US7505040B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Composite characters font hinting
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 2005-12-19
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Granted: 2009-03-17
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Expires: 2025-12-19
Abstract
Abstract An auto hinting module defines typographically relevant control points and relative offset constraints for use in composite character generation. Control points in one or more dimensions are defined for each glyph component. The control points may be represented as control points on the outline of the component glyphs, although control points may also be represented by control points positioned relative to the outlines, control lines (e.g., vertical, horizontal, diagonal, etc.) that intersect the outlines, etc. A composite character font hinting module enforces offset constraints between the control points, effectively positioning one of the glyph components relative to the other.
Inventors
- 👤 Beat Stamm
- 👤 Gregory Hitchcock
- 👤 Michael J. Duggan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:18
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/20; G06T11/23; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/18; G06K15/1835; G06K15/1836
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
282 words
A method for use in a computer system of generating a composite character configured for presentation by an output device, the composite character including a first component glyph and a second component glyph, each component glyph being defined by an outline, the method comprising: identifying, by the computer system, a first control point associated with the outline of the first component glyph and a second control point associated with the outline of the second component glyph, wherein identifying a first control point and a second control point comprises: determining one or more candidate control points for each of the first component glyph and the second component glyph; selecting the first control point from the one or more candidate control points determined for the first component glyph; and selecting the second control point from the one or more candidate control points determined for the second component glyph; receiving, by the computer system, a typographically relevant offset constraint associated with the composite character and relative to the first and second control points of the first and second component glyphs, the offset constraint including a vertical offset and a horizontal offset between the first component glyph and the second component glyph; scaling the outlines of the first and second component glyphs and the vertical and horizontal offsets of the offset constraint based at least in part on an output device resolution; assembling the scaled outline of the first component glyph and the scaled outline of the second component glyph to generate the composite character; and altering the assembled composite character to cause relative positions of the first control point and the second control point in the assembled composite character to satisfy the scaled offset constraint.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
282 words
A method for use in a computer system of generating a composite character configured for presentation by an output device, the composite character including a first component glyph and a second component glyph, each component glyph being defined by an outline, the method comprising: identifying, by the computer system, a first control point associated with the outline of the first component glyph and a second control point associated with the outline of the second component glyph, wherein identifying a first control point and a second control point comprises: determining one or more candidate control points for each of the first component glyph and the second component glyph; selecting the first control point from the one or more candidate control points determined for the first component glyph; and selecting the second control point from the one or more candidate control points determined for the second component glyph; receiving, by the computer system, a typographically relevant offset constraint associated with the composite character and relative to the first and second control points of the first and second component glyphs, the offset constraint including a vertical offset and a horizontal offset between the first component glyph and the second component glyph; scaling the outlines of the first and second component glyphs and the vertical and horizontal offsets of the offset constraint based at least in part on an output device resolution; assembling the scaled outline of the first component glyph and the scaled outline of the second component glyph to generate the composite character; and altering the assembled composite character to cause relative positions of the first control point and the second control point in the assembled composite character to satisfy the scaled offset constraint.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the first control point is positioned on the outline of the first component glyph.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the first control point is positioned relative to a defined curve on the outline of the first component glyph.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the offset constraint represents a vector separating the first control point from the second control point.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the vertical offset represents a vertical separation between the first control point and the second control point.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the horizontal offset represents a horizontal separation between the first control point and the second control point.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the altering operation translates the second component glyph in a vertical direction relative to the first component glyph.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the altering operation translates the second component glyph in a horizontal direction relative to the first component glyph.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the altering operation moves the second component glyph into a prorated position relation with the first component glyph.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the first control point is selected at a directional extreme relative to the first component glyph.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to assembling the outline of the first component glyph and the outline of the second component glyph, individually altering the outline of the firs component glyph and the second component glyph.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the first control point and the second control point comprises applying ranked tests to the one or more candidate control points.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
254 words
A method for use in a computer system of generating information for altering a composite character configured for presentation by an output device, wherein the composite character includes a first component glyph and a second component glyph, each component glyph being defined by an outline, the method comprising: identifying, by the computer system, a first control point associated with the outline of the first component glyph and a second control point associated with the outline of the second component glyph, wherein identifying a first control point and a second control point comprises: determining one or more candidate control points for each of the first component glyph and the second component glyph; selecting the first control point from the one or more candidate control points determined for the first component glyph; and selecting the second control point from the one or more candidate control points determined for the second component glyph; determining, by the computer system, a typographically relevant offset constraint associated with the composite character and being dependent on the identified first and second control points of the first and second component glyphs. the offset constraint including a vertical offset and a horizontal offset between the first component glyph and the second component glyph; recording the first control point, the second control point, and the offset constraint in association with the composite character; and scaling the outlines of the first and second component glyphs and the vertical and horizontal offsets of the offset constraint based at least in part on an output device resolution
Claim 15
Independent Claim
254 words
A method for use in a computer system of generating information for altering a composite character configured for presentation by an output device, wherein the composite character includes a first component glyph and a second component glyph, each component glyph being defined by an outline, the method comprising: identifying, by the computer system, a first control point associated with the outline of the first component glyph and a second control point associated with the outline of the second component glyph, wherein identifying a first control point and a second control point comprises: determining one or more candidate control points for each of the first component glyph and the second component glyph; selecting the first control point from the one or more candidate control points determined for the first component glyph; and selecting the second control point from the one or more candidate control points determined for the second component glyph; determining, by the computer system, a typographically relevant offset constraint associated with the composite character and being dependent on the identified first and second control points of the first and second component glyphs. the offset constraint including a vertical offset and a horizontal offset between the first component glyph and the second component glyph; recording the first control point, the second control point, and the offset constraint in association with the composite character; and scaling the outlines of the first and second component glyphs and the vertical and horizontal offsets of the offset constraint based at least in part on an output device resolution
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the first control point is located at a directional extreme of the composite character.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the first control point is identified using at least one typographically relevant rule.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one typographically relevant rule is based on minimizing distance between the first control point and the second control point.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one typographically relevant rule is based on proffering a first type of glyph feature over a second type of glyph feature.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
311 words
A computer system for generating a composite character configured for presentation by an output device, the composite character including a first component glyph and a second component glyph, each component glyph being defined by an outline, the computer system comprising a processing unit and computer-executable program modules stored in memory to be executed by the processor comprising: a composite character assembly module that assembles the outline of the first component glyph and the outline of the second component glyph to generate the composite character; and a composite character font-hinting module that identifies a first control point associated with the outline of the first component glyph and a second control point associated with the outline of the second component glyph, receives a typographically relevant offset constraint associated with the composite character and relative to the first and second control points of the first and second component glyphs, the offset constraint including a vertical offset and a horizontal offset between the first component glyph and the second component glyph, the composite character font-hinting module to scale the outlines of the first and second component glyphs and the vertical and horizontal offsets of the offset constraint based at least in part on an output device resolution and to alter the assembled composite character to cause relative positions of the first control point and the second control point in the assembled composite character to satisfy the scaled offset constraint associated with the composite character, wherein the first control point and the second control point are identified by: determining one or more candidate control points for each of the first component glyph and the second component glyph; selecting the first control point from the one or more candidate control points determined for the first component glyph; and selecting the second control point from the one or more candidate control points determined for the second component glyph.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
311 words
A computer system for generating a composite character configured for presentation by an output device, the composite character including a first component glyph and a second component glyph, each component glyph being defined by an outline, the computer system comprising a processing unit and computer-executable program modules stored in memory to be executed by the processor comprising: a composite character assembly module that assembles the outline of the first component glyph and the outline of the second component glyph to generate the composite character; and a composite character font-hinting module that identifies a first control point associated with the outline of the first component glyph and a second control point associated with the outline of the second component glyph, receives a typographically relevant offset constraint associated with the composite character and relative to the first and second control points of the first and second component glyphs, the offset constraint including a vertical offset and a horizontal offset between the first component glyph and the second component glyph, the composite character font-hinting module to scale the outlines of the first and second component glyphs and the vertical and horizontal offsets of the offset constraint based at least in part on an output device resolution and to alter the assembled composite character to cause relative positions of the first control point and the second control point in the assembled composite character to satisfy the scaled offset constraint associated with the composite character, wherein the first control point and the second control point are identified by: determining one or more candidate control points for each of the first component glyph and the second component glyph; selecting the first control point from the one or more candidate control points determined for the first component glyph; and selecting the second control point from the one or more candidate control points determined for the second component glyph.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 18 wherein the composite character font-hinting module translates the second component glyph in a vertical direction relative to the first component glyph.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 18 wherein the composite character font-hinting module translates the second component glyph in a horizontal direction relative to the first component glyph.
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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) | 2012-03-16 | 2012-09-15 | 2013-03-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2016-03-16 | 2016-09-15 | 2017-03-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2020-03-16 | 2020-09-15 | 2021-03-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |