HU204932B - Method and device for picture of text-to-picture of bit conversion - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for converting a text image bitmap, in which a bitmap signal set corresponding to a text image is generated to control a raster illuminator or transmitting device (15) from a digital set of images corresponding to an edited text image. According to the invention, the bitmap corresponding to the text image is produced per one or more raster-width segments, the signals corresponding to the successive segments are alternately written into first and second memories (ΙΑ, IB), and the signals from the first and second memories (ΙΑ, IB) alternate is transmitted to the illuminator or printout device (15) in a manner that reads signals from the memory (e.g., 1A) in which no signals corresponding to a new segment are currently being written. The invention, on the other hand, is an apparatus for converting a text image bitmap, which apparatus has an interface unit (20) connected to a computer (16) and an input to the computer (16) that has made the calculations necessary for the conversion. According to the invention the first and second memory (IB, IB) of the bitmap segments (oló, IB) connected to the computer (16) and the illuminating or indicating device (15) and the first and second memory (ΙΑ, IB) the control unit (3) of the controller is alternately written and read. (Figure 1) in l L -------------------- 1 EN 204 932 Scope of description: 8 pages (including 1 page figure)

Description

Scope of the description: 8 pages (including 1 sheet)

EN 204932 Β

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for converting a text image bitmap to control raster light or printout devices.

In the printing technology and in office text processing, the collector and Terminals of word processing systems are very often raster illuminators or calling devices. Such types are e.g. laser lighters, laser printers and laser plotters.

In these systems, from the edited text image (which may include text, symbols, and / or graphics), where all elements of the text image are placed in a defined x; y coordinate, a raster image must be generated, the so-called "raster image". Bitmap, which is recorded by the illuminator on film, or on the output device paper The production is made from two input data sets. On the one hand, from the data set corresponding to the above-mentioned edited text image, this is called the picked-up text file for light picking, on the other hand, from the data set describing the elements (letters, symbols, diagram elements) that can be used for editing. In print technology, a set of sizes of a type and variant of letters and symbols is called a font. For the light picking, each font has a set of data describing the image of the letters and symbols, preferably stored in a compressed form. The images in text 2 are also stored rasterly as a single set of data.

Because of the above, raster exponents or printers are always required to convert text to bitmap images. The essence of the conversion is to compute the 0 or 1, ie dark or light value, of each raster point on the raster of the illuminator or ejecting device, using the data set describing the elements used. In case of a tonal image, the area of the dark-light area is determined by the area-fitting procedure.

Since a raster size of 0.025 mm or less is required for a fine-resolution illuminator or printout device, a very large amount of computation is required for an A3 or A2 format, and a 4-snapshot (very high information content. For a 400 * 500 mm format, the amount of information is 25 ft 300 Mbit per square meter

So far, text-to-bit image conversion has been accomplished with a high-end PC with high-end, special-purpose, low-cost or 45-bit target computers that use special bit-slice circuits.

The object of the present invention was to provide a solution for converting a bitmap image image at high speed and at a lower cost using a conventional personal computer.

The invention is based on the discovery that a portion of the image bit-bit conversion that requires a greater "intelligence" is a general-purpose computer with a general purpose, while a less complex but very high-speed part is solved by special target hardware.

The present invention relates to a method for converting a text image bitmap, in which a bitmap signal set corresponding to a text image is generated from a digital set of images corresponding to an edited text image to control a raster lighter. The method is characterized in that the bitmap corresponding to the text image is produced per one or more raster-width segments, the signals corresponding to the successive segments are alternately entered into the first and second memories, and the signals from the first and second memories are alternately transmitted to the illuminator or printout device. , f 0 to always read signals from the memory that we are not writing to the new segment

According to the present invention, the raster imaging or ejector device can be loaded at high speed with data corresponding to the bitmap 5. We can optimize the process by selecting the raster width of the segments according to the number of rows of lines that are simultaneously exposed or drawn by the illuminator or printout device.

In a preferred embodiment, the signals stored in the memory, corresponding to the segments, are transmitted in a sub-segment to the illuminator or presenter. Thus, it is very convenient to produce a shade image. The method according to the invention further provides a very simple and fast image manipulation possibility by the logical operation between the generated signals of the segments and the signals stored in the memory, and the input of the signals obtained as a result of the logical operation into the memory. Thus, e.g. inverse mode overlay, or background and other graphic effects can be achieved.

In another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for producing a bitmap signal set corresponding to a text image for conversion to a text image bitmap image, to a controller of a raster illuminator or output device, said apparatus comprising a computer and an input that performs the computation necessary for the conversion, and an interface unit connected to said output device for output or output device. The apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the first and second memory of the credit image segments connected to the computer and the illuminating or indicating device, as well as the first memory and the second memory are alternately controlled by the control unit.

In a preferred embodiment, a controllable logic unit is connected in front of the first and second memory data inputs, wherein one of the inputs of each logic unit is connected to the memory output of the logic unit.

A further embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention is suitable for two modes of operation. This is accomplished by attaching to the control unit a unit defining byte or area repetition, the output of which is connected to the multiplexer defining the write of the first or second memory.

In a further preferred embodiment, the address inputs of the memory are connected to the outputs of counters which are connected to the clock line of the illuminator or output device via a step input control alarm signal control unit.

EN 204 932

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which the single diagram shows a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.

In the figure (16), an interface unit is connected to the computer via data (7), line (8) and control signal (9,10) lines (20), the latter data (13) on line, clock (14) on the line, status signal (11) a line and a control signal (12) on a line for a raster illuminator or output device (15). The computer (16) may be e.g. a personal computer of type AT or XT; the device (15) is a laser illuminator or laser printer; lézerplotter.

In the coupling unit (20) (3), the control unit performs the coordination of operation. It is connected to multiplexers (4) and (18), (19) to a clock control unit, (5) to a mode unit, (17) to a logical unit (6A) and (6B), and to said (7), (8), (9) ) and (10) on the computer (16) and on said lines (11) and (12) for the device (15). The output of the mode unit (5) is to an input of the multiplexer (4), one of the outputs of the multiplexer (6A), and the output of the latter (6A). (6B) is connected to an input of a logical unit. The (6A), respectively. (6B) the output of the logical unit is the bitmap one segment storage (1A) or (1B) memory (23A), sitting. (23B) is connected to the data input, the other input is correct (1A), sitting. (1B) is connected to the memory output. The outputs (2A) of the counter (2A) of the address (1A) memory (24A) are connected to the address inputs (2B) of the memory (24B) of the memory (1B). The counter (2A) and (2B) (21A) sit. (21B) is connected to an output of the clock control unit (19), the latter input being connected to the clock (14) line of the device (15). The memory outputs (1A) and (1B) are connected to one of the inputs of the multiplexer (18), the latter output to the line (13) of the device data (15).

According to the invention, the bitmap resulting from the conversion consists of segments (scan) whose length is the same as the one to be exposed. The size of the image you want to draw is the appropriate length of the page, and its width ranges from 1 to 64 raster. Memory (IA) and (1B) provide temporary storage of a segment so that they have at least as much bit width as the raster size of a segment width. When operating the unit, either the byte or area repetition mode is first selected by programming the mode unit (5). We then program (6A) and (6B) logic units (0) and then delete the memory (1A) and (IB) the desired logic function, usually a logical OR function. The computer (16) performs the preprocessing on the basis of the data set of the generated text image and the set of letters, symbols and / or drawing elements used therein in a manner known per se. The computer (16) sends a sample to the interface (20), which may be a byte or an area, a repeat number and the segment memory address from which the loading begins. These are stored in the corresponding registers of the coupling unit (20). If, for example, (1A) memory is entered, the computer (16) sends a new sample, repeat number, and start address, and this continues until the memory (1A) becomes full, and charging is not completed. Then, the coupling unit (20) signals the device (15) which reads (1A) the memory (13) on the line (13) by the clock signals output on the line (14). During the reading, the computer (16) loads the other (1B) memory with the data of the following segment. The alternating charge and readout are coordinated by the control unit (3).

