Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system – Dimensional determination
Reexamination Certificate
1996-12-27
2002-08-20
Assouad, Patrick (Department: 2857)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system
Dimensional determination
C400S003000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06438509
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for forming an image in a defined area for making a plate with a desired image fitted in a predetermined contour, for example, for a stamp surface of a stamp, a print surface of a label, and so on or for printing such an image. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a character layout method for allocating each of characters included in a character string within each of square contours having a predetermined width in a reading direction, an image forming method for inputting components of an image associated with each of a plurality of items, and a stamp-making method for forming a stamp image on a stamp-making area of a stamp body, i.e., an object of the stamp-making, by applying the two previous methods, as well as apparatuses for implementing these methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
First of all, conventional character layout methods for laying out characters on one or each of a plurality of lines, for example, those used in word processors, employ uniform layout in many cases. An example of uniform layout will be explained with reference to FIG.
43
. For laying out, for example, a character string consisting of five characters
(“uniform layout” in English) over a layout area having a width A of 70 dots (number of dots A=70), the first and the last characters
and
are first positioned to front and rear ends of the layout area. Then, a character width C of ten dots (number of dots C=10) is subtracted from the width A of the layout area, and the difference (A−C=60) is divided by the remaining number of characters (5−1+4). The quotient (60/4=15 dots) is used as a width for one character and a spacing between adjacent characters (B+C), so that five dots (B=5) are allocated to the spacing B between characters. As a result, the character string is laid out as illustrated in FIG.
43
.
Second, in a conventional image forming method for inputting a component for each of a plurality of items, if there is any item to which nothing is input, an area allocated to the item is left empty. Also, for inputting components, data is input one by one through manipulations on a keyboard.
Third, with respect to a plate-making method or a printing method for realizing a desired image, for example, a method implemented in a tape printing apparatus retrieves character/figure data stored in a memory (ROM) in the apparatus, generates image data on a character-by-character basis or on a line-by-line basis, and sequentially prints the image on a long plastic tape or the like in the form of a roll based on the generated image data.
The above-mentioned conventional methods have the following problems.
First, assuming that the foregoing character layout method is employed for laying out characters on a stamp or printing characters on a label, if a number of characters is too small for a given stamp surface area or print surface area, characters are laid out with an extremely wide spacing intervening therebetween so that the resulting stamp or label will appear to be lack of profoundness. Thus, a poor stamp or label with blank portions more prominent than characters will be produced (see FIGS.
25
(
a
)).
Second, assuming that the foregoing image forming method is applied, for example, to the formation of an image for a stamp or an image for a label, if any of items comprising address, name, figure, and so on is not input, an area associated with the lacking item is left as a blank, resulting in an unbalanced layout of components of the image. In addition, the resulting stamp image or label image will be an unbalanced image with a low ratio of an area of the stamp image or label image to the entire stamp area or print surface area, i.e., a low black ratio. Further, since data must be input one by one for inputting components of an image, this method requires a time-consuming work, and rapid processing will not be expected.
Third, since the formation of a stamp image implies difficulties in aligning a plurality of items constituting the image, the foregoing printing apparatus or the like, which makes a plate on a character-by-character basis or on a line-by-line basis, is incapable of laying out respective items in a well balanced manner, adjusting the items for increasing the black ratio, or forming a complicated stamp image.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of particular features of images for stamps and labels, and it is a first object to provide a character layout method which is capable of appropriately laying out stamp characters and characters for a label on a stamp surface or on a print surface.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a character layout apparatus which is capable of appropriately laying out stamp characters and characters for a label on a stamp surface or on a print surface.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide an image forming method which is capable of laying out characters or the like within a limited area in a well balanced manner with easy image forming manipulations.
It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus which is capable of laying out characters or the like within a limited area in a well balanced manner with easy image forming manipulations.
It is a fifth object of the present invention to provide a stamp-making method which is capable of making a good-looking stamp image even having a complicated configuration.
It is a sixth object of the present invention to provide a stamp-making apparatus which is capable of making a good-looking stamp image even having a complicated configuration.
To achieve the first object, according to a first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a character layout method for laying out each of characters included in each character string on one or a plurality of lines within a rectangular contour having a defined width in a reading direction, comprising the step of laying out the each character so as to satisfy B>D>0, where D is the dimension of a margin between an edge of the contour and a character at an end of the string, and B is the dimension of an inter-character spacing between adjacent characters.
To achieve the second object, according to a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a character layout apparatus for laying out each of characters included in each character string on one or a plurality of lines within a rectangular contour having a defined width in a reading direction, comprising character layout means for laying out the each character so as to satisfy B>D>0, where D is the dimension of a margin between an edge of the contour and a character at an end of the string, and B is the dimension of an inter-character spacing between adjacent characters.
According to the character layout method of the first embodiment and the character layout apparatus of the second embodiment of the present invention, the margins can be adjusted to appropriate dimensions, so that characters can be laid out in a well balanced manner without allowing the central spacing between the characters to be excessively wide even if there are a small number of characters to be laid out over a stamp surface of a stamp or over a print surface of a label.
Preferably, in the first embodiment, the margin dimension and the inter-character spacing dimension are adjusted in accordance with an area ratio of character portions to blank portions within the contour.
Preferably, in the second embodiment the character layout apparatus further includes margin and spacing adjusting means for adjusting the margin dimension and the inter-character spacing dimension in accordance with an area ratio of character portions to blank portions within the contour.
For example, if a large inter-character spacing is applied to a stamp image having a small area ratio of character portions to blank portions within a cont
Hayama Hitoshi
Kameda Takanobu
Shimmura Tomoyuki
Watanabe Kenji
Assouad Patrick
Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.
Seiko Epson Corporation
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