JPH01257994A - Font generating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a working memory space for coloring and to shorten a processing time by adding color information while expanding vector pattern type font data into binary pattern type font data. CONSTITUTION:A font data expanding means 4 expands vector pattern type font data into binary pattern type font data and scans the font data. Then picture elements which constitute part of a character are substituted with information on a display color and the information is sent out and stored in a storage means as a map memory 7. It is not necessary to read font data out of the bit map memory 7 by colors and add color information unlike before. Consequently, the working memory for coloring may be small and the processing time is shortened.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a font generation device used when displaying or printing characters on a color display device, a color laser printer, etc. .

(Prior Art) In general, display devices and laser printers that express characters as a set of dots use a font that represents the code of the character to be displayed or printed as a set of m x n dots with m in the horizontal direction and n in the vertical direction. data, develop this font data in a bitmap memory having a storage area in units of pixels, and read out the font data in this bitmap memory in synchronization with the display operation of a display device or the printing operation of a laser printer. Accordingly, it is configured to obtain display output or printed output of characters, figures, etc.

In this case, the font data has a binary graphic format that directly corresponds to a character image, and a vector graphic format that represents a character image using vector values from a reference pixel. Since font data in the binary graphic format directly corresponds to character images, it can be expanded into the bitmap memory as is. However, font data in vector graphic format must be transferred to a bitmap memory after being developed into font data in -degree binary graphic format.

However, vector graphic format font data has the advantage that even if the size of the output character changes, the number of dots is adjusted according to the size, so it can be used exclusively as high-quality characters. Therefore, in recent years, font data in vector graphic format has been increasingly used instead of binary graphic format.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) By the way, when outputting color characters using font data in vector graphic format, color information must be added to the font data and stored in a bitmap memory corresponding to one color. Conventionally, font data in vector graphic format was partially converted into font data in binary graphic format, stored in bitmap memory, and then color information was added and stored in bitmap memory again. Ta. For this reason, there is a problem in that the memory space for working when colorizing vector graphics format font data increases and the processing time takes longer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a font generation device that requires a small working memory space and a short processing time for colorization.

[Configuration of the Invention (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides a font data storage means for storing font data of characters expressed in a vector graphic format together with information regarding the display color of the characters, and a method for storing the font data. A transfer means that simultaneously transfers the font data and display color information stored in the storage means, and a transfer means that simultaneously transfers the font data of the transferred characters in vector graphic format to font data of binary graphic format while converting part of the characters. font data development means for creating font data in binary graphic format containing color information by replacing constituent pixels with display color information transferred from the transfer means; and from this font data development means. The above object is achieved by including a storage means for storing sent data pixel by pixel and outputting it as display data or print data.

(Operation) The font data development means develops font data in vector graphic format into font data in binary graphic format and scans the font data. Then, pixels constituting a part of a character are replaced with display color information and sent out, and stored in a storage means as a bitmap memory.

Therefore, there is no need to read out the font data stored in the bitmap memory for each color and add color information as in the past, so the working memory space for colorization can be small and the processing time can be shortened. .

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, which includes a font data storage section 1 that stores font data of characters expressed in vector graphic format together with color information of the characters; A font data transfer section 2 reads out font data and color information stored in the font data storage section 1 and transfers it to the control section 3, and sends the transferred font data to a font data development section 4 and also transfers the color information. A control section 3 that sends data to the color information storage section 5; a font data development section 4 that develops font data in a vector graphic format sent via the control section 3 into font data in a binary graphic format; The color information storage unit 5 stores the color information sent through the color information storage unit 5, and the bit image font data expanded in the expansion unit 4 and transferred via the control unit 3 is transferred to the bitmap memory 7. and a bit data transfer unit 6 for storage.

The operation of the above configuration will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG. When a character output request is input from a color display device or color laser printer (
Step 10), the font data transfer section 2 transfers the font data in vector graphic format stored in the font data storage section 1 to the control section 3 together with its color information (step 11). Color information consists of a bit string for one pixel necessary to express a specified color.

Therefore, the control unit 3 transfers the color information to the storage unit 5 (step 12), and transfers the font data to the expansion unit 4, and in the pre-processing of converting it into a bit image, it expands it into binary graphic format font data. (Step 13). If the expansion unit 4 performs this preprocessing, it will be 2! !
Each row of graphic format font data is scanned in the column direction.

At this time, if the scanned dot is a dot forming part of a character, the data of the dot is replaced with the color information stored in the storage section 5. As a result, font data corresponding to one color is created (step 4).

Once the font data corresponding to one color is obtained in this way, the control section 3 transfers it to the bitmap memory 7 via the bit data transfer section 6 and stores it (step 15).
〉.

In this way, in the process of developing font data in vector graphic format into font data in binary graphic format, dots that make up part of characters are replaced with color information, so that binary graphics containing color information can be created. The format font data can be generated directly.

Therefore, the process of reading out the font data stored in the bitmap memory 7 for colorization, adding color information, and storing it again in the bitmap memory, as well as the memory space for this work, are no longer necessary, and colorization can be done in a short time. One corresponding font data can be obtained.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the present invention, color information is added while developing font data in vector graphic format into phono 1 to data in binary graphic format, so that the work for colorization is simplified. This has the advantage of requiring a small memory space and shortening processing time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure for developing font data in vector graphic format. 1... Font data storage section 2... Font data transfer section 3... Control section 4...
・Font data development unit 5...Color information storage unit 6...Bit data transfer unit 7...Bit map memory agent Patent attorney Nori Chika Kenshu Sanno - Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] A font data storage means that stores font data of a character expressed in a vector graphic format together with information regarding the display color of the character, and a transfer for simultaneously transmitting the font data and display color information stored in the font data storage means. and develops the transferred font data of the vector graphic format character into binary graphic format font data, and converts the pixels forming part of the character into the display color information transmitted from the transfer device. A font data development means that creates font data in a binary figure format containing color information by replacing the data, and a font data development means that stores the data sent from this font data development means in pixel units and creates display data or printing data. 1. A font generation device comprising: a storage means for outputting a font as a font;