Abstract: A memory circuit including memory elements on which data read, write and store operations can be arbitrarily performed, the memory elements having a dyadic/arithmetic operation function. In a read/modify/write mode to be executed during a memory cycle and in an interval in which data from the memory elements and data from external devices exist, an operation is executed between external data and the data in the memory elements and the result of such operation is stored during a write cycle, thereby achieving a higher-speed operation.

Abstract: A system and method for alloying a customer to purchase or rent items from a locked cabinet without the intervention of store personnel. The authorized customer first inputs a membership card and a secret number. If these are correct, the system unlocks the locked cabinets, and the customer is allowed to examine all of the contents in the unlocked cabinet at his or her leisure. The computer continuously monitors the removal of all items from the unlocked cabinet. The customer reads in identifying information from each of the selected items. When the number of items that have been removed equals the number of items that have been read in by the customer, the computer allows the doors of the cabinet to be relocked, and the customer is provided with a customer slip indicating the items that have been selected. The system utilizes a similar method for the return of previously rented items. In the rental context, return of rental items can be performed in parallel with rental of items.

Abstract: A workstation that employs methods to construct computer programs through use of visual graphical representations. Computer programs are illustrated as visual road maps of the intended sequence of actions. Each operational entity in a program graph on the screen is represented as an elemental "atomic" unit, called a "Softron". The Softron is a multidimensional, graphical "atom" of programming information which has four modes of operation, termed "layers". The four layers are Normal, where the basic functionally of the application resides; Initialization/Reset, responsible both for the startup values of important variables and for their values at strategic checkpoints; Error, which handles conditions outside design limits; and Input/Output, which performs human input/output and other I/O tasks. Softrons reside in very general form in the workstation's library, and are optimized by the process of specialization. Softrons may be grouped to form new Softrons by a process called Logical Zoom (TM).

Abstract: An adaptive forward differencing apparatus wherein, when rendering curves, calculated x, y values are increased or decreased in order to create values which correspond to the next pixel of the display CRT, such that curves of substantially one pixel increments are continuously and uniformly generated. The apparatus of the present invention also provides circuitry for generating coordinates of display elements which approximate an ideal vector and to define curves, vectors or objects within maximum and minimum coordinates of the CRT display. The present invention also provides efficient circuitry for computing the value of 1/w of the homogenous coordinate w.

Abstract: A display technique allows the user to input information to a computer in the form of color with character text. The technique provides an ergonomic approach to convey information to an application program by using color to specify functions or attributes. Colors are used to reduce the number of interactions necessary to accomplish a task between the user and the application program. In many systems a command has to be typed to save a file. These commands range in size from one to many characters and require the user to key in each character and the filename. The improvement described is a technique for typing the filename in a specified color that the application interprets to mean, for example, Save the file. The technique assigns a color to data elements input to the system. The color is interpreted by the application to indicate what specific function, attribute or value should be associated with the data element.

Abstract: A cathode ray tube (CRT) controller (6) reads out a predetermined picture from a frame memory (2) storing a picture to be processed, and generates a bit pattern with respect to a window memory (5), having a size corresponding to the frame memory (2) and storing a bit pattern which specifies the validity or invalidity of picture processing. The pattern output by the CRT controller (6) controls the processing of the frame memory (2), so that picture processing is executed solely with respect to picture data in an area of the frame memory (2) specified by the bit pattern.

Abstract: A method for inputting data representing an engineering drawing to a computer aided design system. The method comprises the steps of creating the engineering drawing on quadrille paper or graph paper having criss-crossing lines. After creation of the drawing, the drawing is scanned by an optical reader which produces an electrical output signal representative of the drawing data. This output signal is electrically connected as an input signal to the computer aided design system. When editing the drawing, a computer generated grid pattern corresponding in scale to the criss crossing lines on the quadrille paper is superimposed on a video monitor of the computer aided design system thereby facilitating editing of the drawing on the computer aided design system.

Abstract: A memory assignment method used with a disk file management system operating with a hard disk memory wherein data is stored in appropriate ones of a number of discrete files on the disk, and each file has an assigned amount of memory space exclusively associated therewith for the storage of data that should be in the file. The disk file management system keeps track of how much of the memory dedicated to the exclusive use of each file on the disk is yet available for the storage of data in each file, and also keeps track of how much of the memory on the disk is yet available for storage but has not yet been assigned to the exclusive use of any particular file.

Abstract: A word processor that shows, on a display screen, in which place of a text a line will be drawn and, further, which kind of line will be printed out later. In a line ruler mode, the word processor displays a line pointing cursor instead of a normal cursor on the display screen. Here, the line pointing cursor has an arrowhead which points at one corner of the character region so as to indicate the starting point of a line to be ruled and has a line display portion in which a structure of line type to be printed by the printer is displayed.

Abstract: A high-speed graphics memory providing line mode and area mode data transfer at high speeds comprises a frame buffer structure, with unique address alignment and corresponding data manipulation to provide line mode and area mode pixel data transfer of comparable time intervals. The frame buffer comprises independently addressable 16 byte-wide video memories. The 16 memories provide a 128-bit contiguous horizontal pixel sequence in the line mode, and provide a two-dimensionally contiguous array of pixels comprising 8 bits by 2 bytes when in the area mode, from which an 8.times.8 bit area is selected at any address location in the entire image bit map. The pixels included in a particular line mode or area mode data transfer are directly addressable by external equipment, such as graphics processors, to provide a high-speed graphic display system.

Abstract: A device for connecting 8-bit and 16-bit modules to a 16-bit microprocessor. Primary data inputs and outputs of the 16-bit microprocessor are coupled, through data buffers, to the information inputs and outputs of half of the 8-bit modules and to primary data inputs and outputs, respectively, of the 16-bit modules, while secondary data inputs and outputs of the 16-bit microprocessor are coupled, through data buffers, to the information inputs and outputs of the other half of the 8-bit modules and to the secondary data inputs and outputs, respectively, of the 16-bit modules. On operations requiring word, or two-byte, exchange operation with the 8-bit modules, a control circuit extends operation of the 16-bit microprocessor allowing the 8-bit modules to work on the two-byte word one byte at a time. The 16-bit modules are capable of word exchange with the 16-bit microprocessor by simultaneously using the primary and secondary inputs and outputs thereof.

Abstract: A method for determining whether a perceived target is acceptably close to a model target. The perceived target is first segmented using a relaxation based procedure. Structural features from the perceived target are extracted by producing a compact one-dimensional description of the perceived target's boundary. Said structural features are classified by using string-to-string matching, wherein one of two symbolic strings is a representation of the compact one-dimensional description of the boundary of the perceived target, and the other of said two symbolic strings is a pre-stored representation of the model target. The string-to-string matching entails measuring the distance between the two strings based upon deletion, insertion, and substitution of symbols from one string to the other. Performing the string-to-string matching measures how closely local structural features of the perceived target resemble local structural features of the model target.

Abstract: A terminal is mounted on a base member of a printer support. The base member has a supporting member extending upwardly therefrom. A printer unit is mounted on the supporting member near and above the terminal. The operation portion of the printer unit is close to that of the terminal to achieve a high interactive operability therebetween. A control circuit board for the printer is mounted within the printer support and preferably in the base member which is relatively wide permitting the mounting of all control circuits for the printer unit on a single circuit board. The base member housing the circuit board can be made thin to reduce overall height of the terminal and printer support.

Abstract: An image reviewing station for a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), having two functions of user interface and display of an image wherein base memory, image processor, and display memory architecture is used. The digitized image data at any size from any different modalities is stored in base memory in an original format, and read-out signals are processed appropriately in the image processor responsive to the command signals input by the user. The processed image data is then stored in a display memory before being supplied to a display via a digital-to-analog converter for the display. It provides the user with extensive, concise and easy interactive image manipulation and processing capabilities.

Abstract: A digital typesetting correction system assembles lines of characters for typesetting and applies a correction program which identifies characters in combination pairs having contour elements to be corrected. The system automatically corrects the contour elements of characters in identified combination pairs appearing in a text for tighter spacing or a better visual appearance. The correction program has correction functions for reducing the width of a bar of a character, contracting a serif, defining the edge contour of a character to be parallel to the edge contour of an adjacent character, or applying any combination of these functions in accordance with specified percentage amounts. The system includes a memory for storing correction tables specifying particular correction parameters for specific combination pairs. In a design mode, a character, a set of characters, or parts of characters are designed and stored for later recall.

Abstract: A method of improving printer throughput by selecting a print velocity based on the characteristics of a line to be printed. Incorporated into an application program are all available printing velocities to be used for printing. As each line to be printed is buffered, it is analyzed. Based on the analysis, an optimum velocity is selected by the program for causing a printing of the line.

Abstract: A document-processing device has a multi-window display function. This device displays an indicia which enables an operator to quickly and easily visually ascertain the positional and size relationship between a window and a window-movable region on an image screen where the window can move or change its size. The indicia includes a first display region, a first display pattern, a second display region, and a second display pattern. The first display pattern is displayed in the first display region. The second display pattern is displayed in the second display region. A ratio of the length of the first display pattern to that of the first display region is equal to the ratio of the length of the window to the length of the window-movable region. The ratio of a length of the second display pattern to that of the second display region is equal to a ratio of the width of the window to the width of the window-movable region.

Abstract: An apparatus for cataloging and retrieving image data is programmed to store not only image data obtained by scanning each original but also reduced image data obtained by thinning these image data and search data used for the convenience in search operations. In a search operation, a plurality of reduced image data may be displayed simultaneously or sequentially with corresponding search data. Image data may be stored in a compressed form so that an increased amount of data can be stored. The apparatus may be programmed such that stored reduced image data are sequentially displayed while a specified key is depressed and particular image data corresponding to the data displayed when the key is released are displayed.

Abstract: A picture processing apparatus includes a window memory (6) connected to a CRT controller (6) and having a size corresponding to a frame memory (2) storing a picture to be processed. A bit pattern for specifying the validity or invalidity of processing performed by a processor (1) is stored in the window memory (6), and picture processing is performed only with regard to picture data of the bits indicative of validity.

Abstract: A processing device for changing magnification of image data applicable to a digital copier, a facsimile transceiver and other image processing apparatuses changes a magnification electrically, i.e., produces magnification-changed image data by estimating data with a changed magnification from data which are read with a 1 magnification. Nearby ones of original image data are sampled at a predetermined pitch and in synchronism with a data clock DCLK on the basis of a magnification R, which is specified on a 1% basis, so that magnification-changed image data Oij are computed and outputted in synchronism with the data clock. This realizes real-time processing, i.e., produces magnification-changed image data timed to the reading of an original image. Computations for MTF compensation are performed in matching relation to magnifications Rx and Ry, which respectively are specified in the main scanning and subscanning directions, so as to suppress deterioration of an image due to the change of magnification.