Character image generation apparatus and CRT phototypesetting systems

Claim 2

Apparatus for printing text by converting encoded electrical signals into printed characters, comprising: means for generating electron images of characters to be printed from said coded input signals and including an arrangement of characters with indexing bars forming a character field for each of said characters; means for controlling said means for generating electron images to select characters from said arrangement of characters in accordance with a desired character format; said means for generating electron images further including means for deflecting said electron images in accordance with a predetermined scanning pattern in response to said means for controlling, said scanning pattern having first and second different scanning rasters wherein said first scanning raster scans at least one of said indexing bars and said second scanning raster scans said character associated with said at least one indexing bar, and means for producing output signals representative of said electron images; first means responsive to said output signals for correcting the position of said first scanning raster to improve the initial position of said second scanning raster for scanning a selected character, said first means including means for selectively varying the rate of said position correction during said first scanning raster; and second means responsive to said output signals for generating a visual image of said characters in accordance with said second scanning raster and including means for recording said visual image.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said first means includes means for repetitively scanning another of said indexing bars during the second scanning raster and means for altering said second scanning raster to correct the position thereof.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising means for offsetting the position of said second raster from said at least one indexing bar to an edge of a character field associated with said indexing bar.

Claim 5

Apparatus for composing printed characters from coded electrical input signals, comprising: means for generating electron images of selected characters from said coded electrical signals; means for generating output signals from said electron images; output reproduction means for printing characters from said output signals in accordance with a predetermined scanning pattern; and means for altering said predetermined scanning pattern to avoid scanning of non-character areas of said output reproduction means.

Claim 6

Apparatus for composing printed characters from coded electrical input signals, comprising: means for generating electron images of selected characters from said coded electrical signals; means for generating output signals from said electron images; output reproduction means for printing characters from said output signals in accordance with a predetermined scanning pattern; and means for altering said predetermined scanning pattern to avoid scanning of non-character areas of said output reproduction means.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 4 further comprising means for decoding said coded electrical input signals and generating non-character output signals and wherein said means for altering is responsive to said non-character output signals.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising means for calculating justification of lines of said composed printed characters and generating inter-character spacing signals and wherein said means for altering is also responsive to said inter-character spacing signals.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 4 further comprising means for displacing said scanning pattern by successive predetermined increments; and wherein said means for altering increases the magnitude of said increments.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said output reproduction means includes an electron beam and means for deflecting said electron beam in accordance with said predetermined scanning pattern.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 8 further comprising means for decoding said coded electrical input signals and generating non-character output signals and wherein said means for altering is responsive to said non-character output signals.

Claim 12

Apparatus as in claim 9 further comprising means for calculating justification of lines of said composed printed characters and generating inter-character spacing signals and wherein said means for altering is also responsive to said inter-character spacing signals.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said means for deflecting includes means for displacing said electron beam by successive predetermined increments; and wherein said means for altering increases the magnitude of said increments.

Claim 14

Apparatus for printing characters from coded electrical input signals comprising: means for generating electron images of characters from said coded input signals including a character grid and indexing bars defining individual character areas, and each said character area including encoded data representative of the width of the associated character; and means for reading and storing all of said encoded width data, said means for reading re-reads all said encoded width data; means for comparing said stored width data with said re-read encoded width data; means for generating an error signal for indicating a non-comparison; and means responsive to said error signal for repeating operation of said reading and storage means, said means for comparing, and said means for generating an error signal.

Claim 15

Apparatus for printing characters from coded electrical input signals comprising: means for generating electron images of characters from said coded input signals including a character grid and indexing bars defining individual character areas, and each said character area including encoded data representative of the width of the associated character; and means for reading and storing all of said encoded width data, said means for reading re-reads all said encoded width data; means for comparing said stored width data with said re-read encoded width data; means for generating an error signal for indicating a non-comparison; and means responsive to said error signal for repeating operation of said reading and storage means, said means for comparing, and said means for generating an error signal.

Claim 16

Apparatus for printing text by converting encoded electrical signals into printed characters, comprising: means for generating electron images of characters to be printed from said coded input signals and including an arrangement of characters with indexing bars forming a character field for each of said characters; means for controlling said means for generating electron images to select characters from said arrangement of characters in accordance with a desired character format; said means for generating electron images further including means for deflecting said electron images in accordance with a predetermined scanning pattern in response to said means for controlling, said scanning pattern having first and second different scanning rasters wherein said first scanning raster scans at least one of said indexing bars and said second scanning raster scans said character associated with said at least one indexing bar, and means for producing output signals representative of said electron images; first means responsive to said output signals for correcting the position of said first scanning raster to improve the initial position of said second scanning raster for scanning a selected character, said first means including means for selectively varying the rate of said position correction during said first scanning raster; second means responsive to said output signals for generating a visual image of said characters in accordance with said second scanning raster and including means for recording said visual image; wherein said means for producing output signals produces different output signals from said indexing bars and the areas adjacent thereto, respectively, and further comprising means for detecting said different output signals during said first raster scan and means for positioning said first scanning raster in accordance with said detected output; and wherein said first means first corrects the position of said first scanning raster only when a predetermined one of said signals is present and subsequently corrects the position of said first scanning raster only when another of said different output signals is present, whereby the useful range of position correction is increased.

Claim 17

Apparatus for printing text by converting encoded electrical signals into printed characters, comprising: means for generating electron images of characters to be printed from said coded input signals and including an arrangement of characters with indexing bars forming a character field for each of said characters; means for controlling said means for generating electron images to select characters from said arrangement of characters in accordance with a desired character format; said means for generating electron images further including means for deflecting said electron images in accordance with a predetermined scanning pattern in response to said means for controlling, said scanning pattern having first and second different scanning rasters wherein said first scanning raster scans at least one of said indexing bars and said second scanning raster scans said character associated with said at least one indexing bar, and means for producing output signals representative of said electron images; first means responsive to said output signals for correcting the position of said first scanning raster to improve the initial position of said second scanning raster for scanning a selected character, said first means including means for selectively varying the rate of said position correction during said first scanning raster; second means responsive to said output signals for generating a visual image of said characters in accordance with said second scanning raster and including means for recording said visual image; wherein said means for producing output signals produces different output signals from said indexing bars and the areas adjacent thereto, respectively, and further comprising means for detecting said different output signals during said first raster scan and means for positioning said first scanning raster in accordance with said detected output; and wherein said first means first corrects the position of said first scanning raster only when a predetermined one of said signals is present and subsequently corrects the position of said first scanning raster only when another of said different output signals is present, whereby the useful range of position correction is increased.