Character Elements Patents (Class 178/30)
  • Patent number: 4286329
    Abstract: A character compaction and generation method and apparatus which is particularly adapted to the generation of complex characters such as Kanji characters. A dot matrix defining a given character is compacted into a sparse matrix, with the original character being reconstructed for printing or display from the compacted character defined in the sparse matrix. Each character in the complex character set is compacted and stored in memory one time only, with decompaction being performed each time a given character is to be generated. A set of symbols are defined to represent different patterns which occur frequently in the entire complex character set. Different combinations of the symbols define a given character. The information stored for each sparse matrix representing a given character is comprised of each symbol in the sparse matrix, its position, and its size parameter if the symbol represents a family of patterns which differ only in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1981
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald Goertzel, Carl G. Powell, Samuel C. Tseng
  • Patent number: 4270124
    Abstract: A cathode ray tube display system is provided for displaying a block comprising a plurality of alphanumeric characters arranged in a plurality of character lines having cyclic refresh means wherein each unitary or whole character is refreshed before the next succeeding character is refreshed. The system comprises means for repetitive raster scanning of the CRT tube in a raster of horizontal passes each traversing the whole one of said character; each of these horizontal passes comprises a subraster of vertical scan lines wherein each character position in said character line being traversed is scanned by a group of these vertical scan lines, and means are provided for modulating the light intensity along the vertical scan lines of each of these groups to selectively provide an alphanumeric character at the position being scanned by the group of scan lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1981
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Charles R. Bringol
  • Patent number: 4270022
    Abstract: A character selection keyboard for use in connection with an ideographic language of which the characters can each comprise one or more of a set of character components, as defined. The keyboard comprises an array of character component keys each bearing a symbol corresponding to a character component. Some of the components have separate linguistic identity and can accordingly be used in isolation to constitute characters in the ideographic language; these components are all depicted within a part of the array which is visually distinct from the rest of the keyboard. The keyboard can be connected in a composing system in which data defining the structure of the characters constituted by the components selected by key actuation is derived from a programmable store in response to key signals generated by the key actuation. The keyboard may also be used in typewriters, telex machines, and other systems requiring data input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1981
    Inventor: Shiu C. Loh
  • Patent number: 4254409
    Abstract: A control system for modifying a conventional full width page printer to permit generation of different printed characters, symbols, or other graphic elements of different sizes in a single line. Use of this control system permits the sequential generation of such graphic elements, even though they have different relative widths and mixed sizes, during a single pass of the paper through the printer. In a block of printing which includes mixed sizes, the height of the highest character determines the printing unit, i.e., the block size, employed by this control system, and a variety of character sizes can be printed within that block. Vertical spacing between such blocks can be rapidly traversed by the printer to begin the next printing in any chosen format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1981
    Assignee: Quality Micro Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: James L. Busby
  • Patent number: 4254416
    Abstract: A system for displaying, performing positioning, sizing, and performing supportive composition functions for newspaper advertising layout in which characters and symbols are displayed with a height and width closely approximating the height and width of the actual printed characters. Characters are displayed as rows and columns of dots. Preselected rows and columns are deleted or repeated to decrease or increase the size of a character from a standard fixed size. Interactive work stations position copy, edit and correct text, adjust style and point sizes, to accomplish accurate composition functions. A Bit Image Memory digitally stores all displayed patterns including the character dot patterns directly to minimize the response time of the system to operator inputs. An arithmetic unit is disclosed which produces lines which also accurately represent the final copy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1981
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Helmut Lelke
  • Patent number: 4251871
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for reconstructing Chinese characters such as in a printer system, each of the characters is divided into a pair of components at least one of which occurs in one or more other characters. The components which have a height equal to the height of a standard character cell are stored together with information as to the locations of the components across the width of the standard character cell for each character. The components may be stored in a compressed form, in which event the information as to their location forms a part of the compressed data. When a given character is to be reconstructed, the first component thereof is transferred to a buffer where it is temporarily stored at the proper location across the width of a standard character cell. Thereafter, the second component is transferred to a logic circuit together with the temporarily stored first component, and the two are logically OR'ed to form the complete character.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1978
