METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SETTING COORDINATE SYSTEM ORIGIN

Abstract: A figure on a drawing DR placed on the read-out area TRA of a tablet is entered through a coordinate designating device by designating a plurality of points on the drawing, and at the same time the origin of the drawing coordinate system is set and entered. To carry out the setting and entry of the coordinate system origin, a first point Pt on the drawing is designated by the coordinate designating device to enter the coordinates of the first point Pt in a tablet coordinate system, and the coordinates of the designated first point Pt in a numerical control data coordinate system are entered by a keyboard or the like to set the origin of the numerical control data coordinate system. The invention provides a method and apparatus for effecting the foregoing setting of the coordinate system origin. The origin of the numerical control data coordinate system can be easily established, and can be set and entered even when the origin is located outside tne read-out area TRA of the tablet.

Description: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SETTING COORDINATE SYSTEM ORIGIN The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for setting a coordinate system and, more particularly, to such a coordinate system setting method and apparatus for use in entering graphics employing a tablet. A numerically controlled machine tool (hereafter referred to as an NC machine tool) is operated in a manner specified by a machining program stored on an NC tape to subject a workpiece to prescribed machining. To create an NC tape for a cutting operation, numerical control information and other machining conditions are punched into a paper tape in accordance with predetermined rules. The numerical control information includes all the data necessary for machining, such as numerical values obtained from a design drawing and relating to the dimensions of the workpiece that is to be machined, feed speed, and the like. When machining the workpiece by means of an NC machine tool, the NC tape which has been prepared is fed into the tape reader of a numerical control device so that the various instructions recorded on the NC tape may be read successively, the numerical control device responding by executing the read instructions to cause the machine tool to machine the workpiece as prescribed. Since considerable time and experience is required to create the information stored on an NC tape, an apparatus for preparing an NC tape automatically has recently been developed and put into use. The apparatus includes a graphic display, keyboard and printer and is extremely useful in preparing NC tapes in a simpie, accurate and rapid manner. Consisting of a microcomputer, the apparatus for automatic preparation of an NC tape has an internal main memory for storing the NC tape preparation software, or system program. To create a machining program by means of the above-described apparatus, the prescribed system is loaded into the main memory, and a so-called "part program" consisting of a group of data specifying the contour of a part, namely the path of a tool for cutting the contour, must be created and entered in accordance with predetermined rules. The preparation of such a part program is troublesome and time-consuming, and can only be accomplished by a programmer having considerable programming skill. With these difficulties in view, there has been demand for a system capable of entering graphics simply by specifying a plurality of points on such graphics, and attention has turned to a graphic input apparatus employing a tablet. Such a graphic input device using a tablet can easily enter graphics even if the dimensions thereof are unknown. It has been troublesome, however, to enter the origin of the NC data. No origin of an NC data coordinate system can be set and entered particularly when a drawing is greater in size than the read-out area of a tablet with the origin of the NC data coordinate system being located outside the readout area. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of setting a coordinate system origin of a figure on a drawing wherein the drawing is laid on the read-out area of a tablet, the figure is entered by designating a plurality of points on the drawing with a coordinate designating device, and the origin of the coordinate system of the figure is set and entered, said method comprising the steps of: designating a first point on the drawing with the coordinate designating device to enter the coordinates (xt, Yt) of said first point in a tablet coordinate system; entering coordinates (Xt, Yt) of said first point in a numerical control data coordinate system through an input device; and setting the origin of the numerical control data coordinate system by employing the entered coordinates. According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus for setting a coordinate system origin of a figure on a drawing, comprising: a tablet having a read-out area for placing the drawing thereon; coordinate designating means for designating a plurality of points on the figure to enter coordinates thereof; a first register for storing the coordinates (xt, of ofa first point on the figure in a tablet coordinate system; and a second register for storing the coordinates (Xt, of ofsaid first point in a numerical control data coordinate system An example / of the present invention may provide a novel method and apparatus capable of easily setting and entering the origin of an NC data coordinate system. An example of the present invention may provide a novel method and apparatus capable of easily setting the origin of an NC data coordinate system even when no dimensions are known, and of setting and entering the origin of an NC data coordinate system even in a case where the origin is located outside the read-out area of a tablet. one #rnbodiment of the invention a In/figure on a drawing placed on the read-out area of a tablet is entered through a coordinate designating device by designating a plurality of points on the drawing, and at the same time the origin of the drawing coordinate system is set and entered. To carry out the setting and entry of the coordinate system origin, a first point on the drawing is designated by the coordinate designating device to enter the coordinates of the first point in a tablet coordinate system, and # the coordinates of the designated first point in a numerical control data coordinate system are entered by a keyboard or the like to set the origin of the numerical control data coordinate, system. Further, an arbitrary second point on the drawing is designated to enter the coordinates (xq, y) of the second point in the tablet coordinate system, and the coordinates of the second point in the numerical control data coordinate system are found by performing the following arithmetic operations: : Xm = xq +(Xt - xt) Ym = Yq + (Yt - Yt) To practice the foregoing method of setting the origin of the coordinate system, there may be provided an apparatus which comprises a first register for storing the coordinates (xtr ##) of a first point on the figure in a tablet coordinate system, a second register for storing the coordinates (Xt, Yt) of the first point in a numerical control data coordinate system, a third register for storing the coordinates (xq, yq) of a second point in the tablet coordinate system, which coordinates are entered by the tablet, and a coordinate transformation unit for performing the following arithmetic operations to obtain coordinates (Xm, Ym) of the second point in the numerical control data coordinate system: Xm = Xq + (Xt - Xt) Ym = Yg + (Yt -Yt) examples of Features and advantages of/the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrative of principles of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a system for reducing the present invention to practice; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the general features of a system for creating NC data; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a tablet input device in the system shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. s is an enlarged, top view of a cursor unit included in the device of Fig. 4. the basis of Reference will first be had to Fig. 1 to describe/ the present invention. The origin Rmt also known as the reference point, of an NC data coordinate system on a drawing DR is set in the following fashion: (a) A point Pt on a tablet read-out area TRA and on a drawing DR is designated by a coordinate designating device, and the coordinates (xt, Yt) thereof on the tablet coordinate system are entered; (b) The coordinates (Xt, Yt) of the designated point Pt in an NC data coordinate system are entered from a keyboard. After setting the coordinate system by the foregoing steps (a) and (b), any point Q on the drawing is designated, the coordinates (xq, yg) thereof in the tablet coordinate system are entered, and the following arithmetic operations are performed: xm = xq + (Xt - xt) ...... (1) Ym = Yq + (Yt - Yt) ....¯. (2) This provides the coordinates (xm, Ym) of the point Q in the NC data coordinate system. It should be noted that the tablet coordinate system and NC data coordinate system are assumed to lie parallel to each other. Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a system for reducing the present invention to practice. The apparatus includes a first register lOla for storing the coordinates (xt, Yt) of the point Pt in the tablet coordinate system, and a second registe#r for storing the coordinates (Xt, Yt) of the point Pt in the NC data coordinate system. When the coordinates (xq, yq) of the point Q (Fig. 1) in the tablet coordinate system are fed from the tablet 102 into a third register logic, a coordinate transformation unit 103 performs the arithmetic operations of Eqs. (1) and (2) to generate the coordinate values xm, y in the NC data coordinate system. An NC data creation unit 104 employs the coordinate values xm, y to generate NC data which are then stored in a data memory 105. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a system for creating NC data in which a method of setting the origin of a coordinate system of the present invention can be incorporated. The system includes the main body 11 of an apparatus for creating NC data. The main body 11 comprises a keyboard lla having a multiplicity of keys, a graphic display device llb, a magnetic tape unit llc for loading a magnetic tape cassette, a printer lld, and a control unit, not shown. The latter is constituted by a microcomputer which executes processing for the input and output of information, for digitizing and for the creation of NC data, all executed by means of a tablet described hereinbelow, based on a system program stored previously in memory means such as a ROM (read-only memory). The multiplicity of keys provided on the keyboard lla are for responding to prompts which appear on the system CRT, for designating system program loading, and for entering NC data. The graphic display device llb displays, in graphical form, coordinate values obtained by digitization of positions designated by the tablet, as well as input data, numerical values, NC data and various messages or prompts for conversational interaction with the operator. The magnetic tape unit llc is used to enter a system program into the main body of the NC data creating apparatus 11. By way of example, when using a tablet to enter coordinate values directly from a drawing and prepare NC data, the software (system program). for digitizing processing must be fed into the main body 11. This is done by selecting the magnetic tape cassette containing the digitizing program, and loading the cassette into the magnetic tape unit llc. To read the tape into the system, the operator need only touch a load button on the keyboard lla after the cassette has been set in the tape unit lic. The printer lld is adapted to print out characters which appear on the screen of the graphic display device llb, data punched in a paper tape, described later, and information which has been written into the loaded magnetic tape. The