US5099230A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of and apparatus for forming outline character
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
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Filing: 1989-12-11
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Granted: 1992-03-24
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Expires: 2009-12-11
Abstract
Abstract A method of and an apparatus for forming an outline character by making a character, numeral, mark, or the like black at the periphery thereof and white at the inner portions thereof. When the original character data exists at at least one upper or lower end in a dot display space, the character data at the end is removed and shortened. The shortened character dot pattern is periphally expanded by at least one dot, and the expanded character is removed to form white space within the shortened character. In another aspect, the character dot pattern is periphally expanded by at least one dot. When the original character exists at at least one upper or lower end in the dot display space, the expanded character is removed to form white spaces within the original character dot pattern except for an upper or lower end in the dot display space. Thus, if the original character dot pattern exists at at least one upper or lower end, a character completely enclosed within a black periphery can be obtained.
Inventors
- 👤 Katuyasu Fujii
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 18:10
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/0002; G06K2215/004; G06K2215/0054
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of forming an outline character comprising steps of: reading an original character data from a character data storage means storing character data expressed by a dot pattern; shortening the original character data by removing the data from an upper end or lower end of a dot display space of the original character data when the original character data exists at at least one upper or lower end of the display space; periphally expanding the dot pattern of the shortened original character by at least one dot to widen the shortened original character; and removing the shortened character to form white space from the widened character.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of forming an outline character comprising steps of: reading an original character data from a character data storage means storing character data expressed by a dot pattern; shortening the original character data by removing the data from an upper end or lower end of a dot display space of the original character data when the original character data exists at at least one upper or lower end of the display space; periphally expanding the dot pattern of the shortened original character by at least one dot to widen the shortened original character; and removing the shortened character to form white space from the widened character.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
171 words
A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein, when said dot display space is 24×24 dots, said shortening step comprises steps of: reading a first block of the character data including first to 16th ranks in ith column, logically adding dot data of the first rank and dot data of the second rank, replacing the data of the second rank with the sum of the added data, and clearing the data of the first rank, storing the dot data of the first block in a shortened character storage means, reading a second block of the character data including 17th to 24th ranks in the ith column, logically adding dot data of the 23rd rank and dot data of the 24th rank, replacing the data of the 23rd rank with the sum of the added data, and clearing the data of the 24th rank, storing the dot data of the second block in the shortened character storage means, repeating the above steps to replace the column from the first to 24th.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
195 words
A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein said expanding step comprises steps of: storing data from a shortened character storage means in a widened character storage means, shifting data from a widened character storage means to the left, logically adding data from the widened character storage means with the left shifted data, and storing the sum of the addition in the widened character storage means, shifting data from the widened character storage means to the right, logically adding the data from the widened character storage means with the right shifted data, and storing the sum of the addition in the widened character storage means, shifting data from the widened character storage means in the upper direction of the display space, logically adding the data from the widened character storage means with the upper shifted data, and storing the sum of the addition in the widened character storage means, and shifting data from the widened character storage means in the lower direction of the display space, logically adding the data from the widened character storage means with the lower shifted data, and storing the sum of the addition in the widened character storage means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein said removing step comprises steps of: inverting data from a shortened character storage means, and logically multiplying the inverted data with the data from the widened character storage means.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
277 words
An apparatus for forming an outline character comprising: a main control means including a microprocessor, a code buffer storing character codes from a host machine through an interface, and a character generator storing character font data expressing standard characters by dot patterns and outputting the character data upon receipt of a signal output by the code buffer under the control of the microprocessor; a display means including a printing control means receiving the signal output by the main control means and a printing means for printing in accordance with a signal output from the printing control means; a modify means for an outline character for reading the font of standard characters from the character generator and forming the outline character; a widened character storage means connected to the modify means for storing a character widened by said modify means; and a shortened character storage means connected to the modify means for storing a character shortened by said modify means; said modify means receiving a command to output an outline character from the main control means and reading the standard character from the character generator, the standard character being shortened by said modify means when a dot pattern of the standard character exists at at least one upper or lower end in a dot display space, the shortened character being stored in the shortened character storage means, the stored data being expanded by said modify means, the expanded data being stored in the widened character storage means, and the outline character is obtained by processing of data from the widened character storage means and the shortened character storage means through the modify means to output an outline character.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
277 words
An apparatus for forming an outline character comprising: a main control means including a microprocessor, a code buffer storing character codes from a host machine through an interface, and a character generator storing character font data expressing standard characters by dot patterns and outputting the character data upon receipt of a signal output by the code buffer under the control of the microprocessor; a display means including a printing control means receiving the signal output by the main control means and a printing means for printing in accordance with a signal output from the printing control means; a modify means for an outline character for reading the font of standard characters from the character generator and forming the outline character; a widened character storage means connected to the modify means for storing a character widened by said modify means; and a shortened character storage means connected to the modify means for storing a character shortened by said modify means; said modify means receiving a command to output an outline character from the main control means and reading the standard character from the character generator, the standard character being shortened by said modify means when a dot pattern of the standard character exists at at least one upper or lower end in a dot display space, the shortened character being stored in the shortened character storage means, the stored data being expanded by said modify means, the expanded data being stored in the widened character storage means, and the outline character is obtained by processing of data from the widened character storage means and the shortened character storage means through the modify means to output an outline character.
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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) | 1995-03-24 | 1995-09-23 | 1996-03-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-03-24 | 1999-09-23 | 2000-03-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-03-24 | 2003-09-23 | 2004-03-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |