Image analysis – Pattern recognition – Context analysis or word recognition
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-09
2001-10-02
Johns, Andrew W. (Department: 2621)
Image analysis
Pattern recognition
Context analysis or word recognition
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298159
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of forming a character string image in a predetermined image area based on a plurality of character images during a screen display process or a print display process carried out by an electronic apparatus or the like.
2. Prior Art
A character image in a dot matrix font or an outline font used in a personal computer, a printer or the like has blank images (blank portions) arranged on opposite sides of an image of an actual character portion (referred to as “the actual character image” throughout the specification).
When an image of a character string is formed, blank images are provided in dependence on the character width of each actual character image by taking the shape of each character into account, so as to prevent a string or sequence of characters from looking irregular in juxtaposition. It should be noted that the actual character image includes one which still has small amounts of blank images on opposite sides of a character image thereof.
FIG. 37A
shows a character string image of “123” formed in an image area R
1
for three characters. As shown in the figure, the character string image is formed by horizontally arranging three character images of “1”, “2” and “3” in the image area R
1
in a manner immediately adjacent to each other without forming any gap therebetween, and each character image has blank images K
1
, K
2
and K
3
provided on opposite sides of the actual character image thereof.
When the character string image is created in an area larger than an image area for the number of characters thereof, spaces (blanks) are inserted between “1” and “2” and between “2” and “3”. On the other hand, when a character string image is formed in an image area for a smaller number of characters than the number of characters of the character string, for instance, when the character string image of “123” is formed in an image area R
2
for two characters or an image area R
3
for one character, as shown in
FIGS. 37B and 37C
, each character image of the character string image “123” is reduced in a horizontal dimension to two-thirds of the original image or one-third of the same to form a character string image in the image area R
2
or R
3
.
As described above, when an image of a character string is formed in an image area provided for a smaller number of characters than the number of characters of the character string, each character image is reduced in size as a whole. That is, each character image including the blank images is reduced to reduce the width of each actual character image, so that the appearance of the character string image thus formed is degraded in appearance.
Particularly, as shown in
FIG. 37C
, when the character string image “123” comprised of three characters is formed in the image area R
3
for one character, each actual character image thereof is made even smaller in width to make the character string image shabby as a whole, and hence even more degraded in appearance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of the invention to provide a character string image-forming method and device which are capable of forming a character string image without spoiling the appearance of the image, even when the image is formed in an image area for a smaller number of characters than the number of characters of the character string.
It is a second object of the invention to provide a character string image-processing method and device which are capable of forming a character string image without spoiling the appearance of the image, even when the image is formed in an image area for a smaller number of characters than the number of characters of the character string.
To attain the first object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of forming a character string image in a predetermined image area based on a plurality of character images each occupying an area for one character, each of the character images being formed of an actual character image and blank images arranged on horizontally opposite sides of the actual character image in a manner immediately adjacent thereto.
The method according to the first aspect of the invention is characterized by comprising the steps of:
taking out actual character images from the character images, respectively; and
arranging the thus taken-out actual character images in a desired sequence in the predetermined image area, to thereby form the character string image.
To attain the first object, according to a second first aspect of the invention, there is provided a character string image-forming device for forming a character string image in a predetermined image area based on a plurality of character images each occupying an area for one character, each of the character images being formed of an actual character image and blank images arranged on horizontally opposite sides of the actual character image in a manner immediately adjacent thereto.
The character image-forming device according to the second aspect of the invention is characterized by comprising:
storage means for storing image data items of the respective character images;
reading means for reading out actual character image data items representative of actual character images from the respective image data items; and
arrangement means for arranging actual character images corresponding to the thus read-out actual character image data items in a desired sequence in the predetermined image area.
According to the method and device for forming a character string image, first, actual character image data items representative of actual character images are read out by the reading means from the storage means storing image data items of character images, whereby the actual character images are taken out from the plurality of character images. Then, the arrangement means arranges the actual character images in a desired sequence in a predetermined image area to thereby form a character string image. As described above, the character string image is created by using actual character images each having a smaller character width than the character width of each of the other character images of the character string image, so that even when the character string image is to be formed in an image area for a smaller number of characters than the number of characters of the character string, there is almost no need to reduce each character image (actual character image). As a result, the character string image can be formed in the predetermined image area without spoiling the appearance of the same. On the other hand, it is possible to produce a character string image comprised of a larger number of characters (actual character images) in the predetermined image area. It should be noted that character images and actual character images in the specification include not only normal characters but also images, such as symbols, simple figures each formed in an image area for one character, and the like.
Preferably, the method includes the steps of:
calculating a length of the actual character images to be assumed when the actual character images are arranged in a manner immediately adjacent to each other without forming any gap therebetween; and
reducing a size of each of the actual character images in a manner such that the length of the actual character images becomes equal to or smaller than a length of the predetermined image area, if the length of the actual character images is larger than the length of the predetermined image area.
Preferably, the character string image-forming device includes:
calculation means for calculating a length of the actual character images to be assumed when the actual character images are arranged in a manner immediately adjacent to each other without forming any gap therebetween;
comparison means for comparing the length of the actual character images with a length of the predetermined image area; and
reduction means for reducing a size of each of the actual character images in a manner such that the length of the
Shimmura Tomoyuki
Tukagoshii Shinichi
Watanabe Kenji
Azarian Seyed
Hogan & Hartson LLP
Johns Andrew W.
Seiko Epson Corporation
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