JP2958417B2 - String output device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a character string output device for outputting a character string.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a document processing apparatus such as a word processor, when emphasizing a part of a character string in a document, shading, inversion, boldness, underline, italic characters determined in advance by a maker side. , Rotation, etc., to modify a desired character string.

[0003]

As described above, the character string can be emphasized only by a predetermined method, and has a disadvantage that the degree of freedom is extremely low and the user's demand cannot be sufficiently satisfied. An object of the present invention is to be able to output a character string arranged in a curved line so as to obtain a sense of depth.

[0004]

The means of the present invention are as follows. Specifying means for specifying a layout area of a curved line on which a character string to be output is to be positioned; and arranging and outputting each character constituting the character string along the layout area specified by the specifying means; And the arrangement means for continuously changing the shape of the character according to the arrangement position of the character so that the width of the character outside the curve is larger than the width of the character inside the curve line. Output means for outputting the character string.

[0005]

The operation of the means of the present invention is as follows. The arranging means arranges and outputs the characters constituting the character string along the arrangement area specified by the specifying means for specifying the arrangement area of the curve line in which the character string to be output is arranged, and outputs the characters. The shape is continuously changed according to the arrangement position of the character such that the character width outside the curve is larger than the character width inside the curve line. The output means outputs the character strings arranged by the arrangement means. Therefore, it is possible to output a character string arranged in a curved line so as to obtain a sense of depth.

[0006]

First Embodiment Hereinafter, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a decoration character output device. The manual operation unit 11 is a key input device for inputting character string information and the like. The character string code input from the manual operation unit 11 is taken into the main control device 12 and then stored in the text storage device 13. It is stored in the unit 13-1. The text storage device 13 is constituted by a random access memory, and has an arrangement function storage unit 13-2 in addition to the character string code storage unit 13-1. Now, a reference line in which the character string in the character string code storage unit 13-1 is arranged, that is, an arrangement skeleton line (a line passing through the center of each character constituting the character string) is defined, and each of the characters constituting the character string is defined. When a function that defines the height at the character arrangement position is input from the manual operation unit 11, the main control unit 12 sets the input function in the arrangement function storage unit 13-2 in the text storage device 13. In the present embodiment, three types of arrangement skeleton lines, a straight line, a Bezier curve, and an elliptic curve, are prepared, and the type of the arrangement skeleton line arbitrarily selected and designated is also set in the arrangement function storage unit 13-2. . The contents of the character string code storage unit 13-1 and the arrangement function storage unit 13-2 are stored as one set of data for each row, and an arrangement function is defined for a certain character string.

[0007] When outputting a character string in the text storage device 13, the main control device 12 obtains the number of characters of the character string and gives it to the character position parameter calculation device 14. The character position parameter calculation device 14 calculates each character position to be arranged on the arrangement skeleton line, and stores it in the character position parameter memory 15. The main controller 12 sends the character string in the text storage 13 to the font data storage 16 and sends the corresponding definition in the layout function storage 13-2 to the modification parameter calculator 17.

The modification parameter calculating device 17 calculates a modification parameter for each character based on the definition contents from the layout function storage section 13-2 and the character position parameters from the character position parameter memory 15, and stores it in the modification parameter memory 18 To be stored. The font data storage device 16 provides the corresponding character font data to the coordinate calculation device 19 according to the character code from the character string code storage unit 13-1. It should be noted that the font data is composed of a data string that traces the outline of an element constituting a character with coordinates, and has a data structure that allows easy character modification by coordinate conversion.

The coordinate calculation device 19 applies control such as control of the arrangement position, size, and rotation to the character font data from the font data storage device 16 in accordance with the modification parameters read from the modification parameter memory 18 for each character. And gives the result to the rasterizer 20.

The rasterizer 20 paints the inside of the character font data sent from the coordinate calculation device 19 in the horizontal direction at the time of display and gives it to the display control / display device 21 for display output. (When the print head is mounted in the vertical direction), is applied to the print buffer / printer control device 22, and is printed out from the printer 23.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. When a character string input and created in the character string code storage unit 13-1 is to be printed out, the type of arbitrarily defined arrangement skeleton line or the like is stored in the arrangement function storage unit 13-2 corresponding to this character string. It is assumed that various parameters have been set.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show the formulas of the arrangement skeleton lines and their definitions. FIG. 2 shows a case where the arrangement skeleton lines are straight lines, FIG. This is the case for a curve. That is, when the arrangement skeleton line is a straight line, the coordinates of the start point S (SX, SY) and the coordinates of the end point E (EX, E
Y) is defined in the placement function storage unit 13-2. Further, in the case of a Bezier curve, the coordinates (SX,
SY) and the coordinates (EX, EY) of the end point E, the coordinates (C1X, C1Y) of the first control point C1, and the coordinates (C2X, C2Y) of the second control point C2 are stored in the arrangement function storage unit 13-2. Is defined as Further, in the case of an elliptic curve, the center point coordinates (CCX, CCY), the X direction radius CRX, the Y direction radius CRY, the start angle ST1, and the end angle EN1 are defined in the arrangement function storage unit 13-2. On the other hand, in this embodiment, an arbitrary point on the arrangement skeleton line is represented by one parameter, and its value is set to “0” at the start point S and to the end point E
Is represented by using the parameter "t" which becomes "1", the equations are as shown in FIGS. For example, in the case of a straight line, P (t) = S + (E−S) · t where t = 0
~ 1. In this embodiment, the character string to be output is arranged along the skeleton line, and the height of the character is calculated based on the same parameter t.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining the character height H and showing the change of the character height H according to the parameter t. Assuming that the height from the center of the character is H, this height H is the intermediate value. Variable t
Is represented by the following quadratic equation. That is, the character has a height H shown in the graph of FIG. 5 depending on the value of t at which the character is arranged from the start point of t = 0 to the end point of t = 1. The values of A, B, and C of the quadratic expression H = At ² + Bt + C are also defined and stored in the placement function storage unit 13-2.

As described above, in the state where the type of the arrangement skeleton line and various parameters are defined in the arrangement function storage unit 13-2 corresponding to the character strings to be printed stored in the character string code storage unit 13-1, When a print command is given, main controller 12 obtains the number of characters of a character string to be printed in character string code storage unit 13-1 and supplies the number of characters to character position parameter calculator 14. Then, the character position parameter calculation device 1
4 calculates the parameter t by taking the reciprocal of the number of characters. Now, assuming that four characters are arranged on a linear skeleton,
As shown in FIG. 6, the starting point t = 0.25 at t = 0, P ₁ by the value of t is P ₀ from P ₀ to the end point P _4, t = 0 in P _2.
5, P ₃ at t = 0.75, t = 1 becomes at P _4, this value is written in the character position parameter memory 15.

Next, the main controller 12 stores the allocation function storage unit 1
The type of the arrangement skeleton line and the parameters necessary for defining it are extracted from 3-2, and the modification parameter calculation device 17
Send to Then, the modification parameter calculating device 17 stores the value t in the character position parameter memory 15 and the arrangement function storage 13
-2, the position, the vertical / horizontal magnification, and the rotation angle are calculated for each character on the basis of the definition contents from -2, and are calculated.
8 is stored. Here, FIG. 7 is a table showing an example of calculating the modification parameter from the coefficient of the arrangement function in the modification parameter calculation device 17 for each arrangement skeleton line. As shown in FIG. (X-axis position coordinates XL, Y-axis position coordinates YL, X-axis direction enlargement ratio RX, Y-axis direction enlargement ratio RY, rotation angle RR, which will be described later, corresponding to the type (straight line, ellipse, Bezier curve). ). In the drawing, K _{1 to} K ₁₀ are constants determined by the number of meshes of the font data and the number of dots of the printer. For example, in the case of an enlargement ratio, the number of font meshes of one character is 192 dots, and the number of physical dots of the printer is 192 dots.
In the case of 0 dots, if it is desired to output 10 characters in 1920 dots, K21 is determined.

On the other hand, the coordinate calculation device 19 performs a coordinate conversion operation on the character font data from the font data storage device 16 for each character, and modifies position control, size, rotation, and the like. That is, the coordinate calculation device 19 has multi-functions of enlargement / reduction modification shown in FIG. 8, rotation modification shown in FIG. 9, and parallel movement modification shown in FIG. 10, and character font data in the order of enlargement / reduction, rotation, and translation. The conversion operation is performed for all the coordinate data that constitutes.

Here, in the case of performing enlargement / reduction modification as shown in FIG. 8, the coordinates (x
₀ , y ₀ ) is converted to (x ₁ , y ₁ ) after modification, and the conversion formula is x ₁ = x ₀ · RX y ₁ = y ₀ · RY. Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the variable RX is the enlargement ratio in the X-axis direction, and the variable Y is the enlargement ratio in the Y-axis direction. Also, the conversion formula in the case of performing the rotating modified as shown in FIG. 9 is the _{x 1 = x 0 cosθ-y} 0 sinθ y 1 = x 0 sinθ + y 0 cosθ. Here, the rotation angle θ was defined as positive when rotated in a counterclockwise direction about an axis perpendicular to the paper surface. Further, FIG.
In the case of performing the translational modification as shown in FIG. 1, the conversion formula is x ₁ = x ₀ + XL y ₁ = y ₀ + YL. Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the variable XL is the X-axis position coordinate, and the variable YL is the Y-axis position coordinate.

As described above, the coordinate calculation device 19 performs coordinate conversion on three elements (magnification, rotation, and position) based on the modification parameters. In this case, the expression of the skeleton line (see FIGS. 2-4) for the location in each placement skeleton line as shown in FIG. 7 (parallel movement), any point P _n and the next point of the skeleton line P
_{n + 1} values of the parametric _{t (T n, T n +} 1) may If you put the average. Magnification in the horizontal direction (X axis direction) is basically determined by the ratio of the width of the distance and font data fields skeleton from P _n to P _{n + 1.} Further, the magnification in the vertical direction (Y-axis direction) is a quadratic expression representing the height of the character (see FIG. 5).
To P _n, P _{n + 1} values of _{t (T n, T n +} 1) shall put average, or P _n, the height of the average and font data field height at P n _{+ 1} It is determined by the ratio. On the other hand, regarding the rotation angle, when the arrangement skeleton line is a straight line, FIG.
1. In the case of a Bezier curve, it is obtained as shown in FIG. 12, and in the case of an ellipse, it is obtained as shown in FIG. That is, it is obtained from the inclination of a straight line, from the inclination of a line connecting _Pn and _{Pn + 1} in a Bezier curve, and _Pn and P
_{It is} obtained from the midpoint of _{n + 1} .

The character font data subjected to the coordinate conversion in this manner is sent to the rasterizer 20, where the inside of the character font data is painted out, and then printed out from the printer 23 via the print buffer / printer controller 22. Here, FIG.
4 to 16 show output examples in the case where character strings are arranged and output in correspondence with various skeleton lines. 14 to 16.
In the above, only the character font area is shown by a frame line in order to clarify the arrangement state and the modification state of the character string. FIG. 14 shows an arrangement example of a straight skeleton, in which the character height is lower at the center of the skeleton line and higher at both ends. FIG. 15 shows an arrangement example of a Bezier curve skeleton, in which the character height is gradually increased from one end to the other end. FIG. 16 shows an arrangement example of an elliptic curve skeleton, in which the character height is gradually increased from one end to the other end. FIG. 17 shows a state where character strings are actually arranged and output along the elliptical skeleton shown in FIG.

As described above, according to this embodiment, a continuous numerical value (parameter t, t = 0 to 0) from the beginning to the end of the line of the character string
Since the character positions are represented by numerical values within the range of 1), all the characters constituting the character string can be uniformly arranged on the arrangement skeleton line. Therefore, even if the character string is long, the character string does not fall out of the skeleton line, and even if the character string is short, the arrangement does not shift, and a well-balanced arrangement is always possible. .
Also, the height of the character can be calculated using the same parameter t. Further, the shape and size of the skeleton line or the height of the character can be variously set only by defining a function.

[0021]

Second Embodiment Hereinafter, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the first embodiment, the coordinate calculating device 19 is provided with a function of performing coordinate conversion using three types of parameters of magnification, rotation, and position. It is provided with a coordinate conversion function for applying the modification and the inclination modification shown in FIGS. In this case, the modification parameter calculation device 17 of the present embodiment
As shown in FIG. 22 and FIG. 23, the X-axis direction reduction ratio, the Y-axis direction reduction ratio, the X-axis direction inclination ratio, and the Y-axis direction inclination ratio are further obtained as modification parameters. FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a list of calculation examples for obtaining a modification parameter in the case of a linear skeleton and an elliptic skeleton, and FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a list of calculation examples for obtaining a modification parameter in the case of a Bezier curve skeleton.

FIG. 18 shows the modification of the aperture in the X direction.
Here, the aperture modification in the X direction is a rotation modification about the X direction by changing the magnification in the horizontal direction of the character from the top to the bottom or from the bottom to the top in the vertical direction of the character, thereby giving a sense of depth. It is made to have. Coordinate conversion formula in this case is _{x 1 = x 0 -x 0 ·} y 0 · R1, y 1 = y 0. Note that R1 indicates the aperture ratio in the X direction, and is basically fixed to “0” as long as a straight line is used for the skeleton. However, in the Bezier curve skeleton and the elliptical skeleton, P _n
And P _{n +1} (FIGS. 22 and 23).

FIG. 19 shows the aperture modification in the Y direction.
Here, the iris modification in the Y direction is a rotation modification about the Y direction by changing the magnification of the character in the vertical direction from left to right or from right to left in the horizontal direction of the character, thereby giving a sense of depth. It is made to have. Coordinate conversion formula in this case is _{x 1 = x 0 -x 0,} y 1 = y 0 · x 0 · R2. Note that R2 indicates the aperture ratio in the Y direction, which is obtained from the difference between the character heights at points _Pn and _{Pn + 1} .

FIG. 20 shows the X-direction tilt modification. The coordinate conversion formula is x ₁ = x ₀ −y ₀ · RS1, y ₁ = y ₀ , and R
S1 indicates an X-axis direction inclination rate. FIG. 21 shows the Y-direction tilt modification, and the coordinate conversion formula is x ₁ = x ₀ , y ₁ = y ₀ −x _0.
RS2, where RS2 indicates the rate of inclination in the Y-axis direction.

FIG. 24 shows an example in which the modification is performed on the elliptical skeleton. FIG. 24A shows the case where the modification (magnification, rotation, position) of only the first embodiment is added, and FIG. This is a case where the modification (further stop, inclination) of the present embodiment is added. Here, in the present embodiment, frame data indicating the area of the font is added to the character font data read from the font data storage device 16, and the frame data is usually a one-dot-width square. , But
It is deformed by various modifications. Especially,
In the case where adjacent character frames partially overlap as shown in FIG. 24A, by applying the modification of the present embodiment, the overlapping of the frames is eliminated and a character arrangement with a sense of depth is obtained.

In each of the above embodiments, the height of a character is defined by a quadratic continuous function. However, the height of the character is defined as a table of a discrete value data string defined for each section of the value of the character position (t). You may have it.

In each of the above embodiments, three types of arrangement skeleton lines are used: straight lines, Bezier curves, and elliptic curves.
Of course, it is not limited to this.

[0028]

According to the present invention, each character constituting a character string is arranged and output along the arrangement area of the curved line, and the shape of each character is made smaller than the width of the character inside the curved line. It can be changed continuously according to the position of the character so that the width of the character outside the curve becomes large, and outputs a character string arranged along a curved line so as to obtain a sense of depth can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a modified character output device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a formula of a skeleton line and its definition when the arrangement skeleton line is a straight line.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a formula of a skeleton line and its definition when the arrangement skeleton line is a Bezier curve.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an equation of a skeleton line and its definition when the arrangement skeleton line is an elliptic curve.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a character height H and showing a change in the character height H depending on a parameter t.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a specific example of a case where a character string having four characters is arranged in an arrangement skeleton, and particularly showing values of a parameter t at each character position.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a list of calculation examples for obtaining modification parameters.

FIG. 8 is a view for explaining coordinate conversion when performing enlargement / reduction modification.

FIG. 9 is a view for explaining coordinate conversion when performing rotation modification.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining coordinate conversion in the case of performing translational modification;

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram in the case of obtaining a rotation angle at the time of arrangement on a linear skeleton.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a case where a rotation angle at the time of arrangement on a Bezier skeleton is obtained.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram when a rotation angle at the time of arrangement on an elliptical skeleton is obtained.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an execution example when character font areas indicated by frame lines are arranged in a linear skeleton.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an execution example when a character font area indicated by a frame line is arranged on a Bezier curve skeleton.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an execution example when a character font area indicated by a frame line is arranged on an elliptic curve skeleton.

FIG. 17 is a view showing a state where character strings are actually arranged along the elliptical skeleton shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing coordinate conversion when performing X-direction aperture modification in the second embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a view for explaining coordinate conversion when performing Y-direction aperture modification in the second embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining coordinate conversion when performing X-direction tilt modification in the second embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing coordinate conversion when performing Y-direction tilt modification in the second embodiment.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a calculation example list for obtaining modification parameters in the case of a linear skeleton and an elliptical skeleton in the second embodiment.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a calculation example list for obtaining a modification parameter in the case of a Bezier curve in the second embodiment.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing an example in which modification is performed on an elliptical skeleton in the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 11 hand operation unit 12 main control unit 13 text storage unit 13-1 character string code storage unit 13-2 layout function storage unit 16 font data storage unit 17 modification parameter calculation unit 19 coordinate calculation unit 21 display control / display unit 22 print buffer・ Printer 23 Printer

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A designating means for designating an arrangement area of a curved line on which a character string to be output is arranged, and each character constituting the character string along the arrangement area designated by the designating means. And output the shape of each character, and determine the shape of each character from the width of the character inside the curved line.
The width of characters outside the curve
To a sequence means for continuously varying in accordance with the arrangement position of the character, and an output means for outputting the character string arranged by the arrangement means, the character string output apparatus characterized by comprising a.