Patent ID: 6816805
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
A process and method for printing a scale instrument on paper or other media utilizing a general purpose computer and computer printer of known type, comprising:a user interface projected on a computer monitor of known type which enables a user to: input the measured length of a line in a scaled drawing, etc., which represents a known distance in the real world, and, input the known distance represented by such line, and, initiate printing of a scale instrument, and, initiate a calibration routine to provide a calibration factor for use with a given computer printer combination; and, a means to cause the printer to print a test line of a defined length so as to determine the printer's response to instructions regarding the spacing of lines; and, a user interface instructing the user to: measure said test line to determine if it is the same length as the defined line, and, indicate via a user interface if the test line's measured length is the same as the defined line, and, accept input of the line's actual length if it is not the same as the defined line; and, a means to cause the printer to print a base line which extends substantially across one side of the media; and, a means to cause the printer to print an index line which is perpendicular to such base line and near the edge of the media; and a means to label such index line with a printed â€œ0â€  directly below such index line; and, a means to print a series of regularly spaced lines, perpendicular to the base line and to the right of the index line such that: a portion of which lines are shorter than the index line and are set off sequentially to the right of the index line with spacing between them such that each line demarks one equal portion of that distance which is equal to the length of one hundred units at the scale determined by this method and process, as adjusted by the calibration factor, and, a portion of which lines are shorter than the index line but longer than those lines described immediately above and each are set off, sequentially, to the right of the index line and from each other, a distance equal to the length of one hundred units at the scale determined by this method and process, as adjusted by the calibration factor; and, a means to print numbers beneath each line which represents the length of one hundred units, which numbers will be in consecutive sequence beginning with one; and, a means to cause instructions and other data to be printed on the media; and, whereby said lines and instructions will together constitute a scale instrument denominated by the specified scale ratio, and, whereby a user can manipulate such scale instrument across scaled drawings, maps, aerial photographs, graphs and similar documents, and, whereby a user can determine the amount of distance represented by any line or space in the drawing, etc., and, whereby a user can mark up the drawing with lines of varying lengths which represent specified distances at the scale of the drawing, etc., which are known by virtue of the scale instrument.