US4298945A — Character generating method and apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 120 words

A method for encoding characters in relation to a normalized encoding set of first and second coordinates, wherein a character is defined by at least one outline, with storing of the encoded characters for subsequent generation of desired characters from the corresponding, encoded and stored characters, comprising: (a) storing digital numbers defining the first and second coordinates of the start point of a character outline; and (b) storing digital numbers representing a plurality of straight line vectors extending successively along the character outline from said start point, each vector being represented by a first digital number defining the first coordinate distance and a second digital number defining the second coordinate distance from one end of the vector to the other.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 120 words

A method for encoding characters in relation to a normalized encoding set of first and second coordinates, wherein a character is defined by at least one outline, with storing of the encoded characters for subsequent generation of desired characters from the corresponding, encoded and stored characters, comprising: (a) storing digital numbers defining the first and second coordinates of the start point of a character outline; and (b) storing digital numbers representing a plurality of straight line vectors extending successively along the character outline from said start point, each vector being represented by a first digital number defining the first coordinate distance and a second digital number defining the second coordinate distance from one end of the vector to the other.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method recited in claim 1, wherein each vector throughout its length is within a prescribed distance from the outline.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method defined in claim 2, wherein the length of each successive vector is maximized within prescribed limits for the first and second digital numbers representing such vector.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method recited in claim 2, wherein said prescribed distance is dependent upon the ratio of said first coordinate distance and said second coordinate distance from one end of such vector to the other.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method recited in claim 2, wherein said prescribed distance is equal to the distance between successive ones of at least one of said first and second coordinates.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting an upper limit for each of said first and second digital numbers.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method recited in claim 6, wherein the distances between successive ones of said first and second coordinates are equal, and wherein the upper limits for said first and second digital numbers are equal.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method recited in claim 6, wherein said upper limit for each of said first and second digital numbers minimizes the total quantity of stored data defining a font of characters for a given resolution.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method recited in claim 6, wherein each of said first and second digital numbers is stored as a 4-bit binary number, whereby each vector is defined by one data byte.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method recited in claim 6, wherein each of said first and second digital numbers is stored as an 8-bit binary number, whereby each vector is defined by one data word.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 114 words

A font storage system for generation of random size characters, said storage system having digital information stored thereon defining each character by at least two outlines on a normalized encoding set of first and second coordinates; the digital information defining each character including: (a) digital numbers defining the first and second coordinates of the start points of said at least two outlines; and (b) digital numbers defining a plurality of straight line vectors extending successively along the character outlines from said start points, each vector having a first digital number representing the first coordinate distance and the second digital number representing the second coordinate distance from one end of the vector to the other.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 114 words

A font storage system for generation of random size characters, said storage system having digital information stored thereon defining each character by at least two outlines on a normalized encoding set of first and second coordinates; the digital information defining each character including: (a) digital numbers defining the first and second coordinates of the start points of said at least two outlines; and (b) digital numbers defining a plurality of straight line vectors extending successively along the character outlines from said start points, each vector having a first digital number representing the first coordinate distance and the second digital number representing the second coordinate distance from one end of the vector to the other.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 22 words

The font storage system recited in claim 11, wherein each of said first and second digital numbers has a prescribed upper limit.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 35 words

The font storage system recited in claim 12, wherein the distance between successive ones of said first and second coordinates are equal, and wherein said first and second digital numbers share the same upper limit.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 40 words

The font storage system recited in claim 12, wherein said prescribed upper limit for each of said first and second digital numbers is chosen to minimize the total quantity of data defining a font of characters for a given resolution.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 29 words

The font storage system recited in claim 12, wherein said first and second digital numbers are each 4-bit binary numbers, whereby each vector is defined by one data byte.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 29 words

The font storage system recited in claim 12, wherein said first and second digital numbers are each 8-bit binary numbers, whereby each vector is defined by one data word.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 55 words

The font storage system recited in claim 11, wherein at least one of said start points is represented as a digital number defining the horizontal distance from the left side of the coordinate set to the start point and another digital number defining the vertical distance from the character base line to the start point.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 58 words

The font storage system recited in claim 11, wherein at least one of said start points is represented as a digital number defining the vertical distance from the upper edge of the nominal extended em square to the start point, and another digital number defining the horizontal distance from the character left side bearing to the start point.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 32 words

The font storage system recited in claim 11, wherein at least some of said characters are further represented by a digital number defining a control code specifying one end of the character.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 51 words

The font storage system recited in claim 11, wherein at least some of said characters are further represented by a digital number defining a control code specifying one of at least the following control functions: (1) start two new outlines of the character; and (2) end two outlines of the character.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 60 words

The font storage system recited in claim 11, wherein at least some of said characters are further represented by a digital number defining a control code which modifies a stored vector by specifying the addition of a prescribed value to one of said first and second digital numbers without addition to the other of said first and second digital numbers.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 54 words

The font storage system recited in claim 11, wherein at least some of said characters are further represented by a digital number defining a control code specifying that the beginning of a vector is displaced from the end of its previous vector along one of said first and second coordinates by a given value.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 39 words

The font storage system recited in claim 11, wherein at least some of said characters are further represented by a digital number defining a control code which specifies that at least one subsequent vector occurs in a different quadrant.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 33 words

The font storage system recited in claim 11, wherein said digital numbers are set forth in a prescribed order such that, by their order, said digital numbers are associated with their respective outlines.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 34 words

The font storage system recited in claim 24, wherein said digital numbers defining the first and second coordinates of a start point precede said digital numbers defining the vectors extending from that start point.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 38 words

The font storage system defined in claim 24, wherein said digital numbers defining said first and second coordinates of said start points are arranged in the order of low to high values of said first and second coordinates.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 38 words

The font storage system recited in claim 24, wherein the digital numbers defining said plurality of vectors are arranged in the order of increase of one of said first and second coordinates of the start of each vector.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 37 words

The font storage system recited in claim 24, wherein the digital numbers defining said plurality of vectors are arranged such that the vectors of an entire string are successively defined before defining the vectors of another string.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 48 words

The font storage system recited in claim 11, comprising a hard-sectored floppy disk for storing the digital numbers; and wherein a font index specifying the initial track and sector address of one or more character fonts is recorded on a specified track and sector of said floppy disk.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 50 words

The font storage system recited in claim 29, wherein the data defining at least one font of characters are arranged in a connected string with a chain address at the end of each sector defining the address of the next following track and sector in which the font data continues.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 83 words

The method of claim 1 where said step of storing digital numbers, defining the start point, includes the step of storing digital numbers defining the first and second coordinates of the start points of at least two character outlines and said step of storing digital numbers representing a plurality of straight line vectors includes the step of storing said digital numbers representing a plurality of straight line vectors extending successively along the character outline from each of said at least two start points.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 1 where said step of storing digital numbers representing a plurality of straight line vectors includes the step of storing digital numbers representing a plurality of straight line vectors varying in length.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 84 words

The method of claim 1 where said step of storing digital numbers includes the step of storing digital numbers defining first and second coordinates of the start points of at least two character outlines and said step of storing digital numbers representing a plurality of straight line vectors includes the step of storing digital numbers representing a plurality of straight line vectors of varying length extending successively along the character outline and wherein said characters are encoded for subsequent generation of random size characters.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 21 words

The font storage system of claim 11 wherein said digital numbers define a plurality of straight line vectors of varying length.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1984-11-02	1985-05-04	1985-11-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1988-11-02	1989-05-04	1989-11-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1992-11-02	1993-05-04	1993-11-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Character generating method and apparatus

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