Patent US 5,867,596

A diagram recognizing system is capable of automatically recognizing a diagram prepared, for example, through a manual operation or through drawing software, independently from a CASE tool or the like, and delivering a recognized logic to the CASE tool or the like without the aid of any manual operation. A recognizing rule for recognizing the diagram as the object of recognition is entered and stored. A symbol, a connecting line, a character string, and a relationship of connection between the symbols, each structuring the diagram, are recognized on the basis of the recognizing rule by a diagram recognizing means. Logical data, indicative of the kind of each of the symbols, the character string, and the relationship of connection between the symbols, are generated, and the logical data are converted into and generated as a predetermined file type so as to be delivered directly to the CASE tool or the like.