    Date of Patent: February 17, 1981
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Wellington C. Yu
  • Patent number: 4250511
    Abstract: A single pass multicolor thermal transfer printer for recording color images on plain paper by transferring spots of different colored materials from a carrier sheet as it and a sheet of paper are moved across a printhead in contiguous relation. The printhead includes a plurality of individual thermal elements that are selectively energized in timed relation to transfer colored materials from discrete areas of the carrier to the paper as the sheets pass over the printhead. The carrier includes separate, repeating patterns of four different color materials--three primary colors plus black--permitting the formation of multicolor images by energizing the appropriate elements as areas of the desired color materials are moved into registration with them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1981
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: William W. Stein, Robert W. Burns
  • Patent number: 4241340
    Abstract: A character display system is disclosed which provides displays of characters of variable size. A diddle raster scanning technique is used to display each character in its entirely before proceeding with the display of the next character. The size of the character is increased by increasing the size of the diddle raster scanned. In order to improve the appearance of larger point size characters, each character stroke is repeated a number of times N, where N increases with increasing point size.A circuit (112) provides an indication of the size of the character to be displayed. This indication is used to address a ROM (146) which contains control information (D1-D5) therein. A portion (D2, ) D3, D5) of this information controls the size of the diddle raster scanned, and another portion (D1) provides the number N indicating the number of times each character stroke is to be repeated. A video generator (114) generates a video signal on the basis of this number N and various character codes supplied to it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1980
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventor: Meredith T. Raney, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4234931
    Abstract: In reading out character dot patterns corresponding to character code signals from a dot pattern store therein a number of character dot patterns representing characters, there is provided a store therein position signals representing positions whereat the character dot patterns are stored in said dot pattern store, so that the position signals are first read out from the store by the character code signals and the corresponding character dot patterns are read out from said dot pattern store by the position signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1980
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kanaiwa, Kozo Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 4229817
    Abstract: The specification discloses a portable cryptographic device, adapted to be hand-held through solid state electronics, which possesses the capability for enciphering and deciphering plain text. The housing of the device has a keyboard for the input of plain text or cipher text, including numeric characters and control signals and, further, has a display for displaying the inputs. Circuitry within the device is responsive to the inputs and controls the display. Additional circuitry enciphers or deciphers the inputs and substitutes the resulting text into the display.The device incorporates a random code generator for generating a randomized message key which, together with the keyboard inputs, initiates and generates a long sequence of randomized letters for enciphering purposes. In a deciphering mode, a predetermined message key may be entered to set the random code generator at a point to generate the originally entered plain text.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1980
    Assignee: Datotek, Inc.
    Inventors: Barrie O. Morgan, Merlon B. Carter
  • Patent number: 4225962
    Abstract: A mosaic printer is made secure from unauthorized interception of data by falsifying the needle drive pulse current magnitude and sequence so that electromagnetic leakage radiation cannot be used to determine the alphanumeric data being printed. This falsification is accomplished by a compensation device having compensators energized each print cycle in addition to the printer needle drives in a reciprocal or a pseudorandom manner. The compensators have current consumption characteristics nominally identical to the needle drives and produce substantially identical radiation pulses, making it impossible to correlate the radiated pulse format with the symbol being printed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1980
    Assignee: Hasler AG Bern
    Inventors: Heinrich Meyr, Claude Georges
  • Patent number: 4215238
    Abstract: Printed characters are transmitted by storing data words in a transmitter representing character sequences for operating a printing head in accordance with a first mode, producing in the transmitter code words different from data words representing the character sequences and transmitting messages including the code words to a receiver which has a printing head which can operate selectively in accordance with the first mode or a second mode. A printing head provided with at least one printing element at the receiving station is supplied with binary character sequences which trigger printing commands. A character generator is provided which stores the binary character sequences of predetermined characters and, following the reception of data words assigned to the characters, emits the appropriate binary character sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1980
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Joachim Heinzl
  • Patent number: 4204090
    Abstract: In a system in which characters or graphic patterns are representd in punctiform fashion, the redundancy of binary character sequences which describe the characters or graphic patterns is reduced such that, within the binary character sequences, each binary character having a first binary value is assigned to a point which is to be represented and at least one interval corresponding to one element exist between two points represented by the same output component. Each element is split into a plurality of sub-elements and the binary character sequences which represent the characters or graphic patterns are split into sub-elements. Of the possible combinations (2.sup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Joachim Heinzl
  • Patent number: 4204089
    Abstract: Keyboard apparatus is described in which a keyboard having dead-keys to enable accented characters to be entered is claimed. A storage means, preferably of read only type, is divided into a number of sections; each section contains character codes representing accented or non-accented characters associated with that section. When a given dead key is activated, this addresses a section of the store associated with that dead-key to access the section containing the characters which are accented with the accents associated with that dead key. Activation of the next character key causes accessing of the code for an accented character within that section. Different accents for the same or other characters can be associated with different dead keys. Optionally the store can be arranged to store only validly-accented characters, thus avoiding the entry of invalidly-accented characters. Non-accented characters are normally accessed from a single section of the store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Key, James Smith, Shaun C. Kerigan
  • Patent number: 4200769
    Abstract: Predetermined characters or graphic patterns are transmitted from a transmitting station to a receiving station in a system wherein a printing head is provided with at least one printing component in the receiving station and is supplied with binary character sequences which trigger printing commands. The binary character sequences which represent the predetermined characters are stored in the receiving station in a character generator from which the sequences are read following the transmission of data words assigned to the predetermined characters, and are fed to the printing head. When graphic patterns are transmitted, code words are produced in the transmitting station to describe the graphic patterns, which words possess the same format as the data words.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1980
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Joachim Heinzl
  • Patent number: 4199751
    Abstract: A device for the input of alphanumerical data for apparatus of small size. The device comprises a keyboard formed of zones and members for the introduction of data, a monitoring display having luminous segments and electronic memorizing and decoding means, with the introduction zones enabling composition of the data, segment-by-segment, actuation of a zone making it possible to activate the segment of the display corresponding to this zone, the geometrical arrangement on the keyboard of the said zones being directly related to the arrangement of the segments of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1980
    Assignee: Centre Electronique Horloger SA
    Inventor: Christian Piguet
  • Patent number: 4181973
    Abstract: A character compaction and generation method and apparatus which is particularly adapted to the generation of complex characters such as Kanji characters. A dot matrix defining a given character is compacted into a sparse matrix, with the original character being reconstructed for printing or display from the compacted character defined in the sparse matrix. Each character in the complex character set is compacted and stored in memory one time only, with decompaction being performed each time a given character is to be generated. A set of symbols are defined to represent different patterns which occur frequently in the entire complex character set. Different combinations of the symbols define a given character. The information stored for each sparse matrix representing a given character is comprised of each symbol in the sparse matrix, its position, and its size parameter if the symbol represents a family of patterns which differ only in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1980
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Samuel C. Tseng
  • Patent number: 4158838
    Abstract: A symbol smoothing system for synthetically increasing the effective resolution of an in-raster symbol generator memory by a factor of four. The system stores a special three bit code in selected memory elements representative of the existing and past two memory lines with the code actually being a video brightness distribution and positioning offset code. A code number in a single memory cell defines positional and intensity information for the display elements corresponding to that memory cell and to selected surrounding eight memory cells, all of the memory cells having time or positional correspondence to display element positions. The stored codes in the surrounding memory cells, as well as the instantaneous memory cell being decoded, provide intensity levels which are combined at selected display element positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1979
