JPH0863145A - Pattern generating method and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a pattern generating method and device capable of a pattern expansion while reading out effectively a pattern correspoding to a code information. CONSTITUTION: Plural pattern information are stored in CG-ROMs 104-1 to 104-6 by being compressed at every prescribed font kinds and pattern address information of every font kinds stored in these CG-ROMs 104 are stored in an ROM 103-1. Then, when the code information and a corresponding font kind information are inputted, an address correspoding to the font kind information is determined based on address information of the ROM 103-1 and then the stored address of a compressed pattern information corresponding to the code information is calculated by referring to a CG-ROM table 105 based on the determined address and the code imformation. A corrspoding compressed pattern information is read out from the address calculated in such a way and then a pattern information corresponding to the inputted code information is generated by expanding the read compressed information with an expading circuit 107.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pattern generating method and apparatus for inputting code information and generating corresponding pattern data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A printer which receives print data including a character code from a host computer or the like for printing has a plurality of built-in font data, and the received character code is referred to by the corresponding font data. Printing is performed by expanding the pattern and converting it to a bit image. The types of font data contained in such printer devices are increasing with the increase in resolution and functionality of printer devices.

These font data include font data called a bitmap, which faithfully expresses the shape of a character pattern by an array of dots, and outline fonts which express the outline of the character pattern by numerical values or mathematical expressions. When these font data are installed in the printer device, they are compressed by a certain method and stored in, for example, a ROM, and when they are actually used for printing, the compressed font data is stored in a dedicated format. It is decompressed by processing by hardware or a CPU and converted into bit image data.

That is, the font data contained in such a printer device can increase the compression rate of the font data to reduce the memory capacity of the ROM and the like, and the decompression processing is easy (the load on the hardware is small and the processing is small). Short time)
It is preferably compressed by a compression method. For example,
Bitmap font data has a simple data array, so the run length method is used as the compression method, and the bitmap data structure is set to a fixed method so that the compression rate in the run length method increases. There is a method of performing run-length coding after changing it in.

[0005]

However, recently, the kinds of fonts built into printers are increasing, and especially fonts such as characters in which one character code is represented by one word, such as Japanese, are used. In addition to the large number of typefaces for such characters, the memory capacity of the ROM mounted in the printer device is increasing steadily due to the large number of character types. Further, in the table memory of the compressed font for searching one character from the compressed font data, the number is similarly increasing, which greatly affects the cost of the entire product and the mounting area.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional example, and an object of the present invention is to provide a pattern generating method and apparatus capable of efficiently reading out a pattern corresponding to code information and developing the pattern.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pattern generating method and apparatus capable of reading out compressed and stored pattern data based on code information, decompressing it and outputting it.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pattern generating method and apparatus capable of efficiently reading out font data stored in a small memory space and developing a pattern.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a pattern generating method and apparatus capable of storing pattern information corresponding to each code information for each category and efficiently reading out the pattern information to develop the pattern.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the pattern generating method of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, it is a pattern generation method in which code information is input, expanded into corresponding pattern information, and output, in which a plurality of pattern information is compressed and stored for each predetermined category, and the pattern address for each stored category is also stored. Storing information, inputting category information corresponding to the code information, and determining an address corresponding to the category information based on the pattern address information, the determined address and the code information The step of obtaining and reading the storage address of the compressed pattern information corresponding to the code information based on the above, and the step of expanding the read compressed pattern information to generate the pattern information corresponding to the code information.

In order to achieve the above object, the pattern generator of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, it is a pattern generator which inputs code information, expands it into corresponding pattern information and outputs it, and a storage means for compressing and storing a plurality of pattern information for each predetermined category, and a storage means stored in the storage means. Address storing means for storing pattern address information for each category, and determining means for inputting category information corresponding to the code information and determining an address corresponding to the category information based on the pattern address information, A read-out means for obtaining a storage address of compression pattern information corresponding to the code information on the basis of the address decided by the decision means and the code information and reading it from the storage means, and a compression read by the read-out means. Decompression for decompressing pattern information to generate pattern information corresponding to the code information And a stage.

[0012]

In the above structure, a plurality of pattern information is compressed for each predetermined category and stored in the storage means, and the pattern address information for each category stored in the storage means is stored in the address storage means. When the category information corresponding to the code information is input, the address corresponding to the category information is determined based on the pattern address information, and the compression pattern corresponding to the code information is determined based on the determined address and the code information. Obtain the storage address of the information and read it from the storage means,
The read compressed pattern information is expanded to generate pattern information corresponding to the input code information.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Before describing the present embodiment, the configuration of the laser beam printer of the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. The present invention is not limited to such a printer device, and may be applied to other recording type printer devices such as an ink jet printer or a display device that inputs code information and develops it into pattern information and outputs it. Can also be applied.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the laser beam printer (LBP) 1000 of this embodiment.
The BP 1000 is configured so that a character source, a fixed form (form data), etc. can be registered from a data source (not shown) (such as the host computer 109 in FIG. 1).

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 1000 denotes an LBP main body, which inputs and stores character information (character code) supplied from an externally connected host computer or the like, form information, macro commands, and the like. A corresponding character pattern, form pattern, or the like is created according to the information, and an image is formed on a recording paper, which is a recording medium. 1
Reference numeral 012 is an operation panel on which various switches for operation and an LED display are arranged, and 1001 is an LBP1000.
A printer control unit for controlling the entire system and analyzing character information and the like supplied from the host computer. The printer control unit 1001 mainly converts the character information into a video signal of a corresponding character pattern and converts the character signal into a laser driver 1.
Output to 002.

The laser driver 1002 is a semiconductor laser 1
This is a circuit for driving 003, and switches the semiconductor laser 1003 on / off according to the input video signal. The laser light 1004 is swung in the left-right direction by the rotating polygon mirror 1005 to scan the electrostatic drum 1006. As a result, an electrostatic latent image having a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 1006. This latent image is developed by a developing unit 1007 around the electrostatic drum 1006 and then transferred to a recording paper. A cut sheet is used for this recording paper, and the cassette recording paper is stored in a paper cassette 1008 attached to the LBP1000, and is taken into the apparatus by a paper feed roller 1009 and conveyance rollers 1010 and 1011.
It is supplied to the electrostatic drum 1006.

FIG. 1 shows a printer apparatus 1000 according to this embodiment.
2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the printer control unit 1001 of FIG. 2, and FIG. 2 is a CG / ROM 10 for storing font data.
It is a figure which shows the structure of No. 4.

In FIG. 1, a CPU 101 controls the printer 1000 of this embodiment, analyzes print data received from the host computer 109, develops a pattern, and the like. A RAM 102 is used as a work area or the like when the CPU 101 executes various control processes, and temporarily stores various data. 103 is RO
M stores a control program executed by the CPU 101, various data, and the like. 103-1 is CG / RO
The M data amount stores the data amount (all addresses) stored in each of the CG / ROMs 104-1 to 104-6. Reference numerals 104-1 to 104-6 are C storing compressed character font data of different typefaces.
G (character generator) ROM for each CG
The number of character fonts stored in the ROM is the same.
That is, for example, each CG / ROM stores character font data of the first and second levels of Chinese characters.
104-1 is a 12-point Mincho font, CG / R
The OM 104-2 is stored as a 12-point Gothic character font. 105 is CG ROM
Corresponding to 104-1 to 104-6, compressed font data of a desired character is CG / ROM 104-1 to 104-6.
CG ROM that stores where it is stored
It's a table. Reference numeral 106 denotes a drawing buffer that stores image data to be actually printed, which is composed of a RAM or the like and stores a bitmap image such as character data.

A font decompression circuit 107 decompresses the compressed character data of the CG / ROMs 104-1 to 104-6 retrieved by the CG / ROM table 105. Again 10
A bus line 8 connects the CPU 101 and each device. Further, 109 is a host computer, which is connected to the printer apparatus of the embodiment via an interface unit 110 and transmits and receives various print data and commands.

In the above configuration, when a command prompting printing from the host computer 109 is transferred to the CPU 101 via the interface section 110,
After checking the states of the printer mechanism unit and the like, the CPU 101 notifies the host computer 109 via the interface unit 110 that print data can be received if printing is possible. As a result, the host computer 109 transmits the character code representing the document to be printed, various control information, and further graphic data to the printer device.

The data thus transmitted from the host computer 109 is recorded in the reception buffer area of the temporary RAM 102. The character code and the received data
The font information of the character code (font information to be used) and the like are also included. Therefore, the CPU 101 determines the CG / ROM data amount of the ROM 103 based on the font information.
The address of the CG / ROM 104 is obtained by referring to 3-1. That is, for example, the font information that you want to use is CG.
If it is stored in the ROM 104-3, "2" is given as the typeface information, and the CG / ROM data amount 103
This constant "2" is multiplied to the address stored in -1 (for example, 1 byte). The address thus multiplied becomes the start address of the CG ROM 104-3.

When the phone to be used and the CG / ROM in which the data is recorded are specified, the CG / RO is next specified.
Referring to the M table 105, the CG / ROM 104
The address where the corresponding font data of the CG / ROM 104-3 in the above example is stored is obtained. When the address of the desired font data is obtained in this way, the compressed font data corresponding to the character code is read from the corresponding CG / ROM 104. The read font data is transferred to the font expansion circuit 107 and expanded. The font expansion circuit 107 refers to the character size information and the like to expand the bitmap data, and then stores it in the drawing buffer 106.

By repeating the above operation, the data sent from the host computer 109 is converted into the drawing buffer 106.
I will remember. Further, since the print data transmitted from the host computer 109 may include a command for changing the font type in the middle, in this case, the CG / ROM table 105 corresponds to the changed font data. Change the font for that character by reselecting the table. In this way, the print data sent from the host computer 109 is sequentially developed into a bitmap and stored in the drawing buffer 106. The drawing buffer 106 also serves as a printing buffer, and when an appropriate amount of data is drawn, the contents of the drawing buffer 106 are transferred to the printer as they are for printing.

As described above, the host computer 1
It is possible to perform printing using the optimum font data for the print data sent from 09.

FIG. 2 shows the CG / ROM table 105 and C.
It is a figure showing the composition with G-ROM104-1 to 104-6, and when drawing a certain character, CG-ROM104
It is a figure which shows the method of searching for a desired character font from -1 to 104-6. Here, for example, a case of searching for the Chinese character “love” will be described.

In FIG. 1, first, the CG / ROM 104-
When 1 is selected and the character code representing the Chinese character “love” is sent, since the CG / ROM 104-1 is currently selected, the CG / ROM data amount 103-1 is not referred to, By referring to the CG / ROM table 105, the address where the compressed font data of the Chinese character “love” is stored is searched. Then, the compressed font data of the Chinese character “love” is read from the CG / ROM 104-1 corresponding to the address, transferred to the font expansion circuit 107, expanded to bitmap data, and stored in the drawing buffer 108. .

Next, the typeface of the kanji is changed to CG.
A case where the ROM 104-4 is selected will be described. In this case, "3" is specified as the typeface information, so CG
The address data stored in the ROM data amount 103-1 is multiplied by "3" to obtain the address data. This is the start address of the CG / ROM 104-4. When the character code of the Chinese character “love” is sent in this state, the CG / R table 105 is referred to and the CG / R
The address of the compressed font data of the Chinese character "love" in OM104-4 is calculated. The compressed font data of the Chinese character "love" is read from the obtained address, transferred to the font expansion circuit 107, expanded into bitmap data, and then stored in the drawing buffer 108.

Here, the font having the lowest font compression rate of the Chinese character "ai" is CG ROM # 6 (104-
6) Other fonts stored in CG / ROM10
The font data amount of 4-1 to 104-5 is CG / RO.
It is set equal to the data amount of M104-6. Then, 201-1 to 201-6 of each font data in FIG.
Each CG / RO can be filled by filling in the vacant part with irrelevant data such as "0" as shown by the white part.
In M, the font address for a certain character code is common.

As described above, according to this embodiment, C
The data stored in the G-ROM data amount 103-1 is 1
CG / ROM10 depending on the font used
CG ROM storing the corresponding font data of 4
Is seeking the start address of. And each CG ROM
Since the address of the font data in is common, a character font of a desired typeface can be easily obtained. In this case, each CG ROM 104-1 to 10
It is premised that the data amounts of 4-6 are all equal. That is, it means that the amount of character font data of each typeface is the same for the same character font for each typeface. In order to do so, in the present embodiment, for example, for one character font, each CG has a high compression rate so that it matches the font data amount with the lowest compression rate.
-It is stored in ROM. Here, if the compression rate is high, meaningless data is stored in the CG / ROM area so that the start addresses of the characters in any CG / ROM match. That is, each character in each font has the same offset amount (data of the CG / ROM table 105) from the head address of the font.

By the way, if the same character, the compression rate does not change so much depending on each typeface. For example, when the font data is stored in byte units, the memory capacity becomes almost the same and CG -There will be no problem of wasting memory by storing a lot of unnecessary data in ROM.

In fact, taking Japanese Kanji characters as an example, in the case of 6 typeface fonts, the difference in the font data amount is only several hundred bytes as compared with the case where memory is stored corresponding to the compression rate. It has been proved that the font data does not exist, and this results in a smaller data amount than in the case where the CG / ROM table 105 is provided for each font data.

As a font data compression method, an outline font in which the outline of the font is expressed by numerical values or mathematical expressions is compressed, or a certain method is adopted so that the compression rate by the run length of the bitmap data structure is increased. By performing the encoding process by the run length after changing the configuration in (3), the compression rate tends to be uniform and the data amount tends to be almost equal.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a printing process for one page in the printer apparatus 1000 of this embodiment. The control program for executing this process is the ROM 103.
And is executed by the CPU 101.

First, when print data including code data and the like is received from the host computer 109 in step S1, the process proceeds to step S2 and is stored in the receive buffer area of the RAM 102. In step S3, print data for one page is input, and it is checked whether the print start timing has come. If not, the process returns to step S1 to continue data reception. In step S3, when print data for one page is received and printing becomes possible, the process proceeds to step S4,
Read the character code and font information (typeface information, etc.) included in the print data. Then, the process proceeds to step S5 and the CG stored in the ROM 103-1.
The ROM data amount is multiplied by the constant (font type) designated by the font information read in step S4 to obtain the CG-ROM in which the desired font data in the CG-ROM 104 is stored.

Next, in step S6, the font address in the CG / ROM selected in step S5 is determined based on the character code read in step S4. Next, in step S7, the corresponding font data is read from the determined address, and the read font data is output to the expansion circuit 107 and expanded. Then, the process proceeds to step S8, and the drawing buffer 106
The decompressed font data (character pattern data) is stored in, and the process proceeds to step S9 to check whether the pattern development for one page is completed. When one page of pattern data is developed in the drawing buffer 106 in this way, the process proceeds to step S10, and printing is performed based on the pattern data.

