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US4951226A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Character display device with reversing and underlining effects

Assignee: Brother Industries Ltd
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Filing: 1989-03-02
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Granted: 1990-08-21
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Expires: 2009-03-02
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Abstract

Abstract A dot-matrix character display device for displaying characters normally and in reverse, in which, the underline segment of the dot-matrix display of a reversed, underlined character is not reversed (i.e., the underline segment dots are displayed). When a character without an underline is reversed, the underline segment is not reversed (i.e., the underline segment dots are not displayed). This ensures more natural visual recognition of underlined or non-underlined characters even when normal and reversed characters are intermingled.

Inventors

  • 👤 Ryoichi Sasaki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 02:03
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G5/00; G09G5/22; G09G5/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 118 words
A display device comprising: a monochrome, bit-map display panel for displaying a character by a dot-matrix including an underline portion; a display memory for displaying bit-map character-pattern data corresponding to the structure of the display panel; a character-pattern memory for storing bit-map character-pattern data for a plurality of characters; means for receiving externally provided character code-data; means for receiving an externally provided reversing command; a control means for reading out bit-map character-pattern data from the character-pattern memory in response to externally provided character-code data, for reversing the bit-map character-pattern data read out from the character-pattern memory except the underline portion in response to an externally provided reversing command, and for sending the character-pattern data to the display memory.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 118 words
A display device comprising: a monochrome, bit-map display panel for displaying a character by a dot-matrix including an underline portion; a display memory for displaying bit-map character-pattern data corresponding to the structure of the display panel; a character-pattern memory for storing bit-map character-pattern data for a plurality of characters; means for receiving externally provided character code-data; means for receiving an externally provided reversing command; a control means for reading out bit-map character-pattern data from the character-pattern memory in response to externally provided character-code data, for reversing the bit-map character-pattern data read out from the character-pattern memory except the underline portion in response to an externally provided reversing command, and for sending the character-pattern data to the display memory.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 185 words
A display device comprising: a monochrome, bit-map display panel for displaying a character by a dot-matrix including an underline portion; a display memory for storing bit-map character-pattern data corresponding to the structure of the display panel; a character-pattern memory for storing bit-map character-pattern data for a plurality of characters; means for receiving externally provided character-code data; means for receiving an externally provided underlining command; means for receiving an externally provided reversing command; a display controller for reading out bit-map character-pattern data from the character-pattern memory in response to externally provided character-code data, writing the bit-map character-pattern data in a character image memory and sending the bit-map character-pattern data in the character-pattern image memory to the display memory; an underlining means for not putting an underline at the underline portion of the bit-map character-pattern data in the character image memory in response to an externally provided underlining command, and for putting an underline at the underline portion when no underlining command is provided; and a reversing means for reversing the bit-map character-pattern data in the character image memory in response to an externally provided reversing command.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 185 words
A display device comprising: a monochrome, bit-map display panel for displaying a character by a dot-matrix including an underline portion; a display memory for storing bit-map character-pattern data corresponding to the structure of the display panel; a character-pattern memory for storing bit-map character-pattern data for a plurality of characters; means for receiving externally provided character-code data; means for receiving an externally provided underlining command; means for receiving an externally provided reversing command; a display controller for reading out bit-map character-pattern data from the character-pattern memory in response to externally provided character-code data, writing the bit-map character-pattern data in a character image memory and sending the bit-map character-pattern data in the character-pattern image memory to the display memory; an underlining means for not putting an underline at the underline portion of the bit-map character-pattern data in the character image memory in response to an externally provided underlining command, and for putting an underline at the underline portion when no underlining command is provided; and a reversing means for reversing the bit-map character-pattern data in the character image memory in response to an externally provided reversing command.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4837712A Cited
US4737922A Cited
US4831554A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-08-20 1994-02-19 1994-08-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-08-20 1998-02-19 1998-08-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-08-20 2002-02-19 2002-08-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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