JP2007071997A - Shadow character output device, shadow character output control method, and program thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To convert a character string composed of characters using font data and picture characters using image data into shadow characters under simple control. <P>SOLUTION: A multifunction printer 10 reads the font data corresponding to respective characters of the original character string out of a ROM 64 to print the characters in character colors set in an XHTML document and reads image data corresponding to the picture characters out of the ROM 64 to print the picture characters in image colors included in the image data. Font data corresponding to respective characters of a shadow-side character string are read out of the ROM 64 to print the characters in character colors set in the XHTML document and image data corresponding to respective picture characters are read out of the ROM 64 to print the picture characters in image colors set in the XHTML document. Thus, the characters and picture characters in the character string composed of the characters using the font data and picture characters using the image data can be converted into shadow characters under simple control. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a shadow character output device, a shadow character output control method, and a program thereof.

Conventionally, in mobile communication terminals represented by mobile phones, in addition to characters such as hiragana, katakana, kanji, alphabets, symbols, etc. when sending and receiving e-mails and uploading sentences to a web page called a bulletin board, So-called pictograms such as angry faces, sad faces, and heart marks may be used. On the other hand, since there is a desire to print data in which such characters and pictograms are mixed, an apparatus capable of printing pictograms has been proposed. For example, in the device proposed in Patent Document 1, the pictographic character set is stored in the font data storage unit inside the device, and if the text data received from the mobile communication terminal includes a pictographic code, The pictogram corresponding to the pictogram code is extracted from the pictogram set and printed on paper. In this patent document 1, a pictogram set is stored as font data. Here, since the font generally means a set of characters of the same typeface and size, the pictogram set of Patent Document 1 is prepared for each size.
JP 2004-240550 A

  However, since there are many types of pictograms, if a pictogram set is stored in the font data storage unit for each size, there arises a problem that a large storage capacity is required. In order to solve this problem, it is conceivable to store pictographs as image data instead of font data, and to change the size by enlarging or reducing the image. On the other hand, when emphasizing a character string including characters and pictograms, it may be possible to convert the characters or pictograms into shaded characters (shadow characters), but characters and images using font data It has not been known so far to convert a character string mixed with pictograms using data into shadow characters by simple control.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and a shadow character output capable of converting a character string in which a character using font data and a pictogram using image data are mixed into a shadow character by simple control. One object is to provide a device. Another object of the present invention is to provide a shadow character output control method and program for use in such a shadow character output device.

  The present invention adopts the following means in order to achieve at least one of the above objects.

The shadow character output device of the present invention is
Character storage means for storing font data for each character;
Pictogram storage means for storing image data for each pictogram;
Output means capable of outputting to a predetermined output medium;
Data input means for inputting a character string including a predetermined character and a predetermined pictogram Original character string output condition setting means for setting a character color when outputting the character string as an original character string;
Shadow side character string output condition setting means for setting a character color when outputting the character string as a shadow side character string to be a shadow of the original character string and an image color substantially the same as the character color;
Of the original character string, for each character, the corresponding font data is read from the character storage means, and the output means is controlled to output the character color set by the original character string output condition setting means. The corresponding image data is read from the pictogram storage unit, and the output unit is controlled to output the image color included in the image data. On the other hand, for each character in the shadow side character string, the corresponding font data is the character The output means is controlled to read out from the storage means and output in the character color set by the shadow side character string output condition setting means, and for each pictogram, the corresponding image data is read out from the pictogram storage means. An output control for controlling the output means to output the image color set by the output condition setting means. And means,
It is equipped with.

  In this shadow character output device, for each character in the original character string, the corresponding font data is read from the character storage means, and the output means is controlled to output in the character color set by the original character string output condition setting means, Each pictogram reads the corresponding image data from the pictogram storage means and controls the output means to output the image data in the image color included in the image data. On the other hand, for each character in the shadow side character string, the corresponding font data is read from the character storage means, and the output means is controlled to output the character color set by the shadow side character string output condition setting means. Controls the output means so that the corresponding image data is read from the pictogram storage means and output in the image color set by the shadow side character string output condition setting means. In this way, for a character string in which characters using font data and pictograms using image data are intermingled, an original character string and a shadow side character string that is a shadow of the original character string are created, and an emoji character is added to the shadow side character string. Characters and pictograms in a character string can be converted into shadow characters by simple control of setting the image color to approximately the same color as the character color.

  In the shadow character output device of the present invention, the data input means may input the character string from a mobile communication terminal. In general, a mobile communication terminal typified by a mobile phone often creates a document such as an e-mail using pictographs. Therefore, it can be said to be suitable as a communication partner of the shadow character output device of the present invention.

  In the shadow character output device of the present invention, the original character string output condition setting means sets the position of the original character string to a predetermined position on the output medium, and the shadow character string output condition setting means The position of the side character string is set at a position behind the original character string and deviated by a predetermined amount from the original character string, and the output control means arranges the original character string at a predetermined position of the output medium. The output unit may be controlled so that the shadow side character string is arranged behind the original character string and at a position shifted from the original character string by the predetermined amount. In this way, it is possible to create a shadow character by a simple control in which the shadow side character string is shifted and arranged behind the original character string.

  In the shadow character output device of the present invention, the original character string output condition setting means and the shadow side character string output condition setting means are means for creating a document described in a predetermined markup language, and the output control means May be a means for analyzing the document and controlling the output means. Since the markup language is a language in which various attribute information and the like are described in the document as predefined commands, the output control means can use the document described in the markup language to It becomes possible to understand the contents and control the printing means.

In the shadow character output device of the present invention, the shadow side character string output condition setting unit is configured to output the character color and the image color when outputting as the shadow side character string as the original character string. You may make it set so that it may have the brightness difference and color difference which exceed a predetermined threshold value compared with a color. By doing so, the color of the original character string and the color of the shadow side character string have sufficient contrast, so that the original character string is raised and emphasized. The “predetermined threshold value” is an empirical value set so that the color of the original character string and the color of the shadow side character string have sufficient contrast. For example, when RGB data is expressed as 24-bit data, the threshold value may be 125 when the brightness difference is calculated by the following equation (1), and the threshold value may be 500 when the color difference is calculated by the following equation (2). Good.
Lightness difference = ((R value x 299) + (G value x 587) + (B value x 114) / 1000 ... (1)
Color difference = (max (both R values)-min (both R values)) + (max (both G values)-min (both G values))
+ (max (B value of both) -min (B value of both)) (2)

  In the shadow character output device of the present invention, the image data corresponding to the pictogram is image data provided with a color palette, and the output control means includes image data corresponding to each pictogram in the shadow side character string. May be read out from the pictogram storage unit, and all colors in the color palette of the image data may be replaced with the image color set by the shadow side character string output condition setting unit. In this way, even if the image data of pictograms is a multicolor image, it can be easily changed to a desired color.

  In the shadow character output device of the present invention, the output means may be means capable of printing on a predetermined print medium. In this way, it is possible to easily print a shadow character of a character string in which characters and pictograms are mixed.

  In the printing apparatus according to the present invention, the pictogram storage unit may store one image file for each pictogram. In this way, the data amount of pictograms can be reduced compared to the case where several types of images having different sizes are stored for each pictogram.

The shadow character output control method of the present invention includes:
Character storage means for storing font data for each character, pictogram storage means for storing image data for each pictogram, output means capable of outputting to a predetermined output medium, and a character string including a predetermined character and a predetermined pictogram Original character string output condition setting means for setting a character color when outputting as an original character string, and a character color and the character color when outputting the character string as a shadow side character string that is a shadow of the original character string A shadow character output control method by computer software, which controls the output of shadow characters using an apparatus comprising shadow side character string output condition setting means for setting substantially the same image color,
(A) inputting the character string;
(B) When outputting the character string input in step (a) as the original character string, for each character of the original character string, the corresponding font data is read from the character storage means and the original character string The output means controls the output means to output in the character color set by the output condition setting means, and each pictogram reads out the corresponding image data from the pictogram storage means and outputs it in the image color included in the image data. When the character string input in step (a) is output as the shadow side character string, the font data corresponding to each character in the shadow side character string is read from the character storage means. Controlling the output means to output the character color set by the shadow side character string output condition setting means, And controlling the output means to output a corresponding image data at the set image color by reading the shadow side string output condition setting means from the pictogram memory means for characters,
Is included.

  In this shadow character output control method, the output means is controlled so that the font data corresponding to each character in the original character string is read from the character storage means and output in the character color set by the original character string output condition setting means. Each pictogram reads out the corresponding image data from the pictogram storage means, and controls the output means so as to output it in the image color included in the image data. On the other hand, for each character in the shadow side character string, the corresponding font data is read from the character storage means, and the output means is controlled to output the character color set by the shadow side character string output condition setting means. Controls the output means so that the corresponding image data is read from the pictogram storage means and output in the image color set by the shadow side character string output condition setting means. In this way, by setting the image color of the pictograph to approximately the same color as the character color, the shadow color of the character and the shadow color of the pictograph are made substantially the same, so the shadow character is realized with simple control. be able to. In addition, since the obtained shadow character has substantially the same color as the shadow of the character and the shadow of the pictogram, there is no sense of incongruity between the character and the pictogram when visually recognized. In the shadow character output control method of the present invention, a step for realizing the function of any of the above-described shadow character output devices may be added.

  The program of the present invention is a program for causing one or more computers to execute the steps of the shadow character output control method described above. This program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium (for example, hard disk, ROM, FD, CD, DVD, etc.), or from a computer via a transmission medium (communication network such as the Internet or LAN). It may be distributed to another computer, or may be exchanged in any other form. If this program is executed by a single computer, or if each step is shared and executed by a plurality of computers, the same effect as the shadow character output control method described above can be obtained.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-function printer 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing electrical connection of the multi-function printer 10, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of storage areas of a ROM of a controller. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, the multifunction printer 10 of the present embodiment is fitted into the upper surface of the housing 12 and the lid cover 16 that is attached to the back of the upper surface of the housing 12 through hinges 14 and 14 so as to be opened and closed. A scanner unit 20 that scans an object placed on the glass plate 22 through the glass plate 22, and an inkjet method on a sheet P that is disposed below the scanner unit 20 and fed from the back of the housing 12. Inkjet printing unit 30 that prints out printed paper P from discharge port 18 provided on the front surface of housing 12 and card slot 40 into which a communication card, memory card, etc. can be inserted, and various information In addition to the display 52 to be displayed, an operation panel 50 provided with a button group 54 such as a power switch, a copy button, a scanner button, and a print button, Controller 60 that controls the entire multifunction printer 10 of and a (see FIG. 2).

  The scanner unit 20 is configured as a so-called flatbed type full-color scanner. As shown in FIG. 2, the scanner unit 20 includes a line image sensor 24 that optically reads the object M placed on the glass plate 22 through the glass plate 22, and a line image for reading the object M. And a moving mechanism 26 that scans the sensor 24. The line image sensor 24 is a well-known color image sensor that separates the reflected light after being emitted toward the object M into red (R), green (G), and blue (B) colors to obtain scan data. is there.

  The ink jet printing unit 30 is configured as an ink jet full color printer. As shown in FIG. 2, the inkjet printing unit 30 is mounted on the carriage 32, and a carriage 32 that reciprocates along a direction orthogonal to the paper feeding direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 2) by a carriage motor 32 a. Ink cartridges 34 individually containing ink of each color of cyan, magenta, yellow, light cyan, light magenta, and black, a print head 36 that applies pressure to each ink supplied from each ink cartridge 34, and paper P And a conveying roller 38. Here, the print head 36 employs a system in which a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element to deform the piezoelectric element to pressurize the ink and eject ink droplets from a nozzle (not shown). Etc.), and a method of pressurizing the ink with bubbles generated at that time may be employed.

  The card slot 40 is a connector for connecting the inserted card to the external communication interface 68. As shown in FIG. 2, an infrared communication card 42 is inserted into the card slot 40, but various other memory cards can also be inserted. The infrared communication card 42 is a module having an infrared communication function compliant with IrDA (Infrared Data Association), a memory 44 functioning as a data buffer, an infrared light receiving / emitting unit 46 functioning as a communication port for infrared communication, And a card control unit 48 that performs overall control of the card. Although not shown, the infrared light receiving and emitting unit 46 includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element. Among these, the light emitting element outputs infrared rays composed of a bit signal obtained by pulse phase modulation of a carrier wave having a carrier frequency of, for example, 25 to 50 kHz by turning on and off the light emission. On the other hand, the light receiving element receives infrared rays composed of bit signals expressed in the same manner. Although not shown, the card control unit 48 includes a CPU, a ROM, and the like, and the CPU executes various operations based on a control program and an application in the ROM. For example, when the card control unit 48 receives various data from the outside via the infrared light receiving / emitting unit 46, the card control unit 48 temporarily stores the data in the memory and then transfers the data to the controller 60 of the multifunction printer 10.

  The operation panel 50 includes the display 52 and the button group 54 as described above, and is configured to exchange signals with the CPU 62 via the internal communication interface 67. The display 52 of the operation panel 50 can sequentially display operation screens prepared for each operation procedure of the portable character composition print mode in which image data and character data in the mobile phone 80 are used for printing. It is. The button group 54 has a cross key (up / down / left / right key) used to select one of a plurality of options displayed on the operation screen, to advance to the next screen, or to return to the previous screen. is doing.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the controller 60 is configured as a microprocessor centered on the CPU 62, and stores a ROM 64 storing various processing programs, various data, various tables, and the like, and temporarily stores scan data and print data. And communication with the mobile phone 80 via the internal communication interface 67 enabling communication with the operation panel 50 and the infrared communication card 42 inserted into the card slot 40. And an external communication interface 68 connected to each other via a bus 69 so that signals can be exchanged with each other. The controller 60 inputs various operation signals and various detection signals from the scanner unit 20 and the inkjet printing unit 30, and inputs image data and character data transmitted from the mobile phone 80 via the infrared communication card 42. An operation signal generated in response to the operation of the button group 54 of the operation panel 50 is input. Further, the controller 60 outputs a display control signal to the display 52 of the operation panel 50 and outputs various control signals to the scanner unit 20 and the inkjet printing unit 30.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the ROM 64 of the controller 60 stores a character font set storage area 64a, a character code conversion table storage area 64b, a pictographic image file storage area 64c, a pictographic code conversion table storage area 64d, and an XHTML document data storage area 64e. Is provided. Among these, the character font set storage area 64a stores character font sets composed of character groups of the same typeface and the same size for each typeface and size. The character code conversion table storage area 64b stores a character code conversion table that represents the relationship between a character code (in this embodiment, a shift JIS code) and the corresponding character. In the pictographic image file storage area 64c, pictographic image files are stored. The pictographic image file storage area 64c stores a pictographic code conversion table that represents the relationship between the pictographic code and the image file name of the pictographic character corresponding thereto. The pictogram code is a code that is associated with a pictogram peculiar to a mobile phone company among codes associated with “•” in the shift JIS code. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the pictogram code conversion table has only one clear mark image whose image file name is “emoji0001.png” for the shift JIS code “F89F” expressed in hexadecimal. A single cloudy mark image whose image file name is “emoji0002.png” is associated with the shift JIS code “F8A0”, and the image file name is “emoji0003” with respect to the shift JIS code “F8A1”. .png "is the only one rain mark image associated with it. The image file name is created by expressing the value obtained by subtracting the offset (here, F89E in hexadecimal) from the value of the shift JIS code expressed in hexadecimal, as a 4-digit binary number. The method of inserting it between “emoji” and “.png” was adopted.

  The XHTML document data storage area 64e stores XHTML document data associated with a template that defines a layout used in the portable character composition print mode. Since a plurality of types of templates are created according to the background image and text layout, a plurality of types of XHTML document data are also created for each template. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a template. In the template 100 of FIG. 4, a background image 102 is arranged on the entire surface of the paper, and a text frame 104 (frame for entering text data) extending left and right is arranged on the upper side of the paper. In the template 100, so-called shadow characters are input to the text frame 104. XHTML (eXtensible Hyper Text Markup Language) is a redefinition of HTML as a specification according to XML, and since it is already well known, a detailed description is omitted, but an example of an XHTML document associated with a template is used. Conceptually, it is as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the XHTML document has a description of an XML declaration at the beginning, in which an XML version and a character code to be used are described. Next, there is a description of the declaration of DOCUTYPE, and the location of a file called DTD (Doucument Type Definition) that defines the grammatical structure of XHTML is described. Next, there is a description of the main body of XHTML. In this, format information for laying out a document as a head element in an html element (for example, paper size, text frame position / width / font size, character settings, pictograms) The image file size, the position of the background image, and the like are described, and the contents of the document (the path name of the background image, the contents of the text that enters the text frame, etc.) are described as the body element.

  In this XHTML document, as shown in FIG. 6, format information of a text frame called “title 1” is defined in format information (head) for laying out the document. According to this, this text frame is defined as having a fixed coordinate position, a font size of 10 points, a font weight (character thickness) of bold, a height of 12 points, and a width of 83 mm. “Title 1a” is an original character string using the text frame of title 1, and the text frame is located at a coordinate point having a distance of 2.0 mm from the upper side of the printing paper and 1.5 mm from the left side. Is defined to be placed in the upper left corner. “Title 1b” is a shadow-side character string that uses the text frame of title 1, and the distance between the upper side of the print sheet is 2.3 mm and the distance from the left side is 1.8 mm. It is defined that the upper left corner is placed. The state at this time is shown in the partially enlarged view of FIG. The character color (color) of “title 1a” is 16-bit RGB data (255, 0, 0), that is, defined as red, and the character color (color) of “title 1b” and the image color (kage_color) of the pictograph Is 16-bit RGB data (255, 255, 255), that is, defined as white. Here, if the brightness difference is calculated by the above equation (1) for the color of the original character string and the color of the shadow side character string, it is about 179, and if the color difference is calculated by the above equation (2), it is 510. It can be seen that the color provides sufficient contrast. On the other hand, in the XHTML document of FIG. 6, the body (body) is first described as “title 1 title 1b”, that is, the contents of the shadow side character string that falls within the text frame of title 1 based on the text data to be printed. Next, since “title 1 title 1a”, that is, the contents of the original character string that falls within the text frame of title 1 is described based on the text data to be printed, “title 1 title 1b” is processed first, “Title 1 Title 1a” is processed later. As a result, the original character string overlaps the shadow side character string so as to deviate from the shadow side character string, so that each character is recognized as a shadow character.

  The cellular phone 80 is equipped with an infrared communication function compliant with IrDA, and the voice is sent to the outside through the operation button 81 including a numeric keypad, the microphone 82 for collecting the voice spoken at the earpiece, and the mouthpiece. A speaker 83 for output, a display 84 for displaying various screens (images), a CCD camera 85 for capturing images, a transmission / reception unit 86 as a data input / output interface of a cellular phone network, a memory 87 capable of temporarily storing various data, An infrared light receiving / emitting unit 88 capable of infrared communication and a mobile phone control unit 89 that controls the entire mobile phone are provided. Here, in the memory 87, telephone book data sequentially created by operating the operation button 81, transmission mail data to be transmitted to or transmitted to another mobile phone, personal computer, etc. via the transmission / reception unit 86, Incoming mail data received from another mobile phone or personal computer via the transmission / reception unit 86, memo pad data created by operating the operation button 81, image data taken by the CCD camera 85, and the like are stored. The mobile phone control unit 89 executes various controls, and as one of them, when a transmission command is input from the operation button 81, the data selected from these data is transferred to the above-described infrared communication card. The data is transmitted to the multi-function printer 10 through an infrared light receiving / emitting unit 88 similar to the infrared light receiving / emitting unit 46.

  Next, a portable character composition printing program executed by the CPU 62 of the controller 60 among the operations of the multifunction printer 10 of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. The portable character composition printing program is stored in the ROM 64. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the main routine of this program. In this main routine, the operator operates the button group 54 to display an operation screen (not shown) in the portable character composition print mode on the display 52 of the operation panel 50, and among the plurality of templates displayed on the operation screen. This is started when a desired template is selected. Here, for convenience of explanation, a case will be described in which a template having a shadow text frame shown in FIG. 4 is selected, and both the background image and text data are acquired from the mobile phone 80.

  When this main routine is started, the CPU 62 first executes a data input process for inputting a background image and text data from the mobile phone 80 (step S100), and then, based on the input data, shown in FIG. An XHTML document creation process for completing the XHTML document is executed (step S200). Finally, a print process for printing on a sheet based on the created XHTML document is executed (step S300), and this main routine is terminated. Next, each routine of the data input process, the XHTML document creation process, and the print process will be individually described based on FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG.

  First, the data input processing routine will be described with reference to FIG. When the data input processing routine is started, the CPU 62 displays on the display 52 of the operation panel 50 a dialog box with the content “Please transmit image data used for the background image from the mobile phone” (step S110). It is determined whether reception of image data from the telephone 80 via the infrared communication card 42 and the card slot 40 is completed (step S120). While receiving image data from the mobile phone 80, the CPU 62 accumulates the received image data sequentially in a reception buffer (not shown) provided in the RAM 66. If the reception of the image data from the mobile phone 80 is not completed in step S120, the process returns to step S120 again. On the other hand, when the reception of the image data from the mobile phone 80 is completed, the received image data is stored in the RAM 66 as image data to be used as a background image when performing the current printing (step S130). Subsequently, the CPU 62 displays a dialog box “Please send the text data to be input to the text frame from the mobile phone” on the display 52 of the operation panel 50 (step S140). It is determined whether or not the reception of the text data is completed via 42 and the card slot 40 (step S150). While receiving the text data from the mobile phone 80, the CPU 62 accumulates the received text data in a reception buffer (not shown) provided in the RAM 66. If the reception of text data from the mobile phone 80 is not completed in step S150, the process returns to step S150 again. On the other hand, when the reception of the text data from the mobile phone 80 is completed, the received text data is stored in the RAM 66 as text data to be used for printing this time (step S160), and this data input processing routine is terminated.