As described above, for a plurality of types of typeface information, the data of the CG / ROM data amount 103-1,
Only the CG / ROM table 105 that can be used in common,
The addresses of font data of all characters can be calculated, and even if each CG / ROM 104 has data redundancy, the ROM capacity can be finally reduced. [Second Embodiment] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of a printer control unit of a printer apparatus according to this embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the compressed font ROM and its table in FIG. . In FIGS. 5 and 6, the same components as those of FIGS. 1 and 2 described in the first embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 5, 105-1 is a CG / ROM
CG-ROM table corresponding to 104-1 to 104-3 and storing where in each CG-ROM the compressed data of the required character font is stored. Similarly, 105-2 is a table. CG / ROM 104-4 to 10
4 is a CG / ROM table that stores where the compressed data of the required character font is stored in each CG / ROM corresponding to 4-6. There are only two ROM tables for the CG / ROMs 104-1 to 104-6, and the CG / ROM table 105-1 is CG / R.
Common to OM104-1 to 104-3, CG
-ROM table 105-2 is CG-ROM 104-4
It is common about 104-6.

Further, 103-1 and 103-2 in the ROM 103 store the font data amount of each CG / ROM, and the CG / ROM data amount 103-1 is CG / ROM.
Common to the ROMs 104-1 to 104-3, C
G / ROM data amount 103-2 is CG / ROM 104-
4 to 104-6 are common.

The operation in this case will be described. When a command prompting printing is transmitted from the host computer 109 via the interface section 110, the CP
The U 101 checks the status on the printer side and, if printing is possible, notifies the host computer 109 via the interface unit 110 that print data can be received. As a result, the host computer 109 transmits the character data and graphic data to be printed to this printer device. The data transmitted in this way is RAM
The data is temporarily stored in 102, and the character code and used font information (typeface information) included in the stored data are analyzed.

The CPU 101 determines the CG / ROM data amount 103-1 or 10 depending on the character code and the font information.
Data is selected from 3-2, and this data is multiplied by a constant based on the used font information specified by the typeface information. This data is, for example, 1-byte data, and is C
G-ROM 104-1 to 104-3 (in the case of CG-ROM data amount 103-1) or CG-ROM 104-4
It is a numerical value showing the relationship of the addresses stored in 104-4 (in the case of CG / ROM data amount 103-2). For example, assuming that the CG / ROM 104-3 is the font used, the data obtained by multiplying the data of the CG / ROM data amount 103-1 by “2” is CG / ROM 104-3.
-3 is the start address. The contents of the CG / ROM table 105-1 are CG / ROMs 104-1 to 10-4.
The address of each font data 4-3 in the ROM is shown, and the address is a font address corresponding to each character code. That is, for example, CG / RO
When using the font data of any of the M104-1 to 104-3 fonts, the CG / ROM table 105-
Use the contents of 1. Then, which typeface font data to use is determined by using the data of the CG / ROM data amount 103-1. The procedure for decompressing and printing the font data thus obtained is the same as in the above-described embodiment.

By repeating the above processing, the data sent from the host computer 109 is transferred to the drawing buffer 106.
When a command for changing the font type is input from the host computer 109 in the middle, the CG / ROM data amount 103-1 or 103-2 is referred to and the corresponding Select CG / ROM and expand the character code into the specified character pattern.

As described above, the host computer 1
With respect to the print data sent from 09, pattern development can be performed using desired font data and printing can be performed.

FIG. 6 shows a CG / ROM table 105-1.
CG / ROM table 105-2 and CG / ROM 1
It is a figure showing the relation with 04-1 to 104-6.

In the initial state, as in the previous embodiment, C
If the G-ROM 104-1 is selected and the character-code of the kanji "love" is entered, for example, the CG-ROM1
Since 04-1 is selected, the Chinese character “love” is compressed by referring to the CG / ROM table 105-1 without referring to the data stored in the CG / ROM data amount 103-1. Then, the address of the CG / ROM 104-1 in which the font data is stored is obtained. Then, the compressed font data of the Chinese character "love" is read from the address and transferred to the font expansion circuit 107,
Drawing buffer 106 after decompressing to bitmap data
To memorize.

