US6055061A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Character image processing apparatus and method
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1997-12-22
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Granted: 2000-04-25
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Expires: 2017-12-22
Abstract
Abstract A character image processing apparatus so adapted that when a typeface and size are specified at generation of a character image, a font of a specific typeface and of a size within predetermined selection limits of a specified size is retrieved from pre-rasterized fonts already developed as bitmap data and stored. In a case where a character image is generated from this font, the character will be generated at a position offset from the position the character of the specified size would have originally occupied. Accordingly, position is corrected in such a manner that the center of the position which a character would have originally occupied and the position of the center of the character generated from the pre-rasterized font will coincide. Further, the selection limits are decided using sizes midway between a stored pre-rasterized font and character sizes one size larger and one size smaller than that of this pre-rasterized font as boundaries.
Inventors
- 👤 Yukimasa Sato
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 14:24
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/12; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/0002; G06K2215/002; G06K2215/004
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A character processing apparatus comprising: development means for developing a character into an output image, said development means developing based upon an offset value which defines a distance from a character reference position to a specific position in the character; selection means for selecting a first dot font in a case where the character to be developed has a size within a range; and correction means for acquiring a correction value based upon a width of the character to be developed based on a width of the first dot font selected by said selection means and for correcting the offset value used by said developing means using the correction value.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
110 words
A character processing apparatus comprising: development means for developing a character into an output image, said development means developing based upon an offset value which defines a distance from a character reference position to a specific position in the character; selection means for selecting a first dot font in a case where the character to be developed has a size within a range; and correction means for acquiring a correction value based upon a width of the character to be developed based on a width of the first dot font selected by said selection means and for correcting the offset value used by said developing means using the correction value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction value is a half of a difference between a width of the character to be developed and a width of the first dot font selected by said selection means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said correction means corrects the offset value by adding the correction value of the offset value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selection means selects the first dot font in a case where a character to be outputted ranges from a first mid-size between the size of the first dot font and a next smaller size, to a second mid-size between the size of the first dot font and a next larger size.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the offset value includes a vertical component and a horizontal component.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if the first dot font is smaller than the character to be output, then said correction means corrects the offset values so as to shift the first dot font toward a following character of the first dot font, while if the first dot font is larger than the character to be output, said correction means corrects the offset value so as to shift the first dot font toward a preceding character of the first dot font.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising output means for outputting the output image developed by said development means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said output means is an inkjet printer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said output means is a laser beam printer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
99 words
A character processing method comprising: developing a character into an output image, said development step developing based upon an offset value which defines a distance from a character reference position to a specific position in the character; selecting a first dot font in a case where the character to be developed has a size within a range; acquiring a correction value based upon a width of the character to be developed based on a width of the first dot font selected by said selecting step; and correcting the offset value used by said developing step using the correction value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
99 words
A character processing method comprising: developing a character into an output image, said development step developing based upon an offset value which defines a distance from a character reference position to a specific position in the character; selecting a first dot font in a case where the character to be developed has a size within a range; acquiring a correction value based upon a width of the character to be developed based on a width of the first dot font selected by said selecting step; and correcting the offset value used by said developing step using the correction value.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the correction value is a half of a difference between a width of the character to be developed and a width of the first dot font selected by said selection step.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein said correction step corrects the offset value by adding the correction value of the offset value.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein said selection step selects the first dot font in a case where a character to be outputted ranges from a first mid-size between the size of the first dot font and a next smaller size, to a second mid-size between the size of the first dot font and a next larger size.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the offset value includes a vertical component and a horizontal component.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
83 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein if the first dot font is smaller than the character to be output, then said correction step corrects the offset values so as to shift the first dot font toward a following character of the first dot font, while if the first dot font is larger than the character to be output, said correction step corrects the offset value so as to shift the first dot font toward a preceding character of the first dot font.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 10, further comprising an output step for outputting the output image developed by said development means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein said output step is to an inkjet printer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein said output step is to a laser beam printer.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
132 words
A computer readable memory medium for storing computer executable process steps that process a character, the computer executable process steps including: a development step to develop a character into an output image, said development step developing based upon an offset value which defines a distance from a character reference position to a specific position in the character; a selection step to select a first dot font in a case where the character to be developed has a size within a range; and an acquiring step to acquire a correction value based upon a width of the character to be developed based on a width of the first dot font selected by said selecting step; and a correction step to correct the offset value used by said developing step using the correction value.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
132 words
A computer readable memory medium for storing computer executable process steps that process a character, the computer executable process steps including: a development step to develop a character into an output image, said development step developing based upon an offset value which defines a distance from a character reference position to a specific position in the character; a selection step to select a first dot font in a case where the character to be developed has a size within a range; and an acquiring step to acquire a correction value based upon a width of the character to be developed based on a width of the first dot font selected by said selecting step; and a correction step to correct the offset value used by said developing step using the correction value.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
A medium according to claim 19, wherein the correction value is a half of a difference between a width of the character to be developed and a width of the first dot font selected by said selection step.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A medium according to claim 19, wherein said correction step corrects the offset value by adding the correction value of the offset value.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
59 words
A medium according to claim 19, wherein said selection step selects the first dot font in a case where a character to be outputted ranges from a first mid-size between the size of the first dot font and a next smaller size, to a second mid-size between the size of the first dot font and a next larger size.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A medium according to claim 19, wherein the offset value includes a vertical component and a horizontal component.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
83 words
A medium according to claim 19, wherein if the first dot font is smaller than the character to be output, then said correction step corrects the offset values so as to shift the first dot font toward a following character of the first dot font, while if the first dot font is larger than the character to be output, said correction step corrects the offset value so as to shift the first dot font toward a preceding character of the first dot font.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A medium according to claim 19, further comprising an output step to output the output image developed by said development means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
A medium according to claim 25, wherein said output step outputs to an inkjet printer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
A medium according to claim 25, wherein said output step outputs to a laser beam printer.
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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) | 2003-04-25 | 2003-10-25 | 2004-04-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-04-25 | 2007-10-25 | 2008-04-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-04-25 | 2011-10-25 | 2012-04-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |