Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-15
2001-12-11
Powell, Mark R. (Department: 2122)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C345S471000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06330577
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for displaying font information of a word processor, and more particularly, relates to an apparatus and method for displaying font information by using a preview window of a word processor, which provides promptly finding a desirable font and effective making up a document by promptly showing a font sample through a preview window when a user makes up a document by using a word processor.
2. Background of the Related Art
Recently, as computer technology has been widely spread, many applications have been increasingly developed. One of these applications is a word processor. The structure of a conventional hardware of the computer system for executing the word processing job is shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
. Generally, functions which the computer performs are input/output of data and data processing, and they can be itemized as shown in FIG.
3
. As it is generally known, the detailed description is omitted.
In the above-mentioned word processor, a user inputs a character after specifying a character shape by using an offered font from the word processor. For example, when the user selects “Arial” before inputting the character, all characters input into an inputting unit are input with a font corresponding to “Arial”.
Recently, the kinds and numbers of fonts provided by the word processor are very diverse and increased, respectively. For executing the word processing job, it is required that the user can select a desirable font previous to actually generating characters via the keyboard. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,577 to Mark E. Davis et al. entitled System For Displaying Insertion Text Based On Preexisting Text Display Characteristics, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,931 to Russell Sonnenschein entitled System For Applying Font Style Changes to Multi-Script Text.
Generally, however, there are two methods for selecting fonts as shown in
FIGS. 4 and 5
. First, as shown in
FIG. 4
, the user can select the desirable font using a font name through a font selecting combo box and a list box, wherein font names are arranged therein. The other method for selecting the desirable font is explained with referring to FIG.
5
. The user can select the desirable font after confirming the font through a dialog box, which shows the font shape to be selected previously, as shown in FIG.
5
. The feature of
FIG. 5
is known in WordPerfect 8 for example.
In the first font selecting method using the font names, when the kinds of fonts are limited, all shapes of the fonts are memorized in a dictionary. Accordingly, the user can select the desirable font. But, recently, according to diversity of the kinds of fonts, it is a big burden for the user to select the font by using the font name.
In the mean time, for reducing the burden of the first font selecting method using the font name, the font is selected with previewing the font shape as shown in FIG.
5
. Nevertheless, the word processing job is delayed because the user has to open the dialog box every time for selecting the desirable font.
Additionally, it is known that CorelDRAW™7 and WordPerfect®8 provide a font drop down menu on a property bar of displayed tool bars by clicking on a drop down arrow of the drop down menu to display a number of available font faces for selection, similar to that shown in FIG.
4
. At this time, however, a preview window opens and displays characters of the current, or default, font, which differs from FIG.
4
. By moving the pointer over and highlighting any of the displayed font faces, character samples of the selected font are displayed in the preview box, however the preview box does not change in size. The current font can then be changed to the font of the highlighted font face by clicking on the highlighted font face using the mouse.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide effectively making up a document for a user by promptly showing a desirable font sample, when the user makes up a document.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for displaying font information by using a preview window includes: a font name storing unit for storing names of a plurality of fonts; a sample storing unit for storing samples corresponding to a plurality of fonts; a font list displaying unit for outputting and displaying a plurality of font faces from the font name storing unit; a sensing unit for sensing whether a font is selected from the displayed font faces and what kind of font is selected; a sample size adjusting unit for adjusting a sample to a predetermined size, wherein the sample corresponds to the selected font; a preview window for outputting and displaying the size-adjusted sample; and a control unit for controlling the elements for outputting and displaying one sample corresponding to the selected font to the preview window.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for displaying font information by using the preview window includes the steps of: displaying the font list when command for outputting the font list is received; determining whether one font is selected from the font list; generating the sample corresponding to the selected font and the preview window for outputting the sample when one font is selected; and displaying the generated sample to the preview window.
Preferably, whether the selected font is a language other than English or English is determined in the sample generating step. When the selected font is the language other than English, the sample is generated using both the language other than English and English. When the selected font is English, the sample is generated using English and numbers.
Moreover, the sample displaying step includes the sub-steps of: calculating a size of the generated font sample; determining whether the preview window is generated; generating the preview window to a size corresponding to the generated font sample when the preview window is not already generated and readjusting the font sample size to the size of the preview window when the preview window is generated; and transmitting and outputting the font sample to the preview window.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5001697 (1991-03-01), Torres
patent: 5307086 (1994-04-01), Griffin et al.
patent: 5495577 (1996-02-01), Davis et al.
patent: 5500931 (1996-03-01), Sonnenschein
patent: 5513342 (1996-04-01), Leong et al.
patent: 5771032 (1998-06-01), Cline et al.
patent: 5995101 (1999-11-01), Clark et al.
patent: 6012342 (2000-01-01), Blight et al.
patent: 6144389 (2000-11-01), Toshimoto et al.
Microsoft Office 97 Released to Manufacturing Version, screenshots pp. 1-8, Nov. 1996.*
Lanugage Force, “Universal Translator (user's manual)”, pp. 27 and 29, Dec. 1997.*
Anonymous, “LanguageForce Announces Worldwide Distribution Agreement with Ingram Micro”, Businesswire, 233 words, Nov. 1997.
Bushnell , Esq. Robert E.
Powell Mark R.
Rossi Jeffrey Allen
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
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