Abstract: There is provided a technique for arranging characters along a road to improve appearance and readability. A map display system includes a temporarily arranging part that obtains directions of a plurality of characters for when the plurality of characters are temporarily arranged along a road in a direction of the road, the direction of the road being a reference direction; and an arranging part that arranges, when a difference between directions of consecutive characters is greater than or equal to a threshold value, the consecutive characters so as to reduce the difference, the consecutive characters being two consecutive characters in the direction of the road, and arranges, when the difference is less than the threshold value, the consecutive characters in a temporary arrangement position.

Abstract: A system, method and non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for implementing dynamic layout rules for attributed text strings having different type styles. In some implementations, developers can use an Application Programming Interface (API) or a design tool to specify dynamic text layout rules for rendering attributed text strings in a user interface (UI). Various text attributes associated with the different type styles (e.g., font metrics) are dynamically adjusted based on the dynamic text layout rules to improve the readability of the text when, for example, font sizes are adjusted. In some implementations, one or more parameters of a text container, text container region, line-fragment or display object are dynamically adjusted based on the dynamic text layout rules to improve the readability of the text.

Abstract: A kerning method for adjusting a position of an object character relative to an immediately preceding character acting as a reference character, in arranging at least two characters in a predetermined arranging direction based on character frames, i.e. imaginary bodies, including character patterns or faces therein.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for setting intercharacter spacing for display, rendering or other output of strings of adjacent characters utilize character shapes to set final spacing amounts. The invention stores specifications of characters to be rendered adjacently along an axis, the specifications including a font associated with each of the characters, each character having an associated interior portion defined by a contour portion, and adjacent characters having opposed contour segments separated along the axis by at least one intercharacter contour distance at an initial (e.g., default) intercharacter spacing; and sets a final intercharacter spacing between pairs of adjacent characters along the axis based on a portion of the intercharacter contour distances; the invention may further utilize statistical analysis of these distances in setting spacing.

Abstract: A practical kerning method and electronic typo-graphic/editing apparatus which is capable of arranging characters such that two characters do not come too close to each other across a small character or sign included in a character string. In positioning an object character with a space reduction relative to an immediately preceding character, a space (character space) between the first character and the third character of three characters, for example, is determined after the three characters are arranged with successive space reductions. This first to third character facing space is checked to see if it is smaller than a reference space. When the first to third character facing space is smaller than the reference space, a correction is made to at least one of a space reduction amount for the second character and a space reduction amount for the third character.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically spacing characters by an output device, such as a printer or printing press onto a medium. The automatic spacing process utilizes kerning pairs and associated kerning values as input and results in an output of characters onto a medium having a desired amount of white space or "color" associated therewith.

Abstract: A kerning method for adjusting a position of an object character relative to an adjacent reference character already fixed in place, in arranging characters of a character string in a predetermined direction based on rectangular character frames (imaginary bodies) including character patterns (faces) therein.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for automatic adjustment of character spacing suited to characters in innumerable combinations, such as in the case with Chinese characters and hiragana and katakana characters in the Japanese language. In character dot data of a plurality of characters which construct a character string developed in memory, character density data representing the broadness of the character face of a character, character face overlap area data representing degree of overlap between this character and a character adjacent thereto in a state in which the character and adjoining character are closest to each other, and blank-space area data representing the broadness of blank space produced between the two characters are generated for each and every character.

Abstract: A method for preventing counterfeiting or theft of sales, bank checks and other important records and documents comprising alphanumeric characters including, the steps of printing different parts of at least come of the characters in a predetermined sequence of colors, dyes or other materials from a printing ribbon on which the segments or color are serially or alternatively deposited in a predetermined sequence of segments. Additionally, the method and apparatus for fabricating a multi-colored printing ribbon by depositing spaced segments of a first color at a first color depositing station and then inserting segments of a second color between said segments of said first color at a second color depositing station. By providing multiple color applying regions at each station carefully controlled color segments are produced on the printing ribbon. Means are provided to adjust segment spacing, the amount of coloring material deposited and the timing of the overall device.

Abstract: In a typewriting apparatus in the invention, the carrier is driven by a stepping motor. Characters printed by this apparatus are divided into two groups, one for characters frequently used but requiring no higher printing position precision and the other for characters less frequently used but requiring higher printing position precision. Furthermore, each group can be printed in a normal printing mode or in a boldface printing mode. These four kinds of printing are executed by selecting their respective suitable pulse rates of the stepping motor.

Abstract: A printer that includes a means for storing print data of a character; a first converter for converting print data to be read into a single dot pattern by performing the function of logical OR of a total of four dot patterns, assuming that a print head moving direction is a horizontal direction. The four dot patterns are: the print data, data next to such print data, data four pieces of data ahead, and data five pieces of data ahead. The printer also includes an inverter for inverting the single dot pattern generated by the first converter; a second converter for converting two dot patterns into a single dot pattern by performing the function of logical AND of two dot patterns. These two dot patterns are: a dot pattern newly generated by the first converter and the dot pattern inverted by the inverter, so that the number of horizontally extending data of a bold character is changed and compressed to thereby create a reduced bold character and print such reduced bold character.

Abstract: A dot-matrix printer for printing characters in a matrix of dots wherein columns of dots each column consisting of a suitable number of dots and extending in a given direction are arranged at a predetermined printing pitch in a printing direction intersecting the direction of the columns of dots. The printer has a print head which is moved in the printing direction and has a first and a second group of dot-forming elements for forming dots such that the dots formed by the second group correspond to the dots formed by the first group and are spaced in the printing direction, by a predetermined distance from the corresponding dots formed by the first group, if the first and second groups of dot-forming elements are activated simultaneously.

Abstract: An impact printing device for printing bar code patterns on an information carrier, the patterns including a combination of parallel thin and wide bars separated by spaces wherein the wide bars can have an imprint width which is a multiple of the thin bars, comprising a movable type carrier, a plurality of bar code type elements on said type carrier, the bar code type elements including first type elements having a pair of imprint forming parallel thin bars and second type elements having a single imprint forming thick bar, and a plurality of print hammers each defining a print position of a print line and each operable selectively to successively impact combinations of the first and second type elements at the same print position to form completed bar code imprints at the print position having a wide bar imprint with a width greater than the single thick bars of the second type elements.

Abstract: A matrix printer (1) or other imaging device in a memory (7) stores fonts of character data (11, 11') in defining bit maps for each character of the fonts. The memory also stores shift values for each font which vary with the nature of the font for double strike, emphasize, and combined double strike and emphasize, from which character bit maps are modified before printing by being shifted and overlayed. Improved images for double strike and emphasize are achieved, and the combined double strike and emphasize need not be the overlay of double strike and emphasize.

Abstract: A character erasable printing apparatus is designed to erase a character or an underline in plural times of erasing action by moving the printing head, and to print a character by a single printing action.Therefore, when an underlined character is erased together with its underline, and a correct character is printed together with an underline, the underline is interrupted.Disclosed are, to pervent such interruption of the underline, a character erasable printing apparatus capable of erasing only the character without erasing the underline when the underline mode is being set, a character erasable printing apparatus capable of erasing only the character without erasing the underline when erasing a character adjacent to an underlined character, and a character erasable printing apparatus capable of erasing the underline without moving the printing head when erasing an underline of a character adjacent to an underlined character.

Abstract: A lettering apparatus having an improved interface feature including a printer portion, a data input portion and an interface assembly for connecting the printer with the keyboard comprising an electrical interface, a font motor interface and an initial alignment interface. The interface assembly facilitates quick, uncomplicated and inexpensive conversion of a manual lettering system to an automated lettering system.

Abstract: A recording device capable of writing a character on a sheet of paper with a writing ball-point pen according to a set of character pattern data which is stored in a pattern memory, and erasing a written character with an erasing ball-point pen with reliability, by means of (1) modifying the set of character pattern data into a corresponding set of erasing pattern data which permits each of the components of an erasing path of the erasing pen to be shifted from the written character in a selected one of a first and a second direction which are normal to a first and a second reference line intersecting with each other, the set of erasing pattern data causing the component of the erasing path to be shifted in the first direction if a segment of the written character corresponding to the component is positioned nearer to the first reference line than the second, or to be shifted in the second direction if the segment is positioned nearer to the second reference line, and (2) controlling movements of the erasing

Abstract: In a printer for printing an attributed character by printing a character part and an attribute part separately, the invented printer or typewriter is so constructed that only an attribute part, e.g., an underline part or a bold face part, is printed in case a printed character is detected to already have the attribute, i.e., is underlined, or bold face, thereby preventing a character part of the printed character from being double printed. This results in improved quality in printed characters and in complete clear character erasures. The printer is also effective for overprinting attribute parts to over a desired range of printed characters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing characters in bold form in a typing system. As disclosed, characters entered through an input device such as a keyboard are printed on paper, placed in a display and stored in memory substantially as they are entered. After a group of characters, such as a line of characters, have been entered and printed, those characters which are to be printed in bold form are identified from the information stored in the memory. The thus-identified characters are then printed a second time at a position slightly offset from that of the first printing of each of the characters.

