JPH02216593A - Information processor provided with graphic generating function - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To smooth a connecting part of each line, and also, to obtain a graphic in which line width is also constant by executing picture drawing, while moving the center of a pell along a straight line and a curve constituting the graphic, at the time of bringing the graphic constituted of a straight line and a curve to picture drawing. CONSTITUTION:Information of coordinate positions of a start point and an end point read by a coordinate reader which is not shown in the figure is stored in a start point/center point information storage device 21 and an end point/radius information storage device 22, respectively, inputted to a straight line generating device, and a straight line is generated. Subsequently, the present address to a page buffer 29 of this straight line is calculated by an address generating device 25. Next, whether this calculated present address is equal to an end point address or not is monitored by a comparing device 28. Thereafter, a square or circular pell generated by a pell generating device 26 by making the present address the center point is brought to picture drawing on a page buffer 29 by a picture drawing device 27. The above operation is executed until the present address and the end point address become equal to each other.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Kurato, Upper Section ■And Interchangeable This invention is applicable to personal computers, office computers, word processors, DTP (desk top publishing), DPS (data processing systems), and other various graphic generation functions. In particular, when drawing straight lines and curves in high-resolution information processing devices, the connected parts of each line are formed smoothly, and a figure with a constant line width can be obtained. The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that is capable of displaying/printing drawing patterns of thick straight lines and curves with extremely high quality.

Jobeitachi 11 In recent years, personal computers, word processors, D
Due to remarkable technological developments in various information processing devices such as TP, and accompanying improvements in quality.

The resolution of display devices and printing devices is also increasing.

As a result, it becomes necessary to increase the line width of each displayed or printed figure in proportion to the resolution.

That is, when the resolution is low, the unevenness of the connecting portions of lines is not so noticeable, and a line width of one dot is usually sufficient.

However, as the resolution becomes higher, irregularities in the connecting portions of S and variations in line width become noticeable, so such points cannot be ignored.

Conventionally, a 4-connection drawing method and an 8-connection drawing method have been used as methods for drawing thick straight lines and curves.

To put it simply, in the 4-connection drawing method, you decide the starting point and the ending point, draw a straight line, use these two points as base dots, and copy the same line in any of the four directions above, below, left, or right. Draw a thick straight line by doing this.

In addition, in the case of the 8-connection drawing method, both the start point and the end point are used as base dots, and in addition to the four directions above, below, left and right, it is also possible to specify diagonal directions, such as upper right, lower right, upper left, and lower left. Four directions are also added. In the 4-connected drawing method described above, specifying this diagonal direction requires two processes.For example, to specify the upper right, specify the right once and process, and then specify the upper There is a need to.

However, when drawing a straight line using the conventional 4-connection drawing method or 8-connection drawing method, the cut end of the line may be horizontal, vertical, or perpendicular to the straight line (long axis) direction. or

As a result 1, for example, when a polygonal line is drawn by connecting straight lines, the connected portions are not smooth, resulting in a disadvantage that the drawing quality deteriorates.

This relationship will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 5(1) and 5(2) are diagrams each showing an example of a state in which a polygonal line is drawn by connecting straight lines by an information processing device equipped with a conventional figure generation function. A and B are straight lines, a is the line width of straight line A, b is straight line B
indicates the line width.

For example, as shown in FIG. 5(1), a straight line A with a line width a and a straight line B with a line width A are connected at right angles to each other at the connecting part,
When drawing a single polyline.

Straight line A is a vertical cut at right angles to the straight line direction, and straight line B is a horizontal cut at right angles to the straight line direction.

Therefore, in the upper left area of the connected part, that is, in the connected part formed by the upper left end of straight line A and the upper left end of straight line B,
A polygonal line with missing black dots is drawn.

Also, as shown in Figure 5 (2), draw a single broken line by diagonally connecting the straight line A of line 1 [a and the straight line B of the line width at the connecting part at an angle larger than a right angle. Even when
The diagonally connected straight line B is also a cut in the diagonal direction perpendicular to the straight line direction.

Therefore, in the case of No. 5131 (2) as well, a broken line with a missing black dot appears in the upper left area of the connected part, that is, in the connected part formed by the upper left end of straight line A and the upper right end of straight line B. It will be drawn.

Moreover, in the case of this Figure 5 (2), the line width is also
It is also extremely difficult to match the line width a of the straight line A with the line width s of the straight line B.

First, a personal computer will be described as an example of a conventional information processing system equipped with a graphic generation function.

FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the main configuration of a conventional information processing system equipped with a graphic generation function. 3 is an image scanner, 4 is a CRT display unit, 5 is a printer, 6 is an FDD (floppy disk driver) unit, and 7 is an HDD (hard drive).
(disk driver) unit, 8 is the system main unit,
9 is a CPU, 10i*ROM, 11 is a RAM, 12 is a keyboard controller, 13 is a pointing device controller, 14 is a scanner controller, 15 is a CRT controller, 16 is a printer controller, 1
7 is an FDD controller, 18 is an HDD controller,
19 indicates a communication control section.

The information processing system shown in FIG. 6 includes a display device, a printing device that prints dot information, and a coordinate reading device that reads the coordinates on the screen of the display device, and is composed of straight lines and curved lines. The functions of each part of an information processing device, for example, a personal computer, which has a graphic generation function for drawing graphics, are as follows.

The input bag W1 includes a keyboard and the like, and is an input means for inputting system startup and other commands, necessary character information, and the like. The information input from this input bag [1] is input from the keyboard controller 12. It is sent to the computer side via the system bus.

Coordinate reading device! 2 is a pointer cursor input means (pointing device) for indicating the position on the display screen, and the input information is also input by the pointing device.
Controller 13. It is also sent to the computer side via the system bus.

The image scanner 3 is a single image input means, and the read image information is similarly sent to the computer side via the scanner controller 14.

The CRT display unit 4 is a display means that visually displays character/numeric information and image information of documents being created and documents that have been created, as well as guidance necessary for operation, etc., in the form of a dot pattern on its screen.

A CRT controller 15 is connected to the CRT display unit 4, and controls the display of data and guidance developed in a dot pattern on the screen.

The printer 5 is a dot image printing device such as a thermal transfer type printing device having an electrically heated head, a so-called thermal dot printer, an inkjet printer, a plunger magnet type printer, etc., and prints one document using the created data. , an image of a slip, etc. are printed in a dot pattern.

This printer 5 is given data such as created characters and numbers, image information, format information, and other control information from the computer side via the system bus and printer controller 16, and creates a hard copy.

FDD unit 6 floppy disk.

The hard disk of the HDD unit 7 is an external storage device, and read information is sent to the computer side via the FDD controller 17, HDD controller 18, and system bus. In addition, as an external storage device,
Magnetic disks, magnetic tape, and other large capacity storage devices may also be used.

The communication control unit 19 controls information exchanged with other communication terminal devices.

The CPU 9, ROM 10, and RAM II constitute a system control section of the word processor.

That is, the ROM10 stores programs that control the system, character pattern data, etc.
Further, RAMII is a system memory that stores necessary data.

The CPU 9 controls the entire system shown in FIG.

For example, it receives key information from the input bag M1 and performs corresponding processing operations, outputs control commands, etc.

Also, based on key human power information, data can be output to the CRT display 4 or printer 5, or image scanner 3.
Input image data from and further.

It accesses the floppy disk of the FDD unit 6 and the hard disk of the HDD unit 7, and manages various controls such as sending and receiving data via the communication control section 19.

Information processing systems with graphic generation functions such as personal computers and office computers.

The configuration is as shown in FIG.

Going back to the beginning, when drawing a figure composed of straight lines and curves using an information processing system like the one shown in Figure 6, straight lines A and B are drawn as shown in Figure 5 (1) and (2). At the intersection of
and b may become mismatched, and the quality of display/printing of drawn patterns using straight lines or polygonal lines deteriorates. There was this inconvenience.

Such a problem also occurs with curves such as circles and sectors. For example, when drawing a circle, it is extremely difficult to make the line width constant.

This invention aims to solve these problems in conventional information processing devices equipped with a graphic generation function.

In a high-resolution information processing device, when drawing a straight line or a curved line, the connected portions of each line are not formed smoothly, and it is also difficult to make the line width constant. Solve the inconvenience of
The connecting parts of each line are smooth.

Furthermore, the object is to provide an information processing device that can display/print extremely high-quality drawing patterns even when drawing thick straight lines or curves by configuring the device to obtain figures with a constant line width. do.

This invention includes a display device that displays dot information, a printing device that prints the dot information, and a coordinate reading device that reads the coordinates on the screen of the display device. In an information processing system equipped with a figure generation function for drawing a figure consisting of a starting point/center point/information storage means.

end point/radius/information storage means; and straight line generation means for generating a straight line constituting a figure based on the start point information of the start point/center point/information storage means and the end point information of the end point/radius/information storage means.

The starting point/center point/center point information of the information storage means and the ending point/
a curve generating means for generating a curve constituting a figure based on the radius information of the radius/information storage means;
Address generation means for generating an address between the coordinate information stored in the information storage means and the end point/radius/information storage means in units of one bit or several bits;

A pel generating means for generating circular or square pels, and drawing while moving the center point of the pel generated from the pel generating means along the straight line or curved line generated by the straight line generating means or curved line generating means. A drawing means is provided, and when drawing a figure composed of straight lines or curved lines, the center of the pel is moved along the straight lines or curved lines making up the figure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of an information processing apparatus having a graphic generation function according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to one drawing.

In order to facilitate understanding, first, the shape of a straight line obtained by the information processing apparatus equipped with the figure generation function of the present invention and the procedure for drawing the straight line will be explained.

FIGS. 2(1) to 2(3) are diagrams each showing an example of a state in which a straight line is drawn by an information processing apparatus having a graphic generation function according to the present invention.

First, in FIG. 2 (1), a relatively thin straight line is drawn, and its thickness is determined by the radius of the circular pel.

As mentioned above, when drawing a straight line, specify the starting point (for example, the leftmost coordinate) and the ending point (for example, the rightmost coordinate), and draw the line between these two end coordinates in units of one or several bits to the right. While moving, determine each coordinate, generate a circular pel with the coordinate as the center point, and generate black dot information for all coordinates contained inside the pel. Specifically, for every movement of a pel in a circle.

By changing the dot information of the coordinates that newly fall within the circular pel to black, the coordinates inside the circular pel are set to logic "'1'".

In this way, a straight line with a constant thickness can be obtained by drawing a line using circular pels with a constant radius while moving between the start point and the end point in units of one bit or several bits. Note that it goes without saying that a drawn line with a constant line width can be obtained by moving in units of the minimum 1 bit rather than in units of several bits.

In this case, if the radius of the pel is increased, a thick straight line can be obtained, for example, as shown in FIG. 2 (2).

Also, if you change the radius when moving the pel,
For example, as shown in FIG. 2 (3), it is also possible to draw straight lines with different thicknesses.

In FIGS. 2 (1) to (3) above, in order to explain the principle of line drawing by the information processing device equipped with the figure generation function of this invention, a case where a straight line is drawn while moving a circular pel is shown. I talked about it.

However, when drawing a straight line, it is better to move the rectangular pel while drawing, so that not only both ends but also the line width are constant.
Moreover, the amount of movement of the center point between them can also be increased.

It is therefore clear that in the case of straight lines it is desirable to use square pels.

Next, a case will be described in which a polygonal line composed of two straight lines is drawn.

FIGS. 3(1) and 3(2) are diagrams showing an example of a state in which a polygonal line is drawn by connecting straight lines by an information processing device having a figure generation function according to the present invention. The symbols are the same as those in FIG. 5, and X and Y indicate connecting parts.

This FIG. 3(1) corresponds to FIG. 5(1) described above as a conventional example.

As shown in Fig. 3 (1), when straight lines A and B intersect at right angles, the shape of the pel of the connecting part If the width a and the line width of straight line B are made equal.

A black dot is missing at the connecting part. This inconvenience does not occur.

In addition, FIG. 3 (2) shows the fifth example explained as a conventional example.
Corresponding to Figure (2), when straight lines A and B intersect at an angle larger than a right angle, the connecting portion Y
Let the shape of the pel be circular, and the size of its radius is the straight line A
(which is also the same as the line width of straight line B).

In this case as well, the black dots are missing at the connecting portions.

This inconvenience does not occur.

Moreover, since the shape of the pel is circular in the connecting portion Y, an extremely smooth polygonal line can be obtained.

As described above, according to the information processing device equipped with the figure generation function of the present invention, unlike the lines drawn by the conventional information processing device, black dots are not missing at the connected portions of polygonal lines, and the thickness of the black dots is not lost. You can also draw a certain line.

In the above embodiments, straight lines and polygonal lines have been described, but it is also possible to draw circles, sectors, etc. with a constant line width.

For example, when drawing 1 circle, 1. Set the center point and the size of the radius, and then
For example, starting from the coordinate directly above, the coordinates are calculated clockwise in units of one bit or several bits. Then, a circular pel centered around each coordinate is generated, and all coordinates contained inside the pel are turned into black dots.

It goes without saying that when drawing this circle, it is possible to draw a smoother circle by generating circular pels than by generating square pels.

The functions of the information processing apparatus equipped with the figure generation function of the present invention, which have been explained in detail in relation to FIGS. 2 (1) to (3) and FIGS. 3 (1) and (2) above, are as follows: This is realized by the configuration shown in the figure.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing one embodiment of the configuration of essential parts of an information processing apparatus having a graphic generation function according to the present invention. In the drawing, 21 is a start point/center point/information storage device, 22 is an end point/radius/information storage device, 23 is a straight line generator, 24 is a curve generator, 25 is an address generator, 26 is a pel generator, and 27 is a pel generator. a drawing device, 28 a comparison device, 29 a page buffer, 30 a display device, 31
indicates a printing device.

The functions of each part of the information processing apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 are as follows.

The starting point/center point/information storage device 21 is a memory that stores coordinate information of the starting point when drawing a straight line, and coordinate information of the center point when drawing a curved line.

End point/radius/information storage bag! Reference numeral 22 denotes a memory in which coordinate information of the end point of a straight line is stored, and information on the radius of a curved line is stored.

The straight line generator 23 is a starting point/center point/information storage bag! 21
It has a function of drawing a straight line based on the coordinate information of the starting point stored in , and the coordinate information of the ending point stored in the ending point/radius/information storage device 22 .

Curved bag! ! 24 is a starting point/center point/information storage device 2
It has a function of drawing a curve based on the coordinate information of the center point stored in 1 and the information on the radius size stored in the end point/radius/information storage device 22.

When drawing a straight line, the address generator 25 uses the coordinate information of the starting point stored in the starting point/center point/information storage device 21 and the coordinate information of the ending point stored in the ending point/radius/information storage device 22. Based on this, the address on the page buffer 29 is divided into 1 bit (1
(equivalent to dots) and outputs them. When drawing a curve, the page buffer 2 that forms the curve is based on the coordinate information of the center point and the information on the radius size.
Similarly, the address above 9 is calculated bit by bit and output.

When drawing a straight line or a curved line using one circular pel, the pel generator 26 calculates information indicating the range of the circle based on information about the center point and its radius.

Also, when drawing straight lines or curves using square pels, use the center point and top/bottom/left/right width information.

Compute information indicating the range.

The drawing device 27 is a straight line generator! 23 and curve generator!
Address generation bag along the straight line or curve formed by 24! For example, while sequentially moving the center point of the circle or square output from the pel generator 26 on the address output from the pel generator 25, which is changed one bit at a time, each bit inside the circle or square is blacked out by logical sum processing. (information of "'1"), and drawings as shown in FIG. 2 (1) to (3) and FIG. 3 (1) and (2) are performed.

Comparison bag! 28 is an address generation bag when drawing a straight line! ! It is monitored whether the current address output from 25 has reached the coordinates of the end point. Furthermore, when drawing a curve, it is monitored whether the starting point of one curve has been reached.

Note that the page buffer 29 is a buffer memory that stores pattern data of straight lines and curves to be output to the display device 30 and the printing device 31.

Next, the operation of the information processing apparatus of the invention during drawing will be described with reference to a flowchart.

The following FIG. 4 shows the main part of the information processing apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 during drawing processing of straight lines and curves.

2 is a flowchart showing the flow of essential processing. In the drawings, #1 to #5 indicate steps.

First, the case of drawing a straight line will be described.

In step #1, information on the coordinate positions of the start point and end point read by the coordinate reading device M (pointing device) 2 is transferred to the start point/center point/information storage device 21 in FIG.
And end point/radius/information storage bag! ! 22, respectively.

In step #2, information on the coordinate positions of these starting points and ending points is stored in the straight line generation bag! ! 23 to create a straight line.

