User definable font substitutions with equivalency indicators

• US 5,167,013 A
• Filed: 09/28/1990
• Issued: 11/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Sampson, Cheryl A., Hube, Randall R., Simpson, Russell W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Arthur G.
• Application Number:
  US07/590,103
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 395/101, 395/110, 395/112, 395/114, 395/115, 395/150, 395/151, 395/164, 395/165, 340/735, 358/467, 358/470, 400/171, 400/172, 400/109-111, 400/69, 400/72
• US Class Current: 358/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/109 Font handling; Temporal or kinetic typography
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1823 for evaluating the resources needed, e.g. rasterizing time, ink, paper stock
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/1827 Accessing generic data, e.g. fonts

Abstract

In a printer system which allows printing in multiple fonts, where the font to be used is specified in an encoded document to be printed, an operator designation of font equivalency is provided which specifies acceptable font substitutes of available fonts for unavailable fonts. Upon detection of a document specification of an unavailable font, a print controller searches a mapping of known fonts to available fonts to determine if an equivalent font has been designated. The mapping is operator-set in accordance with the operator perception of equivalence. Font equivalency mapping may be a yes/no equivalent, indicating substitution or job fault, or the mapping may have a multilevel substitution hierarchy, in which degress of equivalency are determined by the operator, and result in different warnings or machine operations dependent on different degrees of equivalency. An operator may also program the job to allow printing if the equivalency falls within a certain degree, changing that degree depending upon customer sensitivity to font use.

Claims

1. In an arrangement identifying characters in an electronically formatted document as printable in a selected font, and including means for converting the selected font to an available font, said converting means including:

a font library storing a number of fonts therein, each stored font accessible when required for printing a character, when said selected font is among said stored fonts;

means for determining whether the selected font is stored in said font library;

means for comparing said selected font with a set of known fonts not stored in said font library, to determine whether said selected font is a member of said set;

a programmable look up table, mapping known fonts not available in said font library, to fonts stored in said font library, as substitutions therefor, and allowing user designation of said mapping;

means for determining, from said programmable look up table, a substitution font for a known font to a stored font; and

means for using said substitution font for each selected font.

2. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said programmable look up table in said font memory, mapping each known font to a stored font, provides indicia of equivalence for each mapping, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

3. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said programmable look up table in said font memory, mapping each known font to a stored font, provides indicia of equivalence for each mapping, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

4. The device as defined in claim 3, including operator warning means for providing a hierarchy of warnings to an operator, in accordance with said indicia of equivalence.

5. The device as defined in claim 1, where for a known font mapped to plural stored fonts, means are provided for selecting a substitution font in accordance with a predetermined priority.

6. A method of controlling font substitution in an arrangement identifying characters in an electronically formatted document, each character designated as printable in a selected font, including the steps:

storing in a font library a number of fonts, each stored font accessible when identified for a character, when said selected font is among said stored fonts;

determining whether the selected font is stored in said font library;

comparing said selected font with a set of known fonts not stored in said font library, to determine whether said selected font is a member of said set;

determining, from a programmable look up table mapping known fonts not stored in said font library to stored fonts, a substitution font for a selected font determined not to be stored in said font library, said programmable look up table mapping each known font to a stored font generated by a user through a user interface to the table; and

using said substitution font for each selected font.

7. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein said programmable look up table in said font memory, mapping each known font to a stored font, provides indicia of equivalence for each mapping, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

8. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein said programmable look up table in said font memory, mapping each known font to a stored font, provides indicia of equivalence for each mapping, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

9. The method as defined in claim 8, including the step of providing a hierarchy of operator warnings to an operator, in accordance with said indicia of equivalence, prior to using a substitution font.

10. The method as defined in claim 6, where for a known font mapped to plural stored fonts, means are provided for selecting a substitution font in accordance with a predetermined priority.

12. The device as defined in claim 9, wherein said look up table, mapping known fonts to stored fonts for substitution, provides indicia of equivalence for each substitution, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

11. In a print controller for a printer, including an arrangement to print characters in a document transmitted to the controller, each character designated for printing in a selected font, including:

font memory storing a number of fonts therein, each stored font accessible when required for printing a character, when said selected font is among said stored fonts;

a programmable look up table in said font memory storing a set of user designated mappings, said table mapping known fonts to stored fonts, for substitution of said stored fonts therefor;

means for determining whether the selected font is stored in said font memory;

means for comparing said selected font with a set of known fonts not stored in said font library, to determine whether said selected font is a member of said set;

means for using said substitution font for each selected font, upon determination of unavailability thereof, for printing characters in the document designated for printing in the selected font.

13. The device as defined in claim 11, wherein said look up table, mapping known fonts to stored fonts for substitution, provides indicia of equivalence for each substitution, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

14. The device as defined in claim 13, including operator warning means for providing a hierarchy of warnings to an operator, in accordance with said indicia of equivalence.

15. In a print controller for a printer, including an arrangement to print characters in a document transmitted to the controller, each character designated for printing in a selected font, including:

font memory storing a number of fonts therein, each stored font accessible when required for printing a character, when said selected font is among said stored fonts;

a user programmable look up table in said font memory, said table mapping known fonts to stored fonts, for substitution of said stored fonts therefor, said look up table additionally providing indicia of equivalence for each substitution, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font;

means for determining whether the selected font is stored in said font memory;

means for comparing said selected font with a set of known fonts not stored in said font library, to determine whether said selected font is a member of said set;

means for using said substitution font for each selected font, upon determination of unavailability thereof, for printing characters in the document designated for printing in the selected font.

16. The device as defined in claim 15, wherein said means for using said substitution font for each selected font, upon determination of unavailability thereof, operates in accordance with a predetermined response to the degree of equivalence of the substitution.

17. In a print controller for a printer, including an arrangement to print characters in a document transmitted to the controller, each character designated for printing in a selected font, including:

font memory storing a number of fonts therein, each stored font accessible when required for printing a character, when said selected font is among said stored fonts;

a user programmable look up table in said font memory, said table mapping known fonts to stored fonts, for substitution of said stored fonts therefor, said look up table additionally providing indicia of equivalence for each substitution, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font;

means for determining whether the selected font is stored in said font memory;

means for comparing said selected font with a set of known fonts not stored in said font library, to determine whether said selected font is a member of said set;

means for using said substitution font for each selected font, upon determination of unavailability thereof, said substitution font using means producing a predetermined response to the degree of equivalence of the substitution.

18. The device as defined in claim 17, wherein said predetermined response includes printing without warning of font substitution.

19. The device as defined in claim 17, wherein said predetermined response includes printing with warning of font substitution.

20. The device as defined in claim 17, wherein said predetermined response includes declaration of a machine fault.

21. The device as defined in claim 17, wherein said predetermined response includes a request at a user interface for confirmation of acceptability of the font substitution.

22. In an arrangement identifying characters in an electronically formatted document, as printable in a selected font, and including means for converting the selected font to an available font, said converting means including:

a font library storing a number of fonts therein, each stored font accessible when required for printing a character;

means for comparing said selected font with a set of known fonts not stored in said font library, to determine whether said selected font is a member of said set;

a programmable look up table, mapping known fonts not available in said font library, to fonts stored in said font library, as substitutions therefor, said programmable look up table in said font memory, mapping each known font to a stored font, allowing user designation of said mapping;

p1 means for determining, from said programmable look up table, a substitution font for a known font to a stored font; and

means for using said substitution font for each selected font.

23. The device as defined in claim 22, wherein said programmable look up table in said font memory, mapping each known font to a stored font, provides indicia of equivalence for each mapping, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

24. The device as defined in claim 22, wherein said programmable look up table in said font memory, mapping each known font to a stored font, provides indicia of equivalence for each mapping, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

25. The device as defined in claim 22, including operator warning means for providing a hierarchy of warnings to an operator, in accordance with said indicia of equivalence.

26. A method of controlling font substitution in an arrangement identifying characters in an electronically formatted document, each character designated as printable in a selected font, including the steps:

storing in a font library a number of fonts, each stored font accessible when required for printing a character, when said selected font is among said stored fonts;

comparing said selected font with a set of known fonts not stored in said font library, to determine whether said selected font is a member of said set;

determining, from a programmable look up table mapping known fonts not stored in said font library to stored fonts, a substitution font for a selected font, said programmable look up table mapping each known font to a stored font is generated by a user through a user interface to the table; and

using said substitution font for each selected font.

27. The method as defined in claim 26, wherein said programmable look up table in said font memory, mapping each known font to a stored font, provides indicia of equivalence for each mapping, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

28. The method as defined in claim 26, wherein said programmable look up table in said font memory, mapping each known font to a stored font, provides indicia of equivalence for each mapping, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

29. The method as defined in claim 28, including the step of providing a hierarchy of operator warnings to an operator, in accordance with said indicia of equivalence, prior to using a substitution font.

30. A method of controlling font substitution in a print controller for a printer including an arrangement to print characters in a document transmitted to the controller, each character designated for printing in a selected font, including the steps:

storing in a font library a number of fonts, each stored font accessible when required for printing a character;

comparing said selected font with a set of known fonts not stored in said font library, to determine whether said selected font is a member of said set;

determining, from a programmable look up table mapping known fonts not stored in said font library to stored fonts, a substitution font for a selected font, said programmable look up table mapping each known font to a stored font is generated in response to user identification of mappings;

using said substitution font for each selected font, for printing characters in the document designated for printing in the selected font; and

selecting a substitution font for a known font mapped to a plurality of substitution fonts in accordance with a predetermined priority.

35. The device as defined in claim 30, where for a known font mapped to plural stored fonts, means are provided for selecting a substitution font in accordance with a predetermined priority.

31. In a print controller for a printer, including an arrangement to print characters in a document transmitted to the controller, each character designated for printing in a selected font, including:

a font library storing a number of fonts therein, each stored font accessible when required for printing a character. when said selected font is among said stored fonts;

means for determining whether the selected font is stored in said font library;

means for comparing said selected font with a set of known fonts not stored in said font library, to determine whether said selected font is a member of said set;

a programmable look up table, mapping known fonts not available in said font library, to fonts stored in said font library, as substitutions therefor, said programmable look up table allowing user designation of said mapping;

means for determining, from said programmable look up table, a substitution font for a known font to a stored font; and

means for using said substitution font for each selected font for printing characters in the document designated for printing in the selected font.

32. The device as defined in claim 31, wherein said programmable look up table in said font memory, mapping each known font to a stored font, provides indicia of equivalence for each mapping, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

33. The device as defined in claim 31, wherein said programmable look up table in said font memory, mapping each known font to a stored font, provides indicia of equivalence for each mapping, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

34. The device as defined in claim 33, including operator warning means for providing a hierarchy of warnings to an operator, in accordance with said indicia of equivalence.

36. A method of controlling font substitution in a print controller for a printer including an arrangement to print characters in an electronically formatted document transmitted to the controller, each character designated for printing in a selected font, including the steps:

storing in a font library a number of fonts, each stored font accessible when required for printing a character, when said selected font is among said stored fonts;

determining whether the selected font is stored in said font library;

comparing said selected font with a set of known fonts not stored in said font library, to determine whether said selected font is a member of said set;

generating via a user interface, in a programmable look up table, a mapping of each known font that may be called by an electronically formatted document, to stored fonts;

determining, from said programmable look up table mapping known fonts not stored in said font library to stored fonts, a substitution font for a selected font determined not to be stored in said font library; and

using said substitution font for each selected font, for printing characters in the document designated for printing in the selected font.

37. The method as defined in claim 36, wherein said programmable look up table in said font memory, mapping each known font to a stored font, provides indicia of equivalence for each mapping, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

38. The method as defined in claim 36, wherein said programmable look up table in said font memory, mapping each known font to a stored font, provides indicia of equivalence for each mapping, indicating a degree of similarity of each stored font to each known font.

39. The method as defined in claim 38, including the step of providing a hierarchy of operator warnings to an operator, in accordance with said indicia of equivalence, prior to using a substitution font.

40. The method as defined in claim 36, where for a known font mapped to plural stored fonts, means are provided for selecting a substitution font in accordance with a predetermined priority.