Abstract: A photocomposition system for composing typeface characters on a CRT display using a magnetic font disc formed of plural variable length character sectors wherein each sector includes successive storage cells containing all of the coded signals necessary to describe a single character image which signals may be retrieved and decoded for use by the CRT to create an optical image of the character. An optical scanner system is disclosed for optically determining the coordinate points on the boundary of an original character design for subsequent encoding into successive 3 bit binary codes representing successive end to end translational movements along the boundaries of the character design being encoded. The translational movements are selected from a subset of a total of 24 possible translational paths wherein the paths making up the subset is continually varying dependent on the general direction of the previous translational path.

Abstract: A photocomposition system for composing typeface characters on a CRT display using a magnetic font disc formed of plural variable length character sectors wherein each sector includes successive storage cells containing all of the coded signals necessary to describe a single character image which signals may be retrieved and decoded for use by the CRT to create an optical image of the character. An optical scanner system is disclosed for optically determining the coordinate points on the boundary of an original character design for subsequent encoding into successive 3 bit binary codes representing successive end to end translational movements along the boundaries of the character design being encoded. The translational movements are selected from a subset of a total of 24 possible translational paths wherein the paths making up the subset is continually varying dependent on the general direction of the previous translational path.

Abstract: A photocomposition system for composing typeface characters on a CRT display using a magnetic font disc formed of plural variable length character sectors wherein each sector includes successive storage cells containing all of the coded signals necessary to describe a single character image which signals may be retrieved and decoded for use by the CRT to create an optical image of the character. An optical scanner system is disclosed for optically determining the coordinate points on the boundary of an original character design for subsequent encoding into successive 3 bit binary codes representing successive end to end translational movements along the boundaries of the character design being encoded. The translational movements are selected from a subset of a total of 24 possible translational paths wherein the paths making up the subset is continually varying dependent on the general direction of the previous translational path.

Abstract: The phototypesetting machine of this invention includes a character carrier bearing a group of characters arranged for projection by a projection unit. The character carrier is driven at a constant speed so that the characters move consecutively past the projection unit. Position marks and width marks are placed on the character carrier to control the projection of the characters and to provide the width information necessary to set the characters. The character carrier as segmented into replaceable sections, each section bearing at least one distinct alphabet or character group with the width information therefor.

Abstract: The photocomposing machine is adapted to provide over eight thousand characters during operation. Characters are arranged in bands on a plurality of rotating drums, and multiple character keys and alternate keyboard displays are employed to permit selection of a specific character. Basic functional codes such as keyboard identification, type font identification, and shift identification are used to accomplish drum and band selection. A character position code is then used to locate the character in the selected band on the selected drum.A method of justification for characters such as Japanese characters is employed wherein characters of different size are segregated into two groups. The space available from the characters in the smaller sized group is employed in justification.