Abstract: There is disclosed a printing apparatus provided with a mechanism for erasing printed characters by actuating a type font through an erasing ribbon and a mechanism for selecting characters by rotating the type font, wherein the erasure of a printed character is achieved by rotating a type selected from said type font by a determined amount for printing a character in the overlapping manner on the character to be erased.

Abstract: Inaccurate duplication of the first and the secnd prints due to the inequality of the distance and arrangement therebetween occurs in a serial printer in which a carriage is moved parallel to a platen by a servo motor etc. The first printing in duplex printing is performed after sufficient time for damping of the oscillation of the carriage in this invention. The second printing is done after sufficient time for damping of the oscillation as well as before. The control may be performed by sensing the necessary carriage displacement. The duplex printing may be performed when the displacement is zero or a small value.

Abstract: A check encoder (11) for printing of full field MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) codes on checks, includes a check guide (19) and means for sensing the position of the check (25,27) in the check guide (19). A pair of fixed roller assemblies (29,31), coact with a pair of movable roller assemblies (33,35) to grip the check and move the check under the action of a stepper motor (44) to an initial known position. A hammer (87), mounted in a hammer mount (83) and activated by an electrical solenoid (91) impacts the check against successive selected characters on a font wheel (61) to print the desired MICR code. A computer program, controls the operation of the check positioning, check encoding and check moving operations. When the desired MICR code has been printed on the check, the check is moved out of the encoder (11) by means of the fixed and movable roller assemblies (29,31,33 and 35).

Abstract: A dot printing device includes a head having a plurality of head pins, a dot driver for selectively energizing the head pins according to dot data, a character generator, and a data processing unit for causing N-bit dot data constituting designated character data to be generated sequentially by the character generator according to input character designation data, and supplied to the head driver. The data processing unit causes a plurality of N-bit dot data corresponding to the input character designation data to be generated from the character generator according to input character designation data and italic printing data, and supplies the lower bit of the N-bit dot data and (N-1) bits with predetermined delay times with respect to the lowest bit to the head driver.

Abstract: An improved dry lettering printing machine of the type having a printing station, a rotatable disc or type font having embossed characters on the disc and a means for causing the machine to execute a print cycle which includes providing a color carrying ribbon and image carrying tape at the print station, precisely aligning a selected raised character on the disc for printing, exerting a printing force at the printing station, and reciprocating the tape cartridge to advance the tape and ribbon to print the next character at the printing station. The improvement includes an input keyboard for typing the information which is to appear on the tape interfaced with the printing machine with a programmed microcomputer which stores the input data and, with control signals, sequentially causes the printing machine to print a tape according to the information typed on the keyboard.

Abstract: Device for use with a typewriter having manual half back space lever to permit making bold face characters. When bold face typing is desired, the device is removably secured to the typewriter, adjacent to the half-space lever, to permit incremental adjustment of the lever and typewriter carriage. By proper adjustment of the lever with the device, restruck characters can be made to have the appearance of bold face.

Abstract: A business machine including a frame, a paper support mechanism and a printing mechanism for successive character printing on paper supported from the paper support mechanism is provided. One of the mechanisms is supported from the frame for guided incremented shifting relative to the other mechanism whereby successive printed characters made on paper supported from the paper support mechanism by the printing mechanism will form a line of printed characters extending along the paper in a predetermined path.

Abstract: Erase apparatus for a typewriter utilizes a special double strike technique to permit quality erasures at normal character overstrike accuracies. The unwanted character is overstruck first slightly to one side and then slightly to the other side in the escapement direction. A preferred range to achieve apparently complete erasures occurs at sideshift distances between two and twenty percent of an average character escapement. In a presently preferred implementation, position codes are produced which cause the normal typewriter escapement apparatus to move the type carrier to the special striking positions for erasing.

Abstract: The aesthetic characteristics of adjacent characters are used to enhance the quality of output in a proportional spacing printer and to provide right margin justification for composing. Spacing between characters is determined on the basis of the character being printed and the preceding character already printed on the page. An intercharacter displacement memory contains a list of ideal spacing for all combinations of characters to be printed. As each character is typed, it and the previously stored preceding character address the intercharacter displacement memory. The output of the intercharacter displacement memory is the ideal value of escapement for this combination of characters and font style. The printer positions the print head prior to printing the next character, rather than positioning the print head after the previous character is printed.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for defining and controlling the relative positioning of symbols in a computer-based imaging system for generating images suitable for controlling a printing operation. Information describing the symbols is stored in a memory and is retrieved and the corresponding symbol relatively positioned on an imaging device in response to a control program and an input specification of the desired coincidence of "concatenation points" associated with each symbol.