Parametric font animation

A computer-implemented process for animating alpha-numeric characters in a message or document displayed on a display screen, comprising using a computer to perform the following process actions for each of at least one character:

• receiving parametric information pertaining to alpha-numeric characters found in the message or document comprising, for each character,
• a position and orientation of a straight, geometric dividing line which transects the character transversely so as to segment the character into a first section and a second section, wherein said dividing line position is defined by a distance between a first prescribed point on the dividing line and a prescribed horizontal line associated with the character and said dividing line orientation is defined by an angle of rotation about a second prescribed point, said first prescribed point and second prescribed point being at the same location or different locations, and
• a location of a rotation point assigned to at least one character section;
• receiving animation instructions pertaining to the display of alpha-numeric characters found in the message or document on said display screen, comprising for each section of each character that is to be animated, instructions for displaying the section for each of a series of prescribed-length time periods, said instructions defining if the section is to be displayed, in comparison with its appearance in the immediately preceding time period, with a translation with respect to the other section, or a rotation about the rotation point of the section, or both, or no change as long as there was or will be some change in at least one of the sections during one of the time periods;
• and
• for each time period,
• displaying the sections of each character as dictated in the instructions associated with that character, and
• whenever a stroke gap exists between the first and second sections of the character during a time period, displaying a connecting section for each stroke gap which connects an end of the character stroke in the first section with a corresponding end of the character stroke in the second section, such that the character appears contiguous across the stroke gap.

A computer-implemented process for sending a message or document which when viewed by a recipient displays animated alpha-numeric characters on a display screen, comprising using a computer to perform the following process actions for each of at least one character:

• sending parametric information pertaining to alpha-numeric characters found in the message or document to the recipient along with the message or document characters, said information comprising, for each character to be animated,
• a position and orientation of at least one straight, geometric dividing line each of which transects the character transversely so as to segment the character into sections, wherein said dividing line position is defined by a distance between a first prescribed point on the dividing line and a prescribed horizontal line associated with the character and said dividing line orientation is defined by an angle of rotation about a second prescribed point, said first prescribed point and second prescribed point being at the same location or different locations, and
• a location of a rotation point assigned to each of at least one of the character sections;
• sending animation instructions pertaining to the display of alpha-numeric characters found in the message or document on said display screen to said recipient along with the parametric information, said animation instructions comprising for each section of each character being animated, instructions for displaying the section for each of a series of prescribed-length time periods, said instructions defining if the section is to be displayed, in comparison with its appearance in the immediately preceding time period, with a translation with respect to an adjacent section, or a rotation about a rotation point of the section, or both, or no change as long as there was or will be some change in at least one of the sections during one of the time periods.