Method of formatting documents using flexible design models providing controlled copyfit and typeface selection

Abstract

A method for typographic design of a printed document utilizing typographical parameters designed by an expert typographer is provided. A standard body of text is executed in a standard font and a selected format by an expert design typographer to provide maximized readability of the standard body of text and to determine a set of reference parameters associated with that selected format. Utilizing the reference parameters in a computer program, an unskilled user may then execute a desired body of text in a desired font in the selected format to produce a printed document having substantially equal readability. The program allows a reader to switch between typefaces to produce printed documents having substantially equal copyfit in different typefaces. The computer program provides a method of comparing typefaces to establish allowed pairs of typefaces for heading and accent alternatives allowing a user to customize design documents with the parameter influencing text readability and copyfit automatically adjusted.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to digital imagesetting systems and the application of specific design information to the process of document layout and publication. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of defining a document design model and an automatic process utilizing the design model to produce user documents with a user selected typeface in a user selected format in conformance with the design model.In recent years word processing programs, computers, laser printers and other peripherals have become so powerful that it is now possible for users in small companies and large corporations alike to produce the majority of their business documents in-house. These documents include, for example, company newsletters, quarterly reports, new product announcements and customer proposals. Prior to the advent of desktop publishing technology, the majority of this work was sent out to professional graphic designers and typesetters for...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The major advantages of the present invention lie in the provision of a flexible document design model, the simplicity of the methodology implemented, and the streamlined document formatting process resulting therefrom. Prior art methods involve placing design elements on a page manually by a professional designer, while dealing with issues of size, availability and proportion. Typically, typefaces are specified by their point size, typically expressed in integer (7, 9, 18) and coarse fraction (71 / 2) values. Only a limited variety of typefaces were available in a limited number of point sizes, and so were usually carefully chosen for compatibility. It required a skilled typographer or graphic designer to actually select or create design elements and physically lay them out for each page of a document or other printed item.

Professionally produced documents of graphic arts quality typically fill a fixed number of pages of any size specified by the designer. Other embodiments of the present invention may be implemented to similarly provide the professional graphics designer in the choice of text area and page dimensions and layout in order to prepare a given text in one or more chosen typefaces with exact copyfit while preserving a high level of readability to fill a given text area.

Problems solved by technology

With little or no training or skills in graphic design, individuals can and do use these systems to produce documents, slides, etc., but there is no guarantee that the results are effective.

Typically, such documents do not follow or embody any accepted or desired principles of graphic design.

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