PURPOSE: To simplify course data and to input securely data by reading an action diagram by an image input means for obtaining picture data through the scan of the diagram and detecting its coordinates so as to set a moving course.

CONSTITUTION: The moving course 31 of a robot is written on the prescribed recording paper 30, and set at the prescribed position to render an image sensor 11 to read said course. After read data on the moving course outputted from the image sensor 11 is amplified, it is shading-corrected by a shading correction circuit 13. After its output signal is binarized by a binarizing circuit 14, it is made into a fine segment line by a line segmenting circuit 15 and written in a picture memory 16 as a bit map. Picture data stored in the picture memory 16 is transmitted and displayed on a CRT display part 17, and simultaneously coordinates with respect to the moving course are detected in a coordinate detection circuit 18. Thus course data can be simplified and can be securely inputted. Moreover an additionally installed enlargement/reduction circuit 22 can enlarge and reduce an input course, and therefore the moving course can be arbitrarily set.