The (1A) and (1B) memory entries are defined by (6A) or. (6B) interleaving logical units such that by programming a proper logic function, they write to each other or write to each other. The background can be produced and will depend only on addressing and length of expression. In inverse mode, or when creating various graphic effects in the mode unit (5), the bitmap or various logical functions corresponding to the background can be programmed. If the writing areas are not flipped over, there is no stacking. It is possible to create a shade image, in which case we can create ² gray lines in a k-bit square. These are only addressed by the computer (16) according to their serial numbers and code numbers, and the coupling unit (20) enters (1A), sits. (1B) memory according to the appropriate repetition number. For example, if k-8, then 64 different shades can be obtained. Repeated pattern patterns play a very important role in the creation of color-filled points of different fillings in a grid, where a network of four colored dots (the three primary colors and one gray shade) should be exposed and seated. be drawn. A special case of area samples where an image of a letter or symbol within each area is located. so it is very fast exposure, iü. drawing can be achieved if the letter used previously is sitting. a symbol image was stored.

If the computer (16) is an AT type personal computer, the charging speed may reach 4 Mbit / s. An A4 format sheet illuminates, sits. The speed of drawing, calculated with a 25 µm raster size, can be 20-25 s if the device (15) can operate at this speed. This time is approx. one order of magnitude smaller than that achieved with a conversion with a suitable computer. If the device (15) is of lower speed, it may be sufficient to use an XT personal computer (16) as a computer. Preferably, the coupling unit (20) is formed on a PCB (16) which can be inserted into the computer.

Claims (8)

PATENT CLAIMS A method for converting a bitmap image to a text bitmap image, the step of controlling a raster crop or output device from a digital signal set corresponding to the edited text image, comprising generating a bitmap image corresponding to the text image per one or more raster width segments corresponding to successive segments. entering the signals alternately into the first and second memory (ΙΑ, 1B) and transmitting the signals from the first and second memory (ΙΑ, 1B) to the illuminator or display device (15) in such a way that it is always out of that memory (e.g. ) let's read out the signs we're not writing to match another segment Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the raster width of the segments is selected according to the number of raster lines which are illuminated or drawn simultaneously by the illuminator or display device (15). Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the signals corresponding to the segments stored in the memories (1A, 1B) are transmitted per sub-segment to the illuminator or display device (15). 4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a logical operation is performed between the generated signals of the segments and the signals currently stored in said memory (e.g., 1A), and the resulting signals are written to said memory (e.g., 1A). 5. An apparatus for producing a bitmap signal set to control a raster illuminator or a display device corresponding to a text image to be converted to a text image bitmap conversion device having a computer connected to said input computer and an input coupled to said light output or display device. reading and writing the first and second memories (ΙΑ, 1B) of the interface unit (20) and the exposure or display device (15) connected to the computer (16) and the exposure or display device (15), and the first and second memories (ΙΑ, 1B) alternately has a controller control unit (3). Device according to claim 5, characterized in that a controllable logic unit (6A, 6B) is connected in front of the data input (23A, 23B) of the first and second memory (ΙΑ, 1B), wherein each logic unit One of its inputs (6A, 6B) is connected to the memory (1A, 1B) output of the logic unit (6A, 6B). Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that a mode unit (5) is connected to the control unit (3), the output of which is connected to a multiplexer (4) which determines writing to the first or second memory (ΙΑ, 1B). 8. Figures 5-7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the address inputs (24A, 24B) of the memories (ΙΑ, 1B) are connected to the outputs (22A, 22B) of counters (2A, 22B) with step input (21A, 21B). ) are connected via a controllable clock control unit (19) to the clock line (14) of the illuminator or display device (15).