Abstract: An information processing apparatus to be connected to a printing apparatus includes an acquisition device for acquiring font information of the printing apparatus from the printing apparatus, a determination device for determining a disposing position of characters of a document to be printed on the printing apparatus by using the font information acquired by the acquisition device, and a display for displaying the characters of the document to be printed by the printing apparatus on the display based on the disposing position determined by the determination device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image printing apparatus for printing character data information of an electronic program guide added to externally inputted image information, comprising: an information processor comprising: demodulating/decoding means for detecting and demodulating/decoding the character data information of the electronic program guide added to the externally inputted image information; storage means for storing the demodulated/decoded character data information of the electronic program guide by the demodulating/decoding means; and output means for including the character data information of the electronic program guide stored by the storage means into a packet compliant with the IEEE 1394 standard and outputting the packet to the printer, and a printer comprising: input means for inputting the character data information of the electronic program guide included in the packet compliant with the IEEE 1394 standard outputted from the output means; print control means for detecting print co

Abstract: There is provided a character processing device. A character string formed of at least one character is input. There are stored in advance a plurality of processing instruction elements each specifying a process for processing the character string and at least one keyword associated with the process. From the plurality of processing instruction elements, a processing instruction element specifying the at least one keyword is retrieved as the predetermined keyword by using a predetermined keyword. The character string is processed according to the processing instruction element when the processing instruction element has been retrieved by the retrieval means.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for generating a plurality of bit maps suitable for high-speed printing includes the steps of: (a) providing a page description code specification, where the page description code specification defines at least one data area, and the page description code further defines a graphics state corresponding to the data area, where the graphics state including at least one attribute which controls the appearance of data in the data area; (b) interpreting the page description code specification, and during the interpretation step, identifying the data area defined by the page description code specification; (c) upon the identification of the variable data area in step (b), applying the graphics state corresponding to the data area to a set of alphanumeric characters so as to generate a plurality of character bit maps; (d) storing the plurality of character bit maps; (e) retrieving a variable data item from a plurality of variable data items; (f) associating the variable data item with th

Abstract: In an image processor for a character image included in an image data to be processed, character codes are recognized, and character sizes of the characters in the character image are recognized. A font data is selected in a plurality of font data of different sizes stored in a storage device, so as to match with the recognized character codes, the recognized font sizes and a magnification of the image data. The selected font data are outputted. Thus, the character image is reproduced by using the recognized character codes. Alternatively, in a saving mode where image data of N pages are outputted in M sheets of recording medium, wherein N is not equal to M, character codes are recognized in a character image included in N pages of image data to be processed. Then, a font data is selected in a plurality of font data, so as to match with the recognized character codes.

Abstract: A system and method of printing documents having merged text and graphics is presented which overcomes the Z-order problem of merging text and graphics on a raster printer and which enhances printing performance. The system and method analyze a location of the text and graphics elements to be printed to determine if and where any potential merging problems exist. In these regions, the system and method selectively redraws the text as part of the merged bitmap graphic. The remainder of the text on the document is printed with device resident fonts, either directly or through downloading the device font, if possible. This greatly enhances printing performance. If the text information is not supported or supportable by a device font, the text elements are drawn as bitmaps to be printed by the printer.

Abstract: Aspects for achieving enhanced glyphs of a font are presented. In a method aspect, the method includes determining a glyph layer description for a selected glyph, and accessing at least one contour for the selected glyph. The method further includes accessing at least one layer style for the at least one contour of the selected glyph, and rendering the selected glyph in accordance with the at least one layer style to produced an enhanced glyph. In a system aspect, the system includes a mechanism for providing a hinted path. A glyph layer processor is coupled to the mechanism for providing and receives the hinted path. The glyph layer processor outputs enhanced glyph data. A drawing client for receiving the enhanced glyph data from the glyph layer processor for output from a computer system is further included.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is disclosed which processes a document described in a structured description language to generate an image. The apparatus analyzes the document and recognizes the size of a font contained in the document. The user is allowed to enter a desired font size for output of the document. The apparatus then executes a drawing process with the entered font size.

Abstract: A printer is provided with a smart card encoding device that is externally accessible. The smart card is a key with an integrated circuit including a memory that will retain a discrete password and other digital information. The password on the smart card key must be compared to a password stored in the printer memory before printing operations will be permitted. The digital information in the smart card key memory can include marks or graphics that would indicate that the cards being printed by the printer are secured cards and authorized cards. The information will be printed from the smart card key memory only when the passwords match so that the discrete information on the smart card key can be used for driving the printer for printing this information. The printer is made into a high security printer by permitting the overriding of the password only upon the generating of identical numbers from separated algorithms, one in the printer memory and one at a secure location.

Abstract: A system for scanning film image frames containing both an image and recorded information optically imprinted on the image by a camera and reproducing the image with enhanced text reproduction. In print or Photo CD image reproductions, the text appears outside the reproduced image or is enhanced within the reproduced image for better readability. Recorded information is detected in the lateral and longitudinal stripe regions of the film image frame where such information is typically exposed by a camera having the capability is analyzed for its characteristic color hue and pattern. When present, the recorded characters or code patterns are recognized or decoded into ASCII code and formatted for printing or writing to Photo CD to appear as enhanced font text. In a full frame operating mode, an ID code of the data bits corresponding to the characters or code is generated for use in a re-touching algorithm to fill in the data bits so that the full image frame may be printed or recorded to Photo CD.

Abstract: A printing system includes an information processing apparatus and a printing apparatus in which character image data transferred from the information processing apparatus is registered in the printing apparatus and the printing apparatus prints the same character by using the registered character image data. The information processing apparatus includes a compression unit for compressing the character image data to be transferred to the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes a registration unit for registering the compressed character image data and a decompression unit for decompressing the compressed character image data.

Abstract: A code entry method obtains a desired character from one of a plurality of code-character conversion tables associated with different code systems in which one or more codes correspond to respective different characters and one or more characters are identified by different codes in the respective code systems. A code corresponding to the desired character in one of the plurality of code-character conversion tables is input. Different eligible characters identified by the input code in the respective plurality of code-character conversion tables are found, retrieved and displayed on a display screen. The desired character is selected from the displayed retrieved eligible characters. In one embodiment, only a first code-character conversion table contains the characters and the other code-character conversion tables identify the codes of the first code-conversion table corresponding to different codes of the other code-character conversion tables.

Abstract: A document is read by a scanner, the document type is detected, and a specific block in the document, for which character recognition is to be performed, is determined. The character recognition is performed for the specific block, the obtained character strings are analyzed, and in accordance with the analysis results, document objectives, such as the extraction of data, filing, transmission to a printer or notification of transmission, are attained. A process corresponding to the attained objectives is performed for the document that has been read.

Abstract: The apparatus recognizes line length of character strings and judges if a line is longer than a threshold length. Slewing addition control divides a character string longer than the threshold length into two lines. When the number of inputted characters exceeds that allowed in the line, that part of the character string having the number of characters allowed for the line and that part of the characters overflowing the number of characters allowed in the line are displayed in different manners. The apparatus also calculates a ratio of lengths of a pair of specific lines to one or more other pairs, determines a character-size-type based on the ratios thus obtained, determines basic character sizes of the respective lines based on the character-size-type and then determines a character size for each line based on the length information and the basic character size of each line.

Abstract: A system and methods automatically provide access and management of installed and noninstalled fonts in a computer system. Installed fonts are resident in computer memory, whereas the noninstalled fonts are preferably described in a compact database including the computer-accessible location of the physical font. Broadly, the invention provides user applications with the capability of automatic selection of both installed and noninstalled fonts without modifications to the application itself.

Abstract: When an magnified and synthesized image is finally printed on a printing medium based on an original image and a character font data, linear magnifying processing is executed with the aid of a software on the host computer side for the original image optically read by a scanner. In addition, vector magnifying processing is executed for font data likewise with the aid of a software, and moreover, synthesizing processing is executed for the font data. At this time, forming processing such as edge emphasizing or the like can be executed after completion of the vector magnifying processing. Synthesizing data are additionally magnified in a printer with the aid of a hardware, and subsequently, the magnified and synthesized image is outputted to the printer for performing a printing operation by the latter. An magnifying rate applicable to the host computer and the printer can be determined such that productivity of the image forming system is maximized.

Abstract: A method for obtaining a consumer video segment for the creation of motion sequence cards having a first step of selecting from a consumer's recording media the motion segment that is to be recorded on a motion-sequence card, a second step of recording the selected motion segment on a copy recording media, a third step of marking key frames of the video segments in the selected motion segment with an audio tone, and lastly a forth step of forwarding the selected motion segments recorded on the copy recording media to a motion sequence card fabrication site.

Abstract: A host computer extracts characters from print data, assigns IDs in units of characters, forms a character set with a predetermined length, and stores the IDs and images in correspondence with each other. Character data to be transferred to a printer is indicated by its position and character ID, and other data to be transferred to the printer are mapped as an image, which is compressed in units of band images. Both the character data and band image data are generated to have the predetermined length, with the obtained data being transmitted to the printer. The printer controls data read/write in units of predetermined lengths, and an empty area is released. Since the empty area is managed in units of predetermined lengths, all the data received from the host computer can be stored in that area. Hence, the printer neither needs map characters nor collects unused areas.

Abstract: Remote printing using incremental font subsetting. A document to be printed on a remote printer is analyzed page-by-page to determine the fonts used on each page and which characters, or glyphs, from each font are needed to print the page. For the first page on which a particular font is used in the document, a “subsetted font” comprising only the glyphs used on the page by that font is generated and copied to a spool file. For each subsequent page on which a font is used, a “font delta” is created in the spool file comprising only the glyphs used on the page which have not been previously copied to a record in the spool file. Once all of the subsetted fonts and font deltas for a given page have been written to the spool file, the text information for the page is written to the spool file and the page may be printed by the print spooler. This process continues for each page in a document to be printed on a remote printer.

Abstract: A host device successively sends print data constituting a plurality of sets of copies of a document to be printed to a printer capable of printing on both sides of printing paper. If each set of copies to be printed consists of an odd number of pages, a blank page is inserted as the reverse side of the last page to make the total number of pages of the set of copies an even number. The print data thus created is sent to the printer as a single job. This makes it possible to prevent the last page of one set of copies and the first page of another set of copies from being printed on the same sheet of paper, thereby allowing each set of copies to be printed as a discrete set independent of other sets. Print job management is performed on the basis of a single print job.

Abstract: The direction of the document in the original image read by an image reader unit (101) is discriminated by a document direction discrimination unit (102). Rotation processing and the like are performed for the original image in accordance with the discriminated direction. The resultant image is output onto a recording paper sheet. When a fault diagnosis unit (103) diagnoses the document direction discrimination unit (102) and determines that the unit is faulty, the image processing apparatus recognizes the direction of the document in the original image on the basis of information provided from the operator through an operation unit (109), and executes the above processing.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for reducing overhead in processing due to increased memory occupation and compression procedures when registering a character image in a printer is disclosed. When transferring the character image to the printer, the character image is compressed in accordance with a characteristic of the character image. For example, the size, the frequency of use, or appearance of the character image, as well as the number of characters appearing in each page may be used as the characteristic. After being registered in the printer, a registered character can be printed only by transferring an identifier corresponding to the character to the printer.

Abstract: A spool file manager lays out print data, which has been stored in a spool file, in a format wherein the data is printed on each side of printing paper in conformity with a specified method of bookbinding printing. Specified methods of bookbinding printing include a method in which all output sheets of paper are folded in half collectively, and a method of gathering a certain number of sheets together at a time, folding the certain numbers of sheets in half and putting them in order. Pages that have been stored in the spool file are rearranged and printed out in accordance with the particular method. Sheets of paper that have thus been printed on are folded in half, in the order in which they are output, gathering together a certain number of sheets at a time, thus making it possible to bind the sheets together in the form of a book.

Abstract: An image processor converts an input signal into first and second color components and a component. A plurality of output device dependent color-component data is read from a look-up table on the basis of the first and second color components and the brightness component. Interpolation processing is performed on the basis of the read plurality of color component data to generate output device dependent color-component data corresponding to the input signal.

Abstract: System according to the present invention is adapted so that form data is registered according to form caching instruction data. Thus, the form data, which is a user resource, can be reused without being changed. Consequently, user's convenience can be enhanced, and form overlay processing can be achieved at a high speed. To realize such a system, in accordance with the present invention, when receiving form cache generation instruction data outputted from a host computer, the received form cache generation instruction data is stored in a nonvolatile memory. Further, for example, when a power supply is turned on, if form cache generation instruction data is present, form data is read from a corresponding flash memory in accordance with the instruction data. Then, form image data is formed, and the formed form image data is registered in a cache memory.

Abstract: There are provided an image-forming device and method for varying an elongation rate of a basic image in at least one of a direction of length of the basic image and a direction of width of the basic image based on a specific elongation pattern to thereby form a deformed image from the basic image, as well as a printing apparatus incorporating the image-forming device. Elongation data of the elongation pattern is stored. Basic image data representative of the basic image is developed into a dot matrix. Each dot line of the basic image data extending in at least one of directions corresponding respectively to the direction of length of the basic image and the direction of width of the basic image is duplicated based on the elongation data. A dot line generated by duplication of the each dot line is added between the each dot line and a following dot line adjacent to the each dot line.

Abstract: A contact printer including a liquid crystal display (LCD) for presenting an image for printing; a supply adapted to contain at least one sheet of photosensitive media; and a structure for pressing the photosensitive media sheet from the supply against the LCD. The printer further includes electronics for driving the LCD for causing an image to be presented against a pressed photosensitive sheet for contact printing of such image.

Abstract: An information processor which generates drawing output commands includes a judgment unit which judges whether or not the drawing area of an input drawing command from an input unit overlaps with the drawing area of another drawing command. Drawing attributes of the input drawing command are changed in the event the judged areas are not overlapping, and are not changed in the event that the judged areas are overlapping.

Abstract: A dot pattern is generated by using scalable font data on the basis of received print data, and then printed. One scalable font set corresponds to two kinds of dot pattern generating modes. One generates a dot pattern with quality being given precedence, and the other generates a dot pattern with speed being given precedence and for printing at high speed, though quality inferior. The two modes are switchable to perform printing to fit user's needs.

Abstract: Pages of printing paper to undergo printing are decided successively and are caused to be printed on by a printer in accordance with paper supply and discharge orientations and total number of pages in such a manner that the paper is printed first on its front side, reset in the printer and then printed on its reverse side. When printing on the front side is finished, the operator is instructed to reset the paper in the printer. At such time a display is presented indicating how the paper to be reset in the printer should be placed at a paper supply port, this being decided upon taking into account (1) the orientation of an image with respect to the paper it is printed on, (2) the paper supply port, (3) the side of the paper to be faced down when it is fed through the printer, (4) the orientation of the paper when it is fed through the printer and (5) the position of a binding margin.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for receiving an image source representative of an image to be printed on an outer surface of a rotating media is described. The image source has a plurality of image points. A radial printing system is described that includes an imaging system configured to convert the plurality of image points into a polar-based representation of the image and a head assembly coupled to the imaging system for outputting the polar-based representation of the image onto the rotating media. The rotating media may represent a compact disk, wherein an inner surface of the compact disk is configured to store digital data. Printing distortion is controlled by selecting a higher proportion of the polar points corresponding to a first radius is selected than of polar the points corresponding to a second radius.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method transmits a font available on a computer to an output device supporting a page description language with a download format. The apparatus determines whether a character set associated with the font can be represented in a byte and if so, downloads the font to the output device using a first font format. Otherwise, the apparatus determines whether the number of glyphs in the font is below a threshold and if so, downloads the font to the output device using the page description download format and otherwise breaks the font glyph data into one or more blocks of glyph data, each of which having fewer glyphs than the threshold. Once broken up, the apparatus downloads the blocks to the output device using the download format and stitches the blocks together during a subsequent font reassembly in the output device.

Abstract: The image editing apparatus of the present invention reads text image having a plurality of character line image along to a predetermined direction, makes histogram expressing the distribution characteristics of said text image, detects said character line image having a predetermined size based on said histogram, and performs editing process for said character line image having said predetermined size.

Abstract: A scanner (12) of a photocopier system scans a document and generates output image signals that an image-processing circuit (14) processes in such a manner as to enhance text-region legibility, and a laser printer (16) generates the output copy in accordance with the resultant image. The image-processing circuitry (14) identifies dark, low-saturation pixels in the input image whose gradients are low but that border high-gradient pixels, and it sets these pixels to the blackest values, thus emphasizing text edges. With the remaining pixels, it reduces bright-region contrast, and this tends to suppress the visibility of text that has “bled through” from the document's reverse side or from documents disposed behind it.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing character information to be formed on a seal, restricted size label, or other printing medium provides for recognizing character string lengths exceeding a threshold length determined from the printing medium when an instruction for development is made. The character string is divided into two lines and developed on the printing medium. The character string is divided equally, at a mode change, or into lines with the first line being longer than the second line. Over-limit characters are displayed in a different manner distinguishing from in-limit characters.

Abstract: A print processing apparatus realizes high speed processing of input data which includes various types of drawing objects such as images, graphics and characters. In the apparatus, input data generated by an input data generating unit is converted into intermediate data in an intermediate data generating element. An intermediate data order controlling element rearranges intermediate data pieces based on overlap therebetween and classifies them into groups, in each of which the data pieces can be processed in parallel. A group ID indicating a group for parallel processing, a hardware configuration ID and so on are assigned to the intermediate data piece. A rasterizing unit receives configuration data from a configuration data administering element, if necessary, in accordance with the hardware configuration ID assigned to the intermediate data piece, and rewrites a function of a reconfigurable rasterizing element under the control of the reconfiguration controlling element.

Abstract: Compressed color image data are received, including a color table having first format data entries, each of which represents one of a number of different colors in a first data format, also including an index into the color table for each of several pixels. The first format data entries for the different colors are processed so as to obtain second format data entries, each of which represents one of the different colors in a second data format. A look-up table is then generated that includes the second format data entries for the different colors. A second format data value is then obtained for each of the pixels by using the index for the pixel to address the look-up table.

Abstract: When a host transfers only an image to a printing apparatus to make it print out the image, a heavy load is imposed on the host, and the data size to be transferred is large, resulting in a long processing time. To prevent this, when a document is to be printed, the driver on a host sends character codes of characters that occur for the first time in that document and corresponding character images to the printer in advance, and registers them. After this process, the driver transmits, to the printer, characters as character codes, ruled lines as coordinate data representing their corner points, and data other than characters and ruled lines as mapped images. The printer maps an image on a page memory, maps characters as images with reference to the registered character codes and images, and superposes the mapped character images on the image mapped on the page memory. Also, the printer maps ruled lines based on their vertex positions, and synthesizes them on the already mapped image.