In the next step #3, the current address for this linear page buffer 29 is determined by the address generator! ! Calculated by 25.

In step #4, the comparator 28 monitors whether the calculated current address and the end point address are equal.

In step #5, with the current address calculated by the address generator 25 as the center point, the pel generator i26
A device that draws square or circular pels created by! 27, drawing is performed on the page buffer 29.

The above steps #l to #5 are considered as one step,
Execute one step at a time until the current address and end point address are equal.

Through such processing, it is possible to draw a straight line with a thickness corresponding to the size of the rectangular pel or the radius of the circular pel.

Further, when drawing a polygonal line made up of two straight lines, it is sufficient to repeat the drawing process of such straight lines twice.

The same applies to the case where a polygonal line composed of three or more straight lines is drawn.

Next, the case of drawing a curve will be explained.

In step #1, information on the coordinate position and radius size of the center point read by the coordinate reading device 1!2 is transferred to the starting point/center point/information storage bag shown in FIG. ! 21 and end point/radius/information storage bag R22, respectively.

In step #2, information on the coordinate positions of these center points and the size of the radius is input to the curve generator 24 to create a curve.

In the next step #3, the current address for the page buffer 29 of this curve is set as the address generation bag! ! Calculated by 25.

In step #4, the comparator 28 monitors whether the calculated current address and the starting point address are equal.

Step #5, address generator! With the current address calculated by 25 as the center point, the Pell generation bag R26
The circular pel created by is drawn on the page buffer 29 by the drawing device 27.

Through such processing, a circle with a thickness corresponding to the radius of the pel is drawn.

According to the information processing device equipped with the figure generation function of the present invention, when drawing a straight line, the connected portions of each line are formed smoothly, and a figure with a constant line width can be obtained.

Therefore, unlike conventional information processing devices, black dots will not be missing at the connecting parts of polygonal lines, and the line width of the two straight lines that make up the polygonal line can also be kept constant, resulting in extremely high quality. Displaying thick straight line drawing pattern/
Printing is obtained.

Furthermore, even in the case of a curve such as a circle or a sector, if it is drawn using a circular pel, many excellent effects such as smooth and beautiful drawing can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing one embodiment of the configuration of essential parts of an information processing apparatus having a graphic generation function according to the present invention. FIGS. 2(1) to (3) are diagrams each showing an example of a straight line drawn by an information processing device equipped with a figure generation function of the present invention, and FIGS. 3(1) and (2) are Similarly, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a polygonal line is drawn by connecting straight lines by an information processing device having a figure generation function according to the present invention. Figures 5 (1) and (2) are flowcharts showing the flow of the main processing when drawing straight lines and curves in the device, respectively. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a polygonal line is drawn by connecting .
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing an example of the configuration of its main parts. In the drawing, 21 is a starting point/center point/information storage device;
2 is an end point/radius/information storage device, 23 is a straight line generator,
24 is a curve generator, 25 is an address generator, 26 is a pel generator, 27 is a drawing device, 28 is a comparison device, 29
is a page buffer. 30 is a display device. 31 is a printing device. Illustration of a maiden figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A display device comprising a display device that displays dot information, a printing device that prints the dot information, and a coordinate reading device that reads the coordinates on the screen of the display device, and is composed of straight lines and curved lines. An information processing system equipped with a figure generation function for drawing a figure, comprising: a start point/center point/information storage means; an end point/radius/information storage means; and start point information and end point/of the start point/center point/information storage means. straight line generating means for generating straight lines constituting a figure based on end point information in the radius/information storage means; center point information in the starting point/center point/information storage means and radius information in the end point/radius/information storage means; a curve generating means for generating a curve constituting a figure; and one bit or several bits of an address between the coordinate information stored in the starting point/center point/information storage means and the end point/radius/information storage means. address generating means that generates pels in units; pel generating means that generates circular or square pels; and pel generating means that generates pels along straight lines or curves generated by the straight line generating means or curved line generating means. a drawing means that draws while moving the center point of the pel, and a An information processing device characterized by drawing. 2. Information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that when drawing a straight line, the end points are drawn using rectangular pels to make the shape of the end points constant. Processing equipment. 3. In the information processing device according to claim 1, when drawing a straight line or a curved line, the line width is made constant by making the radius of the circular pel or the size of the square pel of each address constant. An information processing device characterized by: