US5001653A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Merging plotter graphics within a text environment on a page printer
Assignee: IBM Information Products Corp
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Filing: 1989-09-08
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Granted: 1991-03-19
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Expires: 2009-09-08
Abstract
Abstract A printer receives and stores coded text character data (22, 23) and also receives graphic image commands in the same datastream. The printer creates a raster image (24) of the graphic image commands and stores the resultant raster image. When rasterizing a page (21), the printer rasterizes the text character data utilizing stored raster fonts and rasterizes the graphic image data from the stored raster image.
Inventors
- 👤 James C. Buchanan
- 👤 Joseph P. Kolb
- 👤 Lynn M. Oliver
- 👤 James F. Webb
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 22:57
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/027; G06K15/18; G06K15/1848; G06K15/1852; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/0002; G06K2215/004; G06K2215/0042; G06K2215/0062; G06K2215/0065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
A page printer, including a print mechanism responsive to serialized bit data, for printing data received by the printer, comprising: means for receiving and storing coded character data; means for receiving commands representing a graphic image; means for creating a raster image based upon said commands and for storing the raster image; means for rasterizing the stored character data and raster image data into a bit map memory; and means for serializing the contents of the bit map memory to the print mechanism.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
A page printer, including a print mechanism responsive to serialized bit data, for printing data received by the printer, comprising: means for receiving and storing coded character data; means for receiving commands representing a graphic image; means for creating a raster image based upon said commands and for storing the raster image; means for rasterizing the stored character data and raster image data into a bit map memory; and means for serializing the contents of the bit map memory to the print mechanism.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
115 words
A page printer, including a print mechanism responsive to serialized bit data, for printing data received by the printer, comprising: means for receiving coded character data including coded instructions; means for identifying a coded instruction received by the printer which includes a block of commands for producing a graphic image; means for executing the commands to produce and store a raster image based upon the commands; means for storing the coded character data; means for rasterizing the stored character data into a bit map memory and for rasterizing the raster image created from the commands into the bit map memory; and means for serializing the contents of the bit map memory to the print mechanism.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
115 words
A page printer, including a print mechanism responsive to serialized bit data, for printing data received by the printer, comprising: means for receiving coded character data including coded instructions; means for identifying a coded instruction received by the printer which includes a block of commands for producing a graphic image; means for executing the commands to produce and store a raster image based upon the commands; means for storing the coded character data; means for rasterizing the stored character data into a bit map memory and for rasterizing the raster image created from the commands into the bit map memory; and means for serializing the contents of the bit map memory to the print mechanism.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The page printer of claim 2 in which the commands for producing a graphic image comprise plotter commands.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The page printer of claim 2 in which the coded instruction includes an instruction identifying field, a parameter field, and the block of commands for producing a graphic image.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The page printer of claim 4 in which the parameters include parameters establishing the size of a window for the raster image.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
The page printer of claim 5 in which the commands for producing a graphic image are plotter commands having associated position indications defining distances and in which the means for executing the commands to produce and store a raster image based upon the commands includes means for automatically scaling said distances based upon said window size.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The page printer of claim 2 which further comprises means for deleting the stored raster image after the contents of the bit map memory have been serialized to the print mechanism.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
137 words
A page printer, including a print mechanism responsive to serialized bit data, for printing data received by the printer, comprising: means for receiving coded character data including coded instructions; means for storing received coded character data; means for identifying a coded instruction received by the printer which includes a block of commands for producing a graphic image; means for allocating a memory area of suitable size for storing a raster image based upon the commands; means for executing the commands to produce a raster image in the allocated memory area based upon the commands; means for rasterizing the stored character data into a bit map memory and for rasterizing the stored raster image created from the commands into a bit map memory; and means for serializing the contents of the bit map memory to the print mechanism.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
137 words
A page printer, including a print mechanism responsive to serialized bit data, for printing data received by the printer, comprising: means for receiving coded character data including coded instructions; means for storing received coded character data; means for identifying a coded instruction received by the printer which includes a block of commands for producing a graphic image; means for allocating a memory area of suitable size for storing a raster image based upon the commands; means for executing the commands to produce a raster image in the allocated memory area based upon the commands; means for rasterizing the stored character data into a bit map memory and for rasterizing the stored raster image created from the commands into a bit map memory; and means for serializing the contents of the bit map memory to the print mechanism.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
89 words
The page printer of claim 8 in which the means for allocating a memory area for storing a raster image based upon the commands includes means, responsive to the unavailability of sufficient memory for storing the raster image, for allocating a reduced amount of memory for storage of the raster image in a reduced resolution, and in which the means for executing the commands to produce the raster image executes the commands to produce the raster image in a reduced resolution when said reduced amount of memory is allocated.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The page printer of claim 9 in which the means for rasterizing includes means for expanding a stored raster image which was produced and stored in a reduced resolution.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-03-18 | 1994-09-17 | 1995-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-03-18 | 1998-09-17 | 1999-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-03-18 | 2002-09-17 | 2003-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |