Method and apparatus for phototypesetting

A method of recording and phototypesetting a character comprising first and second subcharacters having light and non-light transmitting areas in phototypesetting apparatus including light spot scanning means comprising the steps of:

• disposing said first and second subcharacters on first and second logo media, respectively;
• disposing said first and second logo media on carrier means each having a code word disposed thereon to provide control data;
• translating said carrier means so that said code words and first and second subcharacters are disposed successively at a common scanning/photosetting station to be scanned by said scanning means;
• successively scanning said code words and said first and second subcharacters with a light spot of said scanning means and regularly turning on and off the light spot to sample said first and second subcharacters at corresponding, predetermined locations;
• sensing said code words and whether the location sampled is within a light or non-light transmitting area of said first and second subcharacters;
• recording said control data in response to sensing said code words;
• recording character data indicating that a transition has been sensed in said first and second subcharacters and the location thereof;
• replacing said logo media with a photosensitive medium;
• transporting said photosensitive medium with respect to the common scanning/photosetting station to be in position to be exposed by the light spot output thereof;
• providing input information indicating that the phototypesetting of said character recorded is desired;
• and
• controlling the light spot output of said scanning means in response to said input information, said control data and said character data so that said character is phototypeset on said photosensitive medium.

In phototypesetting apparatus including light spot scanning means and transporting means adaptable for disposing a photosensitive medium in position to be phototypeset in response to the light spot output of said scanning means provided in response to input information and recorded control and character data, the combination of:

• first and second logo media including first and second subcharacters respectively having light and non-light transmitting areas, said first and second subcharacters comprising a composite character to be recorded and phototypeset;
• a common scanning/photosetting station;
• carrier means having code words and said first and second logo media disposed thereon for transporting so that said code words and said first and second subcharacters are placed in succession at said common station to be scanned by said scanning means;
• means for causing said scanning means to scan said code words and said first and second subcharacters in a pulsed spot sequential manner to sample said subcharacters at predetermined locations;
• means for sensing said code words and whether a location being scanned is within a light or non-light transmitting area of said subcharacters;
• and
• means responsive to said sensing means for storing control data in response to said code words and for storing character data indicating that a transition has been sensed in the first and second subcharacters and the location thereof.

A method of recording a character including light and non-light transmitting areas for use in phototypesetting apparatus comprising the steps of:

• disposing said character on a logo medium;
• disposing said logo medium on carrier means;
• transporting said carrier means with respect to a scanning station disposed in fixed relation to a source of a scanning light spot, so that said character is disposed at the scanning station to be scanned;
• scanning the light spot with respect to said character and regularly turning on and off the light spot to sample said character at corresponding, predetermined locations;
• providing a carrier alignment element on said carrier means having a predetermined relationship with respect to said scanning means;
• providing a logo alignment element on said logo medium having a predetermined relationship with respect to said character so that said character can be aligned with respect to the scanning light spot by aligning said logo and carrier alignment elements;
• sensing whether the location sampled is within a light or non-light transmitting area of said character;
• and
• recording character data indicating that a transition has been sensed in said character and the location thereof.

In phototypesetting apparatus including light spot scanning means and transporting means adaptable for disposing at a common scanning/photosetting station a photosensitive medium in position to be phototypeset in response to the light spot output of said scanning means provided in response to input information and recorded character data, the combination of:

• a logo medium including a character comprising light and non-light transmitting areas, said transporting means transporting the logo medium with respect to said common station;
• carrier means having said logo medium disposed thereon for translating so that said character is placed at said common station to be sampled by said scanning means;
• means for causing said scanning means to scan the light spot with respect to said character and for regularly turning on and off the light spot to sample said character at said common station;
• said scanning means including a faceplate having a longitudinal X axis and a transverse Y axis;
• said transporting means transporting said carrier means in the Y axis direction so that said character is aligned with respect to the X-Y coordinates of said faceplate;
• said character being sampled sequentially at coordinate points along the X axis and advanced sequentially after each line of the X axis along the Y axis;
• said character being phototypeset on said photosensitive material along the Y axis and advanced along the X axis;
• means for sensing whether a location being scanned is within a light or non-light transmitting area of said character;
• and
• means responsive to said means for recording character data indicating that a transition has been sensed in the character and the location thereof.

In phototypesetting apparatus including light spot scanning means and transporting means adaptable for disposing at a common scanning/photosetting station a photosensitive medium in position to be phototypeset in response to the light spot output of said scanning means provided in the reponse to input information and recorded character data, the combination of:

• a logo medium including a character comprising light and non-light transmitting areas, said transporting means transporting the logo medium with respect to said scanning station;
• means for causing said scanning means to scan the light spot with respect to said character and for regularly turning on and off the light spot to sample said character at said common station;
• means for sensing whether a location being scanned is within a light or non-light transmitting area of said character;
• means responsive to said means for recording character data indicating that a transition has been sensed in the character and the location thereof;
• and
• halftone means responsive to said input information requesting halftone phototypesetting of said character of selected density and being operative to control the light output of said scanning means in response to said recorded character data so that only selected portions of said character are phototypeset in accordance with the halftone density requested.

In phototypesetting apparatus including light spot scanning means, the combination of:

• a logo medium including a character disposed thereon comprising light and non-light transmitting areas;
• a scanning station;
• carrier means including said logo medium disposed thereon for translating said logo medium with respect to said scanning station so that said character is in position to be scanned thereby, said carrier means including a carrier alignment element disposed thereon in a predetermined relationship with respect to said scanning means;
• means for causing said scanning means to scan said character as disposed at said scanning station and for regularly turning on and off the light spot to sample said character at corresponding, predetermined locations;
• said logo medium including a logo alignment element disposed thereon in a predetermined relationship with respect to said character so that said character can be aligned with respect to said scanning means by aligning said logo and carrier alignment elements;
• means for sensing whether a location being scanned is within a light or non-light transmitting area of said character;
• and
• means reponsive to said sensing means for recording character data indicating that a transition has been sensed in the character and the location thereof.

In phototypesetting apparatus including light spot scanning means, the combination of:

• a logo medium including a character disposed thereon comprising light and non-light transmitting areas;
• a scanning station;
• means for translating incrementally said logo medium in a first direction past said scanning station;
• means for controlling said scanning means to scan said character as disposed at said scanning station in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said first direction, to sample said character at predetermined locations;
• means for sensing whether a location being scanned is within a light or non-light transmitting area of said character;
• and
• means responsive to said sensing means for recording character data indicating that a transition has been sensed in the character and the location thereof.