Patent Document ID: 4841453
Application ID: 06929036

Base Claim:
1. An apparatus for generating symbols to be image on an output device in successive rows of symbols, scanned in a raster fashion along successive scan lines in which said scan lines can be parallel to said rows of symbols and directed left to right, successive scan lines progressing from top to bottom or vice versa, or said scan lines can be perpendicular to said rows of symbols and directed top to bottom, successive scan lines progressing left to right or vice versa, said apparatus including: a page buffer containing a representation of said symbols in a predetermined order, each such representation including an address escape pointer, a column position escape memory specifying for each of said rows of symbols a page buffer pointer to a first symbol in said row and a height factor identifying a space allotted for presentation of said symbol row, an address escape memory with a record for each different symbol containing a font pointer and a representation of space allotted for said symbol in orthogonal directions, a font memory with a record for each symbol providing a graphic representation of said symbol in at least two orientations, means for storing a print command specifying a specific relation between scan direction, scan progression and rows of symbols, first means responsive to said print command for accessing said column position escape memory to identify said first symbol for a selected row of symbols by said page buffer pointer, second means responsive to said first means for accessing a corresponding entry in said page buffer including said address escape pointer, third means responsive to said second means for accessing said address escape memory to derive font addressing information, addressing means responsive to said print command and to said second and third means and to said font memory for deriving output information, said addressing means including means for successively deriving different font addresses for a given symbol until a quantity of data extracted from said font memory bears a specified relation to data extracted from said address escape memory, said addressing means further including means for developing fill bits for insertion into said output information, said fill bits related to a difference between said data extracted from said address escape memory related to a dimension of said symbol and said line height data from said column escape memory whereby spacing of rows of symbols may be freely selected to be larger than a dimension of any symbol on said row.

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Claim 2:
2. The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes aligning means responsive to data from said font memory and said third means for determining a relation between said line height of a symbol row and a dimension of said symbol, and for limiting said output information to exclude any data from said font memory in excess of a line height for said symbol row whereby line height can be freely selected to be less than a relevant dimension to said symbol.