Abstract: According to an large scale integration (LSI) system, different types of macrocells which are required to establish a predetermined system and which have a first-layer of wiring and a glue circuit for compensating for the functions not provided by the marcrocells alone, are formed on a single semiconductor substrate. The different types of macrocells correspond to different types of independent LSIs constituting the predetermined system. The macrocells have the same main circuits as those of the independent LSIs. The pattern configuration of the main circuits of the macrocells adopts the patterns of the corresponding independent LSIs. A second-layer of wiring is connected between the macrocells and between the macrocells and the glue circuit as needed.

Abstract: A color graphic display having a read/write control system for a buffer memory therein. The invention provides Line-on-Line and Underpaint by way of a method which invleves reading the contents of a frame buffer storage location for which new pixel data is being provided, comparing those contents with data representing a display background characteristic or color, and if the result of the comparison is positive, storing the new pixel data in the frame buffer storage location. If the result of the comparison is negative, a selected data value different from the new pixel data is stored in the frame buffer storage location.

Abstract: A recording apparatus capable of recording a graphical representation such as a bar graph, broken-line graph and a pie charat, and a succession of explanatory characters accompanying the graphical representation, such that the explanatory characters are recorded selectively in a first and a second direction. The apparatus includes an input device through which the explanatory characters are entered, a recording mechanism for recording the graphical representation and the explanatory characters on a recording medium and a device for selecting the first direction if a length of the succession of explanatory characters is equal to or smaller than a reference value, and selecting the second direction if the length is larger than the reference value. The second direction is determined so as to assure a sufficient space for recording the succession of characters.

Abstract: A medication clock for producing a record of a patient complying with a medication schedule. A data base is provided which stores the time and date of each medication that the patient takes including those medications taken in response to an alarm by the clock as well as medications taken by the choice of the patient. The dosage schedule may be programmed by reading information written by the pharmacist.

Abstract: An image composing apparatus receiving contour point data of images from a source of image data. The apparatus includes a contour point data memory including horizontal scan memory areas respectively corresponding to horizontal scan lines, the horizontal scan memory areas storing contour point data sequentially written therein depending on their priorities. The contour point data includes pairs of left- and right-hand contour points at each of which the contour line of a given pattern for cathode ray tube display intersects each of the horizontal scan lines and attendant data of the pattern.

Abstract: A graphic system for producing printed images. The signals representing the image are produced as CMY (cyan, magenta, yellow) printing color component signals and transformed to RGB (red, green, blue) signals for display on a monitor. The transformation circuit is a matrix of arithmetic circuits including look-up tables. The system can also be conditioned so that RGB signals are first produced and these transformed to CMY.

Abstract: A computer graphics apparatus and a method for allowing the comparison of two or more digitally-stored images on a raster-scan display device, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), by use of arithmetic or Boolean logic operations performed on the picture elements (pixels) in each image which are to be superimposed at a given display pixel on the CRT. The invention provides the features of color lookup tables, continuous zoom and roam logic and high-speed processing in a computer graphics apparatus for digital image comparison.

Abstract: A horizontal line processor for loading print instruction commands into selected locations in a full page bit map memory.

Abstract: A document processor having a keyboard, a displaying apparatus for displaying inputted characters and symbols on a display and a control device for controlling the displaying apparatus, there is provided an improvement that permits the moving of an inputted word separated at the right margin set position on the display to the start of the succeeding display line by wordlap control, such that the separated word is displayed distinguishably on the display, for example, by blinking, in order to distinguish the separated word to an operator before moving the word to the succeeding line.

Abstract: A display processor, as for a small computer, processes pixel codes of various lengths. Three addressable color maps have their read addresses generated independently from portions of each pixel code. The portions of each pixel code used in generating each read address can be selected by programming.

Abstract: A method of using a computer graphic system for free-form deformation of geometric models. The method is based on the use of a control-point grid which is imposed on the model and which can then be moved by a system designer to specify a deformation to a particular region of the model. Displacement of control points on the grid provides the designer with an intuitive appreciation for the resulting affect in terms of deformation on the specified region of the geometric model. The free-form deformation of the model is accomplished through the use of a trivariate vector rational polynomial in which the displaced control points represent coefficients of the polynomial. The method provides a powerful and highly flexible technique that can be adapted and used in the environment of virtually any presently known solid modeling system, such as CSG or B-rep. The method can be used to deform surface primitives of any type or degree, such as planes, quadrics, parametric surface patches or implicitly defined surfaces.

Abstract: A technique for efficiently drawing wide lines in a graphics display system by method and apparatus which includes identifying a wide line to be drawn; drawing a first line of pixels of a wide line; determining if a next line in the wide line has a different first coordinate value from a first coordinate value of the first line; generating at least one additional pixel value for the next line if the first coordinate value of the next line is different from the first coordinate value of an immediately previously drawn line; repeating the steps until the wide line has been completely drawn.

Abstract: A method of displaying graphic image surface information data of an object lying within a three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional display screen when seen from a predetermined observing point is disclosed. A patch of the surface of an object is separated into plural triangular units, and image information data (luminance, visible-nonvisible, and distance) are all represented at the three apexes of each triangular unit area which includes a number of display pixels. The positional data at the three apexes are transformed from three- to two-dimensional space. The other image information data are calculated in accordance with interpolation calculation. Prior to the interpolation calculation a display area is determined and a triangular area including pixels to be processed is determined to reduce the processing time. This process is repeated for the entire surface to be displayed.

Abstract: A data output control system which comprises a first storage unit for storing data to be printed, an output unit for printing the data on an output medium, and a second storage unit for sotring a program. A third storage unit is provided for storing position information indicative of a line position and a column position on the printing medium from which the printing of the data is to be started. The system further comprises a first output control unit for renewing the position information in the third storage unit on the basis of first information of the program and printing the data, specified by a data output instruction of the program, on the printing medium from the line and column position specified by the position information in the third storage unit.

Abstract: A method for computer image generation simulated visual scenes for applications such as flight training. The processing to generate the image takes place in three sequential stages: Controller, Geometry Processor, and Display Processor. At any point in time, the stages are processing data for three consecutive scenes. Each scene is comprised of a plurality of faces. Processing prior to the Display Processor accomplishes clipping and perspective transformation of faces. The Display Processor then generates the scene with pipeline processing accomplishing four major tasks: span detection or windowing, span sequencing, mask processing, and color processing. The improved realism of the computer generated image includes application of area-times-color smoothing, using fractional face areas to improve scene quality and reduce quantizing artifacts.

Abstract: A method for clipping fixed characters against one or more clipping boundaries for display in a graphics display system, includes the steps of: storing fixed characters to be displayed; defining a window in a first coordinate space against which said characters shall be clipped along one or more boundaries thereof; clipping an inverse character box for each fixed character to be displayed against said defined clipping window; and transforming said clipped character box defined in a first coordinate space to a character box defined in a second coordinate space for display on a graphics display system.

Abstract: A computer aided coordinate digitizing system is arranged to read data from construction drawings and make construction estimates from the data. A digitizing device determines a series of X-Y coordinate positions on a flat surface by means of a pointer placed at selected positions on the surface and a sensor assembly for detecting the position of the pointer. The device generates X-Y coordinate signals which are transmitted to a computer associated with the device. The computer is programmed to use the received X-Y coordinate signals to perform calculations in response to entry of computer control functions by an operator using a voice recognition unit which converts vocal commands into computer control signals to operate the computer and initiate the selected computer programs for performing construction estimates.

Abstract: A controller for a Chinese character printer, or the like, includes a pattern buffer into which character pattern data is written by an input control unit transferring the character pattern data from a temporary input buffer. The character pattern data is transferred from the character pattern buffer into a font memory by an output control unit only during a non-printing period, such as during a paper feed, of the printer. Print data, including character codes, are transferred by the input control unit from the input buffer to a page buffer. During a printing period, the output control unit selects character pattern data in the font memory in accordance with the character codes in the page buffer and transfers the corresponding character pattern data to a pattern converting unit which sends appropriate print signal data based on the character pattern data to the printer.

Abstract: A method for storing compressed data indicative of an analog signal and reproducing that analog signal from the compressed data. The analog signal to be stored is superimposed on a rectangular coordinate system. An elementary interval is defined on the X-axis of an X-Y coordinate system for the selection of a first series of points, a second series of points (R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3) is determined by establishing a threshold ratio between the chord (C.sub.1, C.sub.1 ') separating two non-consecutive points and the sum of the chords (C.sub.1, C.sub.2, C.sub.3 ; C.sub.1 ', C.sub.2 ', C.sub.3 ') separating each of the consecutive points within two non-consecutive points. An interval (N) between these two non-consecutive points is selected to correspond to the maximum ratio below this threshold.

Abstract: An automatic test equipment for the functional testing of electrical printed circuit board assemblies is constructed as the combination of a programmable controller based upon a microcomputer and selected interface modules which can be plugged into the controller system backplane in any of a number of module interconnection locations and in any combination of module types with the controller being adapted to interrogate the modules as to their type and location and organize its routines accordingly. The controller has an advantageous bus structure for resource sharing within the equipment, and provides facilities for various forms of input/output modules as well as for analog stimulus/response modules, programmable waveform generator modules, signature analysis and frequency measurement modules, real time emulation modules, etc., and for the connection of computer standard utilities such as keyboard, light-pen graphics, printer, etc.