Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5630028?dq=5960409
Timestamp: 2014-03-16 06:08:55
Document Index: 761881619

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30', 'art 30']

Patent US5630028 - Method of representing graphic data using text - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA method of printing graphic data on a print system having associated data memory, at least one processor and a printer mechanism, using a plurality of fonts comprised of n predefined text characters geometrically arranged in a predefined relationship relative to a common origin and stored in the data...http://www.google.com/patents/US5630028?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5630028 - Method of representing graphic data using textAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS5630028 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 08/653,794Publication dateMay 13, 1997Filing dateMay 28, 1996Priority dateMay 28, 1996Fee statusPaidPublication number08653794, 653794, US 5630028 A, US 5630028A, US-A-5630028, US5630028 A, US5630028AInventorsVincent DeMeoOriginal AssigneeBowne & Co., Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (9), Referenced by (11), Classifications (6), Legal Events (6) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMethod of representing graphic data using textUS 5630028 AAbstract A method of printing graphic data on a print system having associated data memory, at least one processor and a printer mechanism, using a plurality of fonts comprised of n predefined text characters geometrically arranged in a predefined relationship relative to a common origin and stored in the data memory, the method using character data representing a desired chart configuration having a common origin to print the chart by the processor selecting the predefined characters in accordance with the character data and enabling the printer mechanism to print the selected characters in their predefined orientation relative to the common origin of the chart to enable high speed printing of such graphic data.
I claim: 1. A method of printing graphic data on a print system having associated data memory, at least one processor and a printer mechanism, using at least two fonts, said at least two fonts comprised of n predefined text characters stored in said data memory to generate a chart having a common origin and at least two shaded area regions having different attributes, each text character of each of said fonts comprising a shaded area sector having a unique predefined angular position around said common origin relative to a phantom datum line passing through said common origin, said shaded area sector having a border defined by a first phantom radial of a predetermined length and a second phantom radial of said predetermined length joined at a vertex and diverging at an angle 360/n therebetween, and a phantom arc segment joining said first and second phantom radials opposite said vertex, said chart being represented in character data, the method comprising the steps of:(a) said processor selecting at least one predefined shaded area sector character from a first of said at least two fonts in accordance with said character data to define a first of said at least two shaded area regions; (b) said processor selecting at least one predefined shaded area sector character from a second of said at least two fonts in accordance with said character data to define a second of said at least two shaded area regions; and (c) said processor enabling said printer mechanism to print said selected predefined shaded area sector characters, with said vertex of each of said predefined shaded area sector characters at said common origin and each of said predefined shaded area sector characters in said predefined angular position for each of said predefined shaded area sector characters around said common origin relative to said phantom datum line. 2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said data memory further includes a font comprising a plurality of predefined arc segment characters, each arc segment character having a unique predefined angular position around said common origin relative to said phantom datum line, and being located a radial distance from said origin substantially equal to said length of said phantom radials, where said method further comprises the step of said processor selecting at least one predefined arc segment character to define a hard border substantially coincident with a radial location of at least one phantom arc segment around said at least one of said shaded area regions of said chart in any order relative to steps (a) and (b), and prior to implementing step (c), where step (c)further comprises said processor enabling said print mechanism to print said selected at least one predefined arc segment character in said predefined angular position for said at least one predefined arc segment character around said common origin relative to said phantom datum line.
BACKGROUND The present invention relates generally to a method of representing graphic data on an output device, and more particularly, to a method of generating a printed graph or chart using text characters to facilitate faster printing on non-scalable raster image printers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the problems in the prior art relating to rapidly printing relatively simple graphical data representations in large quantities. In this connection, the present invention teaches a method that utilizes text characters to represent graphic data in a manner that enables high speed printing of such data. In particular, the graphical data in the form of a pie-chart is represented by text characters that are predefined in the data memory associated with the printer or the connected computer like conventional text characters that represent textual material. Thereafter, it is possible to print documents containing such charts as rapidly as those containing only textual material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic of a computer communicating with a printer;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the several views of the drawings, the present invention teaches a method of representing graphic data using a plurality of text characters arranged in font sets.
The graphic representation is generated by selecting the predefined text characters from each font and combining the same to provide the desired image. In the illustrative embodiment, the graphic representation is depicted as a circular graph, of the type commonly referred to as a pie-chart. This chart is comprised of a number of shaded regions, each representing a percentage of some whole quantity. For example, a chart of this type may represent the constituent investments in an investment portfolio, with a proportional breakdown of each type of investment (e.g., bonds, mutual funds, global funds, cash, stocks, etc.) depicted graphically as an area region. An investment portfolio comprised of, for example, 21% bonds, 13% mutual funds, 21% global funds, 8% cash, and 37% stocks, is graphically represented in the sample chart 30 shown in FIG. 6. The text characters that make up the chart 30 all have a common point of origin 32. In this particular example, the chart 30 has five (5) area regions, respectively identified as area regions #1, #2, #3, #4 and #5. Area regions #1-#4 each have a different shading style or shading density from any adjacent area region, and area region #5 is non-shaded, i.e., it has the white background of the print medium. The shaded area regions in the chart 30 are defined by selecting the predefined shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n from each font, respectively contained in the tables identified as 24a.sub.1 -24a.sub.4. In this example, area region #5 has a white background, and thus no shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n are utilized to define this area region of the chart. However, area region #5 could have also been shaded by selecting shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n of a font having area sector characters 31.sub.n of the desired shading density or shading style. If the graphic representation is to have all shaded area regions of the same shading density or shading style, but with different colors, like shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n of a single font may be printed in selected colors to define each shaded area region. Similarly, area regions having different shading densities or shading styles can be printed in different colors if desired. This is explained in more detail below.
Referring again to the chart 30 of FIG. 6, a phantom radial line 33 extends through the common vertex 32 and forms a datum as shown. Although depicted as a vertically oriented line in the drawings, the phantom radial line 33 may form a datum for the representation from any angular orientation. As depicted in the example, area region #1 represents an arc of 75 area region #2 represents an arc of 45 an arc of 75 area region #5 represents an arc of 135 is not really necessary for the actual areal percentage of each area region to exactly match the percentages for each quantity to be represented, as the actual proportions of the individual areas are usually stated in written percentages on or near the graphic representation.
With particular reference to FIGS. 3 and 8-13, a font set 28 is generally comprised of fonts of a particular point size. In this example, the font set 28 includes a plurality of shaded area sector fonts of a first font type, identified in the ASCII character code font tables 24a.sub.1 -24a.sub.x, an arc segment font (second font type) identified in font table 24b, and a radial line segment font (third font type) identified in font table 24c. For the purpose of description, each of font tables 24a.sub.1 -24a.sub.x contains a set of predefined shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n of like shading style or shading density (i.e., attributes). Each area sector character 31.sub.n is defined by a first phantom radial 34.sub.n of a predetermined length and a second phantom radial 36.sub.n of the same length joined at a vertex 38 and diverging at an angle 360/n therebetween, and a phantom arc segment 40.sub.n joining the first and second phantom radials 34.sub.n, 36.sub.n opposite the vertex 38. To generate the chart, all characters 31.sub.n that are used to define each shaded area region are printed with the vertex 38 thereof at the common origin 32 of the chart. Font table 24b contains a plurality of predefined arc segment characters 35.sub.n, where each arc segment character 35.sub.n has a predefined angular position around the common origin 32 relative to the phantom datum line 33 and is located a radial distance from the common origin 32 substantially equal to the length of the phantom radials 34n, 36.sub.n for the shaded sector characters 31.sub.n in the font set 28. The arc segment characters 35.sub.n may be selected to generate a hard border around a shaded or non-shaded area region of the chart. Font table 24c contains a multiplicity of predefined radial line segment characters 37.sub.n. Each radial line segment character 37.sub.n is of a length substantially equal to the length of the phantom radials substantially equal to the length of the phantom radials 34.sub.n, 36.sub.n and includes a first end 42 and a second end 44. The radial line segment characters 37.sub.n may be selected to form hard borders between adjacent area regions having different shading styles or shading densities, or between shaded and non-shaded area regions in accordance with the desired chart configuration. The same sets of arc segment characters 35n and radial line segment characters 37.sub.n can be used with a variety of differently shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n. The exemplary chart 30 is constructed with hard borders between adjacent area regions and around the periphery of the chart. However, in alternative chart configurations, it may not be necessary to utilize arc segment characters 35.sub.n and radial line segment characters 37.sub.n to define hard borders. These embodiments are described in more detail below.
As shown in FIGS. 8-13, each font has 360/n characters, where the choice of n is arbitrary. In the exemplary embodiment, n=72 and the resulting arc of each character equates to an angular displacement of 5 in FIG. 4, area region #1 (75 fifteen (15) shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n, where n=1 to n=15. Referring to table 24a.sub.1, the corresponding ASCII character codes are from x'21 to x'2F. Note that the sample font tables have a space at character code x'20, such that the first text character is identified by character code x'21. In the chart 30, the area region #2 is constructed with the font of table 24a.sub.2, with nine (9) shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n, where n=16 to n=24. The corresonding ASCII character codes are x'30 to x'38. The area region #3 is generated with the font of table 24a.sub.3, with fifteen (15) shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n, where n=25 to n=39. The corresponding ASCII character codes are x'39 to x'47. The area region #4 is generated with the font of table 24a.sub.4, with six (6) shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n, where n=40 to n=45. The corresponding ASCII character codes are x'48 to x'4C. The remaining area region #5 is not shaded and thus defined by the borders with adjacent shaded area regions #1 and #4, and the outer hard border described below (see FIG. 5). This region can be represented in a different shading density or shading style, in which case additional shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n, where n=46 to n=72, can be selected in the appropriate font of the first font type.
As shown in FIG. 5, the chart 30 is generated with a plurality of arc segment characters 35n from the font in table 24b (FIG. 12), where n=1 to n=72. The corresponding ASCII character codes are x'21 to x'68. As discussed above, each arc segment character 35n is displaced from the common origin 32 a distance substantially equal to the length of the phantom radials 34.sub.n, 36.sub.n. Although the chart 30 of FIG. 6 contains a hard border around the entire periphery thereof, an alternative chart configuration could be defined solely by the shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n that make up shaded area regions #1-#4, and a number of arc segment characters 35.sub.n that are positioned around the non-shaded area region #5. In that configuration, a hard border would be defined by arc segment characters 35.sub.n at n=46 to n=72, with the remaining periphery of the chart being defined by the edge of the shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n along the respective phantom arc segments 40.sub.n thereof.
To segregate adjacent area regions of different shading density or shading style, hard borders may optionally be formed therebetween by selecting radial line segment characters 37.sub.n from the radial line segment font of table 24c (FIG. 13), that are disposed in the same predefined angular positions as the phantom radials of arc sector characters 31.sub.n located at the edges of each area region of different shading density or shading style. In the illustrative chart, radial line segment characters are disposed at n=15, n=24, n=39, n=45 and n=72, corresponding to locations 75 phantom datum line 33, and are arranged with the first ends 42 thereof extending from the common origin 32 as shown in FIG. 6. The corresponding character codes identifying such radial line segment characters in table 24c are x'2F, x'38, x'47, x'4D and x'68.
(a) the processor 20 selects predefined shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n from the font set 28 in the data memory 18, specifically, shaded area sector characters n=1 to n=15 from font table 24a.sub.1 to form area region #1 , shaded area sector characters n=16 to n=24 from font table 24a.sub.2 to form area region #2, shaded area sector characters n=25 to n=39 from font table 24a.sub.3 to form area region #3, and shaded area sector characters n=40 to n=45 from font table 24a.sub.4 to form area region #4 (see FIG. 4);
(b) the processor 20 selects arc segment characters 35.sub.n from font table 24b in the data memory 18, specifically arc segment characters 35.sub.n at n=1 to n=72 (see FIG. 5); and
(c) the processor 20 selects radial line segment characters 37.sub.n from font table 24c in the data memory 18, specifically those radial line segment characters at n=15, n=24, n=39, n=45 and n=72; (see FIG. 6); and
(d) thereafter, the processor 20 enables the print mechanism 22 to print the chart 30 with each of the selected predefined shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n with its vertex 38 at the common origin 32 and in its predefined angular position relative to the phantom datum line 33, each of the selected predefined arc segment characters 35.sub.n in its corresponding angular position around the common origin 32 relative to the phantom datum line 33, and each of the selected predefined radial line segment characters 37.sub.n with one end thereof extending from the common origin 32, at its corresponding angular position relative to the phantom datum line 33.
In a modification of the above embodiment, such a chart 30 can be represented using fewer characters if desired. The hard borders between adjacent shaded area regions are optional, as the different shading style or shading density of each area region will render a visible border between shaded area regions. Similarly, the hard border defined by arc segment characters 35.sub.n, where n=1 to n=45 can be omitted. In such a chart, the only arc segment characters 35.sub.n required are those at n=46 to n=72 in order to define a hard border around the non-shaded area region #5. In yet another implementation, another font type comprising a single circle border character can be used to form a continuous hard border around the shaded and non-shaded area regions of the chart. The circle border character has a center disposed at the common origin and a radius substantially equal to the length of the shaded area sector characters of the first font type.
In another modification of the above embodiment, such a chart 30 may be represented using a single shaded area sector font, but where each shaded area region is defined by printing the characters 31.sub.n of that font in a different color. Thus, shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n of the same shading density or shading style can be used to define multiple area regions. The method would be implemented by selecting the necessary number of shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n from any font of the first font type, and printing groups of shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n from the single font in the appropriate colors. Thus, assuming the same number and configuration of shaded area regions as in the sample chart 30, shaded area region #1 can be represented by printing shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n from n=1 to n=15 in a first color, shaded area region #2 can be represented by printing shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n from n=16 to n=24 in a second color, shaded area region #3 can be represented by printing shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n from n=25 to n=39 in a third color, and shaded area region #4 can be represented by printing shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n from n=40 to n=45 in a fourth color. Similarly, if a hard border is to be defined around the outer periphery of the chart 30, each of the arc segment characters 35.sub.n that form the hard border for a respective shaded area region can be printed in the same color as the shaded area sector characters of that shaded area region. Thus, the arc segment characters 35.sub.n from n=1 to n=15 can be printed in the first color, those from n=16 to n=24 in the second color, those from n=25 to n=39 in the third color, and those from n=40 to n=45 in the fourth color. The arc segment characters from n=46 to n=72 that form a hard border for the non-shaded area region #5 may be printed in any of the foregoing colors or a different color. Furthermore, if hard borders are to be defined between the shaded area regions and at the interface between those shaded area regions that border the non-shaded area region, radial line segment characters 37.sub.n can be printed in the same color as either of the adjacent shaded area regions or a different color as desired.
In any of the above-described embodiments, the same chart 30 can be represented in different sizes by selecting fonts from the font set of the appropriate point size. It is also anticipated that a single-area region of a graph can be emphasized by, for example, increasing its size as shown in FIG. 14. In this example, a chart 30' is represented as described above and illustrated in FIGS. 4-6, but where shaded area region #1 is larger than the remaining shaded area regions #2-#4 and the non-shaded area region #5. Area region #1 is represented by shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n and bounded by arc segment characters 35.sub.n and radial line segment characters 37.sub.n selected from a font set 28 of a different point size than of the characters representing the rest of the graph. Thus, shaded area sector characters 31.sub.n from n=1 to n=15 are selected from a first font type of a larger point size. Similarly, the hard border defined by arc segment characters 35.sub.n from n=1 to n=15 are selected from a second font type of a larger point size. In the same manner, the radial line segment characters 37.sub.n at n=15 and n=72 are selected from a third font type of a larger point size.
Although the foregoing describes a method for representing a circular pie-chart in a plan view, it is anticipated that the same method can be applied to graphic representations having other configurations. For example, the chart may be represented in an isometric, perspective or like view as shown in FIG. 7. In such an embodiment, the characters that form the respective shaded area regions, arc segment borders and radial line segments are modified to provide the desired visual presentation. Thus, for example, a shaded area sector character 31.sub.n at n=2 has a portion which extends away from the forward plane of the chart. Similarly, the arc segment character 35.sub.n at n=2 is comprised of a first segment S1 that resides in the forward plane and a second segment S2 that is displaced rearwardly of the forward plane and positioned relative to the area segment character 31.sub.n at n=2 as shown. In this connection, the radial line segments 37.sub.n at n=15 and 37.sub.n at n=72 are configured with a break and change of angle at the forward plane boundary B1 as shown. The resultant chart has a generally elliptical primary boundary B1 and a generally elliptical secondary boundary B2.
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