US5734388A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for data compression of digital data to produce a scaleable font database
Assignee: DB ZWIRN SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND LP
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Filing: 1994-05-16
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Granted: 1998-03-31
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Expires: 2014-05-16
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for storing scaleable font data in a compact form and retrieving it in one of several usable forms common in digital typography. The retrieval process can be influenced by parameters to produce not only the original typeface designs that were compressed, but also variations on those typeface designs. Variations produced in this manner are related typeface designs which therefore effectively add new fonts to the family originally stored. Individual character pixelmaps and scaleable character outlines are two of the forms which can be retrieved from the compressed font data. The storage and retrieval methods are designed so that the time needed to produce a single character pixelmap from the internal form is less than that required for producing the same pixelmap from an uncompressed hinted outline font stored in an industry-standard format.
Inventors
- 👤 Allan W. Ristow
- 👤 Thomas B. Hawkins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 07:15
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/20; G06T11/23; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K2215/00; G06K2215/0002; G06K2215/002; G06K2215/0028; G06K2215/004; G06K2215/0042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for reconstruction of a CHARACTER OUTLINE for each of a plurality of STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS in a SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE comprising the following steps: (A) Hint based scaling of DIMENSIONS applicable to each of a plurality of ASSOCIATIONS contained within a CHARACTER MODEL; (B) Determining the locations of SEGMENT ENDPOINTS by using the hint based scaled DIMENSIONS together with said ASSOCIATIONS; (C) Scaling CONTOUR SEGMENTS between adjacent pairs of said SEGMENT ENDPOINTS in each coordinate direction of an output medium; (D) Forming a complete CHARACTER OUTLINE using the scaled CONTOUR SEGMENTS: and, (E) Outputting said complete CHARACTER OUTLINE to a video display and/or to a printer/recorder to form a visually perceptible representation of the complete CHARACTER OUTLINE.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
119 words
A method for reconstruction of a CHARACTER OUTLINE for each of a plurality of STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS in a SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE comprising the following steps: (A) Hint based scaling of DIMENSIONS applicable to each of a plurality of ASSOCIATIONS contained within a CHARACTER MODEL; (B) Determining the locations of SEGMENT ENDPOINTS by using the hint based scaled DIMENSIONS together with said ASSOCIATIONS; (C) Scaling CONTOUR SEGMENTS between adjacent pairs of said SEGMENT ENDPOINTS in each coordinate direction of an output medium; (D) Forming a complete CHARACTER OUTLINE using the scaled CONTOUR SEGMENTS: and, (E) Outputting said complete CHARACTER OUTLINE to a video display and/or to a printer/recorder to form a visually perceptible representation of the complete CHARACTER OUTLINE.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said CONTOUR SEGMENTS are NORMALIZED CONTOUR SEGMENTS.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
17 words
The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein said complete CHARACTER OUTLINE is output as a PIXELMAP.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
21 words
The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein said complete CHARACTER OUTLINE is output in a format usable in digital typography.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
18 words
The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein at least one of said ASSOCIATIONS is a SPATIAL ASSOCIATION.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
18 words
The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein at least one of said ASSOCIATIONS is a NON-SPATIAL ASSOCIATION.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS is a connected sequence of one or more straight line segments.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 7 wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS is a LINE.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7 wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS is a DOUBLE LINE.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7 wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS is a TRIPLE LINE.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS includes a sequence comprises one or more connected curve segments.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS is a QUAD.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS is a DOUBLE QUAD.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of said sequence of connected curve segments comprises one or more parametric cubic curves.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS is a CUBIC.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS is an ARBITRARY CONTOUR SEGMENT.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said CHARACTER MODEL is comprised of a plurality of CHARACTER SUB-MODELS, together with ASSOCIATIONS defining the interrelationship of said plurality of CHARACTER SUB-MODELS.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 17 wherein at least one of said STORED CHARACTERS represents a compound character.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17 wherein at least one of said STORED CHARACTERS represents a character from a non-Latin language.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said DIMENSIONS is obtained by modification of at least one of said DIMENSIONS.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS is obtained by modification of the SEGMENT DESCRIPTOR which defines at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said CONTOUR SEGMENTS is obtained by modification of one or more SEGMENT DESCRIPTORS.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
196 words
An apparatus for storage, retrieval and reconstruction of a CHARACTER OUTLINE for each of a plurality of hint based STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS in a hint based SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE comprising: (A) Storage means for storing data for each of said plurality of hint based STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS of said hint based SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE, said data comprising a CHARACTER MODEL wherein at least one of a plurality of ASSOCIATIONS includes HINT DATA, DIMENSIONS, and SEGMENT DESCRIPTORS; (B) Retrieval means for retrieving said data according to CHARACTER CODE and TYPEFACE DESIGN; (C) Scaling means for hint based scaling of DIMENSIONS applicable to each of a plurality of ASSOCIATIONS contained within said CHARACTER MODEL; (D) Means for determining the locations of segment endpoints using the hint based scaled DIMENSIONS together with said ASSOCIATIONS; (E) Means for scaling CONTOUR SEGMENTS between adjacent pairs of said SEGMENT ENDPOINTS in each coordinate direction of an output medium; (F) Means for forming a complete CHARACTER OUTLINE on an output medium using the scaled CONTOUR SEGMENTS; and, Means for outputting said complete CHARACTER OUTLINE to a video display and/or to a printer/recorder to form a visually perceptible representation of the complete CHARACTER OUTLINE.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
196 words
An apparatus for storage, retrieval and reconstruction of a CHARACTER OUTLINE for each of a plurality of hint based STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS in a hint based SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE comprising: (A) Storage means for storing data for each of said plurality of hint based STORED SCALEABLE CHARACTERS of said hint based SCALEABLE FONT DATABASE, said data comprising a CHARACTER MODEL wherein at least one of a plurality of ASSOCIATIONS includes HINT DATA, DIMENSIONS, and SEGMENT DESCRIPTORS; (B) Retrieval means for retrieving said data according to CHARACTER CODE and TYPEFACE DESIGN; (C) Scaling means for hint based scaling of DIMENSIONS applicable to each of a plurality of ASSOCIATIONS contained within said CHARACTER MODEL; (D) Means for determining the locations of segment endpoints using the hint based scaled DIMENSIONS together with said ASSOCIATIONS; (E) Means for scaling CONTOUR SEGMENTS between adjacent pairs of said SEGMENT ENDPOINTS in each coordinate direction of an output medium; (F) Means for forming a complete CHARACTER OUTLINE on an output medium using the scaled CONTOUR SEGMENTS; and, Means for outputting said complete CHARACTER OUTLINE to a video display and/or to a printer/recorder to form a visually perceptible representation of the complete CHARACTER OUTLINE.
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) | 2001-03-30 | 2001-09-29 | 2002-03-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-03-30 | 2005-09-29 | 2006-03-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-03-30 | 2009-09-29 | 2010-03-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |