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US5825370A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for processing characters

Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
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Filing: 1996-11-12
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Granted: 1998-10-20
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Expires: 2016-11-12
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Abstract

Abstract In an output apparatus capable of outputting characters in a visible state, one character is first formed by combining a plurality of parts and the formed character is then output in a designated size. At this time, positions of at least two points which are the basis of the positioning of each part are determined and then an outline of the character is determined. Thus, when outputting a character in an arbitrarily enlarged or reduced size in the output apparatus, it is possible to keep a shape or balance of the character very good and thus to contribute to a high quality character output.

Inventors

  • 👤 Toshikuni Yoshida
  • 👤 Shinichiro Motokado
  • 👤 Tomoko Motokado
  • 👤 Mutsumi Ohtomo
  • 👤 Antonius Hellmann

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-10 01:43
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G5/00; G09G5/22; G09G5/24; G09G5/246; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/0002; G06K2215/002; G06K2215/0028; G06K2215/004; G06K2215/0042; G06K2215/0045; G06K2215/0054; G06K2215/0057

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim 86 words
A method of processing an output form of a character when outputting the character in a visible state, comprising: a first step of combining a plurality of parts so as to form one character; a second step of outputting the formed character in a designated size; and said second step including a substep of determining positions of at least two points which are the basis of the positioning of each part, and a substep of determining an outline of said character based on the determined positions.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 86 words
A method of processing an output form of a character when outputting the character in a visible state, comprising: a first step of combining a plurality of parts so as to form one character; a second step of outputting the formed character in a designated size; and said second step including a substep of determining positions of at least two points which are the basis of the positioning of each part, and a substep of determining an outline of said character based on the determined positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first step includes a substep of combining a plurality of parts to form one stroke, and a substep of combining the formed stroke in plural number so as to form one character.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said second step includes a substep of determining positions of two points in each stroke, and a substep of determining positions of each part based on the determined positions of the two points.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said second step isaid two points lie in the outermost side of a corresponding stroke.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said first step further includes a substep of forming each part by a plurality of minimal elements, each minimal element being able to be physically output.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 60 words
The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said second step includes a substep of compensating each stroke based on a position at which said minimal element can be output; a substep of computing an enlargement/reduction rate of the compensated stroke; and a substep of computing sizes of respective parts constituting each stroke, according to the computed enlargement/reduction rate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 55 words
The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein said second step further includes a substep of positioning two points in each of outlines of respective parts constituting each stroke, and a substep of determining a position of an outline lying between the two points based on the compensated amount of the two positioned points.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 78 words
The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein said second step includes a substep of compensating arrangement origins of two outermost parts among a plurality of parts constituting each stroke, based on a position at which said minimal element can be output; a substep of computing a compensated enlargement/reduction rate of each stroke, based on the compensated arrangement origins; and a substep of computing sizes of respective parts constituting each stroke, according to the computed enlargement/reduction rate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein said plurality of parts include a basic part and a modifying part for modifying the basic part.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said second step includes a substep of determining positions at which minimal elements constituting said basic part can be physically output; and a substep of determining a position of said modifying part based on the determined positions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein where the size of said modifying part is smaller than that of said minimal element, said second step further includes a substep of forming the modifying part by the minimal element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 76 words
The method as set forth in claim 9, wherein said second step includes a substep of computing a position of said basic part based on positions at which said minimal elements can be physically output; a substep of computing a position of said modifying part based on the computed position of said basic part; and a substep of determining positions of minimal elements which are necessary for outputting said basic part and can be physically output.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein where the size of said modifying part is smaller than that of said minimal element, said second step further includes a substep of forming the modifying part by the minimal element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 37 words
The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said second step includes a substep of determining positions of each stroke based on a position relationship between the stroke and an other stroke connected to the stroke.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 37 words
The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein where a plurality of said other stroke are present, said second step includes a substep of positioning each of the plurality of other strokes in its elongated direction.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 117 words
An apparatus for processing an output form of a character when outputting the character in a visible state, comprising: means for storing a plurality of parts necessary for constituting one character; means for outputting characters; means for designating a size of each character; processing means for combining some of the plurality of parts stored in said storing means, according to the size designated by said designating means, and outputting the combined parts as a character data to said outputting means; and said processing means including means for determining positions of at least two points which are the basis of the positioning of each part, and means for determining positions of each part based on the determined positions.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 117 words
An apparatus for processing an output form of a character when outputting the character in a visible state, comprising: means for storing a plurality of parts necessary for constituting one character; means for outputting characters; means for designating a size of each character; processing means for combining some of the plurality of parts stored in said storing means, according to the size designated by said designating means, and outputting the combined parts as a character data to said outputting means; and said processing means including means for determining positions of at least two points which are the basis of the positioning of each part, and means for determining positions of each part based on the determined positions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 32 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said storing means stores data concerning a plurality of strokes constituting one character, and data concerning a plurality of parts constituting each stroke.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 54 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said processing means includes means for determining two points which are the basis of the positioning of two outermost parts among a plurality of parts constituting each stroke, and means for determining positions of each part based on the determined positions of the two points.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 29 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein said storing means stores relationship information defining a position relationship between a plurality of parts necessary for constituting one character.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 30 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said processing means includes means for determining positions of each part based on the relationship information stored in said storing means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 30 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein said storing means stores relationship information defining a connection position relationship between a plurality of strokes necessary for constituting one character.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 38 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said processing means includes means for determining a compensated amount of position of each stroke in its elongated direction based on the relationship information stored in said storing means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 51 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said outputting means includes means for forming a character by a plurality of minimal elements when outputting the character, and the plurality of parts stored in said storing means include a basic part and a modifying part for modifying the basic part.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 47 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said processing means includes means for determining a position of said basic part constituting each stroke, and means for determining a position of said modifying part in each stroke based on the determined position of said basic part.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 24 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 24, wherein each of said plurality of minimal elements is a dot which can be physically output.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 73 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said processing means includes means for computing a position of said basic part based on positions at which said minimal elements can be physically output; means for computing a position of said modifying part based on the computed position of said basic part; and means for determining positions of minimal elements which are necessary for outputting said basic part and can be physically output.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 90 words
A storage media storing a program for processing an output form of a character when outputting the character in a visible state, comprising: a first step of combining a plurality of parts so as to form one character; a second step of outputting the formed character in a designated size; and said second step including a substep of determining positions of at least two points which are the basis of the positioning of each part, and a substep of determining an outline of said character based on the determined positions.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 90 words
A storage media storing a program for processing an output form of a character when outputting the character in a visible state, comprising: a first step of combining a plurality of parts so as to form one character; a second step of outputting the formed character in a designated size; and said second step including a substep of determining positions of at least two points which are the basis of the positioning of each part, and a substep of determining an outline of said character based on the determined positions.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5222208A Cited
US5295240A Cited
JPH0546143A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-10-19 2002-04-20 2002-10-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-10-19 2006-04-20 2006-10-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-10-19 2010-04-20 2010-10-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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