Proportional Font Text Display with Monospaced Matrix Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for displaying text using proportional fonts face challenges in readability and space efficiency when converting to monospaced fonts, leading to loss of author intent and comprehension due to misalignment and excessive space usage.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that determines and renders tokens within a monospaced matrix using the average or minimum width of proportional font characters, ensuring non-overlapping and optimal positioning to mimic monospaced text alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If proportional font is used for text display, then readability and visual grouping are improved, but vertical alignment and monospaced positioning are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereadabilityVSAvoidvertical alignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The text is segmented into tokens (words or character sequences) that are processed individually. Each token is positioned based on its starting index in the monospaced matrix, allowing proportional fonts to be used while maintaining alignment through systematic segmentation and positioning of text elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of character width from variable (proportional font) to fixed (monospaced width Wm) for positioning calculations. By using the monospaced width as a reference parameter for determining starting positions, the system achieves vertical alignment while rendering with proportional fonts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If monospaced font is used for text display, then vertical alignment and monospaced positioning are maintained, but readability and visual grouping deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevertical alignmentVSAvoidreadability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the rendering parameter from monospaced to proportional font while maintaining the monospaced positioning parameter (starting position = starting index × monospaced width). This parameter separation allows the benefits of both font types to be combined.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If proportional font is used without monospaced positioning, then readability is improved, but space occupation and memory usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereadabilityVSAvoidspace occupation
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting text into tokens and calculating starting positions based on monospaced width, the system optimizes space utilization. Tokens are positioned efficiently without excessive spacing, reducing overall space occupation while maintaining proportional font readability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Stability of the object's composition

If monospaced font conversion is applied to proportional font, then vertical alignment is maintained, but author intent and text formatting are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevertical alignmentVSAvoidauthor intent
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes only the positioning parameter (using monospaced width for calculation) while preserving the rendering parameter (proportional font). This selective parameter change maintains vertical alignment without converting the font itself, thus preserving author's formatting intent.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3614279A1A method and a device for displaying text with a proportional font
Publication Date: 2020.02.26 ADVANCED DIGITAL BROADCAST
  • EP3614279A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3614279A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3614279A1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A computer-implemented method for displaying a source text with a proportional font, the method comprising: determining (301, 402) within the source text at least one token, wherein the token comprises one or more characters and wherein the tokens within the source text are separated by one or more separator characters; determining (302, 401) a width Wm for monospaced areas (n) to form a monospaced matrix (500); determining (301, 404) starting indices (ni) of the at least one token within the monospaced matrix (500); determining (303, 405) a starting position of the at least one token within the monospaced matrix (500) as a product of the starting index (ni) of the token and the width (Wm) of the monospaced area (n); and rendering (304, 406) the at least one token at its determined starting position (Xi) on screen using the proportional font.