Abstract: A string arrangement device includes: a character string arrangement data acquisition unit for acquiring character string arrangement data for arranging a character string along a road; a control point sequence creation unit for creating a control point sequence from a road node sequence included in the character string arrangement data acquired by the character string arrangement data acquisition unit; a curve approximation unit for creating a node sequence obtained by approximating with a straight line a curve from the control point sequence created by the control point sequence creation unit; a curve approximation node sequence storage unit for storing the node sequence created by the curve approximation unit as a curve approximation node sequence; and a character string arrangement processing unit for performing arrangement processing of the character string based on the curve approximation node sequence stored in the curve approximation node sequence storage unit.

Abstract: The continuous printing unit prints the input data with a margin length of the input data to be printed adjacent to each other among the plurality of input data set to a predetermined length without using the margin information respectively included in the input data to be printed adjacent to each other.

Abstract: An approach is provided for implementing locked printing on a printing device with remote unlock. The printing device includes a locked print process that is configured to examine print data received by the printing device and determine whether locked printing is to be used for the print data. Print data designated for locked printing is stored on the printing device. The printing device also includes a Web application configured to generate Web pages that define a Web-based graphical user interface. When processed at a client device, the Web pages allow a user to enter authorization data that is transmitted to the Web application on the printing device. The locked print process verifies the authorization data and if the authorization data is successfully verified, allows the user access to locked print data on the printing device. The approach may also be implemented using a common repository to store print data.

Abstract: A dynamic registration device for a mailing system that reduces the problems of dust generation, ink smearing, and print head contact is provided. The biasing force normally applied to the back panel of a mail piece, such that the front panel maintains contact with a registration plate, is controlled by an actuator such that the force can be removed when the printing module is not performing the actual printing process. Thus, the biasing force can be applied only when the print head is actually printing and the biasing force can be removed once printing has been completed. In other embodiments utilizing multiple printing modules, when one of the printing modules is inactivated, the biasing force can be removed, and the mail pieces pass through the inactive printing module without being registered against the top registration plate.

Abstract: An image forming method, a stamp-making method, and apparatuses implementing these methods are provided. Each of characters included in each character string on one or a plurality of lines are laid out within a rectangular contour having a defined width in a reading direction. Each of the characters are laid out so as to satisfy B>D>O, where D is the dimension of a margin between an edge of the contour and a character at an end of the string, and B is the dimension of an inter-character spacing between adjacent characters. Each of the characters are enlarged in the horizontal direction and laid out such that an area ratio of character portions to blank portions within the contour is equal to or lower than a constant value.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters on a tape and cutting the tape to a label of a desirable length, and also a tape cartridge used in the tape printing device. The tape cartridge has a characteristic element readably storing specific information on the tape such as a width of the tape. The tape printing device reads the characteristic element to control printing conditions according to the type of the tape cartridge. More specifically, the tape printing device determines a variety of parameters including a number of lines and character sizes of the character series printed on the tape as well as lengths of left and right margins. When a tape of a relatively large width is set in the tape cartridge, the device increases a rotation torque of a platen for feeding the tape.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved tape printing device for printing a desirable series of characters in a preferable balance on a tape through a simple operation. The tape printing device of the invention is used for printing text data in a plurality of lines along a width of the tape and in a plurality of `paragraphs` along a predetermined length of the tape. The `paragraph` in the tape printing device is different from a paragraph in a word processor and includes a fixed number of lines. Even when text data in a certain line of a paragraph is deleted, the certain line is kept in the paragraph as a vacant line. In another application, the tape printing device of the invention includes a predetermined menu for printing text data in a plurality of lines. The plurality of lines are arranged in a good balance when the user selects one of possible choices for each required information in the predetermined menu.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of printing characters and symbols either vertically or horizontally on an elongated recording medium adjusts the position of vertically printed characters and symbols so that the vertically printed characters and symbols are evenly spaced on the recording medium. When a vertical printing is to be accomplished, dot pattern data in a data development buffer is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise, and transferred to a vertical data development buffer. The rotated dot pattern data for each character is then moved in the longitudinal direction of the recording medium, as necessary, to ensure that each character will be positioned in the middle of its character pitch. The longitudinal adjustment ensures that the upper and the lower margin of each character are equal.

Abstract: A tape printing device which prints an input text consisting of one or more lines of characters on tape. In case of this tape printing device, a judgement portion judges whether the number of lines of characters of the input text is not less than two, and whether or not a character-size entrusting mode, in which a character size to be assigned to each line is automatically determined, is selected. Subsequently, in case where the character-size entrusting mode is selected and the number of lines of characters of the input text is not less than two, a character-size determination portion generates length information representing a length of each line, to which a same character size is assigned, and determines the character-size attribute of each line according to the length information in such a manner to equalize lengths of at least two longest lines of characters of the input text.

Abstract: A tape printer includes a thermal head (13) fixedly mounted on a frame (2) wherein the thermal head (13) prints character strings on a tape (5) uni-directionally moving past the thermal head (13). A keyboard (3) is provided for entering characters and data regarding a number of print lines. Character code data corresponding to the entered characters are temporarily stored in line buffer (41), and the thermal head (13 ) prints the character strings in a plurality of lines on the tape (5) based on the character code data and print line number data. Each of the plurality of print lines can be enhanced on a line basis with one of flush left, centering, flush right, and justification. When at least one of the plurality of lines is to be enhanced, the longest character string contained in one line is identified and the rest of the lines are printed in relevant positions referring to the print position of the longest character string.

Abstract: The document data of a plurality of blocks are input and an auto size is set. After this, when a print key is operated, the data concerning the width of a tape is read out by a cassette distinction sensor. Then, the block number is calculated based on the document data stored in the text memory, and further, the linage of the first block is calculated. The print size is calculated based on the size table corresponding to the tape width data and the linage to be printed. The base line position of each print line is calculated based on the print size, the document data, the tape width data and the linage. The dot pattern data in each line which is formed based on the print size and the document data is developed into the print buffer based on the base line position. When the processing in each block is completed, the print processing is executed. Thus, various blocks of print on the tape may be set to different sizes.

Abstract: Kerning information that allows font characters to contact the outlines of immediately preceding characters when the setting of character spaces is zero is set for the data on said font characters. The result of output with the setting of character spaces being zero is such that all font characters contact each other continuously. If the character space is set to a desired value greater than zero, a uniform space is provided between every font character. This insures that in a line of type such as where the letter "A" follows "W", the "A" is automatically kerned into the letter region of "W". As a result, the method of kerning in the processing of documents written in European languages is rationalized to obviate the need to perform calculations for setting letter spaces.

Abstract: A tape printer automatically expands an input character string up to the length of a desired printing range. Operating a fixed length key after input of printing data causes an indication, for example, "PRINTING LENGTH: 10" to appear. The "PRINTING LENGTH" indication is varied by, for example, rotating a character selecting dial. When a printing key is operated, an actually printable dot column count is determined from the selected printing length. The dot column count minus the total character width (dot column count required to print all desired characters) provides a margin space YS. If the margin space is equal to or greater than the total character spacing (i.e., the number of inter-character positions), a new margin space YS is determined, and the character spacing value is incremented by one dot column. The characters are then printed on the printing tape using the spacing value thus obtained.

Abstract: Character and control code data are input from a keyboard into a memory. A CRT display unit displays one line of data stored in the memory. A printer is automatically activated to print the line of data in response to a carriage return or line feed code, a hyphen near the right margin or a space near the right margin with a character in the right margin position. In the latter case, the next line is displayed starting with the character position following the space. The printer prints the line while the next line is being input and displayed. The margins, tab positions and a hot zone near the right margin are displayed above the line of data while a cursor is displayed below the line. Character codes such as backspace codes are displayed with the data and the positions of the data on the display always correspond to the printed data positions.

Abstract: A printing device with a data memory efficiently stores character code data and other attribute data in a limited memory region. If a character code of a print data input from the keyboard is a space code, the print data is nullified, and a pitch data corresponding to the space code is added to the pitch data corresponding to the character code previously stored in a correction memory. Namely, the data are compressed. Since only the print data excepting the space code data is stored in the memory, the limited memory region is efficiently used.

Abstract: A justification system is provided for use in an electrophotographic printer. The justification system comprises a detector which detects the passage of individual segments of a continuous form which are being fed at a predetermined rate. A counter counts the number of main scannings of a laser beam carrying printing information over the surface of a photoconductive drum. A read control is connected to the detector and the counter and controls reading of main information stored by monitoring outputs from the detector and the counter so that printing of each segment always occurs at a predetermined position, synchronously with passage of the segments.

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

Abstract: A system and method for assembling and binding books and for printing an address or a personalized message in accordance with coded information. The system includes a main control with a data processor and a memory for coded address and message information. One of more bindery lines each has means for gathering and assembling sections to form a book and for imaging the book with a personalized image. A line control has a data processor connected with the bindery line to control selection and assembly of signatures and imaging in accordance with the control information. Operator terminals at the main and line controls have visual display with touch screen operation input. A communication network connects the main control with each of the line controls. Address and control information from a magnetic tape is transferred to disk memory at the main control. This information is later transmitted over the communication network to the line controls.

Abstract: A method for performing margin justification in a word processing system by expanding the separation between words and between characters within words. Justifying lines of text by use of this method results in lines of text with an aesthetically pleasing uniform margin. The method uses the granular units of output devices so that one justification procedure can be used on all output devices.

Abstract: Data output apparatus registers special format data added to specific character data together therewith in a registered word memory. When sentence data is read out from a sentence memory, the character data included in the sentence data and coinciding with the specific character data is automatically printed with the special format data.

Abstract: A table driven print formatting system that accepts a text data stream including individual text commands and produces a printable data stream including individual print commands. The formatting system uses the text data in combination with printer status data to select subsection entries from a printer description table. The subsection entries include specific print command subsections each having print commands that can be placed immediately into the printable data stream upon selection. The table also includes general print command subsections which each have printer description data and a general print command shell. When a general print command subsection entry is selected, the printer description data is used in combination with the text data to calculate a parameter for inserting into the general shell thereby producing a print command for placing in the printable data stream. The printer description table also uses a unique entry indexing scheme that minimizes storage requirements for the table.

Abstract: There is described a printer with improved synchronization, particularly in case a printer unit is separate from a control unit, by releasing clock signals from the control unit to the printer unit.

Abstract: A word or text processing system has a bidirectional printer with formatting capability. A line of text is printed in one direction, and the printer is backspaced to form complex characters by adding overstrikes, such as underlining or accent marks. The formatting unit includes a storage mechanism for storing encoded space images, including variable width spaces, in a first scan pass. Space images overlapped by a backspace are deleted from the storage mechanism during the scan pass, and the number of spaces backspaced over is subtracted from the total count of expandable spaces available for justification. Upon detecting a space in the input data during the format pass, the system examines the space storage mechanism to determine if the image of the space is encoded therein. A space is expanded for line justification only if the space is encoded in the space storage mechanism.

Abstract: A word processing program is configured to produce a series of examples, for operator examination, of alternative implementations of certain printer functions. By observing the printer performance and physical appearance during the printing of these examples, the operator interactively chooses one of a plurality of implementations for each of these functions. The operator choices of implementation are saved by the work processing program and subsequent printing is effected in accordance with the implementation chosen by the operator.

Abstract: When a number of input key data sequentially stored in a first line buffer memory from a keyboard coincide with the contents of a right margin memory in a RAM, the line data up to the word immediately preceding the word reaching a preset right margin is sequentially transferred from the first line buffer memory to a second line buffer memory. The number of input key data from the immediately preceding word to the preset right margin is counted. In accordance with the count thus obtained, a spacing adjustment of the spaces left between words of the line data transferred to the second line buffer memory, is performed under the control of a CPU prior to printing of the words according to the contents of the second line buffer memory.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for performing true right justification applicable to character printers utilizing variable character spacing. The method of the present invention may be applied to any printer that is capable of variable character pitch settings in response to external control signals. In addition to such a printer, apparatus includes a word processing terminal, and a microcomputer dedicated to the terminal and printer and designed to map the features of the terminal into features available in the printer. In addition to the functions of initialization, data discrimination, control code examination, and vertical carriage positioning, two other functions are provided, one of which does mapping and horizontal carriage positioning, the other of which comprises a service routine used by the other functions to read, write, or store characters and to calculate dimensional values.

Abstract: In a column layout operation in an interactive word processing system, the unoccupied character escapement along a column example line is automatically evenly distributed by the insertion of an appropriate number of space characters responsive to the stroking of a predetermined function key.

Abstract: A display device is capable of showing an entire sentence stored in a memory with a limited number of key operations and without interruption of the spelling of each word. The display device is provided with a memory for storing a sentence composed of plural word groups, readout means for reading the sentence from the memory, a display unit for displaying the sentence read from the memory, and an identifying unit for identifying the spaces in the sentence, wherein the sentence after a space identified by the identifying unit is supplied to the display unit.

Abstract: In a printing system comprising a printer controlled by a host processor (11), a system of justification is provided wherein the determination of justification parameters is shared by the host processor (11) and the printer formatting processor (12). Justification means (25) in the host processor (11) determine which spaces in a line are to be altered to effect justification. Means (26, 28 and 13) are provided for conveying data from the host processor to the printer indicating which spaces in a particular line are to be so altered, and means (42) are provided in the printer for determining the size of the indicated spaces necessary to effect such a justification.

Abstract: A method for the automatic center tab insertion within a column example line comprising the steps of an operator cursor move to a column margin to define an end position; and responsive to a function key stroke, the machine steps of concurrently moving the cursor to the other column margin and counting the text characters of the example; calculating the distance to the column center position; concurrently moving the cursor to the calculated center position, and inserting a centered tab stop control character therein.

Abstract: Overstruck text is justified by distributing the white space residue at the end of the unjustified line among the interword spaces for justification. The amount of the residue distributed is used to determine a number of overstrike characters which will overstrike the text including these expanded interword spaces. This is accomplished by placing controls in the text stream during editing to delineate the text to be overstruck. Before printing, these controls in the edited data stream are detected to cause the print line to be first justified by expansion of interword spaces and then followed by overstriking with the appropriate number of overstrike characters determined during the justification process.

Abstract: A system for first justifying a text line according to a system minimum escapement unit, and then rejustifying the line according to a minimum escapement unit for a printer which is to be utilized in printing the line. The first justification of the line is in a normal manner. That is, any residue is divided by the number of word spaces on the line to obtain a quotient and any remainder. The extent of word space expansion is then the value of the quotient plus the remainder until exhausted. Rejustification for the printer being utilized is accomplished by dividing each system justified word space size by the printer minimum escapement unit to obtain a new quotient and remainder. Each system justified word space is then converted to a value including the obtained quotient for each space, and the remainders for all spaces are accumulated for adding to the first word space.

Abstract: A control circuit for use in conjunction with dot matrix printers which includes a command word gate which is connected to a data source to receive data signals, the command word gate generating a control circuit enabling signal in response to reception of a predetermined coded command word signal from the data source. A density latch gate is connected to the data source to receive density code signals and to the command word gate and generates a density code output signal in response to reception of the command word signal and density code signals received from the data source. Connected to the density latch gate is a printer signal generating circuit with produces an output signal having a frequency proportional to the density code signal.

Abstract: The aesthetic characteristics of adjacent characters are used to enhance the quality of output in a proportional spacing printer and to provide right margin justification for composing. Spacing between characters is determined on the basis of the character being printed and the preceding character already printed on the page. An intercharacter displacement memory contains a list of ideal spacing for all combinations of characters to be printed. As each character is typed, it and the previously stored preceding character address the intercharacter displacement memory. The output of the intercharacter displacement memory is the ideal value of escapement for this combination of characters and font style. The printer positions the print head prior to printing the next character, rather than positioning the print head after the previous character is printed.

Abstract: In a word processor a string of characters entered serially via a keyboard into a plurality of positions are centered about a particular point on a line of a record medium by providing a storage medium having a plurality of addressed cells which are serially assigned to the positions on the line of the record medium, the cell addresses ranging between first and second values. The cell assigned to the position which includes the particular point receives the first character of the string while all subsequent data characters are considered as pairs of data characters.

Abstract: A tape printer automatically expands an input character string up to the length of a desired printing range. Operating a fixed length key after input of printing data causes an indication, for example, "PRINTING LENGTH: 10" to appear. The "PRINTING LENGTH" indication is varied by, for example, rotating a character selecting dial. When a printing key is operated, an actually printable dot column count is determined from the selected printing length. The dot column count minus the total character width (dot column count required to print all desired characters) provides a margin space YS. If the margin space is equal to or greater than the total character spacing (i.e., the number of inter-character positions), a new margin space YS is determined, and the character spacing value is incremented by one dot column. The characters are then printed on the printing tape using the spacing value thus obtained.