DE19945341A1 - Input unit or operating panel for CAD workstation has three hand-wheels in mouse for generating coordinate values - Google Patents

Abstract

In a CAD mouse (1), two mechanically latching electronic hand-wheels (6,7) are arranged for generating coordinate values for two dimensional drawings. Three hand-wheels (6,7,8) may be provided for generating coordinate values for three-dimensional drawings. The hand-wheels are used to move the cursor to allow comfortable creation of the two or three-dimensional coordinate values. A graphics keyboard (2) may be provided for operation by the other hand.

Description

Operation of CAD systems (Computer Aided Design) for mechanical engineering and Architecture is still problematic, cumbersome and not a designer fair.

Operating the systems alone requires the entire concentration and Operator attention.

There is no intellectual freedom for the constructive-technological Connections.

To this day, the designer can, because of the mostly mathematical Design input requests, not directly on the screen.

Mouse, control ball, digitizer, numeric pad etc. are not specific to the designer Input devices.

The mouse, which works in an analogue manner, guides because it constantly guides you through the Hand requires, e.g. B. to periostitis due to overuse of the Arm tendons of the user.

This is due to the fact that the mouse and control ball release and then release Touching would change their position and with very sensitive hand movements have to be repositioned again.

The same applies to the magnifier guide of the digitizer.

This makes it unsuitable for designers to enter the coordinate values digitally net that these numerical values by means of optical-visual feedback by means of the design representation must first be found.

Designers and architects are usually on the left, the analog Talented brain side; Computer scientists, however, on the right, the digital brain side.

An approach to solving these problems is described in the following patents:
Germany: 34 28 045;
Europe: 0 173 815;
USA: 4,763,116.

This approach could be improved based on user experience.

The desired interactive and intuitive interaction between the operator and of the graphic representation on the screen can be made by mechanistic aids can be achieved.  

Mechanistic operating aids are available in many different ways in everyday life.

So there is the grid for the line feed on the typewriter.

When shifting the transmission gears in the car there is the link guide for easy finding of gears.

Thinking when operating CAD systems can be computational support for the operator can be significantly reduced.

Therefore, this improved user interface could also be used for "servo operation" Call CAD construction locations.

This servo operation consists of a combination of "CAD mouse" 1 , "graphic keyboard" 2 , "computer unit" 3 and, if appropriate, the display 4 .

The hardware handling of the angle information in two-dimensional Drawings were solved by software.

Two or three locking wheels with pulse generators for two- or three-dimensional drawings are arranged in the CAD mouse 1 .

This enables an optimally identical way of working with conventional drawing be achieved.

Fig. 1 shows the CAD-mouse 1; the graphics keyboard 2 ; an additional display 4 and the graphic screen 5 .

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the CAD Mouse 1.

Fig. 3 shows the schematic device configuration.

Fig. 4 shows the generation of a two-dimensional circular arc with the principle of a sequence control for the command sequence.

Fig. 5 shows the manipulation options when creating a line.

It is a two-hand operation in which the CAD mouse 1 is operated by one hand and the graphics keyboard 2 by the other hand.

The output of the computer unit 3 supplies the CAD computer z. B. via the serial port with the necessary commands and coordinate values and their combinatorial sequence.

The communication of this computing unit 3 takes place, for. B. in a similar manner with the CAD system, as z. B. is common in digitizers.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the CAD-mouse 1 consists of a housing 1 in which two or three latching or knurling wheels 6, 7 are embedded and 8, which with a circular section 11 of FIG. 3 of the housing protrude.

These ratchet wheels are e.g. B. connected to pulse generators 9 , which deliver pulses for the computing unit.

It is the principle of electronic handwheels such as these. B. on machine tools be used to move them manually.

The mouse and control ball also have these pulse generators.

In this way, digital numerical values are generated by means of analog movements.

Usually CAD systems are currently operated so that, for. B. with the mouse on Menu fields arranged at the edge of the screen can be clicked.

Or click on the menu fields on the edge of a digitizer.

Then the coordinate values for the drawing area must be displayed on the screen of the numeric keypad on the typewriter keyboard, or the points triggered by mouse or digitizer.

There is a constant change of the cursor (crosshair) between the Menu and drawing area.

In the proposed servo operation, the cursor 10 is moved in two-dimensional drawings by means of the two locking wheels 6 and 7 in the X and Y directions.

The operator moves the cursor to the position at which the geometry element is created should and can then use the graphic keyboard the desired command trigger.

At the same time, the identifier for the command also becomes the identifier for Transfer of the coordinate value of the cursor sent.

The cursor always remains in the drawing area and is not used for the commands to move a field of the menu bar at the edge of the screen.

Is z. B. the command key is pressed to generate a line, the first Pressing the "Line" key sends the associated command and immediately the "identifier" for accepting the current coordinate value as the starting point follows the line.

(The send data for the "identifier" are usually the data when the mouse is clicked be sent.)

Then the cursor can be moved to the position for the end point of the CAD mouse Line are driven, now to press the button a second time and the line complete.

When the "Line" key is pressed again, the routine starts again.

This routine is shown in FIG. 3 with the aid of a circular arc with a center, an arc start point and an arc end point.

