US 5,295,238 A · System, method, and font for printing cursive character strings

Abstract

A mathematically describable outline font and system for generating cursively concatenated text output using context-sensitive letter forms drawn from a single, standard ASCII character set. In creating such letter forms, each letter of the alphabet, is reduced to its basemost, non-context-sensitive form and joined by context dependent connector characters, as determined upon base letterform pairs. Special characters and connectors are also substituted in the presence of predetermined adjacent character pairs, providing an unbroken sequence of output characters which simulates human cursive handwriting as taught by the Zanerian method. Unlike script fonts currently available in the art which rely on overlapping or disjointed connector components in an attempt to simulate handwriting, the font and system of type generation disclosed by the present invention produces electronically set type having interconnected cursive characters and a common stroke width.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A system for forming a visually perceptible context sensitive cursively concatinated sequence of font characters from a string of input characters, comprising:

an electronically accessible computer employable memory, including:
a first memory component retaining definitions for printed formation of base letter forms,
a second memory component retaining definitions for printed formation of connector forms,
a third memory component retaining a first family of character groups associated with respect to common said connector forms in adjacency with and to the left of another character;
and
a fourth memory component retaining a second family of character groups associated with respect to common said connector forms in adjacency with and to the right of another character;
an input providing a sequence of input signals identifying a said string of input characters;
a processor responsive to said input signals for accessing said third and fourth memory components to locate data representing the presence of mutually adjacent ones of said input characters within said first and second families of character groups, for accessing said second memory component to derive a said definition of a said connector form corresponding with said located data, for accessing said first memory component to derive a definition of a said base letter form for each of said mutually adjacent ones of said input characters, and for deriving output signals corresponding with a cursively concatenated sequence of said derived definitions of said base letter forms and said derived definition of said connector form;
and
an output responsive to said output signals for providing a cursively concatenated visual representation corresponding with said mutually adjacent ones of said input characters.

7 more elements

The method for forming a printed sequence of cursively concatenated font characters corresponding with a given string of characters, comprising the steps of:

providing a first compilation of cursive base letter forms;
providing a second compilation of cursive connector forms;
providing a third compilation of a first family of character groups in which the characters therein are uniquely associated with respect to common connector forms in adjacency with and to the left of another character;
providing a fourth compilation of a second family of character groups in which the characters therein are uniquely associated with respect to common said connector forms in adjacency with, and to the right of, another character;
identifying the presence of each character within said given string of characters within character groups of said first and second families and deriving data corresponding with a said identified presence;
selecting a said base letter form from said first compilation for the characters of said given string;
selecting a said cursive connector form in correspondence with said derived data for pairs of adjacent characters within said given string of characters;
and
combining each said selected base letter form and said corresponding selected connector form to provide a cursively concatenated print-out of said given string of characters.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System, method, and font for printing cursive character strings

Life of this patent

System, method, and font for printing cursive character strings

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22