Reproduction of character images, particularly for typesetting apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for reproducing a character as a visible image, comprising a randomly addressable memory holding a sequential record of vector steps representative of incremental sections along the length of a predetermined curve, means to address the memory and generate a series of vector step instructions matched to the outline of the character to be reproduced, rotator means for orientating the individual steps and producing a modified sequence of step instructions according to the desired re-orientation, said rotator means further comprising means to generate from each of the individual vector step instructions two steps at right angles to each other, the size of these generated steps being determined by sine and cosine functions of the angle through which the section is to be rotated; and an incrementing plotter driven by said modified step instruction to trace a finely resolved sequential character outline.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the rotator means includes sine and cosine PROMs which are addressed by a bit number representative of the angle through which a section is to be rotated and which produce two bit numbers which determine the sizes of said two steps, and an adder circuit which receives the vector step instructions from the memory and also two bits to effect transposition of any given vector step through 90°, 180° or 270°.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said means to address the memory comprises an up/down counter preloaded to determine the starting position along the curve, a down-only counter is being connected in tandem with said counter and is preloaded to determine the length of a given section, and means are provided to effect reflection and reversal of a given curve section.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 for the typesetting of typographic images, wherein the plotter is a cathode ray tube, and wherein means are provided for obtaining a photographic record of displayed images, and a weighting circuit is arranged to add vertical or horizontal steps to parts of the image outline.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 for the typesetting of typographic images, wherein the plotter is a cathode ray tube, and wherein means are provided for obtaining a photographic record of displayed images, and a zone compression circuit is connected to the output of the rotator means and to compress vertically selected zones of an image outline.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 which includes a circuit for generating a secondary outline just inside the character outline, said circuit comprising an auxiliary PROM connected in tandem with said memory and storing the same curve information.

Claim 8

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, which includes a cathode ray tube on which the outline is traced, a lens and film combination in front of the tube screen, and independent mechanical incremental stepping means for both the lens and the film, in which one scan-axis driver of the tube is connected to a lens servo which provides a supplementary electronic incremental adjustment for the lens, and the other scan-axis driver is connected to a film servo which provides a supplementary electronic incremental adjustment for the film.

Claim 9

Apparatus for producing a desired shape as a visible image, comprising a randomly addressable memory holding a sequential record of vector steps representative of incremental sections along the length of a predetermined curve which are grouped to represent a plurality of sections of said curve, means to address the memory for generating a series of vector step instructions matched to the outline of the desired shape to be reproduced, means for orientating the individual steps to produce a modified sequence of step instructions according to the desired re-orientation, further comprising means for generating from each input vector step two small steps at right angles to each other, and means responsive to said modified step instructions for defining the outline of the desired shape as a sequence of selected sections of said predetermined curve.

Claim 10

Apparatus for producing a desired shape as a visible image, comprising a randomly addressable memory holding a sequential record of vector steps representative of incremental sections along the length of a predetermined curve which are grouped to represent a plurality of sections of said curve, means to address the memory for generating a series of vector step instructions matched to the outline of the desired shape to be reproduced, means for orientating the individual steps to produce a modified sequence of step instructions according to the desired re-orientation, further comprising means for generating from each input vector step two small steps at right angles to each other, and means responsive to said modified step instructions for defining the outline of the desired shape as a sequence of selected sections of said predetermined curve.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 including circuit means comprising random access data storage means and means to redistribute the stored data to control an incremental plotter to produce said pattern of parallel stripes in raster fashion within the defined outline.

Claim 12

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 for the typesetting of typographic images, including a plotter in the form of a cathode ray tube, and wherein means are provided for obtaining a photographic record of displayed images, including a zone compression circuit connected to the output of the orientating means for compressing selected zones of an image outline.

Claim 13

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 for the type setting of typographic images, including a plotter in the form of a cathode ray tube, and wherein means are provided for obtaining a photographic record of displayed images, and a weighting circuit is arranged to add vertical or horizontal steps to parts of the image outline.

Claim 16

A method as claimed in claim 12, used for typographic images, which includes vertically compressing selected zones of an image outline.

Claim 21

Apparatus for producing a desired shape as a visible image, comprising a randomly addressable memory holding a sequential record of vector steps representative of incremental sections along the length of a predetermined curve which are grouped to represent a plurality of sections of said curve, means to address the memory for generating a series of vector step instructions matched to the outline of the desired shape to be reproduced, means for orientating the individual steps to produce a modified sequence of step instructions according to the desire re-orientation, said orientating means further comprising means for generating from each input vector two small steps at right angles to each other, and including sine and cosine PROMs which are addressed by a bit number representative of the angle through which a selected section is to be rotated and which produce bit numbers which determine the sizes of said two small steps, and an adder circuit which receives the vector step instructions from the memory and also two bits from a tilt angle address to effect transposition of any given vector step through 90°, 180° or 270°, and means responsive to said modified step instruction for defining the outline of the desired shape as a sequence of selected sections of said predetermined curve.

Claim 22

Apparatus for producing a desired shape as a visible image, comprising a randomly addressable memory holding a sequential record of vector steps representative of incremental sections along the length of a predetermined curve which are grouped to represent a plurality of sections of said curve, means to address the memory for generating a series of vector step instructions matched to the outline of the desired shape to be reproduced, means for orientating the individual steps to produce a modified sequence of step instructions according to the desire re-orientation, said orientating means further comprising means for generating from each input vector two small steps at right angles to each other, and including sine and cosine PROMs which are addressed by a bit number representative of the angle through which a selected section is to be rotated and which produce bit numbers which determine the sizes of said two small steps, and an adder circuit which receives the vector step instructions from the memory and also two bits from a tilt angle address to effect transposition of any given vector step through 90°, 180° or 270°, and means responsive to said modified step instruction for defining the outline of the desired shape as a sequence of selected sections of said predetermined curve.

Claim 23

Apparatus for producing a desired shape as a visible image, comprising a randomly addressable memory holding a sequential record of vector steps representative of incremental sections along the length of a predetermined curve which are grouped to represent a plurality of sections of said curve, means to address the memory for generating a series of vecotr step instructions matched to the outline of the desired shape to be reproduced, said means to address the memory further comprising an up/down counter preloaded to determine the starting position along the curve, a down-only counter being connected in tandem with said up/down counter and preloaded to determine the length of a given curve section, and means to effect reflection and reversal of a given curve section, means for orientating the individual steps to produce a modified sequence of step instructions according to the desired re-orientation, and means responsive to said modified step instructions for defining the outline of the desired shape as a sequence of selected sections of said predetermined curve.

Claim 24

Apparatus for producing a desired shape as a visible image, comprising a randomly addressable memory holding a sequential record of vector steps representative of incremental sections along the length of a predetermined curve which are grouped to represent a plurality of sections of said curve, means to address the memory for generating a series of vecotr step instructions matched to the outline of the desired shape to be reproduced, said means to address the memory further comprising an up/down counter preloaded to determine the starting position along the curve, a down-only counter being connected in tandem with said up/down counter and preloaded to determine the length of a given curve section, and means to effect reflection and reversal of a given curve section, means for orientating the individual steps to produce a modified sequence of step instructions according to the desired re-orientation, and means responsive to said modified step instructions for defining the outline of the desired shape as a sequence of selected sections of said predetermined curve.

Claim 29

Apparatus for producing a desired shape as a visible image, comprising a randomly addressable memory holding a sequential record of vector steps representative of incremental sections along the length of a predetermined curve which are grouped to represent a plurality of sections of said curve, means to address the memory for generating a series of vector step instructions matched to the outline of the desired shape to be reproduced, means for orientating the individual steps to produce a modified sequence of step instructions according to the desired re-orientation, means responsive to said modified step instructions for defining the outline of the desired shape as a sequence of selected sections of said predetermined curve, and means for generating a secondary outline immediately inside the character outline, said means further comprising an auxiliary PROM connected in tandem with said memory and storing the same curve information.

Claim 30

Apparatus for producing a desired shape as a visible image, comprising a randomly addressable memory holding a sequential record of vector steps representative of incremental sections along the length of a predetermined curve which are grouped to represent a plurality of sections of said curve, means to address the memory for generating a series of vector step instructions matched to the outline of the desired shape to be reproduced, means for orientating the individual steps to produce a modified sequence of step instructions according to the desired re-orientation, means responsive to said modified step instructions for defining the outline of the desired shape as a sequence of selected sections of said predetermined curve, and means for generating a secondary outline immediately inside the character outline, said means further comprising an auxiliary PROM connected in tandem with said memory and storing the same curve information.