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Michael D. Pruznick, Bruce W. Keller, James R. Phelps, Gerald Wolfson, James L. Heard
  • Patent number: 4149145
    Abstract: An autonomous processor for displaying on a video tube both text characters and facsimile data. To conserve memory space the facsimile data is stored in compressed form and is decompressed or unfolded in synchronism with the vertical and horizontal deflections in the video tube. Similarly the text characters are stored in coded form, together with interspaced commands, both inscribed in a list memory. Each character code in the list then selects an appropriate dot matrix from a font memory which also contains displacement data. Selected lines of the font dot matrices are then addressed by row coordinates to form a horizontal video signal, which is accumulated in a ping pong buffer concurrently unloading into a video register. This same video register merges the facsimile data which is concurrently unfolded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1979
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: David Hartke, Warren M. Sterling
  • Patent number: 4145570
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for coding, transmitting, receiving and displaying remotely or locally, all Arabic-Farsi characters or letters, basic arithmetic signs, numerals, punctuation marks and diacritical marks, as well as teleprinter operation commands in 5-bit standard Baudot codes. An Arabic-Farsi teleprinter similar in operation to the English teleprinter and compatible with the International exchange systems is provided without eliminating any letter forms. The teleprinter operation (the ability to compress the data into 5-bit characters) is based upon two basic criteria of the Arabic-Farsi languages, namely: (1) the form (start, middle, and or independent) of a character can be known if the preceding character and the following characters are known; and (2) there are six characters that are identical except for the presence or absence of a dot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1979
    Inventor: Khaled M. Diab
  • Patent number: 4144405
    Abstract: Each Kanji-character is divided into a plurality of part contours constituting the Kanji-character. The part contours of a character are sequentially designated according to the conventional order of writing various parts of the character by an input unit. In an output unit the designated part contours are sequentially printed or otherwise written for completing a character by the combination of one or more part contours. Between the input and output units is provided a processing unit for controlling the relative position and order of the part contours to be written. Space means is also provided to provide spaces between adjacent written characters. According to the system some of the part contours are used in common for synthesizing different Kanji-characters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1979
    Inventor: Shuichi Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 4137425
    Abstract: The teleprinter is provided with a bialphabetic keyboard, for example latin and arabic, and a dot printing head controlled by two different character generating units corresponding to the two alphabets. The teleprinter is normally predisposed for one of the two alphabets and can be switched to the other alphabet by means of a sequence of characters. The arabic character generating unit is adapted to recognize predetermined sequences for generating composite characters, i.e. the lam-alef group. Furthermore, some characters at the end of a word are generated by adding a tail to the normal character in response to the spacing code. The teleprinter can be connected to the conventional existing teleprinters, since neither the composite characters, nor the tails are transmitted on the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1979
    Assignee: Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A.
    Inventors: Luigino Ferroglio, Umberto Ratti
  • Patent number: 4132979
    Abstract: A circuit is described for controlling a programmable logic array adapted for use with a communications terminal. The logic array includes an input AND-section defined by a plurality of addressable fields and an output OR-section. One field of the input section is addressed by an incoming address register selectively loaded with incoming data. A second field is addressed by a branch address register loaded with selective outputs of the output section thus providing program branching capabilities. Also, a loop counter and a clocked program counter address two additional fields of the input section. The loop counter facilitates program looping in the logic array while the program counter affords real time operational characteristics for the control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1979
    Assignee: Teletype Corporation
    Inventor: Richard H. Heeren
  • Patent number: 4129859
    Abstract: A raster scan type CRT display system is disclosed which has a randomly accessable refresh memory. The display system comprises column and row start address registers for defining a read start address for the refresh memory, column and row address counters for counting the contents of the column and row start address registers as start positions to generate a read address of the refresh memory for display, column and row cursor registors for defining a data entry position on a CRT screen, and column and row address generators for generating an entry address for the refresh memory based on the contents of the column and row start address registers and the contents of the column and row cursor registers, whereby a rolling or shifting of the image is effected and the refresh memory can be accessed by a processor for read/write operation without the need to monitor the image rolling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1978
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Iwamura, Nagaharu Hamada, Toshitaka Hara, Nobuo Sato
  • Patent number: 4129860
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a character in which picture elements as indication elements are formed in the shape of a matrix to create a character, such as a letter, a numeral, a symbol or the like, in this case the magnifications of the character in both a longitudinal and a lateral direction are suitably increased or reduced and, in case the character has become obscure as a result of such enlargement, an interpolation is performed to the character to render it clear. The apparatus is used, for example, in the case of forming a character with printer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1978
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Seikosha
    Inventors: Setsuo Yonezawa, Tsuneta Kawakami, Tatsuo Shimada, Yoshinori Chida
  • Patent number: 4125829
    Abstract: There is provided a print pattern generating apparatus used for a printer for printing character information along with a format such as of an account book leaf or the like. The format is decomposed into a plurality of lines of dots, each line being represented by a dot pattern for memorizing such that a set of different dot patterns included in one of the formats are stored in a first memory, while the format pattern is stored in a second memory in the form of a combination of the addresses where the dot patterns of the respective lines constituting the format are stored. The dot patterns stored in the second memory are selectively read out in accordance with the addresses successively read out from the first memory and transferred for printing them in superposed relationship with the pattern of the character information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1978
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kozo Kayashima
  • Patent number: 4119954
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a digital display system including a display monitor and character generation circuitry to create characters on the display screen in the form of a dot matrix during the scanning of the display screen. The display screen is actually scanned twice with each field of scan being controlled by the same sets of signals from the character generator. Logic circuitry is provided between the character generator and the display screen to fill in information bit areas adjacent to character dot areas which form a diagonal so as to thereby give the displayed character a smooth appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1978
    Assignee: Burroughs Corporation
    Inventors: Charles Lewis Seitz, Paul Grunewald
  • Patent number: 4118695
    Abstract: Character data is entered into a cathode ray tube display device from a keyboard or from a tape reader or the like selected by a key on the keyboard. The data is stored in a main memory inside the display device and simultaneously displayed on the cathode ray tube for composing and editing. An auxiliary memory is disposed between the display device and output devices such as tape punches so that data may transferred from the main memory of the display device into the auxiliary memory, and the data may be transferred from the auxiliary memory to the output devices while new data is being entered into the display device. Selected characters on the display, such as capitals, may be emphasized by displaying a dotted or solid line above or below the character or slanting the character. A cursor controlled by the keyboard is displayed on the cathode ray tube to indicate the position for entry or editing of data. Warning means are provide to give an indication when the cursor reaches the end of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1974
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1978
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiya Ogawa, Akio Niki, Kazuo Uchimura, Koichi Tsuruoka
  • Patent number: 4114750
    Abstract: A printer system having local control for dynamically positioning a print head relative to a print medium utilizing positioning and print data signal inputs, including a control unit for receiving and storing data inputs, the control unit including circuit means responsive to the positioning data for arranging and outputing the stored print data to a print head, control circuitry connected to said control unit and head positioning apparatus employing a movable print medium connected to the control circuitry for positioning the head in relationship to the web in response to said control circuitry so that the head is thereby dynamically controlled by the respective data signal inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1978
    Assignee: Hydra Corporation
    Inventors: Henry S. Baeck, William C. Bennett, David C. Condon, Harold R. Gillette, Donald G. Herbert
  • Patent number: 4112424
    Abstract: An alphanumeric display system including an array of preferably 14 or alternatively, 15 light-emitting elements capable, when selectively activated, of legibly forming all numerals, and various alphabet letters and/or mathematical and punctuation symbols. The arrays disclosed are characterized by the arrangement of the light-emitting elements in a closely nested relation to form horizontal rows and columns inclined to both the right and the left at 60.degree. with respect to the horizontal. A solid state system for selectively energizing the light-emitting elements is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1978
    Assignee: Digicourse, Inc.
    Inventor: James M. Lapeyre
  • Patent number: 4110794
    Abstract: A word processing system for displaying and reproducing a plurality of alphanumeric characters on a solid state display and capable of printing from that display consisting of a housing containing an electronic keyboard with indicia markings on the keys. There is provided at least one solid state display device disposed adjacent to the housing and having a multitude of segments for reproducing the indicia identified on the keyboard. A logic means is connected to the keyboard and the solid state display, and scans the keyboard upon the depression of one or more keys to find out the identity of the keys depressed. A solid state memory is also connected to the logic means and contains coded information concerning the keyboard indicia so that a character can be generated and reproduced on the solid state display responsive to the keyed indicia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1978
    Assignee: Static Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Lester, Robert Hotto
  • Patent number: 4109244
    Abstract: A CRT display system is connected to a central processing unit over a bus and includes a random access memory which is filled and modified under the control of the computer and contains a sequence of codes defining characters to be displayed on the screen in successive locations. An oscillator controlled divider chain increments an address counter and also provides vertical and horizontal synchronization and retrace signals. A character generator which receives a character code from a RAM location designated by the counter as well as timing signals from the divider chain controls intensity modulation of the CRT display. Multiplexers interposed at various points in the divider chain receive the output of several stages of the preceding divider and operate under control from the CPU to determine which output is provided to the next element in the chain, thereby controlling the character size and spacing on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1978
    Assignee: Process Computer Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard G. Barnich, Timothy M. Hakeem
  • Patent number: 4107786
    Abstract: A signal converter for use in a recording or displaying device which can be used to change the size of characters to be recorded or displayed. By using instruction signals or enlargement codes, a part (for example the upper or lower half) of a character field and hence a corresponding part of a character may be enlarged, and then the enlarged upper and lower halves are combined to form an enlarged character for recording or display. Any number of characters in a row of characters may be changed in size by using the signal converter, and specified portions of different characters may be enlarged and then combined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1978
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsumi Masaki, Yukio Inagi, Isaka
  • Patent number: 4095046
    Abstract: An electronic enciphering- and deciphering apparatus in the form of a pocket calculator, comprising an input device for the input of characters to be processed, a control device for the input of control commands determining the function of the apparatus, an output device for the display of information, and a power source for the apparatus. A primary storage or memory serves for the storage of the entered character information, the output side of which can be connected with the output device and a cipher computer which can be connected at its output side with the output device. At least one key character storage is operatively associated with the cipher computer, the key character storage being connectable with the input device. A central control unit can be controlled by the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1978
    Assignee: Anstalt Europaische Handelsgesellschaft
    Inventors: Peter Frutiger, Bruno Gemperle
  • Patent number: 4091235
    Abstract: A printer, comprising a printing element which, when in operating position, is placed in a magnetic field, and is connected to a secondary winding of a transformer. This transformer has two additional secondary windings and two primary windings which are connected to a circuit so arranged that after a start pulse, two current pulses of opposite directions are successively supplied to the transformer of which only the second pulse effects movement of the printing element. The two primary windings are each connected to an amplifier, each of which supplies one of the current pulses. The input of the circuit and the amplifiers are coupled in such a way that the start pulse controls one of the amplifiers which in turn, through the two additional secondary windings and a blocking circuit, controls the other amplifier to produce the second pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1978
    Assignee: De Staat Der Nederlanden, Te Dezen Vertegenwoordigd Door De Directeur-Generaal Der Posterijen, Telegrafie En Telefonie
    Inventor: Emil Johan Nijenhuis
  • Patent number: 4090188
    Abstract: A dot matrix converter comprising means for providing an original character pattern comprising a dot matrix; means for dividing the original matrix into row groups and column groups, the number of groups being respectively one greater than the row difference and the column difference between the original matrix size and a desired matrix size to which the original matrix is to be converted; row (or column) size converting means which compare the individual opposed bits in the rows (or columns) on the opposite sides of dividing lines between adjacent row (or column) groups and inserts a logical "1" bit between the compared bits when both bits are logical "1" or inserts a logical "0" bit in all other cases, thereby effecting the addition of one row (or column) between the divided adjacent row (or column) groups; and column (or row) size converting means which compare the individual opposed bits in the columns (or rows) on the opposite sides of the dividing lines between adjacent column (or row) groups, and inser
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1978
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gojiro Suga
  • Patent number: 4089008
    Abstract: An optical printer comprises a mechanical scanner, which scans a modulated light beam across a recording medium in a main or horizontal direction at a fixed speed. An acousto-optic deflector performs auxiliary scanning of the beam in a vertical direction onto the mechanical scanner at a constant rate and is connected to a deflection signal generator. The deflection signal generator adjusts the stroke length of auxiliary scan in accordance with the magnification ratio and simultaneously adjusts the frequency of auxiliary scanning by the reciprocal of the magnification rate of the character to be printed. Furthermore, optical density is maintained constant for various character sizes by providing auxiliary gate pulses proportional to the square of the relative character size, which are AND gated with a character information signal to effect a light modulation signal for modulating the beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1978
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Gojiro Suga, Takashi Hirasaki
  • Patent number: 4084195
    Abstract: A system remaps image data generated by successive sweeps of the image by a single transducer element into a format for use by a print head assembly which requires the simultaneous application of plural modulating signals to a plurality of print elements thereon to effect printing of the image. Horizontal strips of the image data corresponding to the height of the arrangement of print elements within the head assembly are successively transferred from a page buffer which stores the image to a horizontal strip buffer, from which successive columns of each strip along the length thereof are transferred through a rotator for rearrangement into new groups of data oriented at right angles relative to the prior arrangement thereof for storage in a vertical strip buffer. From the vertical strip buffer the new groups of data are applied through deserializers to modulate the plural print elements in the form of ink jet nozzles as the head assembly undergoes successive sweeps across a printable medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1976
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1978
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Lawrence William Pereira
  • Patent number: 4081799
    Abstract: A system for expanding a dot-matrix for characters being displayed on a television raster scan display to improve the readability and resolution of displayed characters without a corresponding increase in the size of the Read-Only Memory (ROM) employed to generate the pattern of dots defining the characters. This result is accomplished by first displaying the identical dot-matrix stored in the ROM for each character in each row of characters to be displayed on the first pass of the raster scan. On the second pass of the raster scan, which is interlaced between the lines of the first pass of the raster scan, a new dot-matrix is inserted according to a predetermined logical real time comparison of the dot matrix of the adjacent rows of the dots produced during the first raster scan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1978
    Assignee: Sperry Rand Corporation
    Inventors: Mauritz L. Granberg, David G. Hanson, Robert L. Rajala
  • Patent number: 4081604
    Abstract: A superposition recording apparatus comprises a first read-out unit for reading first coded recording information from a first storage medium, a first memory for storing the first recording information read by the first read-out unit, a first dot signal generator to which the first coded recording information stored in the first memory is applied to thereby produce dot signals to be recorded, a second read-out unit for reading second coded recording information from a second storage medium, a second memory for storing the second recording information read by the second read-out unit, a second dot signal generator to which the first coded recording information stored in the second memory is applied to thereby produce dot signals to be recorded, and a recording signal generator for combining together the dot signals provided from the first and second dot signal generators to form recording signals for successively controlling the recording of first and second information on a recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1978
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Kanaiwa
  • Patent number: 4079367
    Abstract: Between picture elements of a character, such as letter, numeral and symbol, which is formed of a pattern of the separate display picture elements, a display picture element for interpolation is formed in conformity with predetermined rules, so that the shape of the character as intended to be displayed has its naturalness held and that the character can be formed in a proper size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1978
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Seikosha
    Inventors: Setsuo Yonezawa, Tsuneta Kawakami, Tatsuo Shimada, Yoshinori Chida
  • Patent number: 4075422
    Abstract: An automatic page selector comprises a counter, a page selector device responsive to the output of the counter to select pages for decoding and display, and a clock for providing pulses to the counter. Means may be provided for writing data into a memory the locations of which are sequentially addressable by the counter, and for controlling the intervals between successive clock pulses applied to the counter in accordance with the written data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1978
    Assignee: Communications Patents Limited
    Inventor: Henry Louis Baker
  • Patent number: 4074254
    Abstract: A compressed refresh buffer utilizing a random access memory is disclosed which performs a mapping between the refresh buffer and a video display screen, such that only non-zero screen areas are represented in the refresh buffer. The dot image on the video screen is divided into rectangular subarrays. If the subarray has image points plotted in it, it is designated active and the bits of each active subarray are stored in the refresh buffer. If no image points are plotted in a subarray, it is designated inactive. A row bit map is provided which includes one bit for each subarray in the row with a "one" bit representing an active subarray and a "zero" bit representing an inactive subarray. Control means including a row tag pointer memory is provided for storing a linked list of pointers associated with each active subarray in a row, each pointer pointing to the location in the random access memory of an active subarray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1978
