Patent Document ID: 5533180
Application ID: 08224585

Base Claim:
1. A method of interfacing between a computer user and a computer application program to enable said user to manipulate, as one virtual font, a number "N" of special characters exceeding the number "X" of standard characters which said program can represent in one font, said program having user-activatable means for switching between different stored fonts to select a currently active font and font switching display means for enabling said user to monitor said font switching and selection, said method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: a. dividing said special characters into a plurality of individually named font segments, each of said segments containing "X" characters; b. storing said font segments with said stored fonts; c. for each character input by said user: i. determining whether said input character is one of said special characters; ii. if said input character is not one of said special characters, terminating performance of said method; iii. if said input character is one of said special characters: (1) determining which one of said stored font segments contains said input character; (2) determining said currently active font from which characters are currently being selected by said program; (3) if said font segment containing said input character is said currently active font, terminating performance of said method; (4) if said font segment containing said input character is not said currently active font, automatically activating said font switching means to-select said font segment containing said input character as said currently active font while suppressing activation of said font switching display means; and, (5) terminating performance of said method.

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Claim 2:
2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. said font switching display means comprises a sequential, "pull down" menu listing said stored fonts and said stored font segments; b. said font switching means may be activated by said user selecting one of said menu-listed fonts according to said selected font's position in said menu; said method further comprising after said step 1.b and before said step 1.c, creating and storing a table identifying the position of each of said stored fonts and each of said stored font segments in said menu; wherein said selection of said font segment during said step 1.c.iii.(4) further comprises examining said table to determine the position in said menu of said font segment containing said input character, opening said menu, and selecting one of said font or said font segment occupying said determined position.