  Next, the XHTML document creation processing routine will be described with reference to FIG. When the XHTML document creation processing routine is started, the CPU 62 uses the “background image path name” in the text (body element) of the XHTML document shown in FIG. Are embedded (step S210). The path name is created including the drive name and image file name in which this image data is stored. Subsequently, the text data used for printing this time is acquired from the RAM 66 (step S220), the first character code (here, the shift JIS code) included in the text data is read (step S230), and the shift JIS is read. It is determined whether or not the code is a pictogram code (step S240). In step S240, an affirmative determination is made when the read shift JIS code corresponds to the pictogram code in the pictogram code conversion table of FIG. 3, and a negative determination is made when it does not. If it is determined in step S240 that the current shift JIS code is not a pictogram code, a character corresponding to the current shift JIS code is obtained from the character code conversion table (see FIG. 3) (step S250), and the character is XHTML. It is incorporated into the corresponding part of the document body (body element) (step S260). On the other hand, when it is determined in step S240 that the current shift JIS code is a pictogram code, the image file name corresponding to the current pictogram code is obtained from the pictogram code conversion table (see FIG. 3) (step S270), and the pictogram A path including the drive name for specifying the ROM 64 storing the image file and the image file name is incorporated in the corresponding part of the body (body element) of the XHTML document (step S280). Then, after step S260 or step S280, it is determined whether or not all the shift JIS codes included in the text data have been processed (step S290). The next shift JIS code included is read (step S295), and the processing after step S240 is executed again. On the other hand, when all the shift JIS codes included in the text data have been processed, this XHTML document creation processing routine is terminated. For example, when the text data transmitted from the mobile phone 80 is displayed on the display 84 of the mobile phone 80 as shown in FIG. 11A, “based on the text data” of the body (body element) of the XHTML document. In the “input field” (see FIG. 6), as shown in FIG. 11B, characters corresponding to the shift JIS code are embedded in portions other than pictograms, and image files of the pictograms are stored in the pictogram locations. The path name including the drive name “R” representing the ROM 64 and the image file name “emoji0001.png” is embedded. That is, "Today's weather is <img src =" R: emoji0001.png "/>. It seems to be hot."

  Next, the print processing routine will be described with reference to FIG. When the print processing routine is started, the CPU 62 displays a print setting screen (not shown) on the operation panel 50 which can set the text color, print quality, number of prints, and the like and can issue a print start command. 52 (step S310). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the setting of the text color or the like has been changed (step S320). When the setting has been changed, a print setting screen after the setting change is displayed on the display 52 (step S330), and step S320 is again performed. Return to. On the other hand, if the setting has not been changed, it is determined whether or not a print start command has been issued (step S340). If no print start command has been issued, the process returns to step S320 again. On the other hand, when an instruction to start printing is issued, the XHTML document created this time is analyzed, and the bitmap and the image or text input from the mobile phone 80 are arranged on the printing paper according to the layout defined in the XHTML document. Image data is created (step S350). Thereafter, the CPU 62 controls the ink jet printing unit 30 to perform printing on the printing paper based on the bitmap image data (step S360), and this routine is finished after the printing is finished.

  Here, an example of creating bitmap image data will be described. The background image of the bitmap image is created by enlarging or reducing the image data for the background image input from the mobile phone 80 so as to fit the paper size defined in the XHTML document. In addition, the shadow side character string of the bitmap image is created by arranging characters and pictograms in a text frame arranged so that the upper left corner is a coordinate point of 2.3 mm from the top side of the paper and 1.8 mm from the left side. (See the partially enlarged view of FIG. 4). At this time, the character font set that matches the font size defined in the XHTML document is selected from the character font set storage area 64a of the ROM 64, and the font data of the character font set is used to specify the character font set. Create a character color (white). On the other hand, the pictograph reads out the image file from the pictographic image file storage area 64c of the ROM 64 based on the path of the pictographic image file defined in the XHTML document, and the image of the picture file is the pictographic image defined in the XHTML document. The file is enlarged or reduced to the size of the file, and the color originally set in the pictogram image file is changed to the image color (white) designated by the title 1b. The image color can be changed by changing the color palette of the png file to the image color specified by the title 1b because the png file is used as the image file in this embodiment. On the other hand, an original character string of a bitmap image is created by arranging characters and pictograms in a text frame arranged so that the upper left corner is a coordinate point of 2.0 mm from the upper side and 1.5 mm from the left side (see FIG. (Refer to the partial enlarged view of 4). At this time, the character font set that matches the font size defined in the XHTML document is selected from the character font set storage area 64a of the ROM 64, and the font data of the character font set is used to specify the character font set. Create a text color (red). The pictogram is read out from the pictogram image file storage area 64c of the ROM 64 based on the path of the pictogram image file defined in the XHTML document, and the image of the picture file is the picture file of the pictogram image file defined in the XHTML document. The image color is enlarged or reduced to the size, and the image color is created so as to be the color originally set in the image file of the pictograph. In this way, since the shadow side character string is overlaid on the background image, and the original character string is further overlaid thereon, the portion of the background image where the shadow side character string and the original character string overlap is a bitmap image. The portion of the shadow side character string that overlaps the original character string does not appear in the bitmap image. Therefore, behind the original character string in which the red character and the emoji of the color originally set as the emoji are mixed, the shadow side character string in which the white character and the white emoji are mixed is arranged so as to be shifted, Furthermore, a background image is placed behind the background image. FIG. 11C shows an example of the print result of the shadow character.

  Here, the correspondence between the components of the present embodiment and the components of the present invention will be clarified. The ROM 64 of this embodiment corresponds to character storage means and pictogram storage means, the inkjet printing unit 30 corresponds to output means, the infrared communication card 42 corresponds to data input means, and the XHTML document stored in the ROM 64 is the original. It corresponds to a character string output condition setting unit and a shadow side character string output condition setting unit, and the CPU 62 corresponds to an output control unit. In the present embodiment, an example of the shadow character output device of the present invention is clarified by explaining the operation of the multifunction printer 10, and an example of the shadow character output control method is also clarified.

  According to the multi-function printer 10 of the present embodiment described in detail above, the shadow side that becomes the shadow on the back side of the original character string with respect to the character string in which the character using the font data and the pictogram using the image data are mixed. The characters and pictograms in the character string are converted to shadow characters and printed by simple control of shifting the character strings and setting the image color of the pictograms for the shadow side character strings to approximately the same color as the character color. Can do. Further, since the color of the original character string and the color of the shadow side character string have sufficient contrast, the original character string is highlighted and emphasized by conversion to the shadow character. Furthermore, even if the image data of pictographs is a multicolor image, all the colors in the color palette of the image data are replaced with the image colors set by the XHTML document, so that the desired color can be easily changed. Furthermore, since a markup language such as XHTML is a language in which various attribute information is described in a document as a predefined command, by using document data described in the markup language. The CPU 62 can easily understand the contents of the document data and control the inkjet printing unit 30. In general, the mobile phone 80 often creates a document such as an e-mail using pictographs. Therefore, the mobile phone 80 is suitable as a communication partner of the multifunction printer 10. In addition, since one image file is stored for each pictogram, the data amount of the pictogram can be reduced compared to the case where several types of images having different sizes are stored for each pictogram.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various modes as long as it belongs to the technical scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the character color and image color of the shadow side character string are set to white. However, a template set to a color other than white may be prepared separately, and an arbitrary color can be selected by the operator. It may be. Even in these cases, it is desirable that the color can ensure sufficient contrast with the character color of the original character string.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the pictogram corresponding to the character code is different for each mobile phone company is not mentioned, but the present invention may be applied to such a case. Specifically, a pictographic image file storage area 64c and a pictographic code conversion table storage area 64d are provided in the ROM 64 for each mobile phone company. When the multi-function printer 10 receives text data from the mobile phone 80, identification data that can identify the mobile phone company is attached to the text data, so that the mobile phone company is recognized by analyzing the identification data. Then, a portable character composition printing routine similar to that of the above-described embodiment may be executed using the pictographic image file storage area 64c and the pictographic code conversion table storage area 64d of the mobile phone company.

  In the above-described embodiment, the multi-function printer 10 has shown an example in which the infrared communication card 42 is detachably inserted into the card slot 40 to communicate with the mobile phone 80. However, the multi-function printer 10 may incorporate an infrared communication function. In addition, text data to be printed is input using infrared communication, but wireless communication using a few GHz band such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) may be used, or a USB connection or the like is used. Wired communication may be used.

  In the embodiment described above, the text data to be printed is received from the mobile phone 80. However, for example, text data to be printed is received from a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a desktop computer, a mobile computer, or the like. May be.

  In the embodiment described above, an example in which the present invention is applied to the multi-function printer 10 has been described. However, the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the apparatus has a printing function. For example, an inkjet printer that does not include the scanner unit 20 The present invention may be applied to a facsimile machine. The printing method is not limited to the ink jet method, and may be an electrophotographic method (laser printer or the like) or a thermal transfer method. Further, in addition to a device having a printing function, for example, the present invention may be applied to a device having a display function, and in that case, a shadow character is output to a display means such as a display by the same method as the above-described embodiment Can do.

The perspective view of a multifunction printer. The block diagram showing the electrical connection of a multifunction printer. Explanatory drawing showing each storage area of ROM of a controller. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of a template. The conceptual diagram which shows an example of the XHTML document matched with the template. Explanatory drawing which shows an example of the description (html element) of the main body of a XHTML document. The flowchart of the main routine of portable character synthetic printing. The flowchart of a data input processing routine. The flowchart of a XHTML document creation process routine. 6 is a flowchart of a print processing routine. Explanatory drawing about an example of text data.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Multifunction printer, 12 Housing | casing, 14 Hinge, 16 Cover cover, 18 Outlet, 20 Scanner part, 22 Glass plate, 24 Line image sensor, 26 Moving mechanism, 30 Inkjet printing part, 32 Carriage, 32a Carriage motor, 34 Ink cartridge, 36 Print head, 38 Transport roller, 40 Card slot, 42 Infrared communication card, 44 Memory, 46 Infrared light emitting / receiving unit, 48 Card control unit, 50 Operation panel, 52 Display, 54 Button group, 60 Controller, 62 CPU 64 ROM, 66 RAM, 64a character font set storage area, 64b character code conversion table storage area, 64c pictogram image file storage area, 64d pictogram code conversion table storage area, 64e document Data storage area, 67 Internal communication interface, 68 External communication interface, 69 Bus, 80 Mobile phone, 81 Operation button, 82 Microphone, 83 Speaker, 84 Display, 85 CCD camera, 86 Transmitter / receiver, 87 Memory, 88 Infrared light receiving / emitting unit , 89 Mobile phone control unit, 100 template, 102 background image, 104 text frame.

Claims (9)

Character storage means for storing font data for each character;
Pictogram storage means for storing image data for each pictogram;
Output means capable of outputting to a predetermined output medium;
Data input means for inputting a character string including a predetermined character and a predetermined pictogram Original character string output condition setting means for setting a character color when outputting the character string as an original character string;
Shadow side character string output condition setting means for setting a character color when outputting the character string as a shadow side character string to be a shadow of the original character string and an image color substantially the same as the character color;
Of the original character string, for each character, the corresponding font data is read from the character storage means, and the output means is controlled to output the character color set by the original character string output condition setting means. The corresponding image data is read from the pictogram storage unit, and the output unit is controlled to output the image color included in the image data. On the other hand, for each character in the shadow side character string, the corresponding font data is the character The output means is controlled to read out from the storage means and output in the character color set by the shadow side character string output condition setting means, and for each pictogram, the corresponding image data is read out from the pictogram storage means. An output control for controlling the output means to output the image color set by the output condition setting means. And means,
Shadow character output device with The data input means inputs the character string from a mobile communication terminal.
The shadow character output device according to claim 1. The original character string output condition setting means sets the arrangement position of the original character string to a predetermined position of the output medium,
The shadow side character string output condition setting means sets the position of the shadow side character string at a position behind the original character string and shifted by a predetermined amount from the original character string,
The output control means is arranged such that the original character string is disposed at a predetermined position of the output medium, and the shadow side character string is disposed behind the original character string and shifted by the predetermined amount from the original character string. Controlling the output means to
The shadow character output device according to claim 1 or 2. The original character string output condition setting means and the shadow side character string output condition setting means are means for creating a document described in a predetermined markup language,
The output control means is means for analyzing the document and controlling the output means.
The shadow character output device according to claim 1. The shadow side character string output condition setting means exceeds a predetermined threshold value for the character color and the image color when output as the shadow side character string compared to the character color when output as the original character string. Set to have brightness difference and color difference,
The shadow character output device according to claim 1. The image data corresponding to the pictograph is image data having a color palette,
The output control means reads image data corresponding to each pictogram out of the shadow side character string from the pictogram storage means, and all the colors of the color palette of the image data are output by the shadow side character string output condition setting means. Replace with the set image color,
The shadow character output device according to claim 1. The output means is means capable of printing on a predetermined print medium.
The shadow character output device according to claim 1. Character storage means for storing font data for each character, pictogram storage means for storing image data for each pictogram, output means capable of outputting to a predetermined output medium, and a character string including a predetermined character and a predetermined pictogram Original character string output condition setting means for setting a character color when outputting as an original character string, and a character color and the character color when outputting the character string as a shadow side character string that is a shadow of the original character string A shadow character output control method by computer software, which controls the output of shadow characters using an apparatus comprising shadow side character string output condition setting means for setting substantially the same image color,
(A) inputting the character string;
(B) When outputting the character string input in step (a) as the original character string, for each character of the original character string, the corresponding font data is read from the character storage means and the original character string The output means controls the output means to output in the character color set by the output condition setting means, and each pictogram reads out the corresponding image data from the pictogram storage means and outputs it in the image color included in the image data. When the character string input in step (a) is output as the shadow side character string, the font data corresponding to each character in the shadow side character string is read from the character storage means. Controlling the output means to output the character color set by the shadow side character string output condition setting means, And controlling the output means to output a corresponding image data at the set image color by reading the shadow side string output condition setting means from the pictogram memory means for characters,
Shadow character output control method including   A program for causing one or more computers to realize each step of the shadow character output control method according to claim 8.