EP0684582A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for font data storage and retrieval
Assignee: Agfa Corp
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Filing: 1995-04-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-04-01
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for storing scaleable font data (430) in a compact form and retrieving it in one of several usable forms common in digital typography. The retrieval process can be influenced by parameters to produce not only the original typeface designs (514) that were compressed, but also variations on those typeface designs (514). Variations produced in this manner are related typeface designs (514) which therefore effectively add new fonts to the family originally stored. Individual character pixelmaps (360) and scaleable character outlines (212) are two of the forms which can be retrieved from the compressed font data (430). The storage and retrieval methods are designed so that the time needed to produce a single character pixelmap (360) from the internal form is less than that required for producing the same pixelmap from an uncompressed hinted outline font (470) stored in an industry-standard format.
Inventors
- 👤 Allan W. Ristow
- 👤 Thomas B. Hawkins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 04:30
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/20; G06T11/23; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/0002; G06K2215/002; G06K2215/0028; G06K2215/004; G06K2215/0042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
40 words
A SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE (430) containing data representative of a plurality of STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS (510), the data for each of said STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS (510) comprising: (A) A CHARACTER MODEL (250); (B) DIMENSIONS (240); and, (C) SEGMENT DESCRIPTORS (546).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
40 words
A SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE (430) containing data representative of a plurality of STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS (510), the data for each of said STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS (510) comprising: (A) A CHARACTER MODEL (250); (B) DIMENSIONS (240); and, (C) SEGMENT DESCRIPTORS (546).
Claim 3
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for reconstruction of a CHARACTER OUTLINE (212) for each of a plurality of STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS (510) in a SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE (430) comprising the following steps: (A) Scaling DIMENSIONS (240) applicable to each of a plurality of ASSOCIATIONS (230) contained within a CHARACTER MODEL (250); (B) Determining the locations of SEGMENT ENDPOINTS (220) by using the scaled DIMENSIONS (240) together with said ASSOCIATIONS (230); (C) Scaling CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) between adjacent pairs of said SEGMENT ENDPOINTS (220) in each dimension of an output medium; and, (D) Forming a complete CHARACTER OUTLINE (212) using the scaled CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214).
Claim 4
Independent Claim
101 words
A method for reconstruction of a CHARACTER OUTLINE (212) for each of a plurality of STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS (510) in a SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE (430) comprising the following steps: (A) Scaling DIMENSIONS (240) applicable to each of a plurality of ASSOCIATIONS (230) contained within a CHARACTER MODEL (250); (B) Determining the locations of SEGMENT ENDPOINTS (220) by using the scaled DIMENSIONS (240) together with said ASSOCIATIONS (230); (C) Scaling CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) between adjacent pairs of said SEGMENT ENDPOINTS (220) in each dimension of an output medium; and, (D) Forming a complete CHARACTER OUTLINE (212) using the scaled CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2. wherein said CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) are NORMALIZED CONTOUR SEGMENTS.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
18 words
The method of claims 2. or 3. wherein said complete CHARACTER OUTLINE (212) is output as a PIXELMAP.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
22 words
The method of claims 2. or 3. wherein said complete CHARACTER OUTLINE (212) is output in a format usable in digital typography.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
19 words
The method of claims 2. or 3. wherein at least one of said ASSOCIATIONS (230) is a SPATIAL ASSOCIATION.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
19 words
The method of claims 2. or 3. wherein at least one of said ASSOCIATIONS (230) is a NON-SPATIAL ASSOCIATION.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 2. wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) is a connected sequence of one or more straight line segments.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 8. wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) is a LINE.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 8. wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) is a DOUBLE LINE.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 8. wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) is a TRIPLE LINE.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 2. wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) includes a sequence comprises one or more connected curve segments.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 12. wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) is a QUAD.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 12. wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) is a DOUBLE QUAD.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 12. wherein at least one of said sequence of connected curve segments comprises one or more parametric cubic curves.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 15. wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) is a CUBIC.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2. wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) is an ARBITRARY CONTOUR SEGMENT.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
173 words
An apparatus for storage, retrieval and reconstruction of a CHARACTER OUTLINE (212) for each of a plurality of STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS (510) in a SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE (430) comprising: (A) Storage means for storing data for each of said plurality of STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS (510) of said SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE (430), said data comprising a CHARACTER MODEL (250) wherein at least one of a plurality of ASSOCIATIONS (230) includes HINT DATA, DIMENSIONS (240), and SEGMENT DESCRIPTORS (546); (B) Retrieval means for retrieving said data according to CHARACTER CODE (516) and TYPEFACE DESIGN (514); (C) Scaling means for scaling DIMENSIONS (240) applicable to each of a plurality of ASSOCIATIONS (230) contained within said CHARACTER MODEL (250); (D) Means for determining the locations of SEGMENT ENDPOINTS (220) using the scaled DIMENSIONS (240) together with said ASSOCIATIONS (230); (E) Means for scaling CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) between adjacent pairs of said SEGMENT ENDPOINTS (220) in each dimension of an output medium; and, (F) Means for forming a complete CHARACTER OUTLINE (212) using the scaled CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214).
Claim 21
Independent Claim
173 words
An apparatus for storage, retrieval and reconstruction of a CHARACTER OUTLINE (212) for each of a plurality of STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS (510) in a SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE (430) comprising: (A) Storage means for storing data for each of said plurality of STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS (510) of said SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE (430), said data comprising a CHARACTER MODEL (250) wherein at least one of a plurality of ASSOCIATIONS (230) includes HINT DATA, DIMENSIONS (240), and SEGMENT DESCRIPTORS (546); (B) Retrieval means for retrieving said data according to CHARACTER CODE (516) and TYPEFACE DESIGN (514); (C) Scaling means for scaling DIMENSIONS (240) applicable to each of a plurality of ASSOCIATIONS (230) contained within said CHARACTER MODEL (250); (D) Means for determining the locations of SEGMENT ENDPOINTS (220) using the scaled DIMENSIONS (240) together with said ASSOCIATIONS (230); (E) Means for scaling CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) between adjacent pairs of said SEGMENT ENDPOINTS (220) in each dimension of an output medium; and, (F) Means for forming a complete CHARACTER OUTLINE (212) using the scaled CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 2. wherein said CHARACTER MODEL (250) is comprised of a plurality of CHARACTER SUB-MODELS, together with ASSOCIATIONS (230) defining the inter-relationship of said plurality CHARACTER SUB-MODELS.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 19. wherein at least one of said STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS (510) represents a compound character.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 19. wherein at least one of said STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS (510) represents a character from a non-Latin language.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 2. wherein at least one of said DIMENSIONS (240) is obtained by modification of said at least one of said DIMENSIONS (240).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 2. wherein at least one of said DIMENSIONS (240) is obtained by modification of one or more DIMENSIONS (240).
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 2. wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) is obtained by modification of the SEGMENT DESCRIPTOR (546) which defines said at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214).
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 2. wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS (214) is obtained by modification of one or more SEGMENT DESCRIPTORS (546).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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