JP2605022B2 - Graphic processing unit - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a graphic processing apparatus for processing a character or graphic represented by a dot pattern.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in a device of this type, for example, a high-level word processor provided with dot patterns (dot fonts) of a plurality of sizes, for example, when registering an external character, a certain size (56 ×
56) Even if a dot pattern is registered, dot patterns of other matrix sizes must be registered individually or
It has been customary to reduce or enlarge the size based on the machine-specific algorithm based on the already registered dot pattern.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the former case, if the size of the installed font pattern is large, the registration work (input one dot at a time) becomes complicated, and the registration efficiency is significantly impaired. In the latter case, reduction and enlargement are required. The algorithm (constant) alone is not sufficient, and if the work of finely adjusting the dot pattern for each size is not performed later, the character quality cannot be maintained, and a dot pattern of a desired size cannot be generated depending on the size. There was a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide a graphic processing apparatus capable of automatically registering external characters of a plurality of sizes of patterns generated with high quality.

[Means for solving the problem]

The graphic processing device according to the present invention includes: an extracting unit configured to extract outline information from dot pattern information representing a graphic or a character; and scaling the outline information representing the graphic or character extracted by the extracting unit based on a designated size. Generating means for generating dot pattern information of a designated size by painting the inside of the outline with dots based on the scaled outline information; and registering the dot pattern information generated by the generating means as external character data. Means for generating dot pattern information of a specified size by the generation means until the registration of dot pattern information of a plurality of prescribed sizes to be registered with the external character is completed, and the dots generated by the registration means Means for repeatedly executing the registration of the pattern information.

[Action]

According to the present invention, since external character registration processing of a pattern of a plurality of sizes generated with high quality can be automatically performed, the operator can easily perform external character registration.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of a graphic processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a CPU, which controls each unit as a whole based on a control program stored in a ROM 2. 3 is a bitmap display (BMD), video R
The bit data developed in AM (VRAM) 16 is displayed in high resolution. Reference numeral 4 denotes a built-in character / graphic file which stores character information and graphic information. Reference numeral 5 denotes a contour extraction circuit which functions as a contour extracting means, and extracts contours of characters, figures, and the like from the dot pattern input to the BMD 3. Reference numeral 6 denotes a contour reduction / enlargement circuit functioning as contour information scaling means, which reduces or enlarges the contour information extracted by the contour extraction circuit 5. Reference numeral 7 denotes a contour inside filling circuit which functions as a pattern generating means, and generates a dot pattern by filling a closed area composed of scaled contour information with dots.
Reference numeral 8 denotes a contour storage file, which stores the contour information extracted by the contour extraction circuit 5 as necessary. Reference numeral 9 denotes an outline extraction memory for temporarily storing outline information extracted by the outline extraction circuit 5. Reference numeral 10 denotes a contour reduction / expansion memory, which temporarily stores the contour information obtained by enlarging or reducing the contour information stored in the contour extraction memory 9 based on the size information input from the pointing device 11 or the keyboard 12. .

Reference numeral 13 denotes a generated dot pattern storage file which stores a dot pattern in which the outline information expanded or reduced by the outline reduction / enlargement circuit 6 held in the outline reduction / enlargement memory 10 is filled.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a printer including, for example, a laser beam printer, which outputs figures, characters, photographs, and the like. A contour generating circuit 15 generates a contour based on the contour information stored in the contour extracting memory 9. The keyboard 12 includes alphabet keys, alphanumeric keys, special symbol keys, function keys, cursor keys, and the like.

In the graphic processing apparatus configured as described above, for example, contour extraction means (corresponding to the contour extraction circuit 5 in the present embodiment) extracts contour information from one graphic or character represented by a dot pattern edited as external character data. When extracted,
Based on the outline information of one figure or character represented by the extracted dot pattern, a pattern generating means (corresponding to the outline inside filling circuit 7 in this embodiment) generates a plurality of dot patterns having different matrix sizes. The registering means (corresponding to the CPU 1 executing the step (11) shown in FIG. 2 in this embodiment) registers the plurality of generated dot patterns as external character data in the generated dot pattern storage file 13 and edits them. A high-quality figure or character represented by a plurality of dot patterns with different matrix sizes specific to the model is automatically registered from one figure or character represented by the dot pattern.

Next, the character / graphic generating operation according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a character / graphic generation processing means in the graphic processing apparatus according to the present invention. Note that (1) to (12) indicate each step.

While watching the BMD 3, the user operates the keyboard 12 or the pointing device 11 to create a dot pattern on the VRAM 16 or reads out the dot pattern registered in the built-in character / graphics file 4 and develops the dot pattern on the VRAM 16 (1 ). In the latter case, the dot pattern can be superimposed by repeating the same procedure. At this time, the logical operation with the dot pattern to be superimposed is configured such that a logical sum, a logical product, an exclusive logical sum, or the like can be selected and designated.

Next, the dot pattern developed on the VRAM 16 is read out, and the contour extraction processing is performed by the contour extraction circuit 5 (2), whereby the contour information is developed on the contour extraction memory 9.
For contour extraction, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-81683, first, a pattern is operated to extract a border point,
The extracted border points are scanned in a 3 × 3 window (mask), vectors are detected using eight directions outside the 3 × 3 center, and the vector is scanned by scanning the 3 × 3 window. This is performed by a known method for obtaining data. Next, since there are many contour points in the contour information developed on the contour extraction memory 9, the dot patterns of characters and figures on the VRAM 16 are temporarily saved in the external storage means, and the contours in the contour extraction memory 9 are stored on the VRAM 16. VR through the contour generation circuit 15
Deploy on AM16. Then, the contour points are arranged by operating the keyboard 12 and the pointing device 11 until the contour information becomes necessary and sufficient (3), and the process returns to step (3) until the arranged contour information becomes OK (4). Next, the arranged final contour information is stored in the contour extraction memory 9.

At that time, when the control information is displayed on the VRAM 16 through the contour generation circuit 15, the control information is displayed and held together with the dot pattern, and when the operator narrows down the contour information, the dot displayed as the control information is deleted, added, or changed. The pattern is configured to be changed at any time. Next, it is determined whether or not the outline information is to be stored (5). If YES, the outline information is stored in the outline storage file 8 (6). If NO, the process proceeds to step (7). Enter from. Next, the contour information stored in the contour extraction memory 9 is passed through the contour reduction / enlargement circuit 6 based on the input dot matrix size, and the contour information reduced or enlarged through the contour generation circuit 15 is stored in the contour reduction / enlargement memory 10. It is stored (8). Next, the reduced or enlarged contour information stored in the contour reduction / enlargement memory 10 is read, and the inside of the contour is painted by the painting circuit 7 (9). As a result, a sufficiently high-quality dot pattern is generated, but for the final fine adjustment, the generated dot pattern is monitored by the BMD 3 via the VRAM 16 and the keyboard 12
Alternatively, the pointing device 11 may be configured so that the operator can make final adjustment of the dot pattern and feed it back to the contour reduction / enlargement memory 10.
Next, it is determined whether an instruction to save the dot pattern generated in step (9) has been input (10), and NO
If so, the process proceeds to step (12). If YES, the generated dot pattern is stored in the generated dot pattern storage file 13 (11). At this time, if there is an external storage file dedicated to external characters that is unique to the system, it may be registered directly. In any case, when registering the external dot pattern in the external storage file, it goes without saying that the operator needs to input a code for calling the external character after the registration. Next, it is determined whether or not all of the target size inputs have been completed (12).
If O, return to step (7), and repeat steps (7)-(1
The processing up to 1) is performed by a dot matrix of the same size and the same typeface (for example, 16 × 16, 24 × 24, 48 × 48)
Etc.).

This processing may be automatically performed for all sizes in which the fonts are determined to be the same (for example, Mincho and Gothic).

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the contour extraction circuit 5, the contour reduction / enlargement circuit 6, the contour inside painting circuit 7, the contour generation circuit 15 and the like are configured by hardware has been described, but it may be configured by software. Needless to say.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, extracting means for extracting outline information from dot pattern information representing a figure or character, and converting the outline information representing the figure or character extracted by the extracting means to a designated size. Generating means for generating dot pattern information of a designated size by filling the inside of the outline with dots based on the scaled outline information, and using the dot pattern information generated by the generating means as external character data Registration means for registering, generation of dot pattern information of a specified size by the generation means, and generation by the registration means until registration of dot pattern information of a plurality of prescribed sizes to be registered as external characters is completed. Means for repeatedly executing the registration of the set dot pattern information. Until the registration of the dot pattern information of a plurality of prescribed sizes to be specified is completed, the generation of the dot pattern information of the designated size by the generation unit and the registration of the generated dot pattern information by the registration unit are repeated. By executing, the external character registration processing of a plurality of sizes of patterns generated with high quality can be automatically performed, so that the operator can easily perform the external character registration processing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of a graphic processing apparatus showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a character graphic generating procedure in the graphic processing apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a CPU, 2 is a ROM, 3 is a bitmap display (BMD), 4 is a built-in character graphic file, 5 is a contour extraction circuit, 6 is a contour reduction / enlargement circuit, 7 is a contour inside filling circuit, and 8 is a contour. Save file, 9 is contour extraction memory, 10
Is a contour reduction / enlargement memory, 11 is a pointing device (PD), 12 is a keyboard (KB), 13 is a generated dot pattern storage file, 14 is a printer, 15 is a contour generation circuit, 16
Is VRAM.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An extracting means for extracting contour information from dot pattern information representing a figure or a character, and scaling the contour information representing a figure or a character extracted by the extracting means based on a designated size. Generating means for generating dot pattern information of a designated size by filling the inside of the outline with dots based on the obtained outline information; registering means for registering the dot pattern information generated by the generating means as external character data; Until registration of dot pattern information of a plurality of prescribed sizes to be registered is completed, generation of dot pattern information of a specified size by the generation unit, and
Means for repeatedly executing the registration of the generated dot pattern information by the registration means.