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WO1993008522A1 - Appareil informatise pour dessins - Google Patents

Appareil informatise pour dessins Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1993008522A1
WO1993008522A1 PCT/IE1992/000019 IE9200019W WO9308522A1 WO 1993008522 A1 WO1993008522 A1 WO 1993008522A1 IE 9200019 W IE9200019 W IE 9200019W WO 9308522 A1 WO9308522 A1 WO 9308522A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
data
pointing device
remote
movements
pen
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/IE1992/000019
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Patrick Rainsford
Peter Conlon
Karl Pawley
Richard Conway
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
TIMESAVERS Ltd
Original Assignee
TIMESAVERS Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by TIMESAVERS Ltd filed Critical TIMESAVERS Ltd
Publication of WO1993008522A1 publication Critical patent/WO1993008522A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/048—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
    • G06F3/0481—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/01—Protocols
    • H04L67/131—Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a drawing apparatus which, when connected to a like apparatus over a communication link, permits real-time interactive communication of image information and which, in a preferred embodiment, also permits oral (voice)
  • a drawing apparatus including a processor having a display device and a pointing device
  • the apparatus further including means for transmitting movements of the pointing device to a like apparatus at a remote location and for receiving movements of the pointing device associated with the remote apparatus, the apparatus being adapted to display on the display device the said received movements of the remote pointing device such that the movements of both pointing devices are displayed on a common area of the screen whereby the image may contain components derived from both pointing devices.
  • the means for transmitting and receiving includes a modem for communication with the remote apparatus over a telephone line.
  • the apparatus may further include-audio circuits for the transmission of speech signals to and the reception of speech signals from the remote apparatus, and means for switching between a voice mode for the transmission and reception of speech signals and a data mode for the transmission and reception of pointing device movements.
  • the switching means is switched to the voice mode automatically on detection of speech by the user of the apparatus.
  • the apparatus preferably includes a transmit buffer for storing, at least during the data mode, data defining movements of the pointing device intended for transmission- the pointing device movements being transmitted as relative and/or absolute screen
  • the data defining the pointing device movements may be stored in the transmit buffer also during voice mode and transmitted when the switching means next switches the apparatus to data mode.
  • each pointing device movement can be transmitted by briefly and temporarily entering the data mode long enough to transmit the related screen address.
  • this tends to break up the speech it is preferable to limit it to sending move information without an accompanying draw, enabling a speaker to point occasionally to features of the image under discussion without modifying it. In such case drawing movements continue to be sent in the data mode proper.
  • Figure 1 is a block diagram of the apparatus of a first embodiment of the invention
  • Figure 2 comprising transmit section figure 2a and receive section 2b, is a flow diagram of the program controlling the operation of the apparatus of figure 1,
  • Figure 3 is a modification of figure 2a
  • Figure 4 is a block diagram of the apparatus of a second embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates the structure of the software for the processor 10 of figure 4
  • Figure 6 shows how the software in the processor
  • Figure 7 shows how such line components are stored in memory. Description of the Preferred Embodiment
  • the first embodiment will now be described in terms of a communication system in which two mutually remote users, each having an apparatus as shown in figure 1, communicate with each other by image and speech interactively in real-time over a telephone line.
  • each user's apparatus includes a microprocessor 10 with memory 11, to which are operatively connected a display device 12 and a pointing device 13.
  • the display device 13 may be an LCD display, a conventional TV or a monitor.
  • the display device 12, together with the microprocessor 10 and memory 11, are components of a standard commercially available personal computer, for example a DOS- or Windows-based IBM PC or PS/2.
  • other arrangements are possible.
  • the pointing device 13 is preferably a pen/tablet device because it provides the most intuitive and interactive interface for sketching and writing text, but other devices such as a mouse or trackball may be used.
  • the memory 11 has transmit and receive registers 15 and 16 respectively.
  • a modem 17 is provided to transmit and receive digital data across a telephone line 18, which is
  • the modem 17 is used when the apparatus is in data transmit/receive mode, to send data to and receive data from the remote apparatus, including data defining pointing device movements.
  • Each apparatus also includes a microphone/ earphone headset or telephone handset 19. Audio
  • circuits 20 are provided to amplify and condition incoming and outgoing speech signals during voice
  • a data/audio switch 21 is controlled by the processor 10 according to the state of the voice detect timer to select between activating the modem 17 circuits onto the telephone line 18 or the audio circuits 20 onto the telephone line 18, i.e. to switch between data and voice modes. Switching between data and voice modes can also be initiated from the remote apparatus.
  • interface 22 provides the isolation and control that the various telephone companies require.
  • the processor 10 initially clears the display screen of the display device 12 and waits for the user to enter a telephone number or select a prestored number to dial. The apparatus then pulse dials or tone dials. When the remote user answers, the apparatus is initially placed in the voice mode, so that both users talk to each other. It is possible to have the apparatus initially placed in data mode, whereby the apparatus will attempt to communicate with the remote apparatus by looking for a) carrier detect, b) modem speed settings (using CRs) and c) ID code.
  • each user On the screen of each display device 12 each user is presented with a drawing (image) area and a smaller menu/command area.
  • Each display screen has two different cursors, one indicating the position of the local user's pointing device 13 and the other indicating the position of the remote user's pointing device.
  • Switching between the data and voice modes is effected by electronically switching out the modem 17 and switching in the audio circuits 20, as described above.
  • the processor 10 services all the components in the system. When idle, the system is in data mode. The event of a user talking is signalled to the processor and it switches the audio circuits onto the line and instructs the remote user's processor to do likewise. It will also store the user's drawing activity for transmission.
  • the software protocol described later, dealing with transmission and reception in the data mode, is controlled by the processor 10. It monitors the speed of the pen or other pointing device and decides which of three address methods to use.
  • the apparatus controls only its own pen cursor.
  • the drawing area is restricted to a certain area of each display screen to enable reserving an area of the screen for menus which are used to control the apparatus .
  • menu driven controls are associated with dialling (pulse or tone), answering, hanging up and clearing the display.
  • the menu may also be used to initiate non-drawing data communication between the local and remote apparatus, for example sending text or sending a previously drawn and stored image for further modification by the users.
  • the menu driven approach allows for future expansion capabilities of the
  • the menu options are selected by pressing the pen 13 down on the selected item.
  • the menu is located on the right hand side of the display screen and can not be written upon.
  • the second pen cursor is moved to the new location and if the sending pen is down (i.e. the pointing device at the sending apparatus is in a draw mode) a line is drawn to this new point, but if the sending pen is up (i.e. in a move only mode) no such line is drawn.
  • the apparatus breaks the movements into the smallest possible lines depending on how fast the pen is moving (1 byte, 2 byte or absolute address).
  • the modem is assumed to operate at 300 baud. A higher baud rate would reproduce curves more accurately. However 300 baud works quiet well, as a two byte
  • relative address represents a relatively fast movement and still sends nearly 15 samples per second.
  • the data is transmitted serially in 8 bit bytes with 1 start and 1 stop bit and no parity.
  • the system will recognise normal ASCII in the pen up condition in the range 20H to 7FH.
  • the scheme was designed to recognise the following: a) Text information in the form of ASCII. b) Pen up/down information. c) Absolute address information. d) Relative address information, (delta) e) Clear page information.
  • the three different ways are used to speed up the information transfer.
  • the two most significant bits of the byte determine the type of information being sent.
  • the break down of their significance is as follows.
  • Msb 2Msb 0 0 This is their state for ASCII and command bytes.
  • the three least significant bits relate to the magnitude of the delta movement in the x direction, the most significant of the three being the direction indicator.
  • the bytes will take the following form: 11xxxxxx Ddyyyyyy.
  • the two most significant bits of the first byte indicate that a two byte delta is occurring.
  • xxxxxx is the six bit x magnitude.
  • yyyyyy is the six bit y magnitude.
  • D is the direction of the x magnitude.
  • d is the direction of the y magnitude.
  • the bytes will take the following form: 10xxxyyy 00XXXXXX 01 YYYYYY where XXXXX are the six least significant bits of the absolute address of the x coordinate of the pen, YYYYYY are the six least significant bits of the absolute address of the y coordinate, xxx are the three most significant bits of the coordinate and yyy are the three most significant bits of the y coordinate.
  • the nine bits of absolute address data ensure a 512 by 512 drawing capability, ignoring the reserved menu area.
  • the two most significant bits of the third absolute address byte could be used to signal other resolutions eg:
  • FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of the main loop of the program controlling the operation of the processor 10. It is assumed that another user at a remote
  • Figure 2a shows the transmit section of the flow diagram.
  • the program enters the loop at the decision step 100 and because it is assumed the apparatus is initially in voice mode the program will move to step 101. However, it is more convenient to describe the operation first in data mode and then deal with
  • step 100 if the pen condition and/or the cursor position has changed, control passes to step 102 where the pen (pointing device 13) is interrogated for being up or down. Assuming it is down step 103 determines if its cursor is in the drawing area of the screen and if so step 104 draws the line on the screen (i.e. the local user's screen) from the previous cursor position to the new cursor position, and updates the cursor position on the screen.
  • step 103 determines if its cursor is in the drawing area of the screen and if so step 104 draws the line on the screen (i.e. the local user's screen) from the previous cursor position to the new cursor position, and updates the cursor position on the screen.
  • the apparatus has to update the cursor of the remote apparatus, and it does this by first putting a pen down command in the buffer at step 105, to tell the remote apparatus that this is a draw and not just a move, and then sending either a delta address (i.e.
  • step 106 determines if the transmit buffer 15 is nearly full, say 90% or more full, and if so puts a three-byte absolute address into the transmit buffer 15, step 107.
  • step 108 determines whether the buffer 15 is more or less than half full, and if the former it puts a two byte delta address into the buffer 15 (step 109) and if the latter it puts a one byte delta address into the buffer 15 (step 110).
  • the nature of the pen down command and the addresses is as stated earlier.
  • step 102 if the pen is up the cursor position is updated on the local user's screen (step 111) but a line is not drawn. This too has to be transmitted to the remote apparatus, so first a pen up command is put in the transmit buffer 15 at step 112 followed by either a two byte delta address at step 114 or a three byte absolute address at step 115, depending upon how full the buffer is as determined at step 113.
  • a pen up command is put in the transmit buffer 15 at step 112 followed by either a two byte delta address at step 114 or a three byte absolute address at step 115, depending upon how full the buffer is as determined at step 113.
  • the pen is up the single byte delta address is not used - it will be recalled from the earlier description that when the pen is up the single byte is reserved for ASCII.
  • step 103 This deals with the movements of the pen when the pen cursor is in the drawing area of the screen. If, however, it is in the menu area when the pen is down, this is detected at step 103, whereupon control passes to step 116, where the command pointed to is executed.
  • This may be a purely local command, i.e. applicable only to the local user's apparatus, or it may require a command to be sent to the remote apparatus, for example to condition the latter to accept a new image or to receive ASCII. In the latter
  • the transmit and receive buffers 15 and 16 are driven by timed interrupt service routines which operate below the level of the flow diagram shown.
  • routines periodically send data from the buffer 15 on a FIFO basis to the modem 17, where it is sent over the telephone line 18 to the modem 17 of the remote
  • FIG. 2b shows the receive section of the flow chart, and in order to follow the logical flow it is easier to describe the operation of the receive section in relation to the remote apparatus which is receiving the transmitted data, considered now as the local apparatus.
  • the same thing applies to the sending apparatus when it is receiving, since both sets of apparatus are assumed to be similarly programmed and cycle around equivalent program loops.
  • step 120 the program interrogates the receive buffer 16 to see if new data has arrived, and if not control passes to step 121 which will be described later.
  • Step 122 determines if there is a command in the receive buffer 16, and if the answer is yes the program moves to step 123.
  • Steps 123 and 124 are concerned with switching to data mode from voice mode, and will be described later. However, it is sufficient to say for the moment that because the apparatus is assumed to be already in data mode the answer to both these questions will be NO; thus control passes to step 128.
  • steps 128 and 129 are concerned with switching from data mode to voice mode, and these also will be describe later. For the moment it is assumed that the apparatus remains in data mode and the answer to both these questions will also be NO, and thus control passes to step 132, where the appropriate
  • This command (not being concerned with switching modes) is executed.
  • This command may, for example, be to condition the apparatus to receive and print ASCII characters on the screen.
  • step 133 determines if there is an ASCII character in the receive buffer 16, and assuming for the moment that there is not, then the only other data that can be in the receive buffer 16 is address data relating to the movement of the remote pointing device.
  • step 134 either a line is drawn on the local screen to the new cursor position of the remote pen, step 135, followed by an update to the cursor position of the remote pen on the local screen, step 136, or the cursor position of the remote pen is simply moved to the new position without drawing a line by omitting step 135.
  • step 137 prints the corresponding character on the appropriate area of the screen reserved for text, or on the drawing itself at the current cursor position of the sending apparatus, depending on the nature of the prior ASCII command.
  • movement data an address
  • ASCII ASCII
  • the program arrives at step 121. Since the apparatus is in data mode the program passes to step 140. It will be recalled that when the user speaks, the detection of this speech by his own local audio circuits 20 is signalled to the processor 10 which sets a voice detect timer (effectively a counter) to a
  • the voice detect timer is the means by which the apparatus determines whether or not the local user is speaking, and as will be described is the means which initiates a switch to voice from data mode and vice versa.
  • step 140 determines whether the voice detect timer is zero, in other words, has the local user spoken ? Assuming that he has not, the program loops back to step 100 (figure 2a) and the whole cycle repeats while the apparatus remains in data mode, except that steps T05 and 112 can be omitted if the pen condition (up or down) has not changed since last time. This applies to both sets of apparatus, assuming neither of the users is speaking.
  • step 140 the voice detect timer will not be zero, so the program branches to step 141.
  • the protocol is that when one user wants to switch to voice mode, by speaking into his headset 19, his apparatus puts a Voice Mode Command in the transmit buffer 15 which is eventually transmitted to the remote apparatus depending on how much data there is ahead of it in the buffer 15.
  • the remote apparatus switches to voice mode in response to this command, by activating the audio circuits 20 onto the telephone line 18, and sends back a voice mode command acknowledgement (Voice Mode Command ACK) to the first user.
  • VoIP Mode Command ACK voice mode command acknowledgement
  • step 141 this simply determines whether the apparatus has already sent a Voice Mode Command to the remote apparatus and is waiting for the Voice Mode Command ACK. If it has the program loops back to step 100 (figure 2a) whereas if it has not it places the Voice Mode Command in the transmit buffer 15, step 142 and then loops back to step 100.
  • step131 is delayed sufficiently to clear the buffer or the Voice Mode Command ACK is put ahead of other data in the buffer 15 so that it is immediately transmitted.
  • the local user receives the Voice Mode Command ACK in its receive buffer 16, detects this at step 128, and
  • both sets of apparatus are in voice mode, and both users are able to speak to each other over the telephone line.
  • voice mode the program in each apparatus will continue to cycle round the loop as described above, except it will branch to step 101 after step 100. However, while each user continues to speak without too long pauses the
  • the respective voice detect timer will not be zero at step 101 so the program will go back to step 102.
  • the transmit buffers 15 are not serviced by the timed interrupt service routine, so that any data intended to be transmitted by one user or the other is added to the contents of the respective transmit buffer 15 until it is full.
  • the protocol in this case is similar to the switch from data mode to voice mode, in that when a user's voice detect timer is zero the apparatus
  • Data Mode Command ACK a data mode command acknowledgement
  • step 101 determines when the user has stopped speaking long enough for his voice detect timer to become zero.
  • step 150 determines if the apparatus is waiting for a Data Mode Command ACK to be received from the remote apparatus, meaning that a Data Mode Command has previously been transmitted to the remote apparatus. Assuming that this is the first time the voice detect timer has reached zero, the answer at step 150 will be NO, so a Data Mode Command is transmitted at step 151. Since in voice mode the apparatus cannot transmit through the transmit buffer 15, the modem 17 is placed briefly and temporarily on-line for only as long as it takes to transmit the Data Mode Command, which by-passes the transmit buffer 15. When the modem 17 at the remote apparatus detects the Data Mode Command it puts the command into its receive buffer 16. In this connection it is to be understood that the modems 17 are at all times able to receive data from the other apparatus even though in voice mode they do not send data from the transmit buffer 15.
  • the Data Mode Command is detected at step 124 at the remote apparatus, but before switching to data mode it first checks to see whether its own voice detect timer is zero (step 125). If it is zero, it transmits a Data Mode Command ACK to the first apparatus at step 126, again putting its modem 17 temporarily on-line and bypassing the transmit buffer 15. Then it switches to data mode proper at step 127. The first apparatus detects the Data Mode Command ACK at step 123, and switches to data mode at step 127. Both sets of
  • ACK from the remote apparatus, ie a YES at step 150, it does not wait indefinitely.
  • a timer is set to a predetermined value defining the maximum time that the first apparatus will wait for a reply to its Data Mode Command. This timer is interrogated at step 152. If the wait period is timed out, then the local voice detect timer is set, step 153, and the local user cannot request a switch to data mode until his voice detect timer goes to zero again.
  • Figure 3 shows how the transmit section of the program show in figure 2a can be modified to provide a modified operation of the apparatus.
  • the receive section of the program remains the same.
  • figure 3 is the same as figure 2a, and the same reference numerals have been used.
  • step 3 steps 101, 150, 151 and 152 all lead to additional steps 160 and 161, rather than back to step 102.
  • the apparatus when the apparatus is in voice mode there is no buffering of data in the transmit buffer 15. Rather, when the pen is down as determined at step 160, the three byte absolute address of the cursor position is transmitted to the remote apparatus at step 161. This is achieved, like the transmission of the Data Mode command, by briefly and temporarily putting the modem 17 on-line.
  • the remote apparatus receives this address in its receive buffer 16, and processes it like movement data sent in data mode proper.
  • voice mode even though the sending pen is down, the remote apparatus interprets this as a move only. This facility permits a user to point at the image while he is speaking. It should only be used sparingly, however, because temporarily putting the modem 17 on-line breaks up the speech for the short time the data is being transmitted.
  • users could zoom in to a small area of the image and just transmit it.
  • the smaller area means the user has to wait less time for transmission to complete.
  • a scanning device may also be plugged into the apparatus allowing the user to transmit images of paper documents or photographs for discussion. This leads to the important concept of a user not being required to leave his/her desk or office. He/she does not have to go to a fax machine to transmit his/her paper document. He/she can complete all his/her work while sitting at his/her own desk.
  • RL coding would be useful to reduce the amount of information that needs to be transmitted.
  • Another use for the system would be akin to a telephone conference.
  • One master and many listeners could use the system with the master outlining various concepts on his screen and immediately appearing on all other users' screens.
  • the master can give control to any of the various users.
  • the users may be in another building or country.
  • TV/film/video production Another use may be TV/film/video production.
  • the penphone would allow remote communications to enable storyboarding, camera angles/shots, lighting setup, etc., without requiring the staff or crew to be physically in one place.
  • components 10, 11 and 12 constituted the parts of a standard commercially available personal computer.
  • Such an embodiment has the advantage that it can transmit and display images of Autocad or Oread files or any other drafting or painting packages, and the ability to store screen images.
  • the basic apparatus shown in figure 1 is capable of implementation in various ways.
  • the invention can be implemented by a computer connectable via a network (ethernet, FDDI, etc.) to a second computer.
  • a network ethernet, FDDI, etc.
  • audio compression hardware would be provided to reduce the data rate and allow the network to handle real-time voice communications.
  • the visual data would already be in a compatible format, and a plug -in board would handle the audio compression/
  • the apparatus could be constructed as a device which has a built-in LCD display along with a modem, headset and pointing device. This would be small and portable and only a telephone line would be needed to use it.
  • the apparatus could also be designed as an accessory which plugs into a television set or a monitor and a telephone line.
  • a headset would be connected to the accessory along with a pointing device.
  • a network ethernet, FDDI, etc.
  • the block diagram of figure 4 shows the apparatus at one end of a communication system comprising two mutually remote users each having an apparatus as shown in figure 4 communicating with each other by image and speech in real-time over a telephone line 18.
  • Pen computers such as the NCR 3125.
  • Pen computers are shaped like an A4 tablet with an LCD screen on top, and have a separate pen which interacts with the computer when brought into contact with the screen.
  • the standard configuration does not have a keyboard, and if simple typed commands are required a keyboard is displayed on the screen and keystrokes are made by pressing the pen against the desired character.
  • the standard pen computer does not display a cursor on the screen, so that the previously described function of just moving the cursor across the screen to indicate a point of interest is not available. All pen strokes, when the pen is in contact with the screen, are draw movements.
  • the pen computer runs under a multi-tasking object orientated operating system such as Penpoint O/S (by GO Corporation) or Windows for Pen (by Microsoft). These operating systems may, also be run on standard 386 family PC's. In figure 4 the standard pen computer
  • the pen computer constitutes the components in the box 200, comprising the processor 10, memory 11, LCD display 12 and pen 13.
  • the pen computer also has a plug-in modem card 17 which is commercially available for these computers.
  • the box 201 shows the additional hardware components provided to permit the use of the pen
  • additional components 10', 20, 21 and 22 are shown separately in figure 4, they are preferably provided on a further plug-in card in the pen computer 200.
  • the structure for the software controlling the processor 10 is shown in figure 5. Basically it comprises an observer task 202 which is driven by a penstroke task 203 and itself drives a screen update task 204. The observer task also interacts with a communications task 205, by which local pen strokes are sent to the remote apparatus via the modem 17 and remote pen strokes are received from the remote apparatus via the modem 17.
  • the penstroke task 203 samples the pen movement to break each pen movement into a series of straight line components which approximate to the actual curve of the pen stroke, the number and length of the components depending upon the speed of drawing.
  • a number of typical strokes S1 to S4 is shown schematically in figure 6, the small cross dashes indicating the sample points.
  • Each pen stroke is stored by the penstroke task in a portion of the memory 11 designated as global memory (i.e. accessible by all the various tasks shown in figure 5 ) as a data object comprising a base address followed by a series of relative addresses.
  • the base address defines the starting point of the stroke, and the relative addresses define the offset of each
  • the relative addresses RA1, RA2, RA3 define successive sample points along the line from the base address which defines the start of the line at the bottom right.
  • FIG. 7 schematically at 206 in figure 7, and contains data objects defining n successive strokes #1 to #n.
  • the structure of the data object for each stroke is shown on the right, and comprises the base address and a
  • Each pen stroke is reported to the observer task by passing a pointer Sj to the observer task 202, the pointer defining the position in global memory of the data object defining the stroke.
  • the pointers relating to the strokes #1 to #n shown in figure 7 would point to the positions S1 to Sn indicated.
  • the actual data structure is opaque to the observer task, which merely handles the pointer, and this allows strokes to be displayed in various styles, such as thick or dashed, and also allows them to be deleted by re-writing them in the background colour, for example.
  • the observer task passes each pointer to the screen update task 204, which accesses the corresponding data object in global memory at the defined position and draws the line or stroke on the LCD screen.
  • the communications task 205 which accesses the global memory at the position pointed to and sends the data object down the phone line 18 to the remote apparatus.
  • the data objects are transmitted in buffered fashion as before, but in this case the transmit buffer contains only the pointers to the data objects, which remain in global memory until required for transmission.
  • the observer task also receives data objects defining pen strokes from the remote apparatus, and passes these to the screen update task for drawing on the LCD screen.
  • the local LCD screen 12 of each apparatus displays a common image which contains components derived from both the local and remote apparatus, and is updatable in real time by each apparatus.
  • the data objects are sent down the phone line as packets with a header indicating the length which is stripped at the receiving end.
  • the two modems 17 communicate in duplex manner by sending information over carriers of two different frequencies.
  • a modem loses its carrier it normally assumes the line has been broken.
  • each local processor 10' can communicate with its respective local modem 17 by generating a pseudo carrier on which it sends data.
  • the processors 10' can communicate across the line 18 with one another using a DTMF tone to signal one another.
  • This type of arrangement is known in the art, and in the present embodiment it is used as follows to switch from data to voice mode.
  • the local processor 10' sees that the voice detect timer has been set. As before, the voice timer is set when the local user speaks, and counts down to zero if there is a sufficiently long pause after
  • the local processor breaks the data link by removing the carrier. 3. It generates a pseudo carrier to tell its local modem that there has not been a break in the line and to go into hold mode, and also switches the data/audio switch 21 to voice mode.
  • the remote processor 10' generates a pseudo carrier to tells its local modem to go into hold mode, and switches its data/audio switch 21 to voice mode.
  • the switch from voice mode to data mode is as follows:
  • the local processor 10' sees that its voice detect timer has gone to zero.
  • the local processor 10' then puts a DTMF tone on the line.
  • the remote processor 10' detects this and if it too is prepared to go back into data mode it responds with another DTMF tone.
  • the remote processor 10' generates a pseudo carrier on which it tells its local modem to
  • any drawings movements made by the pen will continue to be stored as data objects in global memory, and their pointers stored in the transmit buffer, at least until the transmit buffer and/or the portion of the memory allocated to the storage of data objects defining pen strokes is full. Then, the data objects corresponding to the pointers stored in the transmit buffer will be transmitted when the data mode is restored.
  • the communications task of each apparatus will also cause any packets of data objects corrupted by the switch from data mode to voice mode to be resent when data mode is once again re-established.
  • the pen stroke may be stored in memory 11 in a number of different formats.
  • the data object may comprise relative addresses which, instead of defining locations on the pen stroke itself, represent the locations of control points on a B-Spline or Bezier curve approximation of the pen stroke, as well as information relating to the continuity and other features of the curve.
  • plug-in card 201 will depend on the type of computer being used.
  • a generic solution could be provided by using a separate module (not shown) .
  • the pen computer 200 could then be connected to this module by connecting the phone line 18 from the modem 17 to the input of the module and connecting the output of the module to the phone line to be used.

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  • Computer And Data Communications (AREA)

Abstract

Appareil permettant de tracer des dessins. Lorsqu'on le relie à un appareil semblable par l'intermédiaire d'une liaison, il permet la transmission interactive en temps réel de données d'image. Ledit appareil comporte un processeur (10) possédant un dispositif d'affichage (12) auquel est associé un dispositif pointeur (13) de telle sorte que l'on puisse dessiner une image sur l'écran du dispositif d'affichage en déplaçant le dispositif pointeur. L'appareil comporte également des dispositifs (17, 18, 21, 22) de transmission à un appareil semblable éloigné des déplacements du dispositif pointeur, et de réception des déplacements du dispositif pointeur associé à l'appareil éloigné. L'appareil est adapté pour afficher sur le dispositif d'affichage (12) lesdits déplacements reçus du dispositif pointeur éloigné, afin que les déplacements des deux dispositifs pointeurs soient affichés sur une même zone de l'écran, et que l'image puisse comporter des éléments dérivés des deux dispositifs pointeurs.
PCT/IE1992/000019 1991-10-21 1992-10-20 Appareil informatise pour dessins Ceased WO1993008522A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IE369191 1991-10-21
IE3691/91 1991-10-21

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1993008522A1 true WO1993008522A1 (fr) 1993-04-29

Family

ID=11038971

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IE1992/000019 Ceased WO1993008522A1 (fr) 1991-10-21 1992-10-20 Appareil informatise pour dessins

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2788692A (fr)
WO (1) WO1993008522A1 (fr)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0766847A4 (fr) * 1994-06-17 1997-09-10 Intel Corp Dispositif et procede de partage d'applications dans une interface graphique d'utilisateur
WO1997033405A1 (fr) * 1996-03-05 1997-09-12 Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Dispositif de traitement de donnees avec fonction de communication
GB2313682A (en) * 1996-05-29 1997-12-03 Icl Personal Systems Oy Personal computer system for two or more users
WO1997050220A1 (fr) * 1996-06-24 1997-12-31 Koninklijke Kpn N.V. Procede et dispositifs pour transmettre les coordonnees d'un dispositif pointeur
EP0634857A3 (fr) * 1993-06-17 1998-05-13 International Business Machines Corporation Terminal de communication multimédia
FR2770952A1 (fr) * 1997-11-12 1999-05-14 Adl Systeme Sa Dispositif de tele-ecriture

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0379354A2 (fr) * 1989-01-20 1990-07-25 Sony Corporation Appareil de communication d'images

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0379354A2 (fr) * 1989-01-20 1990-07-25 Sony Corporation Appareil de communication d'images

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
TANIGAWA H., ET AL.: "PERSONAL MULTIMEDIA-MULTIPOINT TELECONFERENCE SYSTEM.", NETWORKING IN THE NINETIES. BAL HARBOUR, APR. 7 - 11, 1991., NEW YORK, IEEE., US, vol. 03., 7 April 1991 (1991-04-07), US, pages 1127 - 1134., XP000223440, ISBN: 978-0-87942-694-1, DOI: 10.1109/INFCOM.1991.147629 *

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0634857A3 (fr) * 1993-06-17 1998-05-13 International Business Machines Corporation Terminal de communication multimédia
EP0766847A4 (fr) * 1994-06-17 1997-09-10 Intel Corp Dispositif et procede de partage d'applications dans une interface graphique d'utilisateur
US6329984B1 (en) 1994-06-17 2001-12-11 Intel Corporation User input routing with remote control application sharing
US6014136A (en) * 1996-03-05 2000-01-11 Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Data processing apparatus with communication function
WO1997033405A1 (fr) * 1996-03-05 1997-09-12 Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Dispositif de traitement de donnees avec fonction de communication
GB2313682A (en) * 1996-05-29 1997-12-03 Icl Personal Systems Oy Personal computer system for two or more users
GB2313682B (en) * 1996-05-29 2001-01-10 Icl Personal Systems Oy Personal computer systems
WO1997050220A1 (fr) * 1996-06-24 1997-12-31 Koninklijke Kpn N.V. Procede et dispositifs pour transmettre les coordonnees d'un dispositif pointeur
NL1003412C2 (nl) * 1996-06-24 1998-01-07 Nederland Ptt Telecommunicatie systeem, alsmede eerste processor inrichting, alsmede tweede processor inrichting, alsmede werkwijze.
WO1999025105A1 (fr) * 1997-11-12 1999-05-20 Adl Systeme S.A. Dispositif de tele-ecriture
EP0917329A1 (fr) * 1997-11-12 1999-05-19 ADL Systeme S.A. "Dispositif de télé-écriture"
FR2770952A1 (fr) * 1997-11-12 1999-05-14 Adl Systeme Sa Dispositif de tele-ecriture
US6408058B1 (en) 1997-11-12 2002-06-18 Adl Systems S.A. Telewriting device

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