The "point" is generated by pressing a key.

"Line", "Circle" and "Rectangle" require two operator actions each.  

There are keys on the graphics keyboard to generate the appropriate angular positions arranged with angle steps and selectable direction of rotation.

Eg for:

With a zero degree setting, the cursor moves up when the ratchet wheels are actuated the Cartesian coordinates.

However, if one is selected as the zero degree angle specification, this moves Crosshairs at the appropriate angle above the screen, as if you were using the pencil tip moves along the swiveled rulers of a drawing machine.

The Cartesian coordinate system was rotated, one works with polar coordinates.

A wide variety of coordinate formats can be used for three-dimensional drawings use: Cartesian, polar, spherical, cylindrical etc.

The circular arc 14 according to FIG. 4 is generated by pressing the key 13 three times, which acts on an associated sequence control.

The first time the button 13 is triggered, the center 1. of the circular arc is defined.

Then a radius length R is generated by means of the locking wheels.

If the keys for generating the angle values are now actuated, the cursor 12 moves on the virtual circular arc with the radius R and the predetermined angle values.

Mathematically, polar coordinates are continuously converted into Cartesian coordinates, a coordinate transformation.

As a result, the start point 2 and end point 3 of the circular arc 14 are determined and adopted by means of the key 13 .

When the first key click 1 has been triggered for a line 15 according to FIG. 5, the cursor is then moved to a radius value R using the CAD mouse in order to generate the end point.

Are z. B. the buttons:

pressed, the cursor rotates 21 ° counterclockwise around the line start point by the desired angle values.

The virtual end point of the line moves on a virtual arc and can be varied both in its length value R and in its angle value.

If the line key is pressed a second time, the end point 2. of line 15 is fixed.

The pulses generated by the pulse generators can have different step sizes assigned, which can be set using the graphic keyboard.

Eg:

Furthermore, the values displayed in the display 3 can additionally be multiplied by any desired factor.

Retracting the geometry values using the ratchet wheels is more convenient than z. B. that Enter the values via the numeric block, especially since the line is analogous to the Hand movement grows with and through the feedback visual perception the eye, the correctness of the proportions can be followed directly.

The correctness of the hand operation for the construction on the screen results analogy to driving.

You can also operate cars with just one hand; however, this is a makeshift.

If the CAD mouse 1 is provided with a further ratchet wheel, that is to say a third one, it is possible to create three-dimensional drawings in addition to two-dimensional drawings in this practical way.

This servo operation opens up the possibility of a standard operator interface create space for all CAD systems so that the operator can switch from one system to another the other can change, just like he can from a typewriter or from one Can switch from one car to another without having to learn anything new.

The ratchet wheels on the one hand form a flywheel, by which the Crosshairs can go from one side of the screen to the other, on the other hand, however, a single increment of z. B. 0.1 mm length can be generated.

The associated arithmetic operations are either carried out by an intermediate computer 3 or directly by the main computer, which also executes the CAD program.

The theoretical disadvantage of this approach and solution principle that not any number of decimal places are available works so well in practice like not out, as these are real exceptions.

The intuitive feedback between the designer and his creation cannot be achieved by anyone other system can be achieved.

Claims (7)

1. An input device or user interface for convenient operation of CAD workstations, which in particular advantageously reproduces the conventional drawing devices such as rulers, angles and compasses and thereby the direct design and construction of two- and three-dimensional drawings on the graphics screen ( 4 ), characterized , characterized in that in a device ( 1 ) of this user interface (here referred to as CAD mouse ( 1 )), two mechanically locked electronic handwheels ( 6 ) and ( 7 ) for generating the coordinate values of two-dimensional drawings are arranged, or three electronic handwheels - ( 6 ), ( 7 ) and ( 8 ) are arranged for generating three-dimensional drawings, which are used to move the cursor and thereby enable the two-dimensional or three-dimensional coordinate values to be conveniently generated. 2. An input device according to claim 1, characterized in that the corresponding commands can be triggered by a graphic keyboard ( 2 ) to be operated with the other hand and the cursor therefore does not have to be moved to trigger the commands on the icons arranged on the edge of the screen . 3. A user interface according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that when pressing a key on the graphic keyboard ( 2 ) for the first time, by means of a stack register, as shown in FIG. 4, both the identifier for the desired operation and without delay also the identifier for the acceptance of the actual value of the coordinate values generated by the CAD mouse. 4. A user interface according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that that corresponding for the generation of rotation angles on the graphics keyboard Keys for the size of the angular steps and their direction are arranged and a coordinate transformation can be carried out by the software.   5. User interface according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that when actuating the handwheels, the crosshair ( 10 ) according to FIGS. 4 and 5 moves on an imaginary (virtual) line created by the angle keyboard generated by the graphics keyboard, so as lead the conventional pencil tip along the swiveling rulers of a drawing machine, whereby both the angular position and the length of the driving beam can be changed. 6. A user interface according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the coordinate values from a separate display ( 4 ) in many ways, such as. B. absolute, relative, with scale conversion, etc. can be displayed. 7. User interface according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the associated software on an intermediate computer, as well as on the actual one CAD calculator can run.