JPH02254491A - Data converter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To display a character, a graphic, etc., without generating a discontinuous part by calculating an intersection to a border line of a character, a graphic, etc., with regard to each of first scanning lines and second scanning lines of plural lines each which intersect with each other, and synthesizing the dot data which are set, on the basis of the intersection. CONSTITUTION:A first intersection coordinate calculating means derives a coordinate of an intersection of a border line of a character, a graphic, etc., assumed on the coordinate surface for prescribing outline data and plural first scanning lines being parallel to each other, and a second intersection coordinate calculating means derives a coordinate of an intersection of the border line of a character, a graphic, etc., assumed on the coordinate surface for prescribing the outline data and plural second scanning lines which are parallel to each other and intersect with first scanning lines. The derived coordinate of the intersection is stored in a first intersection coordinate storage means and a second intersection coordinate storage means, respectively, and dot data base on the intersection are set by a first dot data setting means and a second dot data setting means, and synthesized by a dot data synthesizing means. In such a way, the character, the graphic, etc., can be displayed without generating a discontinuous part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data conversion device for converting outline data representing the outline of characters, figures, etc. into dot data. It's about warranties.

Conventional technology When processing data representing characters, figures, etc. using a computer and displaying it in some form such as printing or displaying, it is widely used to form dot data for each pixel, which is the minimum processing unit. ing. At this time, if dot data is created in advance for the entire characters, figures, etc. to be displayed and stored in memory, an extremely large capacity memory will be required, so as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-41017, It is desirable to store characters, figures, etc. as outline data representing their outlines, and convert them into dot data using a device equipped with dot data setting means when printing, displaying, or the like.

Therefore, in the application of Japanese Patent Application No. 63-269074, the present applicant assumed that the outlines of characters such as letters and symbols were superimposed on the pixel screen that defines the pixels,
Find the points of intersection between multiple pixel regulation lines that are parallel to the X-axis of the pixel screen and pass through the pixel center point and the outline of a character such as a letter or symbol, and based on the points of intersection, create dot data corresponding to the character to represent the presence of a dot. We proposed a data conversion device that sets existing data. In this case, the intersection point is not the actual intersection between the contour line and the pixel definition line, but the pixel center point closest to the actual intersection point inside the contour line is considered to be the intersection point,
Two lines are found for each character line forming the character, and there is always a character line between these intersections. Therefore, the dot data of all pixels located between two intersection points can be set as existence data at once without determining whether or not a character composition line exists.
Outline data can be quickly and easily converted to dot data.

According to this data conversion device, outline data of figures can also be converted into dot data. The figure has a width similar to the character composition line, and is defined by two contour lines. Therefore, if the intersection points are found for each of these contour lines, since there is always a figure between those intersection points, it is sufficient to set all the pixels located between these intersection points as existence data.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, when the contour line and the pixel definition line do not intersect, for example, when the interval between the contour lines is narrow and a character composition line or figure is located between two adjacent pixel definition lines, Because the coordinates of the intersection points are not determined and the existence data is not set, discontinuities occur in the displayed characters/figures, etc., even though the contour lines that define the characters/figures, etc. are continuous, making it difficult to see. There was a problem with the image being poor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a device that can convert outline data into dot data so that discontinuities do not occur in characters, figures, etc. that should be continuous.

Means for Solving the Problems And the gist of the present invention is to provide data conversion means, as shown in FIG. and (b) a first intersection point coordinate calculation means for calculating the coordinates of the intersection with a plurality of mutually parallel first scanning lines; (C) a first intersection coordinate storage means that stores two coordinates that are adjacent to each other in pairs when arranged in the order of the magnitude of the coordinate values; The dot data corresponding to all pixels between each pair of coordinates are converted into characters and characters at once.
A first dot data setting means for setting presence data representing the existence of a figure, etc., and (d) an outline line of a character, figure, etc. assumed on a coordinate plane defining outline data, parallel to each other and in a first scan. (e) a second intersection point coordinate calculating means for calculating the coordinates of the intersection with a plurality of second scanning lines intersecting the line; and (e) calculating the coordinates of the intersection point calculated by the second intersection coordinate calculating means for each second scanning line. (f) a second intersection coordinate storage means for storing pairs of two adjacent coordinates when arranged in order of magnitude of the coordinate values; and (f) each of the coordinates stored by the second intersection coordinate storage means. a second dot data setting means for setting dot data corresponding to all pixels between the pair of coordinates as presence data representing the presence of the character, figure, etc.;
dot data synthesis means for combining the first dot data set by the first dot data setting means and the second dot data set by the second dot data setting means to obtain dot data representing the characters, figures, etc.; The purpose is to include the following:

Actions and Effects If you calculate the points of intersection with the contour lines of characters, figures, etc. for each of the plurality of first and second scanning lines that intersect with each other, it is possible to determine whether the character or figure is among the first and second scanning lines. Even if one scanning line is located between two adjacent scanning lines, it intersects with the other scanning line, and the intersection point is determined. Therefore, if the dot data set respectively based on the intersections with the first and second scanning lines are combined, the discontinuity that occurs when the existence data is set based on the calculation of the intersection between one scanning line and the contour line can be avoided. A part is made into a continuous part by setting the dot data corresponding to that pixel as existing data based on the calculation of the intersection between the other scanning line and the contour line, so that two characters, etc., can be separated without creating a discontinuous part. can be displayed.

Embodiment Hereinafter, a case in which the present invention is applied to a device for converting outline data into dot data in a laser printer that prints characters such as letters and symbols will be explained in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a diagram mainly showing the portion related to data conversion of the control circuit of the laser printer.

Microcomputer section 10 which forms the main body of this control circuit
is CPU12. Character ROM14゜Program R
OM16. Text memory 18 Working memory 20
．． First intersection coordinate memory 22° Second intersection coordinate memory 23.
First dot data memory 24. Second dot data memory 25. A print dot data memory 26 is provided. These CPUs 12 and the like are connected by a bus 28, and an input device 30 and a printing section 32 are connected to the bus 28. The input device 30 inputs necessary data to the microcomputer section 10, and the printing section 32 is a section that performs printing using a laser printing method based on commands from the microcomputer section 10. Note that the resolution of this laser printer is 300 dots/inch.

As conceptually shown in FIG. 3, the CPU 12 includes a data succession section 36. An intersection coordinate calculation section 3, which calculates the coordinates of the intersection of the character's outline and an X-direction defining line ing. The text memory 18 stores print data consisting of code data input from the input device 30, and the working memory 20 stores data necessary when executing a program. In addition, the first and second intersection coordinate memory 2
2.23 respectively store designation numbers in the X-axis direction and the y-axis direction of the pixel including the intersection calculated by the intersection coordinate calculation unit 38. The first dot data memory 24 stores dot data set based on the specified number stored in the first intersection coordinate memory 22, and the second dot data memory 25 stores the dot data stored in the second intersection coordinate memory 23. Dot data set based on the coordinate values is stored. Furthermore, the print dot data memory 26 stores dot data obtained by combining the dot data stored in the first and second dot data memories 24 and 25, respectively.

The character ROM 14 stores outline data of characters such as alphabets and other characters and symbols. The coordinate plane that determines the outline of the character is vertical (Y axis), as shown in Figure 5.

The horizontal (X-axis) size is 100OX100O, and the uppercase letters of the alphabet are 2 of the coordinate value of the Y-axis.
It is drawn between 00 and 1000, and the lowercase letters are O to 2.
It is also drawn using the 00 period. Regarding the X-axis direction, the center of the coordinate plane and the center of the character are made to coincide. When the outline of a character is designed on such a coordinate plane, as shown by taking the arcuate line 44 as an example, the character composition lines forming the character have width, and the outline 46
surrounded by The outline data is created for each of a plurality of line elements forming the outline of the character, and includes the type of the line element and the coordinates of each end point. The coordinates of each of these points are stored in order along a fixed direction (indicated by an arrow in the figure) defined on the contour line 46, and the two points at both ends of each line element are stored first. The point is the starting point, and the point stored later is the ending point. The outline data is
If the line element is a straight line, it includes the straight line data and the coordinates of the start point and end point; if the line element is a curve, it includes the curve data, the curve's function formula, and the coordinates of the start point, end point, and auxiliary point; if the line element is an arc, it includes the The arc data and the coordinates of the starting point and the center point of one circle (P: point) are included. The character ROM 14 also stores the number N of line elements for each character.

In this laser printer, the conversion of outline data into dot data is performed on the assumption that a pixel screen 50 shown in FIG. 6 is used and the outline of a character is superimposed on the pixel screen 50. Although the pixel screen 50 is a computational device for converting outline data into dot data, it is illustrated here as an actual entity for ease of understanding. In addition, a pixel here is the minimum printing unit when printing is performed by a laser, and the pixel screens 50 are orthogonal to each other in the - plane and parallel to the X-axis direction and the y-axis direction, respectively. , a plurality of pixel section lines p provided at equal intervals (indicated by solid lines in the figure).

), and in this example, the pixels are square. Further, an X-direction defining line X and a Y-direction defining line y (indicated by broken lines in the figure) are set, which pass through the pixel center point and are parallel to the X-axis direction and the y-axis direction, respectively. A coordinate value indicating the position on the pixel screen 50 is attached to the pixel division line p, and the positions of the X direction defining line x and the y direction defining line y can be expressed by the X coordinate value and the X coordinate value, respectively. Dot data indicating whether or not to print is formed for each pixel, but in this laser printer, a dot is formed at a pixel whose center point is included in the outline of the character, and the dot data for that pixel is The data is set to 1. Note that the pixels can also have a rectangular or other shape.

Although the pixel screen 50 is assumed to correspond to the printing surface of printing paper, a portion of one character is shown in FIG. 6 for ease of understanding. Therefore, in the entire pixel screen 50, the pixel partition line p
The coordinate values actually assigned to the pixel section in Fig. 6!
f! Although the value is obtained by adding an appropriate integer to the value assigned to AP, only one character will be considered here.

In addition, this laser printer can print characters at 4.8 points, 0 points, 12 points, 20 points, 24 points.
It can be printed in any size such as point, 30 point, etc., and it can be printed in 1000 x 100 O according to the printing size.
The coordinate values of the contour created on the coordinate plane are converted. Coordinate values are converted by assuming a coordinate plane on the pixel screen 50 in which the length of one side of one pixel is expressed as 1.If a character at a certain point is represented by CxC pixels, then 1
By multiplying the coordinate value of the point that determines the contour on the oooxtooo coordinate plane by C/1000, the coordinate value on the coordinate plane assumed on the pixel screen 50 can be obtained. Here, a case where one character is printed with 4 or 8 points represented by 20×20 pixels will be explained.

The numbers attached to the pixel division lines P of the pixel screen 50 in FIG. 6 are the coordinate values in this case. Further, the values attached alongside the coordinate values attached to the pixel dividing line p are numbers that specify the position of each pixel in the entire pixel screen 50, and are assigned with 1 being assigned as 1 for each pixel, and The position of a pixel on the pixel screen 50 can be specified by a combination of a number specifying the position in the axial direction and a number specifying the position in the y-axis direction. For example, a pixel partition line p whose X coordinate value is 3.4, and a pixel partition line p whose X coordinate value is 2,
The pixel defined by the pixel dividing line p of 3 is (3, 2)
can be specified. Note that when superimposing the outline of a character on the pixel screen 50, the pixel screen 5 at the reference point of each character is
Coordinate values on 0 are also determined, and superimposition is performed using the obtained coordinate values of the reference point and the converted coordinate values.

Further, the program ROM 16 stores various programs necessary for printing as well as a program for converting outline data as shown in the flowchart of FIG. The conversion of outline data to dot data will be explained below, taking the arcuate line 44 shown in FIG. 6 as an example. This conversion consists of the outline of the character and the
The coordinates of the intersection with the outline and the coordinates of the intersection with the y-direction regulation line y are determined for each character composition line, and the coordinates of the intersection between the two intersections (including the intersection) are calculated. This is done by setting the dot data to 1 all at once.

Although a detailed explanation of printing is omitted since it is not essential for understanding the present invention, printing is performed for each page in this laser printer. text memory 18
One page of document data stored in the printer is read out, and the character outline data constituting the data is converted to dot data and printed.

First, step Sl (hereinafter abbreviated as Sl).

The same goes for other steps. ) After the outline data, number N of line elements, and print size of the character to be processed are read out, the coordinates of the intersection of the character outline and the X-direction defining line X are determined in S2. X
The position of the direction defining line X can be expressed by the X coordinate value of the pixel screen 50, and the X coordinate value of the intersection with these X coordinate values is determined. Hereinafter, the rules for calculating the X coordinate of the intersection of the outline and the X-direction defining line X will be representatively explained based on FIGS. 7 to 12.

As shown in FIG. 7, the line element is the X direction defining line X.

In the case of a straight line that intersects any of the y-direction defining lines y,
From the starting point to the end point of the line element, it will intersect with multiple X-direction regulation lines X at the positions indicated by the X marks. Instead of the X coordinate of the intersection of The X coordinate of the left edge of the pixel with the point) is taken. The X coordinate of this intersection coincides with the designated number of each pixel shown in parentheses in FIG. Here, the character composition line side means the inside of the contour line, and if the data specifying each line element of the contour line is stored in the order of going around the character composition line in a counterclockwise direction, then the side of the starting point of each line element This is the area on the left side when looking from the end point side, and it is the area on the right side when the data is stored in clockwise order. If the actual intersection between the X-direction regulation line be done.

In addition, when the line element is parallel to the X-direction defining line X as shown in FIG. 8, and when the line element is parallel to the X-direction defining line X as shown in FIG.
If the inclination angle is small and short, and it is located between two adjacent X-direction defining lines X, it is treated as if there is no intersection.

As shown in Fig. 10, if a line element located on the X-direction defining line X has inclined line elements connected to both ends, the line elements on the X-direction defining line , for the end points of two inclined line elements, the coordinates of the intersection point are determined only for the inclined line elements whose starting and ending points coincide with each other on the X-direction defining line X, and It is assumed that there is no intersection at the starting point.

As shown in Figure 11, the character structure is such that two inclined line elements intersect and there is only one center of the pixel located on one X-direction defining line X in the vicinity of the intersection of these line elements. If the line is partially thin, the X coordinate of the left end of the same pixel for each of the two inclined line elements is taken as the X coordinate of the intersection. In addition, when the ends of two inclined line elements exactly coincide on the X-direction defining line X, and when the ends exactly coincide with the pixel center point, the It is determined as the X coordinate. Furthermore, if the ends of two inclined line elements coincide at a position other than the pixel center on the X-direction defining line X, the X coordinate of the intersection found for each inclined line element is X at the left end of
Each can be found as a coordinate.

As shown in Figure 12, the two contour line elements are the y-direction defining line y.
If the spacing is narrow and there is no pixel center point between them, then The X coordinate is taken as the X coordinate of the intersection. Note that if a pixel center point is included between these two contour line elements, the X coordinate of the left end of the pixel containing the pixel center point is determined as the X coordinate of the intersection of the two.

Returning to the arcuate line 44 in FIG. First, the X coordinate of the intersection point is calculated for the arc-shaped line element with the smaller X coordinate. The intersection points are found in order from the X-direction defining line X with the smallest X coordinate, and the calculated intersection points are shown with black circles in FIG.

In this figure, a circle indicates a dot formed within one pixel. The calculated X-coordinate of the intersection (the X-coordinate of the left end of the pixel including the intersection, which matches the designated number in the X-axis direction of that pixel) is stored in the first intersection coordinate memory 2 in S3.
2 is stored. The X coordinates of the intersection points are stored in correspondence with the designated numbers in the y-axis direction that designate the X-direction defining line X, as shown in FIG. is memorized.

Once the X coordinate of the intersection point has been calculated for the arcuate line elements,
After n is incremented by 1 in S4, it is determined in S5 whether the X coordinates of the intersection points have been calculated for all line elements, but this determination is No, and the program execution returns to S2.

Next, the X coordinate of the intersection point is calculated for the short straight line elements, but there is no intersection, and then the X coordinate of the intersection point is calculated for the arcuate line element with the larger
Coordinates are calculated and stored in memory 22. Steps 32 to S5 are repeatedly executed until the X coordinates of the intersection points are calculated for all the line elements constituting the arcuate line 44. If S5 is YES, n is set to O in S6, and then n is set to O in S7. The X coordinates stored in the first intersection coordinate memory 22 for each X-direction defining line X are rearranged in descending order, and two pairs are formed in ascending order.

2 for each X direction regulation line X for one character composition line
Since the intersection coordinates are calculated for each number, if you rearrange the X coordinates in ascending order and pair them two by two, there will always be a character composition line between the paired numbers, and the pixels between those numbers will be It is possible to set the dot data corresponding to 22, line elements with larger X coordinate values may be found before line elements with smaller It will be destroyed. In this embodiment, the dot data is also set to 1 for pixels whose pixel center points are intersections.

After the X coordinates are rearranged as described above, dot data is set in S8. This setting is performed in units of 1 byte. The microcomputer section 10 is capable of processing 1 byte of data in parallel, and since 1 pixel of dot data is represented by 1 pixel,
Dot data for eight pixels will be set at once. This setting is the same as in the data conversion device described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application No. 63-269074.
The X coordinates of 1 byte are divided into 1 byte based on the coordinates of bits that separate 1 byte (coordinates of bits that separate adjacent bytes), and the pixels belonging to the same byte and where characters exist are Corresponding dot data are combined into 1
is set to

Taking as an example the X coordinate determined for the X-direction defining line X whose position in the y-axis direction is 2, a description will be given based on FIG. 15. First, dot data is set to 1 for (3, 4) of the two X coordinate pairs (34) and (9, 10).

Of the X coordinate pair (3, 4), the coordinate 7 of the bit that is larger than the smaller X coordinate and that separates one byte is compared with the larger pixel designation number 4. Since the delimiter coordinate is larger, the character composition line represented by this pair of X coordinates is included in one byte, and the dot data corresponding to each X coordinate value of 3.4 are collectively set to 1. . Similarly, the dot data for the X coordinate pair (9, 10) is set to 1. In FIG. 15, the diagonally shaded circle represents dot data set to 1. If the larger X coordinate of the pair of X coordinates is larger than the coordinate that separates one byte, the pixels between the separating X coordinate and the smaller X coordinate will be included in one byte. , after they are all set to 1, the number of groups where 8 is one unit is calculated between the dividing X coordinate and the larger X coordinate, and the dot data is grouped one hide at a time. Set to 1.

The dot data set as described above is stored in the first dot data memory 24. First dot data memory 2
4 is capable of storing one character's worth of dot data when the character is printed at the largest size, and when the print size is small, the dot data is stored in a part of it.

After setting the dot data, the print size is set to 12 in S9.
It is determined whether the number of points is less than 12 points, and if it is less than 12 points, SIO is executed and the coordinates of the intersection of the line element and the y-direction defining line y are calculated. The position of the y-direction defining line y is expressed by the X coordinate, and the X coordinate of the intersection point is calculated. The rules for calculating this point of intersection are the same as the rules for calculating the point of intersection between a line element and the X-direction defining line is the X coordinate of the intersection. The calculated X coordinate of the intersection point is stored in the second intersection coordinate memory 25 in S11.

As shown in FIG. 14, the information is stored for each y-direction defining line y. Thereafter, S12 to S16 are executed in the same manner as S4 to S8, and the set dot data is stored in the second dot data memory 25.

Like the first dot data memory 24, this memory 25 is also capable of storing dot data for one character with the largest print size, and after setting this dot data, it is stored in the first dot data memory 24 at SIT. The stored dot data and the dot data stored in the second dot data memory 25 are stored in the print dot data memory 2.
6. The print dot data memory 26 is a memory that can store one page of dot data, and the data stored in the second and second dot data memories 24 and 25 is stored in a predetermined manner determined based on the print position of the character. stored in the location. Therefore, the dot data in the print dot data memory 26 becomes 1 if either of the dot data in the first or second dot data memory 24 or 25 is 1, and becomes 0 only if both are 0. The dot data in the print dot data memory 26 is the logical sum of the dot data in the first and second dot data memories 24 and 25.

In FIG. 6, the circle of the grid material is a dot formed based on the calculation of the coordinates of the intersection of the outline of the arcuate line 44 and the X-direction defining line
It is also a dot formed based on the calculation of the coordinates of the intersection of the contour line and the y-direction defining line y. ), and the circle with diagonal lines is a dot formed based on the calculation of the coordinates of the intersection of the contour and the y-direction defining line y. As is clear from this figure, if the dot data is set only based on the calculation of the intersection between the contour line and the X-direction defining line Although the line is continuous, the dots are printed with discontinuous parts, but the intersection point is also calculated for the y-direction regulation line y, and the dot data set accordingly. By performing printing based on the above, the arcuate line 44 can be printed with good appearance without producing any discontinuous portions. Note that if we assume that the arcuate line 44 is rotated 90 degrees on the pixel screen, discontinuities will occur if dot data is set only based on the calculation of the intersection with the y-direction defining line y, but By setting the dot data based on the calculation of the intersection with the direction defining line X, printing can be performed without producing any discontinuous portions.

If the print size is larger than 12 points, S9 is Y.
ES, SIO to S16 are skipped, and the intersection between the contour line and the y-direction regulation line y is not calculated, but the dot data is set based only on the calculation of the intersection between the contour line and the X-direction regulation line X. . When the print size is large, the character composition line will not become so thin that it is located between two adjacent X-direction defining lines This is because there is no risk of discontinuity occurring even if the coordinates of the dot are calculated and the dot data is set. In S17, the dot data stored in the first dot data memory 24 is set at a predetermined position in the print dot data memory 26. That is, it is stored at a position corresponding to the printing position of the character.

As is clear from the above explanation, in this example,
The X direction defining line x and the Y direction defining line y are the first,
82 of the program ROM 16.
The part that stores S2 and the part that executes S2 of the CPUI 2 (intersection point coordinate calculation unit 38) constitute a first intersection coordinate calculation means, and the first intersection coordinate memory 22. A portion of the program ROM 16 that stores S3 and a portion of the CPU 12 that executes S3 constitute a first intersection coordinate storage means.
38 and a portion (data setting section 40) of the CPU 12 that executes S8 constitute the first dot data setting means. In addition, the SI of the program ROM16
The part that stores 0 and the part that executes SIO of the CPU 12 (intersection point coordinate calculation means 38) constitutes a second intersection coordinate calculation means, and the first intersection coordinate memory 23. A portion of the program 16 that stores Sll and a portion of the CPU 12 that executes Sit constitute a second intersection coordinate storage means, and a portion of the program ROM 16 that stores 316 and a portion of the CPU 12 that executes Sit constitute a second intersection point coordinate storage means.
2 (data setting section 40) constitutes a second dot data setting means, and the program ROM 16
The part that stores 317 and the part (data setting section 40) that executes S17 of the CPU 12 constitute dot data synthesis means.

Note that the dot data set based on the calculation of the intersections of the contour line and the X-direction defining line x and the Y-direction defining line y may be directly stored in the print dot data memory 26.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, since the dot data representing the presence of a character is 1, a logical OR is performed to synthesize the dot data based on the X-direction defining line X and the dot data based on the y-directional defining line. , if the dot data representing the presence of a character is 0, a logical product is taken when combining the two dot data.

Furthermore, if the print size is larger than 12 points, the intersection point with the contour line may be calculated only for the y-direction defining line y, and dot data may be set.

Furthermore, although the outline data was created for each line element in the above embodiment, it may be constructed using other means, such as representing only coordinates. When representing only coordinates, for a character composed of multiple straight lines, the outline data is composed of a group of coordinate data for each line element of the outline, and for a character containing a curve, the outline data is composed of a group of coordinate data for each line element of the outline, and for a character that includes a curve, the outline data is Configure outline data to include a group of coordinate data of multiple points.

Furthermore, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to laser printers that print figures and printers other than laser printers, and is also generally applicable to devices other than printers that need to convert outline data such as characters and figures into dot data. The present invention can be applied.

Although not illustrated in detail, the present invention can be implemented in various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram conceptually showing the configuration of a data conversion device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control circuit of a laser printer equipped with a data conversion device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram conceptually showing a CPU constituting the control circuit. FIG. 4 shows the programs stored in the program ROM of the control circuit.
3 is a flowchart showing a data conversion program. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the outline of an arcuate line converted by the data converting device. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the arcuate line superimposed on the pixel screen. Figures 7 and 8
9, 9, 10, 11, and 12 respectively show how to determine the coordinates of the intersection of the line elements constituting the contour of the character to be converted by the data conversion device and the X-direction defining line X. FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the X coordinate of the intersection of the contour of the arcuate line and the X-direction defining line X for each X-direction defining line
3 is a diagram showing the X coordinates of the intersections for each X-direction defining line X in a table. FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating setting of don't data based on the X coordinate of the above-mentioned intersection. 10: Microcomputer section 44: Arc-shaped line 46; Contour line 50: Pixel screen ^^ 6eIr;, < s + ”1 ~
― q＋＋J ＼ノ N−−１ N−−
No -I Nno -No Fig. 13 Fig. 14

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A data conversion device that converts outline data representing the outline of a character, figure, etc. into dot data for each pixel, the character/figure being assumed on a coordinate plane defining the outline data. a first intersection point coordinate calculating means for calculating the coordinates of the intersection of the contour line and a plurality of mutually parallel first scanning lines; a first intersection coordinate storage means for storing pairs of two adjacent coordinates when arranged in the order of coordinate value size for each line, and each coordinate stored by the first intersection coordinate storage means a first dot data setting means for setting dot data corresponding to all pixels between the pair of coordinates as presence data representing the presence of the characters, figures, etc. at once; a second intersection point coordinate calculation means for calculating the coordinates of the intersections between the contour lines of the characters, figures, etc., and a plurality of second scanning lines that are parallel to each other and intersect with the first scanning lines; a second intersection point coordinate storage means for storing each pair of two adjacent coordinates when the coordinates of the intersection obtained by the calculation means are arranged in the order of the magnitude of the coordinate value for each second scanning line; and a second dot data setting that sets all pixels corresponding to each pair of coordinates stored by the second intersection coordinate storage means as presence data representing the presence of the character, figure, etc. at once. means, the first dot data set by the first dot data setting means, and the second dot data set by the second dot data setting means are combined to form dot data representing the characters, figures, etc. A data conversion device comprising: dot data synthesis means.