Abstract: In publishing listings of real estate properties, photographed (or videotaped) images are converted to digital graphics at the "front end" of the publishing process. This image conversion ("capture") process includes cropping, contrast adjustment using statistical techniques, and generation of control information needed later in the process. A library of digital graphics and associated information is maintained. Graphics selected from this library and a conventional "multiple listing service" text database are then merged during a text composition process to provide a stream of digital data including text and embedded graphics to be printed in the listing book. Because all image operations (e.g., sizing, cropping, and digital image quality enhancement) are performed when the images are captured, no time consuming post processing steps are requird.

Abstract: A number of individual samples from a batch of textile material are tested in the form of a test series. During each test series, at least one type of data obtained for each individual sample is stored digitally, and after n individual samples have been tested this data is displayed in the form of a collective chart containing n suitably arranged individual curves. This type of display does away with the use of a chart recorder with its known disadvantages and enables a printer to be used. Also, since the data can be displayed in the form of a collective chart, pauses between individual measurements, which would otherwise occur due to the relatively low printing speed of the printer, and which would greatly reduce the output of the test installation, do not occur.

Abstract: An electronic graphic system is suitable for use in modifying data defining an initial high resolution image. In the system data relating to a user defined low resolution control image controls the combining of other image data with data defining a low resolution representation of the initial image. In this way the system produces data representing a low resolution combined image which is continously displayed on a display monitor. Once desired modifications have been achieved by the user to the image displayed on the display monitor, the low resolution control image data is converted into a high resolution representation. The high resolution control image is used to control the combining of the other image data with the initial high resolution image data to produce data defining a modified high resolution image. The other image data may be a user defined color or another image, for example.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tiling a display area defined by lines joining vertices with a surface normal vector associated with each vertex whereby the display area is subdivided into sub-display areas by calculating additional vertices and surface normal vectors by interpolation and rendering a given sub-display area by calculating intensity values at its vertices and tiling its area by linear interpolation of the calculated vertex intensity values.

Abstract: A text processing apparatus includes a keyboard to input various kinds of text information and includes a display to display text information input from the keyboard and an area specifying device to specify an area of the text information displayed on the display device. A scroll instruction device is included to scroll the text information displayed on the display device, memories to store information for use in editing text information input from the keyboard, and a dispaly controller. Reference material can be input into a window on the display. When a scroll command is given, the window containing the reference material will scroll to an edge of the display and will stop. Text displayed outside the window can continue to scroll while the text in the window remains fixed.

Abstract: In a printing system having insertable font cartridges, a font managing apparatus selects fonts when there is a change in the font to be printed. For example, when a font cartridge is detached or interchanged, the font managing apparatus detects the interchange or detachment of the font cartridge and reselects another font. The font managing apparatus can also change the attributes of the font to be printed.

Abstract: A display arrangement in a digital data processing system having an interface for controlling the display of hierarchically arranged display objects, each having associated display criteria, in response to a hierarchically-arranged layer control arrangement. The interface comprises a display criteria testing portion for determining the display criteria for each object, and a layer hierarchy control portion for controlling the creation of said layer control arrangement in response to the display criteria determined by the display criteria testing portion.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for using an index register which cycles modulo 4 for loading registers which contain coordinates of four vertices of quadrilateral objects, including degenerate quadrilateral objects, namely a point, a line and a triangle, which are to be displayed by a graphics display subsystem. In this manner, a software command need only define the minimum number of X,Y coordinate pairs to define the object, i.e., one coordinate pair for a point, two coordinate pairs for a line, three coordinate pairs for a triangle and two coordinate pairs for a rectangle (by defining opposite corners). Additionally, by using an index register according to the present invention, objects can be efficiently replicated.

Abstract: A printing unit allows connection of two or more signal sources, thereby improving the efficiency of use of the printing unit. For this purpose the printing unit or printer has a first image signal source for supplying a first image signal. The first image signal source is connectable with a second image signal source for generating a different image signal, and has a control unit for controlling the function of the second signal source.

Abstract: A desktop printing system for use with microprocessor-based computers includes the modular combination of a color printer and a monochrome text printer. Preferably, the color printer is of the type which prints color graphics incrementally and the text printer is of the type which prints monochrome text continuously. In operation, printing information is segregated into color and text components, and the color printer is controlled to print only color components while the text printer is controlled to print only monochrome text components.

Abstract: A digital information storage and read-out system in which digital elevation and cultural terrain data is read from a magnetic tape in compressed form into an intermediate memory which operates as a speed buffer memory. The data in the intermediate memory is read out to a reconstruction processor in which the compressed data is reconstructed and applied to a scene memory. A navigation computer determines the instantaneous position of a vehicle with respect to the terrain and controls the reading of data into the scene memory in blocks with the vehicle position occupying a center of scene location. In order to provide a heading up display of the terrain, the data in the scene memory is raed out at an angle to its north-up storage orientation and interlaced scanning of pixel data in the scene memory improves resolution and enhances line display.

Abstract: A plurality of image input devices and a plurality of image output devices are connected to a system bus and an image bus of an image processing system through an external device control unit. The image processing system comprises a host CPU, an image processing unit, a CRT and multiple input and output devices, which are connected with each other through the system bus and the image bus. The external device control unit comprises a control CPU for controlling various processing based on various commands, a switch connected to each of the image input/output devices and to the image bus for switching combinations of connections of the image imput/output devices based on an instruction from the control CPU, a dual port for exchanging information between the host CPU and the control CPU through the system bus.

Abstract: A method of creating building instructions for a three dimensional cabling assembly for use in a larger assembly. A three dimensional digital computer model of the cabling assembly and a larger assembly is designed ab initio by using a three dimensional mechanical design system. A three dimensional view of the model is then selected and transferred to a two dimensional representation while retaining the aspect ratios of the cabling assembly. Finally, overall lengths of cable sections aligned with the corresponding cable sections themselves are provided in human readable form.

Abstract: A graphic data conversion method converts the original data of a first format of a drawing or a product into basic element records comprising basic graphic elements, dimension line elements and text elements, organizes an intermediate data file by properly inserting edit partition records and edit records, and then converts the data stored in the intermediate data file into the data of a second format of the drawing or the product. Translators can be easily organized and the degree of freedom and efficiency of data conversion are enhanced, since the data is stored perspicuously in the intermediate data file in elements and structures.

Abstract: Circuitry for performing high speed operations on certain Boolean raster operations in a workstation whose functions include the display of graphics images using multiple planes and having foreground and background colors. The circuitry includes a logic circuit for determining whether a particular Boolean raster operation is one for which the high speed operation is available. A Boolean raster operation is determined to be available for high speed operation if the outcome of the operation can be determined by reading only one operand, namely the source data. If the other operand, namely the destination data, is needed to determine the outcome if the operation, then the operation is performed normally. Otherwise, the operation may be performed by reading the source data only.

Abstract: A data processing system including at least one storage device for storing and retrieving data and connected to a storage device interface that controls the storing and retrieving of data from the storage device and further includes a data buffer for storing data retrieved from or being stored in the storage device. The data processing system includes a storage device driver that receives storage access commands from a processor, provides commands to the interface in response to these commands to the access commands from the processor and also provides commands for data not requested by the processor. The commands for data not requested by the processor provide for the temporary storage of data in the storage device interface data buffer. This data not requested by the processor is retrieved in anticipation of commands to be sent by the processor. The storage driver manages this buffer to optimize the amount of storage dedicated to the storage of data for these anticipatory commands.

Abstract: A computer is provided with the facility to display in map form, directed data associated with respective nodes. The operation of the mapping facility is initiated in response to the user entering an appropriate command. Specifically, responsive to the command, the computer displays a plurality of symbols representing respective ones of the nodes such that those symbols which exchange data are connected to one another by a displayed link formed from two half-line segments each indicative of the direction and level of data associated with its respective symbol. In addition, a plurality of tools are displayed for controlling the parameters used in the display of the symbols and links. For example, the user is provided with the capability to change the length of the half-line segments, and is provided with the capability to erase from the display those segments representing data values which are not within a range of data thresholds established by the user operating a threshold tool.

Abstract: A method of converting image outlline data representative of segments defining an outline of an image area to be reproduced, into dot data representative of image dots which collectively represent the image area. In the method, the outline of the image area is superimposed on a coordinated pixel screen wherein a plurality of vertical pixel lines and a plurality of horizontal pixel lines cooperate to provide intersections defining a matrix of dot positions which are selectively used as the image dots. The vertical and horizontal pixel lines form a plurality of sections each having four corners defined by the respective four intersections of the pixel lines. Each one of the plurality of sections is determined as a relevant section if any one of the segments of the outline of the image area passes through the relevant section. The dot data are prepared such that the dot data represents the presence of the image dot at a predetermined one of four corners of each relevant section.

Abstract: A computer method and apparatus for combining a brush object element with a trajectory object element in a graphics display system. The brush has a reference point that moves along a trajectory, and any point in application coordinates that is at any position covered by the brush, is assigned an -inside- indication. The trajectory may be non-closed or closed, in which latter case it may also govern an -inside- indication. The approach is point driven, which leads itself to acceleration by means of array calculations.

Abstract: A coordinate input system has a tablet composed of an X-direction loop coil assembly and a Y-direction loop coil assembly, and an input pen having a tuning circuit the tuning frequency of which is variable about a predetermined frequency. The system has a coordinate detecting function for detecting the X- and Y-coordinate values of position input by the input pen, and a phase detecting function for detecting the change in the tuning frequency of the tuning circuit as a change in the phase with respect to the phase of the predetermined tuning frequency. Information concerning the detected coordinate point, e.g., spread of the coordinate point proportional to the pressure at which the pen is pressed onto the tablet, is computed in accordance with the amount of change in the phase detected by the phase detecting function.