
This is the center of the range that the user wants to specify. Therefore, in this example, it is near the midpoint between the characters "S" and "H" displayed on the CRT 60A. When the pointing point M has been moved to the desired position in this manner, the operator specifies the position by clicking the keyboard 60B or the mouse 60C. By determining this chestnut operation at step 130, the process moves to step 140, where the CPU 6
0D displays "*" at the position where the designated point M exists when the above click operation is performed, indicating that the first point A1 has been designated (see FIG. 7(C)).

Subsequently, the CPU 60D manually moves the designated point M again from the position where the first point A1 is displayed.

That is, the determination of movement of the pointing point M in step 150 is similar to step 110 described above, in which it is determined whether or not the "cursor keys" of the keyboard 60B or the mouse 60C are operated, and if either of them is operated, the step is executed. 160, the CPU 60D moves the designated point M, which had been overlapping the first point A1, according to the amount of operation. At this time, at the same time as the indication point M is displayed,
A rectangle N with the first point A1 as the intersection of the diagonals and one side passing through the indicated point M is displayed (FIG. 7(d)
reference). Note that the shape of this rectangle N is similar to the screen of the CRT 60A. That is, the operator moves the pointing point M according to his/her operation, and thereby moves the point M to the rectangle N.
The size of can be changed. In this way, after moving the pointing point M to the desired position while visually checking and obtaining the rectangle N of the desired size, the operator clicks on the keyboard 60B or the mouse 60C in the same manner as described above.
The designation of the second point A2 is executed. This click operation is determined at step 170, and the process is performed at step 180.
Then, the CPU 60D determines the rectangle N passing through the second point A2 as the specified range.

When an arbitrary range on the CPU 60D is determined in this way, the CPU 60D determines the data forming the image within that range from the data in the video RAM 60E, and uses the data to process other programs. RAM60
The data is stored in a predetermined area of F (step 190), and the processing of this program is ended.

When the pattern creation device 60 receives a manual command to apply processing within a predetermined range as described above, it first executes the range specifying program shown in FIG. Then, the data stored in the RAM 60F by executing the range specifying program is then used by other programs that perform processing such as enlargement, reduction, movement, etc., thereby realizing the processing desired by the operator.

Therefore, if we explain according to the above example, step 19
The data stored in a predetermined area of the RAIVI 60F by the processing in step 0 is then used as data for a program that executes enlargement processing, and is enlarged as shown in FIG. 7(e). At this time, since the rectangle specified by the first point A1 and the second point 2 is similar to the screen of the CRT60A, it is as if the rectangle part matches the screen of the CRT60A as it is. An enlarged image is obtained.

The above describes the case where a predetermined range is enlarged using the range specification method of the embodiment. Data within the range specified as described above can be processed using known processing programs such as reduction, movement, rotation, etc. It goes without saying that by providing this data and information, various types of processing can be performed on the song.

As described above, the pattern creation device 60 that employs the on-screen range designation method of the embodiment has the following effects.

As mentioned above, when applying processing such as enlarging or reducing an image within a predetermined range, the user must: - Confirm on the screen the image to which the specified processing is to be applied, and then - I am processing in my mind how much of the surrounding area I should apply the processing to. The on-screen range designation method of this embodiment completes range designation using the same algorithm as this mental processing.

That is, mental processing (1) When checking an image on the screen to which a predetermined processing is to be applied, the operator focuses on approximately the center of the predetermined range. Therefore, at this time, the CRT60
The first point A1 can be easily determined on the screen of A. Then, when processing in the mind whether or not to apply the processing to the area surrounding the confirmed image, the operator's attention shifts to the boundary of the predetermined range. At this time, the operator only has to determine the second point A2.

In this way, the on-screen range designation method of this embodiment, when designating an arbitrary range of an image drawn on a two-dimensional screen,
The specification can be completed using the same procedure as the processing algorithm in the mind. Therefore, there is no need for skill in specifying the range, the range can be specified easily, the time required for the operation is short, and the method is excellent in both operability and workability.

In particular, as exemplified in the above embodiment, when specifying the range to be enlarged, the rectangle N specified by the first point A1 and the second point A2 is enlarged by making it similar to the screen shape of the CRT60A. Subsequent images can be easily created. Therefore, erroneous operations can be prevented and embroidery patterns can be created smoothly.

In addition, the above pattern creation Fi′! Although an example has been described in which the device 60 is configured to closely execute the range specifying method of the embodiment when executing an instruction that requires specifying a range, the device 60 is not limited to such a configuration; For specifying a range such as or deletion, a conventional range specifying method may be used in combination. Further, the manual device for specifying the range is not limited to the keyboard 60B and the mouse 60C, but may also be a light pen, a tablet, or the like.

As described in detail with reference to the embodiments, the on-screen range designation method of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments. This is based on a series of processes that match the algorithm.

Therefore, you can easily specify the range without the need for skill.
Moreover, the time required for the operation ζ is short, and the method is excellent in terms of both operability and workability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the basic configuration of the on-screen range specification method of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration of an embroidery system centered on a pattern creation device that adopts the on-screen range specification method of the embodiment. 3 is a block diagram of the driver unit, FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the pattern creation device, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the column data of the reference pattern, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the stitches of the embroidery pattern, 7(a) to e) are explanatory diagrams of the method of specifying a range on the screen executed by the pattern creation device,
The figure shows a flowchart of the range specifying program, and FIG. 9 shows an explanatory diagram of a conventional method of specifying a range on a screen.

Claims (1)

[Claims] To limit an arbitrary range of a two-dimensional image displayed on a two-dimensional screen and apply predetermined processing to the image within the range,
In the on-screen range specification method of specifying an arbitrary range of the image on the two-dimensional screen, specifying a first point and a second point at arbitrary positions on the two-dimensional screen, setting a range in which the point is the center of the arbitrary range and the second point is a point on the boundary of the arbitrary range, and applying the predetermined processing to the image within the set range. A method for specifying a range on the screen featuring the following.