JPS628274A - Drawing reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To read a drawing by a simple processing by detecting the first segment longer than the previously determined length, separating it from the second segment other than it, and automatically discriminating a category discriminating symbol written in the vicinity of the first segment to decide the category of the drawing. CONSTITUTION:The output signal of a scanner 1 is once stored in an image memory 2. Then, the signal read from an image memory 2 is discriminated as a succeeding segment and one except for that by a succeeding segment detecting circuit 3. Thus, the signal of the image memory 2 is fed to a character discriminating circuit 5 through a gate circuit 4. At this time, a gate is applied to the signal of a graphic part already discriminated so as to prevent from passing, so that only the character signal is fed. Since in the image memory 2, the signals of the drawing 10 are accumulated from a left upper part in the sequence of smaller number of addresses, when the signals are read in the sequence of the addresses and more than the determined number of black signals is succeeded, they are recognized to be the segments of the graphic forms 11-16.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a drawing reading device, and more particularly to a drawing reading device for automatically reading flowcharts, logic circuit diagrams, etc. and inputting them into a computer.

[Conventional technology]

In conventional drawing reading devices, in order to identify the category of figures in a drawing, 1. For example, to identify a circle, K is a circuit that extracts an arc, to identify a square, a circuit that extracts a right angle, and to identify a triangle. In order to do this, a circuit for identifying shapes, such as a circuit for extracting acute angles, was required.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

Figures written on drawings generally vary in size, and are often not described accurately, for example when drawn freehand, so the conventional drawing reading device described above has difficulty in correctly identifying the category of the figure. required a lot of complicated processing.

Furthermore, as the size of the figure increases, the number of processing steps required increases, resulting in the disadvantage that more processing time is required.

[Means for solving problems]

The drawing reading device of the present invention includes a detection means for detecting a first line segment having a length equal to or greater than a predetermined length, and a detection means for detecting a first line segment having a length equal to or greater than a predetermined length, and a detection means for detecting a first line segment having a length equal to or greater than the predetermined length; separation means for separating line segments; identification means for automatically identifying characters or symbols written in the vicinity of the first line segment; and figures for identifying the category of the line segment in correspondence with the characters or symbols. and decision means.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a drawing reading device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a drawing read by the drawing reading device in FIG.

In FIG. 2, drawing 10 is a flowchart, figure 11. ~16 are connected with lines to show the flow of operation of a certain device. Each figure 11. Characters are written inside each of the cans 11 to 16, and these characters are read by an optical character reader (hereinafter referred to as 0CR) K. ~14
The letters "At, ~lD1" written on the outside of the right shoulder are identification symbols indicating the category of the figure. For example, the letters 1A1 are rectangle I, 'B" is hexagon, 1C1 is rectangle 1, "D"
' is associated with a diamond shape.

Next, in FIG. 1, the drawing reading device includes a scanner 1 that optically scans a drawing as shown in FIG.
An image memory 2 that temporarily stores the output signal of It consists of a character recognition circuit 5 that recognizes the input character signal from the image memory 2, and a figure determination circuit 6 that combines the outputs of the continuous line segment detection circuit 3 and the character recognition circuit 5 to determine the category of the figure.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

The output signal of the scanner 1 is temporarily stored in the image memory 2. Next, the signal read from the image memory 2 is sent to a continuous line segment detection circuit 3 to distinguish between continuous line segments and other continuous line segments. Continuous here means that it is continuous for a predetermined length or more, and according to the example of FIG. 2, figure 11.
16 is clearly made up of long continuous line segments, as are the characters inside it.

Next, the signal from the image memory 2 is sent to the character identification circuit 5 via the gate circuit 4, but at this time, a gate is applied to prevent the signal line from passing through the already identified figure part, so only the character signal is sent. It will be done. Here, figure 11. ~16
The characters inside are recognized by the character recognition circuit 5 and sent to the next process, but the characters (the above-mentioned identification symbols) outside the figures 11 to 16 are recognized and sent to the figure determination circuit 6.

Continuous line segment detection by the continuous line segment detection circuit 3 can be performed as follows. Image memory 2 has, for example, a second
The signals shown in FIG. 10 are stored in order from the upper left to the smallest address. Therefore, the image memory 2 is read to this address 1@ to determine whether the signal is white or black. Here, the address on the image memory 2 where the black signal is present is stored.

The gate circuit 4 prevents the black signal corresponding to this address from being sent to the character recognition circuit 5. Incidentally, since the scanner 1, image memory 2, and character recognition circuit 5 are all the same as those used in the conventionally known OCR, detailed explanations thereof will be omitted here.

Next, the figure determination circuit 6 combines the output of the continuous line segment detection circuit 3 and the output of the character recognition circuit 5 to determine the category of the figure.

Processes such as continuous line segment detection, gates, and figure determination are usually executed by a program using a computer. Tsumashi address operation and logical value 111 (black), l o
1 (white) This can be done using simple logic, and the detailed explanation of the circuit will be omitted.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention detects a first line segment having a predetermined length or more, separates this from other second line segments, and writes a line near the first line segment. By automatically identifying the category identification symbol and determining the category of the drawing, there is no need for complicated processing to identify the shape of the figure, and accuracy is not required when entering the figure. It is simple and has the effect of improving practicality.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a drawing reading device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a drawing read by the drawing reading device in FIG. l...Scanner, 2...Image memory, 3...Continuous line segment detection circuit, 4...
Gate circuit, 5...Character recognition circuit, 6...
...Graphic determination circuit, 10...Drawing, 11. ~1
6...shape. ',,-No.1 Figure P z Father

Claims (1)

[Claims] a detection means for detecting a first line segment having a length equal to or greater than a predetermined length; and a separation means for separating the first line segment from a second line segment having a length less than the predetermined length. , comprising an identification means for automatically identifying a character or symbol written in the vicinity of the first line segment, and a figure determination means for identifying a category of the line segment in correspondence with the character or symbol. drawing reading device.