Patent US4885084A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5548701A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5548701A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Character processing method and apparatus
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1994-09-30
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Granted: 1996-08-20
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Expires: 2014-09-30
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to a character processing method and apparatus having a function to convert data of a vector form into data of a dot form. The apparatus converts data of vector form into data of dot form, discriminates a direction for conversion of the data from vector from into dot form on the basis of the size of memory area to store the data after completion of the conversion into dot form and the size of output data. The conversion is controlled as to convert the data of vector form into data of dot form in the direction discriminated.
Inventors
- 👤 Masayuki Yoshida
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 18:38
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G5/00; G09G5/22; G09G5/24; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/20; G06T11/23; G09G5/246; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/0002; G06K2215/004; G06K2215/0042; G06K2215/0045; G06K2215/0048
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
162 words
A character processing apparatus to which output apparatuses of different scanning types can be connected, said character processing apparatus comprising: generating means for generating dot form data in accordance with vector form data, said generating means being constructed to be able to generate the dot form data using, selectively, either a first process, in which the dot form data is generated in a first direction, or a second process, in which the dot form data is generated in a second direction; memory means for storing the generated dot form data; and discriminating means for discriminating the scanning type of an output apparatus connected to said character processing apparatus, wherein said generating means generates the dot form data using the first or the second process, respectively, in accordance with a discrimination result produced by said discriminating means, such that the dot form data is generated in a direction corresponding to the scanning type of the connected output apparatus discriminated by said discriminating means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
162 words
A character processing apparatus to which output apparatuses of different scanning types can be connected, said character processing apparatus comprising: generating means for generating dot form data in accordance with vector form data, said generating means being constructed to be able to generate the dot form data using, selectively, either a first process, in which the dot form data is generated in a first direction, or a second process, in which the dot form data is generated in a second direction; memory means for storing the generated dot form data; and discriminating means for discriminating the scanning type of an output apparatus connected to said character processing apparatus, wherein said generating means generates the dot form data using the first or the second process, respectively, in accordance with a discrimination result produced by said discriminating means, such that the dot form data is generated in a direction corresponding to the scanning type of the connected output apparatus discriminated by said discriminating means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for outputting the dot form data stored in said memory means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said output means comprises a laser beam printer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said output means comprises a full line type ink jet printer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said output means comprises a serial type ink jet printer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said output means comprises a thermal printer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second discriminating means, said second means discriminating whether the dot form data generated by said generating means can be stored by a character unit upon storage into said memory means, wherein a portion of the dot form data is divided into parts and stored if said second discriminating means discriminates that the dot form data cannot be stored by a character unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
A character processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, if the discriminated scanning type is a column scanning type, said generating means generates the dot form data in a column direction, and if the discriminated scanning type is a row scanning type, said generating means generates the dot form data in a row direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A character processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discriminating means discriminates the scanning type of an output apparatus connected on the basis of information indicative of the scanning direction of the output apparatus received from the output apparatus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
149 words
A character processing apparatus to which output apparatuses of different scanning types can be connected, said character processing apparatus comprising: generating means for generating dot form data in accordance with vector form data; memory means for storing the generated dot form data; discriminating means for discriminating whether an output apparatus connected to said character processing apparatus is of a column-direction scanning type or a row-direction scanning type; and determining means for determining whether one character of dot form data to be generated can be accommodated in a predetermined memory area, wherein, in the event that said determining means determines that the one character of the dot form data to be generated cannot be accommodated in the predetermined memory area, said generating means generates the dot form data in a row direction even if said discriminating means discriminates that the connected output apparatus is of the column direction scanning type.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
149 words
A character processing apparatus to which output apparatuses of different scanning types can be connected, said character processing apparatus comprising: generating means for generating dot form data in accordance with vector form data; memory means for storing the generated dot form data; discriminating means for discriminating whether an output apparatus connected to said character processing apparatus is of a column-direction scanning type or a row-direction scanning type; and determining means for determining whether one character of dot form data to be generated can be accommodated in a predetermined memory area, wherein, in the event that said determining means determines that the one character of the dot form data to be generated cannot be accommodated in the predetermined memory area, said generating means generates the dot form data in a row direction even if said discriminating means discriminates that the connected output apparatus is of the column direction scanning type.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
A character processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, in the event that said determining means determines that the one character of the dot form data to be generated can be accommodated in the predetermined memory area, said generating means generates the dot form data in a direction corresponding to the scanning type of the connected output apparatus discriminated by said discriminating means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A character processing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising output means for outputting the dot form data stored in said memory means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A character processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising output means for outputting the dot form data stored in said memory means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
A character processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, in the event that said determining means determines that the one character of the dot form data to be generated cannot be accommodated in the predetermined memory area, said generating means generates the dot form data by dividing the dot form data into groups.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
151 words
A character processing method for use in a character processing apparatus to which output apparatuses of different scanning types can be connected, said character processing method comprising the steps of: generating dot form data in accordance with vector form data, said generating step being performed using, selectively, either a first process, in which the dot form data is generated in a first direction, or a second process, in which the dot form data is generated in a second direction; storing the generated dot form data; and discriminating the scanning type of an output apparatus connected to the character processing apparatus, wherein said generating step is performed using the first or the second process, respectively, in accordance with a discrimination result produced in said discriminating step, such that the dot form data is generated in a direction corresponding to the scanning type of the connected output apparatus discriminated in said discriminating step.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
151 words
A character processing method for use in a character processing apparatus to which output apparatuses of different scanning types can be connected, said character processing method comprising the steps of: generating dot form data in accordance with vector form data, said generating step being performed using, selectively, either a first process, in which the dot form data is generated in a first direction, or a second process, in which the dot form data is generated in a second direction; storing the generated dot form data; and discriminating the scanning type of an output apparatus connected to the character processing apparatus, wherein said generating step is performed using the first or the second process, respectively, in accordance with a discrimination result produced in said discriminating step, such that the dot form data is generated in a direction corresponding to the scanning type of the connected output apparatus discriminated in said discriminating step.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of outputting the dot form data stored in said storing step.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein said outputting step is performed using a laser beam printer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein said outputting step is performed using a full line type ink jet printer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein said outputting step is performed using a serial type ink jet printer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein said outputting step is performed using a thermal printer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
77 words
A method according to claim 15, further comprising a second discriminating step, wherein a discrimination is made as to whether the dot form data generated in said generating step can be stored by a character unit upon storage in said storing step, wherein a portion of the dot form data is divided into parts and stored if it is discriminated in said second discriminating step that the dot form data cannot be stored by a character unit.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
50 words
A character processing method according to claim 15, wherein, if the discriminated scanning type is a column scanning type, the dot form data is generated in a column direction, and if the discriminated scanning type is a row scanning type, the dot form data is generated in a row direction.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
A character processing method according to claim 15, wherein, in said discriminating step, the scanning type of a connected output apparatus is discriminated on the basis of information indicative of the scanning direction of the output apparatus received from the output apparatus.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
151 words
A character processing method for use in a character processing apparatus to which output apparatuses of different scanning types can be connected, said character processing method comprising the steps of: generating dot form data in accordance with vector form data; storing the generated dot form data; discriminating whether an output apparatus connected to the character processing apparatus is of a column-direction scanning type or a row-direction scanning type; and determining whether one character of dot form data to be generated can be accommodated in a predetermined memory area, wherein, in the event that it is determined in said determining step that the one character of the dot form data to be generated cannot be accommodated in the predetermined memory area, the dot form data is generated in a row direction even if it is discriminated in said discriminating step that the connected output apparatus is of the column direction scanning type.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
151 words
A character processing method for use in a character processing apparatus to which output apparatuses of different scanning types can be connected, said character processing method comprising the steps of: generating dot form data in accordance with vector form data; storing the generated dot form data; discriminating whether an output apparatus connected to the character processing apparatus is of a column-direction scanning type or a row-direction scanning type; and determining whether one character of dot form data to be generated can be accommodated in a predetermined memory area, wherein, in the event that it is determined in said determining step that the one character of the dot form data to be generated cannot be accommodated in the predetermined memory area, the dot form data is generated in a row direction even if it is discriminated in said discriminating step that the connected output apparatus is of the column direction scanning type.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
64 words
A character processing method according to claim 24, wherein, in the event that it is determined in said determining step that the one character of the dot form data to be generated can be accommodated in the predetermined memory area, the dot form data is generated in a direction corresponding to the scanning type of the connected output apparatus discriminated in said discriminating step.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
23 words
A character processing method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of outputting the dot form data stored in said storing step.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
A character processing method according to claim 24, further comprising the step of outputting the dot form data stored in said storing step.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
54 words
A character processing method according to claim 24, wherein, in the event that it is determined in said determining step that the one character of the dot form data to be generated cannot be accommodated in the predetermined memory area, the dot form data is generated by dividing the dot form data into group.
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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) | 1999-08-20 | 2000-02-19 | 2000-08-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-08-20 | 2004-02-19 | 2004-08-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-08-20 | 2008-02-19 | 2008-08-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |