US5444829A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for centrally controlling letter data
Assignee: Ricoh Printing Systems Ltd
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Filing: 1992-12-28
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Granted: 1995-08-22
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Expires: 2012-12-28
Abstract
Abstract A plurality of letter output devices (workstations, printers) are connected to a letter data control device by a transmission path. The control device stores letter data for transmission to the letter output devices, and is able to convert that letter data to a desired layout (e.g. from a vector font to a dot font) and then transmits the converted letter data to one or more of the letter output devices. The control device is able to select part of its stored letter data for transmission so that only commonly used letter data need be transmitted during start up of the system. Since a large amount of letter data may be stored in the control device, and only part may be transmitted to the letter output devices, those output devices can have a relatively small memory.
Inventors
- 👤 Atsushi Kawabata
- 👤 Shuuichi Miura
- 👤 Kimiya Yamaashi
- 👤 Yuji Taki
- 👤 Yoshiki Kobayashi
- 👤 Shinya Tanifuji
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:18
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/12; G06F3/1297
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
A system for centrally controlling letter data comprising: a) a plurality of letter data output devices; b) a letter data controller controlling said letter data output devices; and c) a transmission path interconnecting said letter data output devices and said letter data controller; wherein said letter data controller includes: (i) means for storing commonly used letter data having a font format; (ii) means for comparing stored letter data in said means for storing with a desired data format according to a request from one of said letter data output devices; (iii) means for converting said letter data to said desired data format according to a result from said means for comparing; and (iv) means for transmitting said desired data format to at least one of said letter data output devices via said transmission path; wherein at least two of said plurality of letter data output devices are arranged to signal to said letter data controller via said transmission path for causing said letter data controller to transmit said desired data format; wherein said at least two of said letter data output devices are arranged to store said desired data format; and wherein a further one of said letter data output devices includes means for storing a plurality of desired data formats stored by said at least two of said letter data output devices.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
223 words
A system for centrally controlling letter data comprising: a) a plurality of letter data output devices; b) a letter data controller controlling said letter data output devices; and c) a transmission path interconnecting said letter data output devices and said letter data controller; wherein said letter data controller includes: (i) means for storing commonly used letter data having a font format; (ii) means for comparing stored letter data in said means for storing with a desired data format according to a request from one of said letter data output devices; (iii) means for converting said letter data to said desired data format according to a result from said means for comparing; and (iv) means for transmitting said desired data format to at least one of said letter data output devices via said transmission path; wherein at least two of said plurality of letter data output devices are arranged to signal to said letter data controller via said transmission path for causing said letter data controller to transmit said desired data format; wherein said at least two of said letter data output devices are arranged to store said desired data format; and wherein a further one of said letter data output devices includes means for storing a plurality of desired data formats stored by said at least two of said letter data output devices.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
126 words
A data processing system for processing data and outputting font data comprising: a) a plurality of data processing apparatuses for processing data, wherein said data includes request data for requiring font data having a font format; b) a font server for converting font data stored therein to required font data having a required font format according to a request data sent from one of the data processing apparatuses and outputting said required font data to each data processing apparatus; and c) a transmission path interconnecting said plurality of data processing apparatuses and said font server for transmitting the request data from the plurality of data processing apparatuses to the font server and for transmitting the font data from the font server to the data processing apparatuses.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
126 words
A data processing system for processing data and outputting font data comprising: a) a plurality of data processing apparatuses for processing data, wherein said data includes request data for requiring font data having a font format; b) a font server for converting font data stored therein to required font data having a required font format according to a request data sent from one of the data processing apparatuses and outputting said required font data to each data processing apparatus; and c) a transmission path interconnecting said plurality of data processing apparatuses and said font server for transmitting the request data from the plurality of data processing apparatuses to the font server and for transmitting the font data from the font server to the data processing apparatuses.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
132 words
The data processing system according to claim 2, wherein said font server further comprises: a) a font data memory apparatus for storing the font data having the font format; b) a main control device for comparing the font format of said font data stored in said font data memory apparatus with a desired font format according to said request data from one of said data processing apparatus; c) a conversion device for converting said font data stored in the font data memory to said desired font data with said desired font format according to a result from said main control device; and d) a network control device for controlling said transmission path to transmit said converted font data with said desired font format to at least one of said data processing apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The data processing system according to claim 3, wherein said font data memory apparatus comprises a hard disk apparatus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The data processing system according to claim 3, wherein said font data memory apparatus stores at least one of either dot font data or vector font data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The data processing system according to claim 5, wherein said vector font data includes at least one of either stroke font data, outline font data or meta font data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The data processing system according to claim 3, wherein said conversion device converts vector font data to dot font data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The data processing system according to claim 7, wherein said vector font data includes at least one of either stroke font data, outline font data or meta font data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The data processing system according to claim 3, wherein said font server further comprises a compression device for compressing said converted font data.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The data processing system according to claim 9, wherein said another font format comprises a dot font format.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The data processing system according to claim 3, wherein said conversion device converts the font format of said font data stored in said font data memory apparatus to another font format that is different from the font data that is stored in said font data memory apparatus.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
174 words
The data processing system according to claim 9, wherein at least one of said data processing apparatuses includes: a) a main control device for generating control signals; b) a network control device for transmitting data to or from said transmission path according to said control signals; c) an image storage device for storing output data which includes said font data or graphic data according to said control signals; d) an outputting device for outputting said output data to a data output apparatus from said image storage device according to said control signals; e) a font cache memory device for storing some font data with a font format for said data processing apparatus; and f) a font data control device for determining whether said font data which is desired by said data processing apparatus has been stored in said font cache memory device according to said control signals and controlling the outputting of said font data from either said font cache memory device or from said font server according to a result of said determination.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
The data processing system according to claim 12, wherein said at least one of said data processing apparatuses further includes a font conversion device for converting a font format of said font data from said font cache memory device or said font server to a different font format of said font data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The data processing system according to claim 13, wherein said different font format comprises a dot font format.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
The data processing system according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said data processing apparatus includes a further font conversion device for decompressing said font data which has been compressed upon receipt from said font cache memory device or said font server.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The data processing system according to claim 12, wherein said data output apparatus comprises a printer apparatus.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The data processing system according to claim 12, wherein said data output apparatus comprises a display apparatus.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The data processing system according to claim 12, wherein said font cache memory device stores at least one of either vector font data or dot font data.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The data processing system according to claim 18, wherein said vector font data includes at least one of either stroke font data or meta font data.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
172 words
The data processing system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said data processing apparatuses comprises a printing apparatus, and said printing apparatus comprises: a) a main control device for generating control signals; b) a network control device for transmitting data to or from said transmission path according to said control signals; c) an image storage device for storing output data which includes said font data or graphic data according to said control signals; d) a printing device for printing output data from said image storage device to printing material; e) a font cache memory device for storing some font data with a font format for said data processing apparatus; f) a font data control device for determining whether said font data that is desired by said data processing apparatus has been stored in said font cache memory device according to said control signals and controlling the outputting of said font data from either said font cache memory device or said font server according to a result of the determination.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
53 words
The data processing system according to claim 20, wherein at least one of said data processing apparatuses further comprises a further font conversion device for converting the font format of said font data sent from said font cache memory device or said font server to a different font format of said font data.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The data processing system according to claim 21, wherein said different font format comprises a dot font format.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
45 words
The data processing system according to claim 20, wherein at least one of said data processing apparatuses further comprises a further font conversion device for decompressing said font data which has been compressed upon receipt from said font cache memory device or said font server.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
The data processing system according to claim 20, wherein said font cache memory device stores at least one of either vector font data or dot font data.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
The data processing system according to claim 24, wherein said vector font data includes at least one of either stroke font data, outline font data or meta font data.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
49 words
The data processing system according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of data output apparatuses, at least one of the data output apparatuses being controlled by one of the data processing apparatuses and displaying font data from said one of the data processing apparatuses or said font server.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
126 words
The data processing system according to claim 26, wherein at least one of said data output apparatuses includes: a) a main control device for generating control signals; b) a network control device for transmitting data to or from said transmission path according to said control signals; c) a font cache memory device for storing some font data with a font format for said data processing apparatus; and d) a font data control device for determining whether said font data that desired by said data processing apparatus has been stored in said font cache memory device according to said control signals and controlling the outputting of said font data from either said font cache memory device or said font server according to a result of the determination.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
51 words
The data processing system according to claim 27, wherein at least one of said data processing apparatus comprises a further font conversion device for converting a font format of said font data from said font cache memory device or said font server to a different font format of said font data.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
The data processing system according to claim 28, wherein said different font format comprises a dot font format.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
17 words
The data processing system according to claim 26, wherein said data output apparatus comprises a printer apparatus.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
44 words
The data processing system according to claim 27, wherein at least one of said data processing apparatus comprises a further font conversion device for decompressing said font data which has been compressed upon receipt from said font cache memory device or said font server.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
27 words
The data processing system according to claim 27, wherein said font cache memory device stores at least one of either vector font data or dot font data.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
The data processing system according to claim 32, wherein said vector font data includes at least one of either stroke font dam, outline font data or meta font data.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
127 words
The data processing system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said data processing apparatus includes: a) a main control device for generating control signals; b) a network control device for transmitting data to or from said transmission path according to said control signals; c) a font cache memory device for storing some font data with a font format for said data processing apparatus; and d) a font data control device for determining whether said font data that is desired by said data processing apparatus has been stored in said font cache memory device according to said control signals and controlling the outputting of said font data from either said font cache memory device or said font server according as a result of the determination.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
52 words
The data processing system according to claim 34, wherein at least one of said data processing apparatus further comprises a further font conversion device for converting a font format of said font data from said font cache memory device or said font server to a different font format of said font data.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
The data processing system according to claim 35, wherein said different font format comprises a dot font format.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
35 words
The data processing system according to claim 34, wherein a further font conversion device for decompressing said font data which has been compressed upon receipt from said font cache memory device or said font server.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
17 words
The data processing system according to claim 34, wherein said data output apparatus comprises a printer apparatus.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
17 words
The data processing system according to claim 34, wherein said data output apparatus comprises a display apparatus.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
27 words
The data processing system according to claim 34, wherein said font cache memory device stores at least one of either vector font data or dot font data.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
29 words
The data processing system according to claim 40, wherein said vector font data includes at least one of either stroke font data, outline font data or meta font data.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-08-21 | 1999-02-20 | 1999-08-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-08-21 | 2003-02-20 | 2003-08-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-08-21 | 2007-02-20 | 2007-08-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |