Complex character generator utilizing byte scanning

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, characterized by scanning row a byte at a time to determine if a given byte (C2) has the same value as the previous byte (P2) in the scanning sequence or the same value as the above byte (A2) in the same column and immediately preceding row; encoding the number of successive bytes that are the same value as the previous (P2) byte as a symbol Pn, where n is an integer which is indicative of the number of given bytes scanned in sequence which are equal in value to the previous byte; encoding the number of successive bytes that are the same value as the above byte (A2) as a symbol Am, where m is an integer which is indicative of the number of given bytes scanned in sequence which are equal in value to the above byte; and encoding any given byte, which is not of the same value as the previous byte or the above byte, with a symbol Sx, where x is indicative of the naumerical calue of said any given byte.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 2, characterized by encoding the number of successively scanned bytes as a predetermined one of Pn and Am when n and m are equal.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 4, characterized by the step of scanning each row a column position at a time comprises scanning each of the eight bit positions comprising a byte in a column positioln, with eight separate scan elements scanning in parallell from the first through the Ith row.

Claim 7

The metod of claims 1-3, characterized by storing in binary form the symbols Pn, Am and Sx comprising a given compacted complex charater.

Claim 8

The method of claim 6, characterized by generating on a itilization device a given complex character in response to retrieving and decoding the symbols Pn, Am and Sx in binary form comprising said compacted complex character.

Claim 9

Apparatus for compacting a complex character, wherein said character is defined by an I row by J column matrix, wherein each row is comprised of J bytes, where I and J are integers, characterized by means (4) for storing a complex character font in a storage device; means (6) for reading out a given complex character in said font a byte at a time from the first through the Jth byte successively from the first through Ith row to determine if the current byte being scanned has the same numerical value as the immediately preceding byte in the read out sequence, or has the same numerical value as the directly above byte in the same column of the immediately preceding row, or has a numerical value different than the immediately preceding byte or the directly above byte; means (6) for encoding the number of successively read out sequence of bytes that have the same numerical value as the immediately preceding byte as a single symbol Pn, where n is an integer which is indicative of the number of successive current bytes read out in sequence which are equal in numerical value to each immediately preceding byte; means for encoding the number of successively read out sequence of bytes that have the same numerical value as the directly above byte as a single symbol Am, where m is an integer which is indicative of the number of successive current bytes read out in sequence which are equal in numerical value to each directly above byte; means (6) for encoding the number of successively read out sequence of bytes as a predetermined one of Pn and Am when n and m are equal; means (6) for encoding any current byte read out, which is not of the same numerical value as the immediately preceding byte or the directly above byte, with a symbol Sx where x is indicative of the numerical value of said current byte; and means (7) for storing the successively generated symbols Pn, Am and Sx for said given complex character as a compacted complex character representation of said given complex character.

Claim 10

Apparatus for compacting a complex character, wherein said character is defined by an I row by J column matrix, wherein each row is comprised of J bytes, where I and J are integers, characterized by means (4) for storing a complex character font in a storage device; means (6) for reading out a given complex character in said font a byte at a time from the first through the Jth byte successively from the first through Ith row to determine if the current byte being scanned has the same numerical value as the immediately preceding byte in the read out sequence, or has the same numerical value as the directly above byte in the same column of the immediately preceding row, or has a numerical value different than the immediately preceding byte or the directly above byte; means (6) for encoding the number of successively read out sequence of bytes that have the same numerical value as the immediately preceding byte as a single symbol Pn, where n is an integer which is indicative of the number of successive current bytes read out in sequence which are equal in numerical value to each immediately preceding byte; means for encoding the number of successively read out sequence of bytes that have the same numerical value as the directly above byte as a single symbol Am, where m is an integer which is indicative of the number of successive current bytes read out in sequence which are equal in numerical value to each directly above byte; means (6) for encoding the number of successively read out sequence of bytes as a predetermined one of Pn and Am when n and m are equal; means (6) for encoding any current byte read out, which is not of the same numerical value as the immediately preceding byte or the directly above byte, with a symbol Sx where x is indicative of the numerical value of said current byte; and means (7) for storing the successively generated symbols Pn, Am and Sx for said given complex character as a compacted complex character representation of said given complex character.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized by means (10) for generating on a utilization device said given complex character in response to retrieving said compacted complex character from said means (7) for storing and decoding the symbols Pn, Am and Sx comprising said compacted complex character.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to cliams 8 and 9, characterized by a first storage device (80) in which each complex character is stored in an uncompacted form; a first input shift register (82) in which a byte at a time from the first through the Jth byte successively, from the first through Ith row of a given complex character, which is read out of said first storage device, is successively stored; a J stage second shift register (83) which receives each successive byte from said first input shift register, with each successive byte being shifted from the first input shift register (82) to the first stage (84) of said second shift register to each successive stage (86, 88, 90) thereof and thence to the Jth stage thereof; a first comparator (98) for comparing the current byte stored in said first storage input shift register (82) with the immediately preceding byte stored in the first stage (84) of said second shift register to determine if they have the same numerical value, with a first compare signal Cl being provided when they compare, and a first non-compare signal Nl being provided when they don't compare; a second comparator (96) for comparing the current byte stored in said first storage input register (82) with the directly above byte in the same column of the immediately preceding row, which is stored in the Jth stage of said second shift register, to determine if they have the same numerical value, with a second compare signal C2 being provided when they compare, and a second non-compare signal N2 being provided when they don't compare; a first counter (106) which advances in count each time Cl is generated by said first comparator (98), with said first counter ceasing to count each time N1 is generated by said first comparator, with a count signal Pn, being generated, with n being an integer which is indicative of the number of successive current bytes read out in sequence which are equal in numerical value to each immediately preceding byte; a second counter (104) which advances in count each time C2 is generated by said second comparator (96), with said second counter ceasing to count each time N2 is generated by said second comparator, with a count signal Am being generated, with m being an integer which is indicative of the number of successive current bytes read out in sequence which are equal in numerical value to each directly above byte; a third comparator (122) for comparing Pn and Am, with a signal bl being generated when Pn and Am both are equal to zero, with a signal b2 befing generated when Am is greater than or equal to Pn, and with a signal b3 being generated when Pn is greater than Am; a selection means (148) for providing at the output thereof a signal S which is indicative of the numerical value of the current byte stored in said first input shift register in response to the generation of the signal bl, with the signal Am being provided in response to the generation of the signal b2, and with the signal Pn being generated in response to the generation of the signal b3; and means (150) for storing the succesively generated signal Pn, Am and S for a given complex character as a compacted complex character representation thereof.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to cliams 8 and 9, characterized by a first storage device (80) in which each complex character is stored in an uncompacted form; a first input shift register (82) in which a byte at a time from the first through the Jth byte successively, from the first through Ith row of a given complex character, which is read out of said first storage device, is successively stored; a J stage second shift register (83) which receives each successive byte from said first input shift register, with each successive byte being shifted from the first input shift register (82) to the first stage (84) of said second shift register to each successive stage (86, 88, 90) thereof and thence to the Jth stage thereof; a first comparator (98) for comparing the current byte stored in said first storage input shift register (82) with the immediately preceding byte stored in the first stage (84) of said second shift register to determine if they have the same numerical value, with a first compare signal Cl being provided when they compare, and a first non-compare signal Nl being provided when they don't compare; a second comparator (96) for comparing the current byte stored in said first storage input register (82) with the directly above byte in the same column of the immediately preceding row, which is stored in the Jth stage of said second shift register, to determine if they have the same numerical value, with a second compare signal C2 being provided when they compare, and a second non-compare signal N2 being provided when they don't compare; a first counter (106) which advances in count each time Cl is generated by said first comparator (98), with said first counter ceasing to count each time N1 is generated by said first comparator, with a count signal Pn, being generated, with n being an integer which is indicative of the number of successive current bytes read out in sequence which are equal in numerical value to each immediately preceding byte; a second counter (104) which advances in count each time C2 is generated by said second comparator (96), with said second counter ceasing to count each time N2 is generated by said second comparator, with a count signal Am being generated, with m being an integer which is indicative of the number of successive current bytes read out in sequence which are equal in numerical value to each directly above byte; a third comparator (122) for comparing Pn and Am, with a signal bl being generated when Pn and Am both are equal to zero, with a signal b2 befing generated when Am is greater than or equal to Pn, and with a signal b3 being generated when Pn is greater than Am; a selection means (148) for providing at the output thereof a signal S which is indicative of the numerical value of the current byte stored in said first input shift register in response to the generation of the signal bl, with the signal Am being provided in response to the generation of the signal b2, and with the signal Pn being generated in response to the generation of the signal b3; and means (150) for storing the succesively generated signal Pn, Am and S for a given complex character as a compacted complex character representation thereof.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 10, including: means (151) for generating on a utilization device said given complex character in response to retrieving said compacted complex character from said means for storing and decoding the signals Pn, Am and S comprising said compacted character