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.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for automatic typographic design of a .[.printed.]. document comprising the steps of: selecting a standard font from a selected typeface;   setting a standard body of text in a selected format in said standard font;   selecting an interline spacing for said standard body of text and the type size of said standard font to provide a standard style for said standard body of text in said selected format;   selecting a desired typeface;   setting a desired body of text in said desired typeface in said selected format, adjusting the type size of said desired typeface such that a selected parameter of said desired body of text set in said desired typeface is substantially equal to said selected parameter of said desired body of text in said standard font and said selected interline spacing; and   adjusting the interline spacing of said desired body of text such that the ratio of the interline spacing in said desired body of text to the height of a selected character in said desired typeface is substantially equal to the ratio of the interline spacing in said standard body of text to the height of said selected character in said standard font.   
     
     
       2. A method as in claim 1 further including the steps of: determining the integer number of lines of said desired body of text in said selected format;   re-adjusting the interline spacing of said desired body of text in said selected format as a function of said integer number of lines; and   adjusting the size of said desired typeface such that the ratio of said readjusted interline spacing to the height of said selected character in said desired typeface is substantially equal to the ratio of the interline spacing in said standard body of text in said selected format to the height of said selected character in said standard format.   
     
     
       3. A method as in claim 1 further including the steps of: determining the integer number of lines of said desired body of text in said selected format;   readjusting the interline spacing of said desired body of text in said selected format as a function of said integer number of lines of text; and   adjusting the size of said desired typeface such that the number of characters of desired text in said selected format in said desired typeface is substantially equal to the number of characters of desired text in said standard format set in said standard font in said standard style.   
     
     
       4. A method for automatic typographic design of a .[.printed.]. document comprising the steps of: selecting a format;   selecting a standard font from a selected typeface;   selecting a standard interline spacing for said standard font in said selected format;   selecting a desired typeface;   setting a desired body of text in said desired typeface in said selected format, the type size of said desired typeface being such that the ratio of the height of the lowercase characters in said desired typeface to a selected interline spacing for the desired typeface will be the same as the ratio of the height of the lowercase characters of said standard font to said standard interline spacing in said selected format, the type size of said desired typeface being such that a substantially equal amount of said desired body of text will fit within a column of said selected format in said desired typeface and the interline spacing for the desired typeface and within a column of said selected format in said standard font and said standard interline spacing.   
     
     
       5. A method for automatic typographic design of a .[.printed.]. document comprising the steps of: selecting a standard font from a selected typeface   selecting a desired format;   selecting a standard interline spacing for use with said standard font in said format,   setting a standard body of text in columns of said selected format in said standard font utilizing said standard interline spacing;   selecting a desired typeface;   setting a desired body of text in said desired typeface in said selected format, adjusting the type size of said desired typeface such that the ratio of the height of the lowercase characters in the desired typeface to a selected interline spacing for desired typeface substantially equals the ratio of the height of the lowercase characters in said standard font to said standard interline spacing such that the amount of said desired text set in a column of said selected format in said desired typeface substantially equals the amount of desired text set in said column in said standard font utilizing said standard interline spacing.   
     
     
       6. A method as in claim 5 including the further step of adjusting the type size of said desired typeface such that the amount of said desired text set in a column of said selected format in said desired typeface equals a predetermined relationship to the amount of desired text set in said column in said standard font utilizing said standard interline spacing. 
     
     
       7. A method for selecting contrasting typefaces for use in a text-heading combination within a .[.printed.]. document, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a pair of typefaces for use within a printed document wherein one of said pairs of typefaces is utilized for setting text and the other one of said pair of typefaces is utilized for setting headings;   selecting at least one common character from said pair of typefaces; measuring preselected dimensions of one or more character parameters for each said selected character in each of said pair of typefaces; and   comparing said measurements of said character parameters for each character in each typeface in accordance with predetermined criteria to define pairs of typefaces having sufficient visual contrast therebetween for use as a text-heading combination within said .[.printed.]. document.   
     
     
       8. A method as in claim 7 wherein the step of selecting a pair of typefaces includes the step of determining equivalent type sizes for each of said typefaces, said typefaces to be compared for contrast at said equivalent type size. 
     
     
       9. A method as in claim 8 wherein the step of measuring preselected dimensions of said character parameters includes the step of assigning a numerical value to each of said measurements. 
     
     
       10. A method as in claim 9 wherein said numerical value is assigned to each of said measurements in accordance with a predefined numerical scale defined over a range of values representing a range between opposite extremities for each said character parameter. 
     
     
       11. A method as in claim 9 including the steps of: summing said assigned numerical values for all said measurements for each selected character to provide a total value for each character for each typeface in said pair of typefaces; and   comparing said total value for each selected character in one typeface to the total value for the common selected character in the other typeface in accordance with predefined criteria for defining allowable pairs of typefaces having sufficient visual contrast therebetween for use as a text-heading combination within said .[.printed.]. document.   
     
     
       12. A method as in claim 8 wherein the step of comparing said measurements of said character parameters include the steps of: calculating at least one predefined comparison factor associated with each said selected character in each said typeface, the value of each of said comparison factors being a function of the measurement for at least one of said character parameters; and   comparing the sum of all said comparison factors for each said character in one typeface with the sum of all said comparison factors for the common character in the other typeface.   
     
     
       13. A method as in claim 12 wherein the step of calculating said predefined comparison factors includes the steps of: assigning a numerical value to each of said measurements; and   scaling the value of each said comparison factor in accordance with a predefined numerical scale, said predefined numerical scale defined over a range of values representing a range between opposite extremities for each of said predefined comparison factors.   
     
     
       14. A computer software system for typographic design of a .[.printed.]. document comprising: at least one document design model for providing a user a plurality of choices for each of several document design elements, each document design model associated with at least one predefined document format; and   a set of instructions providing a document design process responsive to user input commands for accessing said document design model and integrating user choices for each of said plurality of document design elements for providing a user document having user input text set in a user selected typeface in a user selected predefined document format associated with said document design model.   
     
     
       15. A computer sofward system as in claim 14 wherein each said document design model comprises: a plurality of design element tables, each of said design element tables for providing at least one user choice for a specified design element associated with that design element table, each said design element table defining a default choice for said associated design element; and   a plurality of sets of predefined design rules, each said design rule set associated with at least one design element table, said design rule set defining the .[.user.]. .Iadd.use .Iaddend.of and interaction with other design elements of said associated design element in said associated predefined document format.   
     
     
       16. A computer software system as in claim 15 wherein said document design process accesses a computer monitor for providing visual screens displaying visual images to a user representing said design element choices for each said design element table. .Iadd. 
     
     
       17.  A method according to claim 1 further comprising storing the resulting document in a machine-readable form..Iaddend..Iadd.18. A method according to claim 1 further comprising printing the resulting 
     
     
        document..Iaddend..Iadd.19.  A method according to claim 1 further comprising displaying the resulting document on a computer display screen..Iaddend..Iadd.20. A computer software system according to claim 14 further comprising means for storing the resulting user document in a machine-readable form..Iaddend..Iadd.21. A computer software system according to claim 14 further comprising means for outputting the resulting user document to a printer for printing..Iaddend..Iadd.22. A computer software system according to claim 14 further comprising means for displaying the resulting user document on a computer display screen..Iaddend..Iadd.23. A computer software system according to claim 14 wherein the said document design process integrates a user choice for related design elements..Iaddend..Iadd.24. A computer software system according to claim 14 wherein the said document design process integrates a user choice for font design elements..Iaddend..Iadd.25. A computer software system according to claim 14 wherein the said document design process integrates a user choice for title and heading design elements..Iaddend..Iadd.26. A computer software system according to claim 14 wherein the said document design process integrates a user choice for caption design elements..Iaddend..Iadd.27. A computer software system according to claim 15 further comprising means for storing the resulting user document in a machine-readable form..Iaddend..Iadd.28. A computer software system according to claim 15 further comprising means for outputting the resulting user document to a printer for printing..Iaddend..Iadd.29. A computer software system according to claim 15 further comprising means for displaying the resulting user document on a computer display screen..Iaddend..Iadd.30. A computer software system according to claim 15 wherein said design rule set provides for constraining at least one choice in at least one design element..Iaddend..Iadd.31. A computer software system according to claim 15 wherein at least one design rule set provides for automatic compensation of a selected design element responsive to said user choice for a specified design element other than the selected design element..Iaddend..Iadd.32. A computer software system according to claim 15 wherein at least one of the design rule sets effects automatic selection of at least one of said design elements in response to a single user choice for another one of the design elements..Iaddend..Iadd.33. A computer software system according to claim 15 wherein at least one of the design rule sets provides for automatic compensation of each occurrence of at least one selected design element responsive to user 
     
     
        input..Iaddend..Iadd.34.  A computer software system according to claim 15 wherein said interaction with other design elements, as defined by said design rule set, includes compensating the design of the corresponding default choice for said associated design element responsive to the user 
     
     
        choice for one of said other design elements..Iaddend..Iadd.35.  A computer software system according to claim 15 wherein said interaction with other design elements, as defined by said design rule set, includes compensating the design of the corresponding default choice for said associated design element responsive to the default choice defined by the design element table for one of said other design elements..Iaddend..Iadd.36. A computer software system according to claim 15 wherein said interaction with other design elements, as defined by said design rule set, includes compensating the design of said user's choice for said associated design element responsive to the default choice for one of said other design elements..Iaddend..Iadd.37. A computer software system according to claim 15 wherein said interaction with other design elements, as defined by said design rule set, includes compensating the design of said user's choice for said associated design element responsive to the user's selection of one of the user choices provided by the corresponding design element table for one of said other design elements..Iaddend.