Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
278 words
. 1. An electronic image processing system for converting character font data into image data utilizable by a raster output scanning device capable of formatting said image data in a plurality of scan lines onto an imaging medium, comprising a main memory (18) having character font data stored therein and an input memory (110) for receiving character font data from said main memory, characterized by comprising: an ink data memory (106) responsive to a predetermined address signal for providing a predetermined pattern of ink data defining a desired grey-scale tone for said image data; a band buffer memory (memory A or memory B - Figure 4B) capable of storing image data representing a predetermined number of scan lines constituting an image band, said band buffer memory having enable input lines and associated data input lines; means (108) coupled to said input memory for addressing said input memory to access character font data therefrom; means (112, 114, 104, 116, 118, 100/184) coupled to said band buffer memory for applying character font data accessed from said input memory to respective enable input lines of said band buffer memory; means (102) coupled to said ink data memory for applying said predetermined address signal to said ink data memory; means (100/186) coupled to said band buffer memory for applying the predetermined pattern of ink data accessed from said ink memory to respective data input lines of said band buffer memory; and means (102, 100/182) for addressing said band buffer memory to load into an addressed memory location said predetermined pattern of ink data only with respect to those data lines whose associated enable input lines are enabled by said character font data.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
49 words
The electronic image processing system of claim 1, characterized by further comprising a plurality of band buffer memories (memories A and B - Figure 4B) and means (100/182) for successively selecting each one of said band buffer memories for receipt of said character font data and said ink data.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The electronic image processing system of claim 2, characterized by further comprising means (108, 100/182) for unloading each band buffer memory one scan line at a time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
The electronic image proessing syskem of claim 2 or claim 3, characterized in that said selecting means (100/182) includes means (182) for changing the selection of band buffer memories to receive character font data and ink data upon loading of another band buffer memory.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The electronic image processing system of any one of claims 1 through 4, characterized in that said character font data is stored in said main memory as a plurality of multi-bit words for each character which together define a bit map for that character, wherein the characters may be of variable sizes and shapes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
The electronic image processing system of any one of claims 1 through 5, characterized in that said applying means (112, 114, 104, 116, 118, 100/184 comprises means (112, 114, 104, 116, 118) for forwarding to a band band buffer memory only those accessed character font data words defining the segment of the character that lies in the image band being formed in said band buffer memory.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
76 words
The electronic image processing system of any one of claims 1 through 6, characterized by further comprising: a central processing unit (10) capable of generating various control signals; and a main data transfer bus (22) connected to said central processing unit, said main memory, said input memory and said ink data memory for enabling the transfer of data to and from said central processing unit, main memory, input memory and ink data memory along said bus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The electronic image processing system of claim 7, characterized by further comprising means (122) coupled to said unloading means (108, 100/182) for applying the contents accessed from a band buffer memory onto said main data transfer bus for storage in said main memory.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
161 words
The electronic image processing system of any one of claims 1 through 7, characterized in that said input memory includes an output stage (DFIFO) into which successive character font data words appear in response to said input memory being addressed for output, and said applying means (112, 114, 104, 116, 118, 100/184) comprises: a data register (112) coupled to said output stage of said input memory for receiving the previous character font data word from said output stage when the succeeding addressed character font data word appears in said output stage; and a shift register (114) connected to said output stage of said input memory and to the output of said data register for receiving in parallel the two character font data words present in said data register and said input memory, said shift register being responsive to a control signal for selecting a predetermined contiguous multi-bit section of the plurality of character font data bits loaded into said shift register.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
202 words
The electronic image processing system of claim 9, characterized in that said applying means (112, 114, 104, 116, 118, 100/184) further comprises: a first mask memory (116) containing a plurality of mask data words each capable of being addressed and accessed for use in insuring that no character font data bits are written into a band buffer word location outside a first boundary of the character segment being written into a band buffer memory; a second mask memory (118) containing a plurality of mask data words each. capable of being addressed and accessed for use in insuring that no character font data bits are written into a band buffer word location outside a second boundary of the character segment being written into said band buffer memory; means (104) connected to the outputs of said first and second mask memories and said shift register for masking the contiguous multi-bit section of character font data stored therein in accordance with the value of the mask data word outputs from said first and second mask memories; and means (100/184) connected to the output of said masking means (104) for applying said masked character font data to the enable input lines of said band buffer memory.