Multi-dimensional coordinate input apparatus adapted for simple input operation, and system using the same

Claim 2

A coordinate input apparatus having a hand-operated body to input coordinate information of a work plane, the body comprising: a bottom portion having first, second, third and fourth input planes which are not all located in the same plane, where the first, second and third input planes correspond, respectively, to an X-Y coordinate plane, a Y-Z coordinate plane and an X-Z coordinate plane of a three-dimensional coordinate space, the X-Y coordinate plane, the Y-Z coordinate plane and the X-Z coordinate plane are individually selectable by selecting the corresponding input plane, coordinate information of a work plane being input in a respective coordinate plane by selecting the coordinate plane, and the fourth input plane includes a plane inclination detection unit for inputting an inclination of a work plane with respect to a selected coordinate plane; and detecting means, provided on at least one of the first, second and third input planes, for detecting movement of the body corresponding to coordinate information to be input.

Claim 3

The coordinate input apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a respective detecting means is provided on each of the first, second and third input planes.

Claim 4

The coordinate input apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a respective measuring means corresponding to each detecting means and responsive to movement of the body detected by the corresponding detecting means in a respective coordinate plane, for measuring a movement amount of the body in the respective coordinate plane.

Claim 5

The coordinate input apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein each detecting means comprises two sets of optical detecting units, and each measuring means is responsive to the optical detecting units of a corresponding detecting means to compute a rotational angle of the body in the coordinate plane of the respective detecting means.

Claim 6

The coordinate input apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising respective indicators which correspond to the respective coordinate planes and are provided on the body, each indicator being activated when the corresponding coordinate plane is selected.

Claim 7

The coordinate input apparatus as set forth in claim 5, further comprising means for driving the indicators.

Claim 8

The coordinate input apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising computing means, responsive to the plane inclination detection unit, for computing a respective angle of inclination with respect to each coordinate plane.

Claim 9

The coordinate input apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the area of the bottom portion corresponding to the first input plane is larger than the area of the bottom portion corresponding to either the second input plane or the third input plane.

Claim 10

The coordinate input apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein corner portions of the body are chamfered.

Claim 11

The coordinate input apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plane inclination detection unit comprises: a ball which moves to input an inclination of a work plane; and at least two rollers arranged in different directions, wherein movement of the ball causes the rollers to rotate and thereby indicate an inclination angle of the work plane.

Claim 12

The coordinate input apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein, the X-Y coordinate plane, the Y-Z coordinate plane and the X-Z coordinate plane are individually selectable by tilting the body to maintain the corresponding input plane in parallel with a ground plane, and, to input an inclination of a work plane with respect to a selected coordinate plane, the plane inclination detection unit contacts the ground plane with the input plane corresponding to the selected coordinate plane maintained in parallel with the ground plane, and is moved in contact with the ground plane, the movement of the plane inclination detection unit along the ground plane indicating the inclination of the work plane.

Claim 13

The coordinate input apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein, the X-Y coordinate plane, the Y-Z coordinate plane and the X-Z coordinate plane are individually selectable by tilting the body to maintain the corresponding input plane in parallel with a ground plane, and, to input an inclination of a work plane with respect to a selected coordinate plane, the ball of the plane inclination detection unit contacts the ground plane with the input plane corresponding to the selected coordinate plane maintained in parallel with the ground plane, and is moved in contact with the ground plane.

Claim 14

A coordinate input apparatus having a hand-operated body to input coordinate information of a work plane, the body comprising: a bottom portion having first, second, third and fourth input planes which are not all located in the same plane, where the first, second and third input planes correspond, respectively, to an X-Y coordinate plane, a Y-Z coordinate plane and an X-Z coordinate plane of a three-dimensional coordinate space, the X-Y coordinate plane, the Y-Z coordinate plane and the X-Z coordinate plane are individually selectable by tilting the body to maintain the corresponding input plane in parallel with a ground plane, coordinate information of a work plane being input in a respective coordinate plane by selecting the coordinate plane, and the fourth input plane includes a plane inclination detection unit, wherein, to input an inclination of a work plane with respect to a selected coordinate plane, the plane inclination detection unit contacts the ground plane with the input plane corresponding to the selected coordinate plane maintained in parallel with the ground plane, and is moved in contact with the ground plane, the movement of the plane inclination detection unit along the ground plane indicating the inclination of the work plane.

Claim 15

A coordinate input apparatus having a hand-operated body to input coordinate information of a work plane, the body comprising: a bottom portion having first, second, third and fourth input planes which are not all located in the same plane, where the first, second and third input planes correspond, respectively, to an X-Y coordinate plane, a Y-Z coordinate plane and an X-Z coordinate plane of a three-dimensional coordinate space, the X-Y coordinate plane, the Y-Z coordinate plane and the X-Z coordinate plane are individually selectable by tilting the body to maintain the corresponding input plane in parallel with a ground plane, coordinate information of a work plane being input in a respective coordinate plane by selecting the coordinate plane, and the fourth input plane includes a plane inclination detection unit, wherein, to input an inclination of a work plane with respect to a selected coordinate plane, the plane inclination detection unit contacts the ground plane with the input plane corresponding to the selected coordinate plane maintained in parallel with the ground plane, and is moved in contact with the ground plane, the movement of the plane inclination detection unit along the ground plane indicating the inclination of the work plane.

Claim 16

The coordinate input apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the plane inclination detection unit comprises: a ball which contacts the ground plane and moves along the ground plane to indicate the inclination of the work plane; and a roller, wherein movement of the ball causes the roller to rotate and thereby indicate an inclination angle of the work plane.

Claim 17

An interactive graphic information processing system, comprising: a coordinate input apparatus having a hand-operated body to input coordinate information of a work plane, the body comprising a bottom portion having first, second, third and fourth input planes which are not all located in the same plane, where the first, second and third input planes correspond, respectively, to an X-Y coordinate plane, a Y-Z coordinate plane and an X-Z coordinate plane of a three-dimensional coordinate space, the X-Y coordinate plane, the Y-Z coordinate plane and the X-Z coordinate plane are individually selectable by selecting the corresponding input plane, coordinate information of a work plane being input in a respective coordinate plane by selecting the coordinate plane, and the fourth input plane includes a plane inclination detection unit for inputting an inclination of a work plane with respect to a selected coordinate plane, and detecting means, provided on at least one of the first, second and third input planes, for detecting movement of the body corresponding to coordinate information to be input; a display device which has a picture plane and utilizes a cursor to display a position corresponding to the coordinate information input by the coordinate input apparatus, the position being displayed on the picture plane by the cursor, the cursor indicating which of the X-Y coordinate plane, the Y-Z coordinate plane and the X-Z coordinate plane is selected; and a processing device which provides interactive processing between the display device and the coordinate input apparatus.

Claim 18

An interactive graphic information processing system, comprising: a coordinate input apparatus having a hand-operated body to input coordinate information of a work plane, the body comprising a bottom portion having first, second, third and fourth input planes which are not all located in the same plane, where the first, second and third input planes correspond, respectively, to an X-Y coordinate plane, a Y-Z coordinate plane and an X-Z coordinate plane of a three-dimensional coordinate space, the X-Y coordinate plane, the Y-Z coordinate plane and the X-Z coordinate plane are individually selectable by selecting the corresponding input plane, coordinate information of a work plane being input in a respective coordinate plane by selecting the coordinate plane, and the fourth input plane includes a plane inclination detection unit for inputting an inclination of a work plane with respect to a selected coordinate plane, and detecting means, provided on at least one of the first, second and third input planes, for detecting movement of the body corresponding to coordinate information to be input; a display device which has a picture plane and utilizes a cursor to display a position corresponding to the coordinate information input by the coordinate input apparatus, the position being displayed on the picture plane by the cursor, the cursor indicating which of the X-Y coordinate plane, the Y-Z coordinate plane and the X-Z coordinate plane is selected; and a processing device which provides interactive processing between the display device and the coordinate input apparatus.