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Karl A. Belser, Philip B. Metz
  • Patent number: 4072820
    Abstract: Apparatus for coding input data characters from a keyboard incorporates apparatus for recognizing characters which are to be represented by two successive code representations, rather than the usual single code representation for each character. When a two-code character is recognized, ordinary operation of the apparatus is inhibited, and an auxiliary counter is energized which, in conjunction with a fixed-value storage device, causes the plural code signals to be generated in the correct sequence, after which normal operation of the apparatus is resumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1978
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Gerd-Joachim Gunther
  • Patent number: 4071130
    Abstract: An arrangement for recording characters composed of matrix-like rastered character elements by means of a matrix printer to provide varying configurations to the recorded characters, by electrically varying the relationship of the respective character elements with respect to time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1978
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Reiner Lichti
  • Patent number: 4070662
    Abstract: The display generator comprises a map memory having a plurality of addressable locations corresponding respectively to a plurality of incremental display cell areas of the display screen. The apparatus further includes a symbol memory having a plurality of storage matrices for storing the respective plurality of patterns and symbols to be selectively written into the incremental display area cells to thereby form a display picture. The display raster is generated by digital circuits which sequentially address the map memory locations. The map memory words stored in the respective locations each includes a symbol memory address. The digital raster generation circuits are also coupled to the symbol memory for addressing the line of the symbol selected by the map memory for the line by line writing of the selected symbols in the cells of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 1975
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1978
    Assignee: Sperry Rand Corporation
    Inventor: Parm L. Narveson
  • Patent number: 4068224
    Abstract: Alphanumeric characters are stored in compressed form by creating a character list of information describing each character. The character is divided into rows and columns. To reconstruct the character, a position register is provided to accommodate successive positional values in a column where a transition from white/black (or vice versa) occurs. A decoder circuit, which has a number of outputs corresponding to the number of positional values possible, is coupled to the position register and provides an output associated with each of the transition values. The decoder circuit is followed by control means which is operable in response to the energized outputs of the decoder circuit to generate control signals which energize a utilization device to reconstruct continuous black areas in a column extending from transition value to transition value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1975
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1978
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Bastian Bechtle, Hartmut J. Bleher, Helmut Hasselmeier, Wilhelm G. Spruth, Peter Stucki, Helmut Weis
  • Patent number: 4068225
    Abstract: A communications terminal having a video output wherein new data is displayed on the bottom line of the CRT and each line of previously displayed data is moved up one line. Logic internal to the terminal increments the address of the storage locations within a memory to accomplish this. The new data being displayed replaced the oldest data stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1978
    Assignee: Honeywell Information Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Ernest Paul Lee
  • Patent number: 4063232
    Abstract: A system is provided for displaying alpha-numerical data on a cathode ray tube. A flicker-free, high resolution display is achieved by a repeating raster field displaced slightly from one another. This is achieved in one approach by using a modified repeat field technique in a 10 .times. 14 display and an associated 10 .times. 14 memory for each letter. Another approach employs a 5 .times. 7 memory in conjunction with logic circuitry producing a resolution equivalent to a 10 .times. 14 display by means of fillets generated at selected portions of the characters. The shape of individual characters is improved by selectively removing fillets from square corners of the character by using the presence of a black or illuminated area to inhibit the use of a fillet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1973
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1977
    Inventor: Olaf H. Fernald
  • Patent number: 4059183
    Abstract: A high resolution letter quality 24 by 40 dot matrix ink jet printer includes a movable print head having print elements disposed to print along a slanted line, a character generating module providing character dot patterns to be printed and a modular skewing circuit arranged to receive the dot pattern information and provide the information to the print head in a rearranged order that corresponds to the order in which dot patterns are printed by the print elements. Because the skewing circuit divides each character dot pattern into eight dot pattern modules and operates on the dot pattern modules one at a time in sequence, the finer resolution of a slant head printer can be obtained without need for a huge triangular shift register operating on all of the dot rows of a dot column in parallel to skew the dot pattern information into conformity with the corresponding relative print element locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1977
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Phillip Keith Hoskins