EP0528599A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process control and operator-machine interfaces
Assignee: Borland Software Corp
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Filing: 1992-08-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-08-06
Abstract
Abstract A system including an operator-machine interface is described for enabling an operator readily to make a selection from a large number of options in the control of a process or the creation of a product. The options are stored on a computer disc as models or solutions together with associated scale values and rejection constraints of attributes of the model. The interface presents the operator with a plurality of graphics scales (301A-301E) each having a sliding member which can be manipulated by the operator to select a desired value on the scale. The interface also presents corresponding rejection constraint items (302) to the operator for entry of a binary reply. The system then selects those models having rejection constraints matching the input binary replies and which have scale values related to the selected values by a predetermined correlation function. Having presented the selected models to the operator, a desired one of these models is utilised by the system to control the final form of a product.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel Rosenberg
- 👤 Anne Way
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:21
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/60; G06F; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/103; G06F40/109
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A computer-aided design system for creating or processing an image, the system comprising: (a) a computer having a memory and a processor (901); (b) means (904) storing a plurality of master image types, said means including a plurality of predetermined attributes for characterising each of said master image types; (c) input means (902) for entering a value corresponding to each attribute, thereby indicating a design image type desired by an operator; (d) means arranged to operate the processor to determine selected ones of the master image types whose attributes best match said entered values; and e) means (906) for displaying said selected ones to the operator, the determining means being responsive to an operator selection at the input means to process the image according to the selected one of the determined image types.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
94 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein the determining means includes: means for examining a master image type by determining for each attribute a difference between the entered value and a corresponding value of the master image type, whereby the master image type is discarded as a possible match if a difference so determined is greater than a preset limit; and means for calculating a score for each master image type examined by summing together the difference determined for each attribute, whereby a score having the lowest value indicates a best match of attributes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said input means includes: graphic scale means for illustrating at least one attribute, said graphic scale means including a sliding member for entering one of a pre-selected range of values; and means for entering with the sliding member a value desired for said at least one attribute.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 1, 2 or 3 and comprising print means (910) coupled to the processor for providing a print of the image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
78 words
In a computer system, a method for assisting a user in creating a design image comprising: (a) supplying a plurality of master image types, each of which is characterised by a plurality of predetermined attributes; (b) indicating a design image type desired by the user by entering a value corresponding to each attribute; (c) determining selected ones of the master image types whose attributes best match said entered values; and (d) presenting to the user said selected ones.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of attributes include colour, font and layout attributes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein step (b) Includes displaying to the user said plurality of attributes as a list of polar adjective pairs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method according to claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein step (b) includes: displaying a graphic scale means for at least one attribute, said graphic scale means including a sliding member for entering one of a pre-selected range of values; and entering with the sliding member a value desired for said at least one attribute.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein said graphic scale means includes a scroll bar means.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
53 words
A method according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein step (b) includes: displaying a graphic toggle means for at least one attribute, said graphic toggle means for entering a selected one of two values; and entering with the graphic toggle means a value corresponding to said at least one attribute.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
60 words
A method according to any one of claims 5 to 10, wherein step (c) includes: examining a master image type by determining for each attribute a difference between the entered value and a corresponding value of the master image type; and if a difference so determined is greater than a preset limit, removing the master image type from further consideration.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein step (c) further comprises: calculating a score for each master image type examined by summing together the determined difference for each attribute, whereby a score having the lowest value indicates a best match of attributes.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
122 words
A system for controlling a process by means of a computer, the system comprising: computer memory means (904) storing a plurality of alternative models for use in carrying out the process and, for each model, a plurality of predetermined attributes defining filter criteria for the associated model; input means (902) for the input of data defining a value for each of the attributes of the filter criteria; means for filtering (901) coupled to the input means (902) to receive said data and arranged to determine from said models a model the filter criteria of which match the input data according to a predetermined matching function; and means (901) for carrying out the process in dependence upon data defined by the determined model.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
A system according to claim 13 and comprising an operator-machine interface including the input means (902) and display means (906), the filtering means being arranged to be able to select more than one model with a match with the input data and to present the selected models to an operator, the system being responsive to operator input to define as the determined model one of the selected models.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
138 words
A computer-aided design system for creating a product, the system comprising: (a) a computer having a memory and a processor (901); (b) means (904) storing a plurality of master product models defining the content of respective product segments and a plurality of predetermined attributes for characterising each of said master product models; (c) input means (902) for entering a value corresponding to each attribute, thereby indicating a product model type desired by an operator; (d) means arranged to operate the processor to determine selected ones of the master product models whose attributes best match said entered values; and (e) means (906) for displaying said selected ones to the operator, the determining means being responsive to an operator selection at the input means to create the product according to content of the selected one of the determined product models.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
163 words
A system incorporating the use of a computer to provide an operator-machine interface for the control of a process, characterised in that the computer has memory means (904) storing a plurality of models for use in carrying out the process, the models defining respective sets of process determining parameters, the criteria defining the models in terms of attributes at least some of which are different from the process determining parameters, the computer having display means (906) for displaying data representing the attributes, input means (901) by which an operator may select a desired value for each displayed attribute, and means (901) for filtering arranged to select at least one of said models in dependence upon a predetermined correlation between the desired values and the stored filter criteria and to present the or each selected model at the display means for operator selection of a final model prior to implementing the process in accordance with the process determining parameters of the finally selected model.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 14, 15 or 16 and comprising means for displaying at the display means (906) a plurality of the attributes as respective polar adjective pairs.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
27 words
A system according to any one of claims 13 to 17 wherein the attributes stored comprise attributes stored as numeric values and attributes stored as rejection constraints.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system according to claim 18 wherein the filtering means are arranged to reject models having rejection constraints which do not match the input data and models having numeric value attributes which differ from corresponding input data values by more than a stored preset value.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
55 words
A system according to any one of claims 13 to 19 and comprising means for determining for each of selected attributes of a model a difference between the corresponding input value and the stored attribute value and means for removing the model from further consideration if a difference so determined is greater than preset limit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system according to claim 20 and comprising means for calculating a score for each model concerned by additively combining the determined differences for each such attribute, the score determining the level of match of the attributes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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