Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
259 words
A method of reducing a character font in which font data representative of the character font consists of a dot matrix having a plurality of rows of arranged in a first direction and a plurality of columns of arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, said method comprising the steps of: (a) producing first data by dividing one of the rows in the first direction into a plurality of blocks such that each of the blocks includes a predetermined number of dots and, then, converting the one row to unit dots associated with the respective blocks; (b) producing second data by shifting the row in the step (a) in the first direction to constitute a shifted row, then dividing the shifted row into a plurality of blocks, and then converting the shifted row to unit dots associated with the respective blocks; (c) computing third data by associating the first and second data with each other in the second direction; (d) computing third, row-by-row data by sequentially performing the steps (a), (b) and (c) in the second direction on the rows of a number which corresponds to the predetermined number; (e) computing fourth data by associating in the second direction the third, row-by-row data computed by the step (d); (f) computing the fourth data associated with the whole character font by repeating the consecutive steps (a) through (e); and (g) converting the respective blocks consisting of dots associated with the plurality of fourth data computed by the step (f) to unit dots associated with the respective blocks.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
259 words
A method of reducing a character font in which font data representative of the character font consists of a dot matrix having a plurality of rows of arranged in a first direction and a plurality of columns of arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, said method comprising the steps of: (a) producing first data by dividing one of the rows in the first direction into a plurality of blocks such that each of the blocks includes a predetermined number of dots and, then, converting the one row to unit dots associated with the respective blocks; (b) producing second data by shifting the row in the step (a) in the first direction to constitute a shifted row, then dividing the shifted row into a plurality of blocks, and then converting the shifted row to unit dots associated with the respective blocks; (c) computing third data by associating the first and second data with each other in the second direction; (d) computing third, row-by-row data by sequentially performing the steps (a), (b) and (c) in the second direction on the rows of a number which corresponds to the predetermined number; (e) computing fourth data by associating in the second direction the third, row-by-row data computed by the step (d); (f) computing the fourth data associated with the whole character font by repeating the consecutive steps (a) through (e); and (g) converting the respective blocks consisting of dots associated with the plurality of fourth data computed by the step (f) to unit dots associated with the respective blocks.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises a step (h) of, when any of the rows of each of the blocks includes more than a predetermined number of dots immediately next to each other, making the unit dot of said block a black dot and, when otherwise, deciding that printing is needless.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises a step (h) of, only when any of the rows in the first direction extends over two nearby blocks, shifting said row one dot in the first direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the steps (c) and (d) comprise a step (h) of computing each of the third data by providing an AND of the first data and the second data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the steps (e) and (f) comprise a step (i) of computing the each of the fourth data by providing an AND of the respective third data in the second direction, and a step (j) of deciding an AND which is a ONE as a black dot.