Apparatus for forming character patterns with line segments

A character pattern forming apparatus for forming a character from a plurality of straight line segments, each of said plurality of straight line segments being positioned in one of a horizontal, vertical and oblique direction in an X-Y plane, comprising:

• line segment memory means for storing a plurality of line segment data, a first one of said plurality of line segment data defining a first dot pattern that forms a first portion of a first straight line segment;
• said line segment memory means further storing data representing a width direction in which said first dot pattern is to be widened to increase a width of said first portion of said first straight line segment, and said line segment memory means further storing an arrangement format for arranging other dot patterns that are identical to said first dot pattern and that are to form other portions of said first straight line segment, to be adjacent to each other in said one of said horizontal, vertical and oblique directions in which said first straight line segment is to be positioned to form an overall pattern of said first straight line segment;
• font memory means for storing a plurality of character fonts, each character font designating a set of straight line segment data corresponding to said plurality of straight line segments, including said first straight line segment, that are to form said character in a selected one of said character fonts;
• said font memory means further storing a length, a width and an end position for each of said plurality of straight line segments, including said first straight line segment, forming said character in said selected one of said character fonts;
• and
• processing means for selecting said one of said character fonts stored in said font memory means, for retrieving said set of straight line segment data designated by said selected one of said character fonts from said line segment memory means, and for forming an overall pattern of said first straight line segment which corresponds to at least a portion of said retrieved set of straight line segment data;
• and wherein
• a width direction of said first dot pattern defined by said at least a portion of said retrieved set of straight line segment data is widened to conform with a stored first straight line segment width of said selected character font selected by said processing means, such that said other identical dot patterns that are identical to said first dot pattern and have a common adjusted width that is equal to a width of said first dot pattern, are arranged in said one of said horizontal, vertical and oblique directions in accordance with said arrangement format stored in said line segment memory means;
• and
• said processing means includes determining means for determining how many of said other identical dot patterns are required to form said first straight line segment based on the stored line segment length for said first straight line segment stored in said font memory means and designated by said selected one of said character fonts;
• said determining means further determining a last dot position, that corresponds to said stored end position for said first straight line segment, whereby said character is obtained from a combination of overall patterns of line segments obtained from said retrieved set of straight line segment data.