US4661808A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Variable font display
Assignee: Gulton Industries Inc
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Filing: 1985-01-31
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Granted: 1987-04-28
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Expires: 2005-01-31
Abstract
Abstract In a display where all characters are displayed in equal sized spaces, such as a bus or vehicle sign, for example, the problem of characters appearing to merge from a distance is remedied. The spacing between characters is automatically adjusted in accordance with both the characteristics of the particular character representations displayed and their sequence within the display.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert E. Rector
- 👤 Larry T. Taylor
- 👤 Richard J. Grassi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 10:45
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G3/00; G09G3/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of providing improved legibility for display of a sequence of characters, wherein in said display, all characters are displayed in equal sized display spaces, aid characters including narrower, wider and intermediate-width characters, said method comprising the steps of dividing said sequence of characters into one or more blocks of characters, said blocks being separated by one or more narrower characters, displaying said wider characters of each said block in their respective display spaces in a width equal to said display space, identifying in each block a primary wider character, displaying said intermediate-width characters of each block in their display spaces with widths less than their respective display spaces, said intermediate-width characters of any block which are to the left of the primary character of their block being displayed off-center and shifted to the left in their display spaces.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of providing improved legibility for display of a sequence of characters, wherein in said display, all characters are displayed in equal sized display spaces, aid characters including narrower, wider and intermediate-width characters, said method comprising the steps of dividing said sequence of characters into one or more blocks of characters, said blocks being separated by one or more narrower characters, displaying said wider characters of each said block in their respective display spaces in a width equal to said display space, identifying in each block a primary wider character, displaying said intermediate-width characters of each block in their display spaces with widths less than their respective display spaces, said intermediate-width characters of any block which are to the left of the primary character of their block being displayed off-center and shifted to the left in their display spaces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as in claim 1 further including the steps of: displaying those of said intermediate-width characters within any block which are to the right of said primary character of said respective block off center and shifted to the right in their respective display spaces.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 1 further including the step of displaying said narrower characters substantially centered in their respective display spaces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said primary character is a wider character.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein said primary character of each character block is the left-most character in said block corresponding to a character of an ordered character list.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as in claim 1 further including the step of selecting said primary character as the earliest appearing character of an ordered list of characters.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of modifying the coding of a sequence of ASCII-coded characters intended for display in an array of character display spaces all of equal width in order to improve legibility of said character sequence, comprising the steps of selecting one character of said sequence as a primary character, modifying in one way the codes of characters in said sequence to the left of said primary character, and modifying in a different way the codes of characters in said sequence to the right of said primary character so that when displayed, said complete sequence will have improved legibility as compared with said sequence without said modification.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of modifying the coding of a sequence of ASCII-coded characters intended for display in an array of character display spaces all of equal width in order to improve legibility of said character sequence, comprising the steps of selecting one character of said sequence as a primary character, modifying in one way the codes of characters in said sequence to the left of said primary character, and modifying in a different way the codes of characters in said sequence to the right of said primary character so that when displayed, said complete sequence will have improved legibility as compared with said sequence without said modification.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as in claim 6 wherein said firstmodifying comprises adding a fixed hexadecimal number to the hexadecimal number representing each of said left characters, and adding a different fixed hexadecimal number to the hexadecimal number representing each of said right characters.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as in claim 6 further including the steps of utilizing said first-mentioned modified codes to display said left characters only partially filling their respective display spaces and shifted to the left in their display spaces.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as in claim 6 further including the steps of utilizing said second-mentioned modified codes to display at least some of said right characters only partially filling their respective display spaces and shifted to the right in their display spaces.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
23 words
A method for providing variable spacing between characters displayed in a line of character display spaces of equal width comprising the steps of
Claim 14
Independent Claim
23 words
A method for providing variable spacing between characters displayed in a line of character display spaces of equal width comprising the steps of
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
150 words
selecting a group of wide characters for display using corresponding display representations having the same width as the character display spaces, selecting a second group of characters each of which may be represented by a respective first display representation which is narrower than character display space and displayable left-adjusted in its respective character display space or represented by a second display representation which is narrower than the character display space and is displayable right-adjusted in its respective character space; organizing each line of characters into character blocks containing only characters of said wide character group and said second character group; identifying the left-most character of said wide group in each said block; displaying each character to the left of the left-most wide character in its block using its left-adjusted representation; displaying each character in said second character group to the right of the left-most wide character using its right-adjusted representation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
150 words
selecting a group of wide characters for display using corresponding display representations having the same width as the character display spaces, selecting a second group of characters each of which may be represented by a respective first display representation which is narrower than character display space and displayable left-adjusted in its respective character display space or represented by a second display representation which is narrower than the character display space and is displayable right-adjusted in its respective character space; organizing each line of characters into character blocks containing only characters of said wide character group and said second character group; identifying the left-most character of said wide group in each said block; displaying each character to the left of the left-most wide character in its block using its left-adjusted representation; displaying each character in said second character group to the right of the left-most wide character using its right-adjusted representation.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
192 words
A method of displaying messages in a display system including a plurality of display spaces of equal width, each said display space being adapted to display a single representation of a character therein, said display spaces being arranged in at least one line of side-by-side display spaces, each of said messages comprising a sequence of characters, certain of said characters being wide characters each equal in width to said display spaces, and others of said characters having a width less than said display spaces, said method comprising the steps of organizing the characters in said sequence into one or more character blocks, each of said blocks consisting of wide characters and/or lesser-width characters; identifying a leftmost wide character in each said block; selecting a display representation for said leftmost wide character having a width equal to that of its corresponding display space; displaying said wide characte with a width equal to said display space; selecting a correponding left-adjusted display representation for each character in said block to the left of said leftmost wide character, and displaying each said corresponding representation in a width narrower than its corresponding display space and left-adjusted therein.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
192 words
A method of displaying messages in a display system including a plurality of display spaces of equal width, each said display space being adapted to display a single representation of a character therein, said display spaces being arranged in at least one line of side-by-side display spaces, each of said messages comprising a sequence of characters, certain of said characters being wide characters each equal in width to said display spaces, and others of said characters having a width less than said display spaces, said method comprising the steps of organizing the characters in said sequence into one or more character blocks, each of said blocks consisting of wide characters and/or lesser-width characters; identifying a leftmost wide character in each said block; selecting a display representation for said leftmost wide character having a width equal to that of its corresponding display space; displaying said wide characte with a width equal to said display space; selecting a correponding left-adjusted display representation for each character in said block to the left of said leftmost wide character, and displaying each said corresponding representation in a width narrower than its corresponding display space and left-adjusted therein.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising: selecting a corresponding right-adjusted display representation for each character in said block to the right of said leftmost wide character, and displaying each said corresponding right-adjusted display representation in width less than its respective display space and right-adjusted therein.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said first selecting step includes the step of: storing an ASCII code for said leftmost wide character in a message memory means at a location corresponding to the position of said leftmost character in the message.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said second selecting step includes: modifying an ASCII code corresponding to each said character to the left of said leftmost wide character; and storing each of said modified codes in a message memory means at a location corresponding to the position of the corresponding character in its message.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said step of selecting a corresponding right adjusted display representation includes the steps of modifying an ASCII code corresponding to each said character to the right of said leftmost wide character; and storing each of the modified codes obtained in the previous step in a message memory means at a location corresponding to the position of the corresponding character in the message.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method in accordance with claim 14 wherein said modifying step comprises adding a predetermined hexidecimal value to the hexidecimal equivalent of said corresponding ASCII code.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said adding step comprises adding a first predetermined hexidecimal number to the hexidecimal equivalent of said corresponding ASCII code for selecting a left adjusted corresponding display representation and adding a second predetermined hexidecimal number to the hexidecimal equivalent of said corresponding ASCII code for selecting a right-adjusted corresponding display representation.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said first hexidecimal number is `50` and said second hexidecimal number is `80`.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said storing step comprises storing the modified ASCII codes in a programmable read only memory.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 14 further comprising translating each modified ASCII code stored in the previous step into a corresponding display representation.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said display representation are signals representing a pattern of dots.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
150 words
A system for displaying messages having a plurality of characters comprising a plurality of display modules arranged in at least one line, each module providing a display space adapted to display one of said characters and al said display spaces being of equal width; means for storing data representing character representations taken from a first font or a second font of character representations, wherein the width of at least one character representation of said first font for a character is different from the character representation of said second font for the same character; means for selecting a message to be displayed; means responsive to said selecting means for reading data from said storing means corresponding to each character to be displayed in one or the other of said fonts; means responsive to the data read from said storing means for displaying each said character representation in a corresponding display space.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
150 words
A system for displaying messages having a plurality of characters comprising a plurality of display modules arranged in at least one line, each module providing a display space adapted to display one of said characters and al said display spaces being of equal width; means for storing data representing character representations taken from a first font or a second font of character representations, wherein the width of at least one character representation of said first font for a character is different from the character representation of said second font for the same character; means for selecting a message to be displayed; means responsive to said selecting means for reading data from said storing means corresponding to each character to be displayed in one or the other of said fonts; means responsive to the data read from said storing means for displaying each said character representation in a corresponding display space.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of claim 22 wherein said selecting means includes means for storing encoded data defining a plurality of said characters, said encoded data including data for providing a display representation of the character to be displayed in one or the other of said fonts.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
72 words
The system of claim 22 including means for providing at least one display representation for producing a displayed character which is narrower than the width of a display space and displayable left-adjusted withon one said display space and means for providing a display representation corresponding to and having the same width as a said display space, said second display representation producing a character being displayable right adjusted within one said display space.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system of claim 22 wherein said selecting means comprises means for selecting characters to be displayed; a microprocessor including program means responsive to said selecting means for generating encoded data specifying the character space in which each display representation is to be displayed and the font in which each character display representation is included.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
127 words
A system for providing improved legibility for a display formed of a sequence of characters, including narrower, wider and intermediate-width characters, wherein said system provides equal display space for all characters without reference to said character widths, comprising means for dividing said sequence of characters into one or more blocks of wider and intermediate-width characters separated by narrower characters, means for causing each of said wider characters to be displayed in its respective display space with a width equal to its display space, means selecting a primary character in each block, means for causing each of said intermediate-width characters which is to one side of said primary character to be displayed in its respective display space off-center and shifted to said one side in its display space.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
127 words
A system for providing improved legibility for a display formed of a sequence of characters, including narrower, wider and intermediate-width characters, wherein said system provides equal display space for all characters without reference to said character widths, comprising means for dividing said sequence of characters into one or more blocks of wider and intermediate-width characters separated by narrower characters, means for causing each of said wider characters to be displayed in its respective display space with a width equal to its display space, means selecting a primary character in each block, means for causing each of said intermediate-width characters which is to one side of said primary character to be displayed in its respective display space off-center and shifted to said one side in its display space.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system as in claim 26 wherein said one side is the left side.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system as in claim 26 wherein said one side is the right side.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system as in claim 26 further including means for causing each of said intermediate-width characters which is on either side of said primary character to be displayed in its respective display space off-center and shifted to the respective side.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system as in claim 26 wherein said primary character is a wider character.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as in claim 26 wherein said primary character is an intermediate-width character which is a character of said sequence appearing earliest on an ordered list of characters.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-04-27 | 1990-10-27 | 1991-04-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-04-27 | 1994-10-27 | 1995-04-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-04-27 | 1998-10-27 | 1999-04-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |