JPH06175637A - Method for generating character - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To maintain print quality without deforming a character even if the character is extremely small or the resolution of an output device is low. CONSTITUTION:When a character having a character modification part 34 formed at an end part of a stroke 33 or at the coupling part between strokes is expanded, approximate data A1-A4 corresponding to basic data P1-P20 of the character modification part 34 are added and outline font data are stored in an outline font ROM. Then, the outline font data are read one by one, out of the outline font ROM. At this time, the diameter of pixels at the character modification part 34 is compared with the width of the stroke 33 at the coupling part. When the diameter of the pixels is large and the character is possibly deformed, the approximate data A1-A4 are used and the basic data P1-P20 are skipped over, but when the diameter of the pixels is small and there is no possibility that the character decoration part 34 is deformed, the basic data P1-P20 are used and the approximate data A1-A4 are skipped over.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a character generation method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an output device such as a printer or a display has a character generation device for generating a character based on data received from a host device such as a computer or a word processor. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a character generation device applied to a conventional printer.

In the figure, 1 is a host device, 2 is an interface, 3 is a system bus, 4 is a processor, 5 is a program ROM, 6 is a working memory, 6b is a font cache memory, and 7a is an outline font RO.
M and 8 are image memories, 9 is a print engine interface, 9a is print data, 9b is a print control signal, and 10 is a print engine.

In the character generating apparatus having the above-mentioned structure, the processor 4, the program ROM 5, the working memory 6, the outline font ROM 7a, the image memory 8 and the print engine interface are connected to the system bus 3 connected to the host apparatus 1 via the interface 2. 9 is connected, and the print engine 10 is connected to the print engine interface 9. Further, the working memory 6 is provided with a font cache memory 6b for storing bitmap font data.

The host device 1 is a device such as a computer, a word processor, and an image reading device that creates print data, and the interface 2 is a so-called RS232.
It is a circuit composed of a C interface and a parallel interface. The processor 4 is a circuit that controls the entire printer, and its execution program is stored in the program ROM 5. The working memory 6 is a memory for storing and managing data and the like transmitted and received by the interface 2, and outline font ROM 7a stores outline font data representing an outline.

The image memory 8 is composed of a RAM for storing, for example, one page of image data which has been edited and converted into an image. The print engine 10 is a device that prints on a printing sheet based on the image data stored in the image memory 8, and includes a sheet conveying system and an electrophotographic process. The print engine interface 9 reads image data from the image memory 8 according to an instruction from the processor 4, transfers the image data to the print engine 10 as print data 9a, or receives a print control signal 9b output from the print engine 10, and receives the print control signal 9b. It is transmitted to the processor 4 or the like.

In the printer having the above structure, the host device 1
The control command, the character character code, the graphic command, the bit image data, etc. received from the interface 2 via the interface 2 are temporarily stored in the working memory 6 when necessary, and the image data imaged according to the instruction of the processor 4 is displayed. It is written in the memory 8.

Further, when the bitmap font data is generated from the outline font data and printed, the processing time becomes longer than that when the bitmap font data is directly printed. Therefore, when the outline font data is used for printing. Does not generate the bit line font data from the outline font data each time it is printed, but once the bit map font data is generated, the bit map font data is stored in the font cache memory 6b in the working memory 6. Incidentally, when printing the character for the second time and thereafter, the bitmap font data in the font cache memory 6b is used to speed up the printing.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a character generation device applied to a conventional display. In the figure, 1 is a host device, 2 is an interface, 3 is a system bus, 4 is a processor, 5 is a program ROM, 6 is a working memory, 6b is a font cache memory, 7a is an outline font ROM, 18 is a video RAM, and 20 is a The display.

Also in this case, the control command, the character character code, the graphic command, the bit image data, and the like which are similarly received from the host device 1 through the interface 2 are temporarily stored in the working memory 6 as necessary, and the processor The image data imaged according to the instruction of No. 4 is stored in the video RAM 18.

Characters generated based on the image data stored in the video RAM 18 are displayed on the screen of the display 20.
By the way, in the output device such as the printer or the display 20, the contour of the character is represented by a part of a straight line or a curved line, and therefore, a series of straight line, both end points of the curved line, representative points on the curved line, etc. The coordinate value data is stored in the outline font ROM 7a as outline font data. Then, an arbitrary character can be represented by a coordinate value data group having one or more sets of coordinate value data that connects each point from the start point and closes again at the start point.

For example, the capital letter "I" of the alphabet
Can be represented by one set of closed coordinate value data, and the Chinese character “mouth” can be represented by two sets of closed coordinate value data. By the way, when converting the outline font data into bitmap font data to expand a character, first, the coordinates representing the outline of the character are adjusted according to the size of the expanded character and the resolution of the output device such as the printer or the display 20 to be output. Converts the coordinates of value data. At this time, the curved line of the contour is approximated by a straight line. Next, the pixels inside the contour are painted out to generate a character.

[0013]

However, in the above-described conventional character generation method, outline font data can be freely expanded and reduced by simple calculation,
Although it can be rotated, especially when outputting a small character or when outputting with an output device with a low resolution, the number of pixels per character is small, so it is not possible to use a character designed in advance for such a pixel number. Compared with this, the print quality is degraded.

Specifically, the character decoration portion representing the characteristics of the character is crushed at the end of the stroke, the connecting portion of the stroke and the like. The present invention solves the problems of the above-described conventional character generation method, and prints a print quality regardless of the size of a character to be output and the output device of any resolution. An object of the present invention is to provide a character generation method capable of outputting a character without degrading the character.

[0015]

Therefore, in the method for generating a character of the present invention, a character in which a character decoration portion is formed at an end portion of a stroke and a connecting portion between strokes is developed. In addition, the outline of a character is represented by a straight line segment and a curved line segment, and the outline font data having the coordinate value data of the straight line segment and the end points of the curved line segment and the representative points on the curved line segment as basic data is added to the basic data of the character decoration Approximate data corresponding to is added.

Then, the diameter of the pixel in the character decoration portion and the width of the stroke in the connecting portion are compared, and the basic data and the approximate data are selectively used based on the comparison result.

[0017]

According to the present invention, as described above, in the character generation method, the character having the character decoration portion formed at the end of the stroke and the connecting portion of the stroke is expanded. In addition, the outline of a character is represented by a straight line segment and a curved line segment, and the outline font data having the coordinate value data of the straight line segment and the end points of the curved line segment and the representative points on the curved line segment as basic data is added to the basic data of the character decoration Is added to the outline font data, and the outline font data is stored in the outline font ROM.

When reading out the outline font data one by one from the outline font ROM, the diameter of the pixel in the character decoration portion is compared with the stroke width in the connecting portion. Then, if the pixel diameter is large and there is a possibility that the character decoration part may be crushed, the basic data may be skipped using approximate data, and the pixel diameter may be small and the character decoration part may be crushed. If not, skip the fitted data using the basic data.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the principle of the outline font in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7A is a diagram showing coordinate positions of outline font data, and FIG. 8B is a diagram showing coordinate value data of outline font data.

In FIG. 3A, P1 to P20 are basic data of outline font data, and black circles and white circles indicate coordinate positions of the basic data P1 to P20. The black circles are end points of the straight line segment 30 and the curved line segment 31, and the white circles are the curved line segment 31.
It will be the representative point above. The uppercase letter "I" of the alphabet shown in FIG. 3A is 12 straight line segments 30 and 4 curved line segments 31.
And has a character decoration portion 34 at the end of a vertically extending stroke 33 of the character.

The straight line segment 30 is a portion connecting black circles to each other, and the curved line segment 31 is a portion composed of continuous white circles on the curve and black circles on both sides thereof. That is, the curve segment 31 is P3-P4-P5, P6-P7-P8, P13-P14.
-P15, P16-P17-P18 is a part connected. In FIG. 6B, L and C are basic data P1
~ P20 indicates an attribute, and L is coordinate value data for a straight line segment 30
And C represents the end point of the curve segment 31, and C represents that the coordinate value data belongs to the representative point on the curve segment 31.

FIG. 5 is a comparison diagram when characters are developed by output devices having different resolutions. (A) of the figure shows a filled pixel when developed with an output device with high resolution,
(B) shows a filled pixel when developed with an output device having a low resolution. In the figure, 38 to 40 are filled pixels, and the pixel 40 causes the crushing of the character decoration portion 34. In (a) of the figure, the character decoration portion 34 at the end of the vertically extending stroke 33 is painted almost along the outline of the character, whereas in (b) the pixels 39 and 40 are large, the pixel 40 is When the character is painted, it largely protrudes from the outline of the character, and the character decoration portion 34 is crushed.

Therefore, in the present invention, when a character is developed by an output device having a resolution such that the number of pixels per character is reduced as shown in FIG.
At the end of the stroke 33 where the collapse of 4 may occur, the original basic data is not used,
The approximate data added to the coordinate value data group in advance is used.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline font in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7A is a diagram showing coordinate positions of outline font data, and FIG. 8B is a diagram showing coordinate value data of outline font data. In (a) of the figure, P1 to P20 are basic data of outline font data, and black circles and white circles indicate coordinate positions of the basic data P1 to P20. The black circles are the end points of the straight line segment 30 (FIG. 4) and the curved line segment 31, and the white circles are the representative points on the curved line segment 31. Further, A1 to A4 are approximate data added to the outline font data, and are used at the end of the stroke 33 where the character decoration portion 34 may be crushed, and the outline font data is used together with the basic data P1 to P20. Constitute.

In FIG. 7B, C, L and A are basic data P1 to P20 and approximate data A1 to A, respectively.
4 indicates the attribute, A indicates that the coordinate value data is of an approximate point, and L indicates that the coordinate value data is a straight line segment 30 or a curved line segment 31.
C represents that the coordinate value data is that of the representative point on the curve segment 31. In the character decoration portion 34 at the end of the vertically extending stroke 33, the approximate data A1 is obtained at the intersection of the straight line segments 30a and 30b.
Approximate data A2 at the intersection of straight line segments 30a and 30c
Is the approximate data A at the intersection of the straight line segments 30d and 30c.
3, the approximation data A4 is generated at the intersection of the straight line segments 30d and 30b. In addition to the ends of the vertically extending strokes 33, the approximation data is generated at the intersections of the straight lines not only at the ends of the horizontally extending strokes of characters but also at the character decorations at the joints of the strokes. For example, in a character decoration portion formed at a connecting portion of strokes extending vertically and strokes extending horizontally, approximate data is generated at intersections of straight line segments of the strokes.

The basic data P1 to P5 are the approximate data A1 and the basic data P6 to P10 are the approximate data A2.
Then, the basic data P11 to P15 are approximated by the approximate data A3, and the basic data P16 to P20 are approximated by the approximate data A4. Therefore, the number of basic data to which the above-mentioned approximate data A1 to A4 approximate is 5
Become individual.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing filled pixels when outline font data with approximate data is developed by an output device having a low resolution. In the figure, A1
A4 is approximate data, 33 is a vertically extending stroke, 3
Reference numeral 4 is a character decoration portion, and 39 is a painted pixel.
Character decoration portion 34 at the end of the stroke 33
, There are no pixels that cause collapse.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the principle of another outline font in the embodiment of the present invention. The figure (a) is a figure which shows the coordinate position of outline font data, (b)
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing coordinate value data of outline font data. In (a) of the figure, P1-P10, P20-
P22 is basic data of outline font data, and black circles and white circles are basic data P1 to P10 and P20 to P.
22 shows the coordinate position of 22. Black circles are straight line segments 30 and curved line segments 31
And the white circles are the representative points on the curved line segment 31. The upper right part of the Chinese character “mouth” shown in (a) of the figure is 7 straight line segments 3
It is composed of 0 and one curved line segment 31, and has a character decoration portion 34 at the connecting portion of the stroke 33 and the stroke 35.

In FIG. 6B, L and C indicate the attributes of the respective basic data P1 to P10 and P20 to P22, and L is the coordinate value data of the end points of the straight line segment 30 and the curved line segment 31. That is, C represents that the coordinate value data is of a representative point on the curve segment 31. FIG. 8 is a comparison diagram when other characters are expanded by output devices having different resolutions.
In the figure, (a) shows the filled pixels when developed by an output device with high resolution, and (b) shows the filled pixels when developed by an output device with low resolution.

In the figure, 38 to 40 are filled pixels, and the pixel 40 causes the crushing of the character decoration portion 34. A stroke 33 extending vertically in FIG.
While the character decoration portion 34 in the joint portion of the strokes 35 extending horizontally with is substantially filled along the outline of the character, the pixels 39 and 40 are large in FIG.
When the pixel 40 is filled, the pixel 40 largely protrudes from the outline of the character, and the character decoration portion 34 is crushed.

Therefore, in the present invention, when a character is developed by an output device having a resolution such that the number of pixels per character is reduced as shown in FIG.
In 4, the approximate data added in advance to the coordinate value data group is used without using the original basic data. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another outline font in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7A is a diagram showing coordinate positions of outline font data, and FIG. 8B is a diagram showing coordinate value data of outline font data.

In FIG. 3A, P1 to P10, P2
0 to P22 are basic data of outline font data, and black circles and white circles are basic data P1 to P10 and P20.
The coordinate positions of P22 to P22 are shown. Black circle is straight line segment 30 (Fig. 7)
And the end points of the curved line segment 31, and the white circles are representative points on the curved line segment 31. Further, A1 is approximate data, and is used for a connecting portion of a vertically extending stroke 33 and a horizontally extending stroke 35 in which the character decoration portion 34 may be crushed.

In FIG. 6B, C, L and A indicate the attributes of the basic data P1 to P22 and the approximate data A1, A indicates that the coordinate value data is at an approximate point, and L is The coordinate value data is for the end points of the straight line segment 30 and the curve segment 31, and C indicates that the coordinate value data is for the representative point on the curve segment 31. Approximate data A1 is generated at the intersection of the straight line segments 30e and 30f in the character decoration portion 34 of the connecting portion of the stroke 33 extending vertically and the stroke 35 extending horizontally.

Then, the basic data P2 to P9 are approximated by the approximate data A1. Therefore, the approximate data A
The number of basic data P2 to P9 that 1 approximates, that is, the number of approximated data becomes 8. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing filled pixels when another outline font data with approximate data is developed by an output device having a low resolution.

In the figure, A1 is approximate data, 33 is a vertically extending stroke, 34 is a character decoration portion, 35 is a horizontally extending stroke, and 39 is a painted pixel. The character decoration portion 34 at the joint portion of the vertically extending stroke 33 and the horizontally extending stroke 35 has no pixel that causes collapse. Next, the operation of expanding a character using outline font data will be described.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart of a character generation method showing an embodiment of the present invention. Step S1 First, the coordinate conversion value is calculated from the size of the developed character and the resolution of the output device. Step S2 The outline font data is read from the outline font ROM 7a (see FIG. 2) one by one. Step S3: It is judged whether or not the outline font data is the approximate data A1 (FIGS. 1 and 9). If it is the approximate data A1, the process proceeds to step S4, where the approximate data A1
If not, the process proceeds to step S7. Step S4 The width (line width) of the strokes 33, 35 having the character decoration portion 34 approximated by the approximation data A1 is examined, and it is determined whether or not the width is smaller than the pixel diameter (height). If it is smaller, the process proceeds to step S5, and if it is larger, the process proceeds to step S6. In this case, since there is the character decoration portion 34 at the joint portion of the stroke 33 extending vertically and the stroke 35 extending horizontally, the stroke 33 extending vertically is provided.
And the width of the stroke 35 extending horizontally, the larger one is compared with the pixel diameter. Therefore,
The width of the vertically extending stroke 33 is compared with the pixel diameter.

For example, when the diameter is smaller than the width of the vertically extending stroke 33 as in the pixel 38 shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, the character decoration portion 34 is also filled, and as in the pixel 39 shown in FIGS. 6 and 10. If the diameter is larger than the width of the vertically extending stroke 33, the character decoration portion 34 is not filled. Step S5 The approximate data A1 is used, the basic data P2 to P9 corresponding to the number of approximate data, that is, eight basic data are skipped, and the reading process is repeated. Step S6 The approximate data A1 is skipped and the reading process is repeated. In step S7, it is determined whether the reading process is completed.
When it is completed, the process proceeds to step S8, and when it is not completed, the process returns to step S2. Steps S8, S9 Coordinate conversion (including linear approximation of a curve) is performed on the read out outline font data, and pixels inside the outline of the character are painted to develop the character.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, but various modifications can be made based on the spirit of the present invention, and these are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

[0039]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, in the character generation method, the outline of the character is represented by a straight line segment and a curved line segment, and both end points of the straight line segment and the curved line segment and the curved line segment are drawn. The outline font data having the coordinate value data of the representative point as basic data is added with the approximate data corresponding to the basic data of the character decoration portion.

Then, the diameter of the pixel in the character decoration portion is compared with the stroke width in the connecting portion. If the diameter of the pixel is large and there is a possibility that the character decoration portion is crushed, approximate data is used. Skip the basic data and skip the approximate data using the basic data when the pixel diameter is small and there is no possibility that the characters are crushed.

Therefore, even if the characters are very small or the resolution of the output device is low, the print quality can be maintained without the characters being crushed. Furthermore, since the basic data of the character decoration part that may cause crushing is approximated with approximate data, there is no need to perform unnecessary coordinate conversion when outputting characters, and it is possible to reduce the filling process. The speed can be increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline font according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a character generation device applied to a conventional printer.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a character generation device applied to a conventional display.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a principle of an outline font in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a comparison diagram when characters are developed by output devices having different resolutions.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing filled pixels when outline font data with approximate data is expanded by an output device having a low resolution.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the principle of another outline font in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a comparison diagram when other characters are expanded by output devices having different resolutions.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another outline font in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing filled pixels when another outline font data with approximate data is developed by an output device having a low resolution.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a character generation method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 30, 30a to 30d Straight line segment 31 Curve segment 33, 35 Stroke 34 Character decoration part 38 to 40 pixels P1 to P22 Basic data A1 to A4 Approximate data

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method of generating a character in which a character having a character decoration portion formed at a stroke end portion and a stroke-stroke connecting portion is developed, wherein (a) the contour of the character is represented by a straight line segment and a curved line segment. And outline data having the coordinate value data of the end points of the curved line portion and the representative points on the curved line portion as basic data, and adding approximate data corresponding to the basic data of the character decoration portion, (b) the character decoration portion A method for generating a character, characterized in that the diameter of a pixel in (1) and the width of a stroke in the connecting portion are compared, and (c) the basic data and the approximate data are selectively used based on the comparison result.