system also includes a paper tape reader/puncher 12 for preparing an NC tape by punching a paper tape with perforations indicative of the NC data prepared by main body 11, and for reading NC or other data which has already been punched into an NC tape. The system tablet, designated at 13, comprises a board which uses the principle of electromagnetic induction to enter data. By relying upon a coordinate designating device such as a cursor unit or stylus pen as means for designating coordinates, the tablet 13 is operable to input positional coordinates from a drawing laid on the tablet surface, these coordinates being fed into the main body 11 as an input thereto. It should be noted that the tablet 13 corresponds to the tablet 102 shown in Fig. 2. The perspective view of Fig. 4 shows the external appearance of the tablet 13 in greater detail. The tablet 13 comprises a tablet main body or board 13a, a tablet cover 13b, a cursor unit 13c serving as the coordinate designating device, a stylus pen 13d, a buzzer 13e, a group of lamps 13f indicating, e.g., coordinate input mode and introduction of power, an input/output connector for connecting the tablet 13 to the main body 11, a power unit 13h for supplying the table body 13a with D.C. power, an A.C. cable 13i for connecting the power unit 13h to an A.C. source, a D.C. cable 13j for the connection between the tablet body and power unit, and a pen stand 13m for holding the stylus pen 13 when not in use. The cursor unit 13c or stylus pen 13d is used to enter coordinate and other data. The details of the cursor unit 13c are illustrated in the enlarged view of Fig. 3, in which a top view of the cursor unit is shown. The cursor unit 13c has a main body CSB, first and second switches SW1, SW2, a position reader PR having a cross-hair arrangement, a connector CNT and a cable CBL leading from the connector CNT to the main body CSB. To enter the coordinates of a point, the intersection Pc of the cross hairs provided on the position reader PR is aligned with the desired point on a drawing laid on the tablet body, followed by depressing the first switch SW1 or second switch SW2. With"the help of the present invention, the origin of an NC data coordinate system can easily be established, and can be set and entered even when the origin is located outside the read-out area of the tablet. As many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodi ments thereof except as defined in the appended claims. Broadly speakin, a figure on a drawing placed on the read-out area TRA of a tablet is entered through a coordinate designating device by designating a plurality of points on the drawing, and at the same time the origin of the drawing coordinate system is set and entered. To carry out the setting and entry of the coordinate system origin, a first point Pt on thedrawing is designated by the point4on coordinate designating device to enter the coordinates w of the first pointAin a tablet coordinate system, and the coordinates of the designated first a point Pt in a numerical control data coordinate system are entered by a keyboard or the like to set the origin of the numerical control data coordinate system. The invention provides a method and apparatus for effecting the foregoing setting of the coordinate system origin. The origin of the numerical control data coordinate system can be easily established, and can be set and entered even when the origin is located outside the read-out area TRA of the tablet.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. A method of setting a coordinate system origin of a figure on a drawing wherein the drawing is laid on the read-out area of a tablet, the figure is entered by designating a plurality of points on the drawing with a coordinate designating device, and the origin of the coordinate system of the figure is set and entered, said method comprising the steps of: designating a first point on the drawing with the coordinate designating device to enter the coordinates (Xt, Yt) of said first point in a tablet coordinate system; entering coordinates (Xt, Yt) of said first point in a numerical control data coordinate system through an input device; and setting the origin of the numerical control data coordinate system by employing the entered coordinates. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising designating an arbitrary second point on the drawing to enter the coordinates (xq, yq) of said second point in the tablet coordinate system, and finding the coordinates of said second point in the numerical control data coordinate system by performing the following arithmetic operations: x =X < z+ ( Xt Xt ) xm = xq + (Xt - Xt) 3. An apparatus for setting a coordinate system origin of a figure on a drawing, comprising: a tablet having a read-out area for placing the drawing thereon; coordinate designating means for designating a plurality of points on the figure to enter coordinates thereof; a first register for storing the coordinates (xt, Yt) of a first point on the figure in a tablet coordinate system; and a second register for storing the coordinates (Xt, of ofsaid first point in a numerical control data coordinate system 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, comprising a third register for storing the coordinates (xq, Yq) of a second point in the tablet coordinate system, which coordinates are entered by said tablet; and coordinate transformation means for performing the following arithmetic operations to obtain coordinates (xm, Y ) of said second point in the numerical control data coordinate system: xm = Xq + (Xt - Xt ) Ym Yq + ( Yt- 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means for creating numerical control data from the coordinates (xm, Ym) obtained from said coordinate transformation means. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a data memory for storing the numerical control data created by said last-mentioned means.

Inventors: KISHI, HAJIMU, SEKI, MASAKI, TANAKA, KUNIO
Applicants: FANUC LTD
Application year: 1983
Main classification: G06F3
IPC codes: G05B19, G06F3, G06K11