# US 5,353,359 A · Methods for generating character pattern data and making image > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,353,359 A - Document ID: US5353359A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/175,671 - Filed: 1993-12-30 - Granted: 1994-10-04 - Earliest claimed: 1989-02-09 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Akio Urabe; Koji Kinoshita; Hideaki Kitagawa; Noriyuki Kaneyasu; Akira Nihei - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5353359A ## CPC - G06T 11/40: Filling planar surfaces by adding surface attributes, e.g. adding colours or textures - G09G 5/24: Generation of individual character patterns - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) ## Abstract A method for generating character pattern data includes steps of providing contour information of a character having m.sub.1 .times.m.sub.2 coordinate values in a coordinate space; and making and outputting gradated character pattern data of l.sub.1 .times.l.sub.2 picture elements for an output device having n gradiations per picture element (where m.sub.1, m.sub.2, l.sub.1, l.sub.2, and n are positive integers). In an image making method, picture subelements provided by dividing an original picture element are set as a scanning unit and an image is made by scanning conversion using the picture element having a gradation to perform a coloring operation with respect to the interior of a two-dimensional contour line. The image making method includes representing and processing a numeric value such as a coordinate value of a line segment constituting the contour line as a virtual real number having a decimal point in a word; providing positions for starting and completing the coloring operation easily by the representation of the virtual real number; and providing a brightness of a displayed picture element at a high speed by only adding an integer value to a region on one line in an output device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for generating character pattern data using an apparatus having an electronic memory, an electronic processor, and an output device having n gradations per picture element, the method comprising the steps of: a) reading from the electronic memory point data representing contour information of a character stored in the electronic memory and having m.sub.1 .times.m.sub.2 coordinate values in a coordinate space from the electronic memory, wherein m.sub.1 and m.sub.2 are positive integers; b) using the electronic processor: 1) virtually making character data of ( .sqroot.n .times.l.sub.1).times.( .sqroot.n .times.l.sub.2) picture elements from the point data read from the electronic memory; and 2) forming gradated character pattern data of l.sub.1 .times.l.sub.2 picture elements for the output device that has n gradations per picture element by converting the virtually made character data of ( .sqroot.n .times.l.sub.1).times.( .sqroot.n .times.l.sub.2) picture elements to data of l.sub.1 .times.l.sub.2 picture elements, the gradated character pattern data also having n gradations per picture element; wherein: i) l.sub.1, l.sub.2 and n are positive integers; and ii) .sqroot.n designates a minimum integer not less than .sqroot.n; and c) outputting to the output device that has n gradations per picture element the gradated character pattern data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the forming step includes: converting the character data into data of l.sub.1 .times.l.sub.2 picture elements. ### Claim 3 A method for setting a brightness of respective picture elements of an image using an apparatus having a scanning device, an electronic memory, and an output device having n gradations per picture element, the method comprising the steps of: a) using the scanning device, scanning picture sub-elements in a direction along one coordinate axis of two-dimensional coordinate axes on contour lines of the image, the picture sub-elements being set by virtually dividing the respective picture elements with respect to one direction along one coordinate axis of the two-dimensional coordinate axes and another direction along another coordinate axis of the two-dimensional coordinate axes; b) calculating respective numeric values of two-dimensional coordinates on contour lines of the image by using the electronic processor as the picture sub-elements are scanned by the scanning device; c) with the electronic processor, detecting the number of the picture sub-elements with respect to the respective picture elements, wherein at least part of the picture sub-elements are included in an inside region of the image defined by the contour lines of the image, based on (1) scanned results of the picture sub-elements and on (2) calculated results of the respective numeric values; and d) with the electronic processor, setting a brightness of the respective picture elements on the image to be output to the output device which has n gradations per picture element, the brightness setting being based on the detected number of picture sub-elements; wherein: 1) the respective numeric values are such that floating-point values are represented by integers; and 2) floating-point calculations are performed as integer calculations. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein: the respective numerical values have a virtual decimal point located in an intermediate position of an integer value, so as to constitute a virtual real number. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein: an integer part and a decimal part are located on a left-hand side and a right-hand side of the decimal point.