Next, for example, if the font (font) is changed and CG / ROM 104-5 is selected, C
The data of the G / ROM data amount 103-2 is multiplied by "1" to obtain the address, and this address is used as the offset data of the CG / ROM table 105-2. Similarly, when the character code of the Chinese character "love" is received, C
From the offset data obtained by multiplying the data of the CG / ROM data amount 103-2 in the G / ROM table 105-2 by “1”, the address at which the compressed font data of the Chinese character “love” is stored is obtained.

Then, C in the figure corresponding to this address
The font expanding circuit 1 reads the compressed font data of the Chinese character "love" from the ROM 401-5 of the G-ROM # 5.
It transmits to 07. After decompressing the bitmap data in this way, it is stored in the drawing buffer 108. Also in this embodiment, assuming that the font with the lowest compression rate among the CG-ROMs 104-1 to 104-3 is the CG-ROM 104-3, the data amount (address) of another CG-ROM is In order to make it the same as that of the ROM, irrelevant data such as "0" is stored as shown by the blank portion in the figure.

As described above, according to this embodiment, C
There are two data of G / ROM data amount 103. Depending on the font used, CG / ROM 104-1 or CG / ROM
It is obtained as a default from an address starting from the ROM 104-4.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the data of the CG / ROM data amount 103 for a plurality of fonts and the CG / ROM table 105 that can be used in common are used.
It is possible to calculate the font address corresponding to each typeface of all the character codes just by
The amount of data can be reduced to 104.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. The present invention can also be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program for implementing the present invention to a system or an apparatus.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, font data whose compression ratios are substantially the same is grouped into one CG / ROM table to reduce the amount of CG / ROM data. It is possible, and there is a merit of electrical mounting and cost.

[0051]

As described above, according to the present invention, the pattern corresponding to the code information can be efficiently read and the pattern can be developed.

Further, according to the present invention, there is an effect that the compressed and stored pattern data can be read out based on the code information, expanded and output.

Further, according to the present invention, there is an effect that font data stored in a small memory space can be efficiently read out and a pattern can be developed.

[0054]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit of a printer device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a font data search process according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a structural cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the printer device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a printing process for one page in the printer device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control unit of a printer device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a font data search process according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 CPU 102 RAM 103 RROM 103-1 CG / ROM data amount 104 CG / ROM 105 CG / ROM_table 106 Drawing buffer 107 Font expansion circuit 1000 Printer device (LBP) 1001 Printer control unit

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Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A pattern generator for inputting code information, expanding the pattern information into corresponding pattern information, and outputting the pattern information, wherein the storing means stores a plurality of pattern information by compressing the pattern information into predetermined categories and storing the compressed pattern information. An address storage unit that stores the stored pattern address information for each category, and input the category information corresponding to the code information,
Determining means for determining an address corresponding to the category information based on the pattern address information, and a storage address of the compressed pattern information corresponding to the code information based on the address and the code information determined by the determining means And a decompressing unit for decompressing the compressed pattern information read by the reading unit to generate pattern information corresponding to the code information. Generator. 2. The pattern generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the code information includes a character code, and the category information includes typeface information of the character. 3. The pattern generation device according to claim 1, wherein the storage means stores the compression pattern information corresponding to each code at the same relative address for each category. 4. The pattern generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pattern address information is a start address of compressed pattern information corresponding to each category. 5. A pattern generation method for inputting code information, expanding the corresponding pattern information and outputting the same, wherein a plurality of pattern information is compressed and stored for each predetermined category, and each stored category is stored. Storing the pattern address information, and inputting the category information corresponding to the code information, and determining the address corresponding to the category information based on the pattern address information, the determined address and the A step of obtaining and reading a storage address of the compressed pattern information corresponding to the code information based on the code information; and a step of expanding the read compressed pattern information to generate pattern information corresponding to the code information. A method for generating a pattern, comprising: 6. The pattern generation method according to claim 5, wherein the code information includes a character code, and the category information includes typeface information of the character. 7. The pattern generating method according to claim 5, wherein the compression pattern information corresponding to each code is stored at the same relative address for each category.