Abstract:
An overlay driven display system incorporating a digitizer tablet and a stylus for providing coordinate signals to a computer which signals are representative of the coordinates of any point on the tablet selected by the position of the stylus on the tablet. The computer is coupled to a display device, such as a CRT, for displaying addressed data, such as graphic information. An overlay, randomly positionable on the digitizer tablet, contains areas relating to the position of tablet coordinate signals that correspond to the addresses of the data stored in the computer. Three triangularly positioned points on the overlay identify a unique triangle which relates the overlay to the unique angular relationship of the computer file. Software is provided for translating the overlay points to the coordinate system of the digitizer tablet and for scaling the points to match the coordinate system of the digitizer tablet such that the file corresponding to the overlay is accessed and areas on the overlay, when selected by the angular relationship of the points on the stylus, are displayed on the CRT. Overlapping of overlays is permitted to allow the simultaneous display of a plurality of files. The system also permits other than three points to be used.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to keyboards for data inputting to computer displays and more particularly to a keyboard system, activated by means of overlays, and operated in conjunction with a digitizer tablet and stylus, and a computer with a display. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material to which a claim of copyright protection is made. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction of any one of the patent documents or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but reserves all other rights whatsoever. 
     Digitizer tablets are used to provide input signals to digital computers. A surface of the tablet is sensitized to the position of a stylus. The stylus is electrically or optically coupled to the digitizer tablet and causes a coordinate signal to be generated which signal corresponds to the coordinates of the point at which the stylus is positioned on the surface of the tablet. The generated coordinate signal is then used by the computer in real-time to select menu items from a keyboard selected and displayed menu. The stylus is generally activated by pressing it against the tablet surface. A paper overlay having defined function areas, or other file information relating to the keyboard selected menu, is positioned on the tablet surface and aligned with the X,Y coordinate axes of the tablet to facilitate the users positioning of the stylus on the tablet. The orientation of the overlay on the surface of the tablet and the scale of the overlay must be such that the position of the stylus on the overlay corresponds to the point on the tablet that will generate the correct coordinate signals for addressing the correct computer file. Misalignments will result in either addressing the wrong file, or no file at all. It would therefore be highly desirable to have a system that is not critical with respect to overlay size and position and which does not require a preidentification of the overlay description file. The present invention is such a system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention there is provided a system wherein the overlay may be positioned on the tablet surface with any orientation as the system automatically transforms the position of the overlay to the coordinate axes of the overlay description file (ODF)and in addition the overlay is provided with scaling information for automatically normalizing the size of the overlay to the dimensions contained in the ODF. Moreover, triangularly arranged points on the overlay define a unique angular relationship corresponding to the address of a stored file, enable the associated Overlay Description File (ODF) to be identified without prior knowledge or specification of the ODF. 
     The one preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes an overlay having three points that are positioned at the vertices of a triangle with a unique angular relationship such that the position of a point at one vertex is defined as a base point, at a second vertex a scale point and at a third vertex a file point. The system transforms the base point, the scale point, and the file point to an Overlay Management Space (OMS) which identifies the particular ODF. The distance between the base point and the scale point on the tablet represents the scale of the overlay which is transformed to a predetermined distance represented in the ODF. Further positioning of the stylus, at selected areas on the overlay, will address and display data from the accessed file. The software used with the present system permits the use of multiple overlays to access multiple files. 
     Other embodiments of the invention utilize two and four points for identification of a file. 
     Three methods are disclosed for entering the triangle vertex points. The first requires that the points be entered in a fixed sequence, for example, point 1, point 2, and then point 3, the second permits the three points to be entered in either a clockwise or a counter clockwise sequence, starting at any one of the three points and the third permits the three points to be entered in a random order. 
     A control overlay may also be used with the aforementioned system which overlay contains areas identifying selected tablet points that will, when selected by the stylus, generate input signals to the computer to permit the user to further interface with the computer to select control functions such as RESET, ADD or DELETE. 
     The present system also provides for the generation of a unique coordinate, selectively corresponding to a cell size of one, two, three or more units on a side such that the stylus being positioned anywhere within the selected cell size will generate the same coordinate signal that would have been produced if the cell size corresponded to a unit square. Increased cell size is used where accuracy of the stylus positioning is not necessary and where the dedication of cells to a single address does not materially affect the quantity of cells needed for file address. 
     From the foregoing, it can be seen that it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved interactive computer display system. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a system for selecting computer files by the use of a randomly positioned digitizer tablet overlay. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system for selecting computer files and data stored therein for display by means of digitizer tablet overlays. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for selecting computer files and data stored therein for display by means of digitizer tablet overlays which overlays may overlap each other. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide an interactive computer system which may be activated by utilization of different size overlays randomly orientated on an associated digitizer tablet. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent and better understood when taken in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings, throughout which like characters indicate like parts and which drawings form a part of the present specification. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram, partially in perspective, of a computer system coupled to a digitizer tablet. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the transformation of an overlay&#39;s points on the tablet axes to the axes of an OMS to determine the address of the overlay file. 
     FIGS. 3A and B illustrates the OMS cells and the triangularly positioned points transformed and normalized to the point of origin of the OMS X,Y axes. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates one configuration of an overlay with three triangularly positioned points. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates the available usage of the OMS when the overlay triangularly positioned points are entered in a specific. 1, 2, 3 sequence. 
     FIG. 6 illustrates the available usage of the OMS when the overlay triangularly positioned points may be entered in either a clockwise or a counter clockwise sequence without regard to a starting point. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates the available usage of the OMS when the overlay triangularly positioned points are enterable in a random sequence. 
     FIG. 8A and B illustrates the transformation of one point of an overlay on the tablet axes to a point on the ODF artwork file coordinate axes. 
     FIG. 9 is an enlarged diagramic view of a method of expanding the OMS unit cells for the same coordinate signal. 
     FIG. 10 illustrates a control overlay for initiating RESET, ADD or DELETE functions. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the present system 10 is comprised of a graphics digitizer tablet 12 (e.g. Scriptel SPD-1212) having a surface 14 and a stylus 16, coupled by means of a flexible cable 18, to the digitizer tablet. The digitizer tablet senses the position of the stylus 16 when it is placed on the surface 14 and produces a data stream of X,Y coordinate signals corresponding to the position of the stylus. 
     The coordinate signals are coupled to a soft keyboard processor 22 over a cable 20. The keyboard processor performs the transformation of overlay coordinate signals in a manner to be described later. The transformed coordinate signals are applied to a computer 26 by means of a cable 24. The computer 26 may be a personal computer of the type that contains an integrated display device 28 such as a CRT. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the computer 26 is an APPLE MACINTOSH For other types of computer systems the display device may be a peripheral unit that is electrically coupled to the computer. It will be obvious to those persons skilled in the art that the soft keyboard processor function may be assumed by the computer or by the digitizer tablet&#39;s electronics, if the logic and memory capacity is adequate. The X,Y coordinate signals are inputted to the computer in real-time where they are converted to graphic information, or alternatively, used for functional control of the computer or an application program running on the computer. This latter use for control is frequently called menu-picking. 
     The Overlay Management Space (OMS) 30, which is conceptual in nature, is shown visually in FIG. 2, divided into four quadrant areas Q=A through Q=D positioned on a set of X,Y coordinate axes. Each quadrant is comprised of a plurality of unit square cells, each capable of providing, at the digitizer tablet&#39;s output, a signal indicative of its unique position within the matrix of cells. The position of three triangularly orientated points, labeled 1, 2, and 3, is also shown in dotted lines. The point 3 is the file point and the unit cell surrounding the point, when touched by the stylus, will generate the coordinate signal corresponding to a memory address, for accessing the computer file stored at that address. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the number of unit cells along the X axis of each of the quadrants is 30. For the normalized (scaled) triangle the point 2 would thus be 30 units from the origin of point 1. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, an overlay 40 made of paper, plastic or some other like substance, has marked thereon three points, 1, 2, and 3, each positioned at the vertex of an alignment triangle 42. The lines representing the sides of the triangle are shown to assist in understanding the invention but in practice only the three points appear on the overlay. The overlay 40 is randomly positionable on the tablet surface 14. The position of the three points with respect to each other define the angles of a unique triangle that is independent. This independence can then be used to define a unique file address. Because the three points are triangularly related and a triangle also represents the symbol delta, the three points will from time-to-time in this description be refered to as delta-points. The action arrows depict the transformation of the delta-points from the overlay coordinates to the OMS coordinate system. The transformation of the delta-points will position point 3 at the unit square position corresponding to the desired file. Physically the overlay is not moved but electrically there is an effective movement such that the desired file is accessed and the accessed file, or a portion of the accessed file is displayed. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, for example purposes, one type of overlay 40 is shown. The example overlay has an artwork area that represents keyboard functions and overlay axes that run parallel to the long and the short edge of the overlay. As an aid to the understanding of the invention it will first be assumed that the overlay is sized in the prior art manner such that the function keys of the keyboard will be positioned over designated coordinate points on the tablet surface when the overlay is correctly positioned on the tablet surface, generally with the long edge of the overlay on the X-axis and the short edge on the Y-axis. In such a position, the stylus, when pressed against a desired key will activate the point under the key to ultimately cause the display, or the actual printing, of the character associated with the key. If the key represents a function then the function will be performed. If the overlay thus far described is not properly aligned on the tablet surface pressing the stylus against the desired key of the overlay will result in the wrong character being displayed or no character at all. The same will hold true for the function keys. In the past keyboards have been used in conjunction with the digitizer tablet as an input device to enter an overlay file address for selecting the software file that represented the functions shown on the overlay. The digitizer tablet and overlay were then used as described to display the stylus selected functions. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention at least three points are added to the overlay. These points are: point 1, the base point, point 2, the scale point, and point 3, the file point. The delta-points represent the unique triangle which hereinafter will be called the delta-point triangle. 
     Referring back to FIG. 3, the file address (name) is derived by first causing the delta-points to be entered in sequence--base point, scale point, and then file point. Next a coordinate transformation to a new coordinate system is performed and then a truncation of the transformed position of the file point. 
     The following process is used after the three points are entered to derive the file name. 
     Let (X bt ,Y bt ), (X st ,Y st ), and (X ft ,Y ft ) be the three X,Y coordinate pairs, with reference to the tablet axis, which define the delta-point triangle. 
     (X bt ,Y bt ) is the base point, (X st , Y st ) is the scale point, and (Xft,Yft) is the file point. First calculate the four differences: 
     
         ΔX.sub.sbt =X.sub.st -X.sub.bt                       (1) 
    
     
         ΔY.sub.sbt =Y.sub.st -Y.sub.bt                       (2) 
    
     
         ΔX.sub.fbt =X.sub.ft -X.sub.bt                       (3) 
    
     
         ΔY.sub.fbt =Y.sub.ft -Y.sub.bt                       (4) 
    
     Then calculate the square of the delta-point triangle base in tablet units: 
     
         B.sub.t.sup.2 =ΔX.sub.sbt.sup.2 +ΔY.sub.sbt.sup.2 (5) 
    
     The decimal X,Y coordinate pointer to the file name is given by the two equations: 
     
         X.sub.FP =(N/B.sub.t.sup.2)*(ΔY.sub.sb *ΔY.sub.fb +ΔX.sub.sb *ΔX.sub.fb),                       (6) 
    
     
         Y.sub.FP =(N/B.sub.t.sup.2)*(ΔX.sub.sb *ΔY.sub.fb -ΔY.sub.sb *ΔX.sub.fb),                       (7) 
    
     where N is a normalization factor (Practical values for N range from 5 to 120). This decimal pointer can lie anywhere within the file point cell. The next step truncates the coordinate pairs, such that all values of (X FP ,Y FP ) which lie within the unit file point cell yields the same file name. 
     The integer parts of the file point cell name are then given by: 
     
         X.sub.F =INT[ABS(X.sub.FP)]+1,                             (8) 
    
     
         Y.sub.F =INT[ABS(Y.sub.FP)]+1                              (9) 
    
     where ABS is the absolute value function, and INT is the integer value function. The file point cell is a unit cell where the ideal file point selection is at the mid point of the cell. There are three major sets of axes, Tablet, Overlay Description File (ODF), and OMS. The overlay artwork axes and the ODF axes are parallel since they originate from the same artwork. They differ only by a scale factor. 
     The leading character of the file name, denotes the quadrant of the file name in overlay management space, where: 
     
         Q=A:IfX.sub.FP &gt;0and Y.sub.FP &lt;0                           (10) 
    
     
         Q=B:IfX.sub.FP &lt;0andY.sub.FP &gt;0 
    
     
         Q=C:IfX.sub.FP&lt;0andY.sub.FP &lt;0 
    
     
         Q=D:IfX.sub. &gt;0andY.sub.FP &lt;0 
    
     The file name is obtained using: 
     
         File Name =Q:X.sub.F :Y.sub.F,                             (11) 
    
     where the colon (:) in equation (11) denotes concatinaton. 
     Three alternative methods for entering the delta points will now be described. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. A single computer with adequate memory could employ one, or all three of the methods depending on the desired use of the overlays. 
     In the preceeding description the delta-points were entered in the sequence, base point, scale point, and file point. FIG. 5 illustrates a distribution of possible file cells when using the method of fixed sequence entry. The dashed lines drawn from the origin and from point N to the center of a file point cell form a delta-point triangle. The largest number of available file cells is provided with this method of entry. Practically, however, as the shape of the triangle becomes more and more oblique, it becomes more difficult to enter the points of the triangle and to successfully determine the correct file name. A reasonable estimate of practical delta point file names using this entry scheme is 4N 2 . If N=50, then 10,000 file names are possible. It may be desirable to avoid using cells which are adjacent to avoid inadvertent entry. This will reduce the number of valid cells. Note, however, that because the delta point triangle may lie anywhere on the overlay artwork, an accidental entry of a valid delta-point triangle will not produce a meaningful function. 
     The second method of interest is the method which permits either a clockwise or a counter clockwise sequence of point entries. In FIG. 6 all three delta points are entered prior to making the decision on which point is which. The longest side of the delta-point triangle is mapped along the X-axis between the origin and the point N. The remaining delta-point is mapped to a file cell above or below the X-axis depending upon the sequence of entry, for example, a clockwise sequence will map below the axis, and a counter clockwise sequence will map above the axis. 
     Note that the number of allowable cells is greatly reduced from the number permitted by the fixed sequence entry method. The theoretical number of cells is given by: ##EQU1## 
     For N =50, the number is 3070. This scheme allows a large number of file cells while reducing possible confusion of out-of-sequence entry. 
     A third method of entry is a total random delta-point entry. In FIG. 7 the region of permissible file points is shown greatly reduced from the first method and equal to one-half of the second method. The procedure for the third entry method maps the longest side of the delta-point triangle to the X-axis, between the origin and the point N. The third point is then always in quadrant A. 
     When the delta-points have been transformed and normalized to a file name and the overlay description file (ODF) is accessed and temporarily stored, each succeeding tablet point is transformed to the ODF coordinates for table lookup, processing and display. 
     Each transformed point is examined in approximately the following sequence: 
     1. Is point on artwork? 
     2. If Yes, is point in keygroup? 
     3. If Yes, is point on key? 
     4. If Yes, take keycode action. 
     If No on any of above, and there is more than one overlay on the tablet, the point is transformed according to the parameter of the next overlay down and the transformed point is again examined as above. 
     The following describes the mathematical transformations used to transform each point prior to the above decision process. Referring to FIG. 8, let the location of the base point and the scale point (any two of the three points can be used but statistically the longest side will yield the greatest accuracy) in ODF artwork coordinates be given by (X bo  Y bo ) and (X so  Y so ) respectively. 
     The location of these points on the tablet is given by (Xbt,Ybt) and ) where 
     
         X.sub.bo =S[(X.sub.bt -H)Cos(B)+(Y.sub.bt -k)Sin(B)]       (13) 
    
     
         Y.sub.bo =S[(Y.sub.bt -k)Cos(B)-(X.sub.bt -H)Sin(B)] 
    
     
         X.sub.so =S[(X.sub.st -H)Cos(B)+(Y.sub.st -k)Sin(B)]       (140l ) 
    
     
         Y.sub.so =S[(Y.sub.st -k)Cos(B)-(X.sub.st -h)Sin(B)] 
    
     and 
     B =angle of axis rotation 
     h =axis displacement in the xt direction 
     k =axis displacement in the yt direction 
     S =scale factor between the overlay artwork and ODF artwork file 
     S =B o  /B t , where B t  is given by equation (5) and B o  is given by 
     
         B.sub.o.sup.2 =ΔX.sub.sbo.sup.2 +ΔY.sub.sbo.sup.2 (15) 
    
     where 
     
         ΔX.sub.sbo =X.sub.so -X.sub.bo, and                  (16) 
    
     
         ΔY.sub.sbo =Y.sub.so -Y.sub.bo 
    
     Geometric analysis of FIG. 8 yields: 
     
         Cos(B)=(ΔX.sub.sbo ΔX.sub.sbt +ΔY.sub.sbo ΔY.sub.sbt)/(B.sub.t B.sub.o)                       (17) 
    
     
         Sin(B)=(ΔX.sub.sbo -ΔX.sub.sbt ΔY.sub.sbo)/(B.sub.t B.sub.o)                                                  (18) 
    
     Substituting equation (17) and (18) into equation (13) and solving for h and k yields, 
     
         h=X.sub.bt -[X.sub.bo Cos(B)-Y.sub.bo Sin(B)]/S            (19) 
    
     
         k=Y.sub.bt -[Y.sub.bo cos(B)-X.sub.bo Sin(B)]/S            (20) 
    
     Using the derived values for Cos(B), Sin(B), h, and k above, a sample point (X t ,Y t ) is transformed to ODF artwork coordinates using the transformation: 
     
         X.sub.o =[(X.sub.t -h)Cos(B)+(Y.sub.t -k)Sin(B)]S          (21) 
    
     
         Y.sub.o =[(Y.sub.t -k)Cos(B)-(X.sub.t -h)Sin(B)]S          (22) 
    
     There are disadvantages to a fixed normalization factor, N. If a small value is used to make large cells, fewer cells are available in Overlay Management Space (OMS) and the chance for an accidental entry is greater. Increasing the value of N results in smaller cells. This may require unreasonable precision of point entry, especially for smaller overlays. 
     The following describes an algorithm which enables groups of smaller cells to be grouped into larger cells. Different sized cells can be chosen in Overlay Management Space without ambiguity in the file name. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, the algorithm starts with a small cell size (larger N), derives the ODF name, and searches the ODF library. If a match is found for the name and the cell size, the file is accepted. If not, the cell size is increased, a new name is derived, and the process repeated. For example, assume N =30, and target ODF name of A1506. Assume that the delta point triangle which has been entered is: 
     
         base point (BP) =(0,0) 
    
     scale point (SP) =(0,600) 
     file point (FP) =(248,68) 
     With N =30, these points produce a file name of A1304 (See equations to 11). The ODF library is checked for this file name and, if found, its contents are examined to see if the file has a unit cell size. Assume no file is found. 
     N is now reduced to 15 (original N divided by 2), and the resultant file name components given by Equations (8) and (9) are multiplied by 2. This produces a file name of A 1404, still not the target ODF. The process is repeated by dividing N by 3 (N=10) and multiplying the file name components by 3. The resultant file name is now A1506 which is found in the ODF library. The final step is to check the contents of A1506 to make sure that N=10 is specified for this ODF. This being the target ODF, the file is brought into memory and the overlay becomes operative. 
     Using the described algorithm, the final name of a cell, no matter what size, is given by the name of the unit cell furthest from the origin. If the original file point entered lies in this cell, the A1506 name would be derived and accepted in the first pass. 
     This algorithm permits ODF file names to be assigned a cell size suited to the function of the overlay. The cell sizes are 1×1, 2×2, 3×3, etc. The cell size could easily be appended to the ODF file name and then it would not be necessary to open the file to check the delta-point entry validity. For example, the file name in the above example could have been defined as &#34;A15063&#34;. the last digit indicating that the file has a 3×3 file point cell. As in the case of small unit cells, the location of the file point on the artwork should be in the geometric center of the cell to minimize errors in entry. 
     In the two point method the geometric shape is a line rather than a triangle. The file name is derived from the length of the line. The line length is derived after entry of the base point and the file point. The ability to scale the size of the overlay is lost because the line length information is used to derive the file name. For example, File Name =INT (line length/N), where N is a normalization factor. 
     An enhancement was developed using a forth point when it was discovered that a copy made of an overlay might be distorted by the copy machine to such an extent that the three delta points would no longer properly represent a file name. The four point method places a forth point in fixed geometric relationship to two points of the delta point triangle to define a known shape on the overlay, for example, a square and the points represent three corners of the square. If a distorted copy is made of the overlay the square will change to become a rectangle or a parallelogram. The system knows that the points should be positioned at the corners of the square and therefore corrects for the distortion to provide the correct file address. The four point system also permits the delta points to be entered in any order. 
     To add or delete overlays a control scheme that permits the user to interface with the computer is needed. 
     The following is a description of a means for enabling delta-point overlays to be operatively added or deleted from the digitizer surface through the use of a soft keyboard control overlay. Referring to FIG. 10, the control overlay shown is positioned on the digitizer tablet&#39;s surface 14. The tablet points positioned under the RESET, ADD and DELETE areas of the overlay provide coordinate signals which are converted by the keyboard processor 22 into computer function signals that cause the computer to respond accordingly. 
     Following is a description of each function key and its preferred embodiment: 
     RESET: Activation of this function instructs the keyboard processor 22 that the user wishes to perform a reset function. A reset message is sent to the personal computer which in turn displays a response message on the CRT. For example, the message &#34;ARE YOU SURE?&#34;, after which the user might respond by depressing the ADD +/Y key. This sequence would clear the system of all active overlays. 
     ADD +/Y: This function key is used to instruct the processor that the user wishes to add an overlay to the digitizer tablet surface. Messages displayed on the CRT could provide instruction on delta-point triangle entry. Alternative, this key can be used to enter positive responses to system messages such as was explained in the preceeding section on the RESET key. 
     DELETE -/N This key is the complement of the ADD key. It is used to indicate removal of an overlay or to negatively respond to system prompts. For example, if the user wishes to remove an overlay from the tablet surface, he may first touch the DELETE key and then touch an area on the overlay he wishes to remove. The DELETE function may be followed with system messages such as &#34;ARE YOU SURE? &#34;. 
     APPENDIX A is a software program written in BASIC for implementing the present invention on an APPLE MACINTOSH computer. 
     While there has been shown what is considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be manifest that many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, in the annexed claims, to cover all such changes and modifications as may fall within the true scope of the invention. ##SPC1##