Method and apparatus for plotting graphics

Claim 1

A method of displaying an image on a display device having x and y coordinates therein, in which the image is formed of a plurality of segments, with each said segment being formed of at least one character, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plotting string for the image to be displayed, with the plotting string having a length including a said character and also including a repeat factor and a control factor for each said segment of said image to be displayed, with said repeat factor containing the number of times said character is to be repeated to produce the length of the associated segment and with said control factor containing x and y offsets to establish direction and character intervals for the associated segment; (b) storing a count representing the length of said plotting string and storing initial x and y coordinates for the start of said image; (c) decrementing said count by one; (d) obtaining the repeat factor of the first segment of said image to be displayed and the x and y offsets from its associated control factor; (e) outputting a character at said initial x and y coordinates; (f) decrementing said repeat factor for said first segment by one; (g) adding the x and y offsets from the control factor for said first segment to said initial x and y coordinates to provide a revised cursor position for the second character of said first segment to be displayed; (h) outputting a character at said revised cursor position; (i) decrementing said repeat factor for said first segment by one; (j) repeating said steps (g), (h), and (i) by adding the x and y offsets from the control factor for said first segment to the previous revised cursor position until said step (i) results in a count of zero; (k) decrementing said count representing the length of said plotting string by two; (l) repeating said step (d) for the next segment of said image to be displayed; (m) repeating said steps (h), (i) and (j) for said next segment until said repeat factor therefor is zero; (n) repeating said step (k) upon the completion of step (m); and (o) repeating said steps (m) and (n) for each of the remaining segments in said image until said count representing the length of said plotting string is equal to zero whereby for said next segment and for each of said remaining segments of said image, the last character of the immediately prior to said segment which was displayed is repeated as the first character of the segment to be displayed.

Claim 2

A method of displaying an image on a display device having x and y coordinates therein, in which the image is formed of a plurality of segments, with each said segment being formed of at least one character, comprising the following steps: (a) generating a plotting string for the image to be displayed, with the plotting string having a length including a said character and also including a repeat factor and a control factor for each said segment of said image to be displayed, with said repeat factor containing the number of times said character is to be repeated to produce the length of the associated segment and with said control factor containing x and y offsets to establish direction and character intervals for the associated segment; (b) storing a count representing the length of said plotting string and storing initial x and y coordinates for the start of said image; (c) decrementing said count by one; (d) obtaining the repeat factor of the first segment of said image to be displayed and the x and y offsets from its associated control factor; (e) outputting a character at said initial x and y coordinates; (f) decrementing said repeat factor for said first segment by one; (g) adding the x and y offsets from the control factor for said first segment to said initial x and y coordinates to provide a revised cursor position for the second character of said first segment to be displayed; (h) outputting a character at said revised cursor position; (i) decrementing said repeat factor for said first segment by one; (j) repeating said steps (g), (h), and (i) by adding the x and y offsets from the control factor for said first segment to the previous revised cursor position until said step (i) results in a count of zero; (k) decrementing said count representing the length of said plotting string by two; (l) repeating said step (d) for the next segment of said image to be displayed; (m) repeating said steps (h), (i) and (j) for said next segment until said repeat factor therefor is zero; (n) repeating said step (k) upon the completion of step (m); and (o) repeating said steps (m) and (n) for each of the remaining segments in said image until said count representing the length of said plotting string is equal to zero whereby for said next segment and for each of said remaining segments of said image, the last character of the immediately prior to said segment which was displayed is repeated as the first character of the segment to be displayed.

Claim 3

An apparatus for displaying an image on a display device having x and y coordinates therein in which said image is formed of a plurality of segments, comprising: means for supplying a plotting string for the image to be displayed and also the number of segments in said image, with the plotting string including a plotting character and also including a repeat factor and a control factor for each said segment of the image to be displayed, said repeat factor containing the number of times said plotting character is to be repeated to form the associated segment, and said control factor containing x and y offsets for the associated segment to establish direction of the associated segment; means for supplying x and y coordinates for an initial cursor position in said display device and for outputting a plotting character thereat; means for adding the associated x and y offsets to said initial cursor position for the next plotting character in a first segment to be displayed to generate a revised cursor position and also for outputting a plotting character at said revised cursor position, whereby said first segment is completed by adding the associated x and y offsets to each prior revised cursor position and outputting a plotting character thereat until said number of times the plotting character is to be repeated has been completed, and whereby for each of the remaining segments of said image, the last character of the immediately prior segment which was displayed is repeated as the first character of the segment to be displayed; means for counting said number of times a plotting character is repeated to signify the completion of a said segment when the associated number of times a plotting character is repeated equals the associated said repeat factor; and means for counting the number of segments which have been completed to signify the completion of said image when the number of segments which have been completed equals the number of segments in said image.

Claim 4

An apparatus for displaying an image on a display device having x and y coordinates therein in which said image is formed of a plurality of segments, comprising: means for supplying a plotting string for the image to be displayed and also the number of segments in said image, with the plotting string including a plotting character and also including a repeat factor and a control factor for each said segment of the image to be displayed, said repeat factor containing the number of times said plotting character is to be repeated to form the associated segment, and said control factor containing x and y offsets for the associated segment to establish direction of the associated segment; means for supplying x and y coordinates for an initial cursor position in said display device and for outputting a plotting character thereat; means for adding the associated x and y offsets to said initial cursor position for the next plotting character in a first segment to be displayed to generate a revised cursor position and also for outputting a plotting character at said revised cursor position, whereby said first segment is completed by adding the associated x and y offsets to each prior revised cursor position and outputting a plotting character thereat until said number of times the plotting character is to be repeated has been completed, and whereby for each of the remaining segments of said image, the last character of the immediately prior segment which was displayed is repeated as the first character of the segment to be displayed; means for counting said number of times a plotting character is repeated to signify the completion of a said segment when the associated number of times a plotting character is repeated equals the associated said repeat factor; and means for counting the number of segments which have been completed to signify the completion of said image when the number of segments which have been completed equals the number of segments in said image.