JPH0338359A - Character pattern generating circuit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a character pattern generating circuit which can process complicated data by reduced kinds of character patterns without interrupting the printing operation by changing the character patterns during a period except the printing time when the data processing time is less restricted and, registering said patterns on a CGRAM beforehand. CONSTITUTION:Every time a font selecting switch 17 connected to an input/ output port 14 is depressed, a font number is sequentially read out from a CGROM 20 by a MPU 11 and displayed on a lower place of an indicator 15. When predetermined font number is indicated, the selection of the font is completed. Every time a function switch 16 is depressed, character pattern changing function codes which are defined to the boldface, Italic rotation, enlargement, reduction and combination functions are indicated on an upper place of the indicator 15. When a font copy switch 18 is depressed, the character pattern of the font number designated by the CGROM 20 is sequentially read out by the MPU 11, so that the character pattern is changed and stored in a CGRAM 30.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a character pattern generation circuit for a dot matrix printer, and in particular to a character pattern generating circuit for generating character patterns of various fonts from character pattern data of limited types of fonts. Regarding generation circuits.

[Conventional technology]

Conventional dot impact printer, thermal printer,
For printers such as electrophotographic printers that print character patterns formed by dot matrix, if you want to print in a font other than the resident font built into the printer or the character pattern stored in the font cartridge, you can request it from the host device. You need to download the character pattern of the font. Furthermore, some printers are configured to add variations to existing fonts by sequentially converting existing character patterns and printing them in response to commands from a host device.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The character pattern generation circuit in the conventional printer described above is configured to draw and edit while performing character pattern conversion operations in parallel with printing operations, so it is necessary to limit the printing speed due to data processing time constraints. Also,
In order to change the font while maintaining a predetermined performance, complex data processing is difficult, so a relatively simple pattern conversion has to be compromised.

An object of the present invention is to provide a character pattern generation circuit that can perform complex data processing using such a small number of types of character patterns and that does not prevent printing operations.

[Means to solve the problem]

The character pattern generation circuit of the present invention is a read-only CG
a ROM, a character pattern conversion means for reading out the contents of the CGROM and performing arbitrary data processing prior to the start of a printing operation, and a CG for storing the converted character pattern.
It is composed of ROM.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a character pattern generation circuit showing an example of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, this embodiment has a character pattern conversion means 10, and this conversion means 10 includes an MPU II that performs various data processing, an F/WROM 12 that stores data processing procedures of this MPU 11, and a data F/WRAM 13 that stores various data generated during processing, display 15, various operation switches 16 to 19, and MPUI
It includes an input/output port 14 for exchanging data between the I/O ports. Further, each component MPU 11 to input/output boat 14 included in the character pattern conversion means 10 is a CGRO
M20. CGRAM30. The FBRAM 40 is interconnected by an address bus 50 and a data bus 60,
Data is exchanged.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the character pattern conversion operation in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, from the basic pattern a in which the character K is stored, a diagonal italic character or a thickly emphasized bold character C is created, and from the hold character C, an italic character and a bold character d are created.

Next, the operation of the above-described character pattern generation circuit will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

First, when the printer is stopped, each time the font selection switch 17 connected to the input/output capo 14 is pressed,
The font numbers are sequentially read from the CGROM 20 by the MPU II and displayed on the lower digits of the display 15. Font selection ends when the predetermined font number is displayed. Next, each time the function switch 16 is pressed, bold, italic rotation, enlargement (2x, 3x)
Character pattern conversion function codes defined for double, 4@>, reduction (1/2, 1/4), and combination functions thereof are displayed in the upper digits of the display 15. Next, when the font number and function code are determined, when the font copy switch 18 is pressed, the character patterns of the specified font number are sequentially read out from the CGROM 20 by the MPU II, and character pattern conversion operations as shown in FIG. 2 are performed. will be carried out.

Thereafter, the two-digit font number stored in the CGRAM 30 and displayed on the display 15 is assigned. Here, when pattern conversion is completed for all character types of one font, by repeating the font selection, function selection, and font copy operations described above, it becomes possible to register fonts converted into various patterns.

Although not shown in the first embodiment, these character pattern conversion processes can also be performed by commands from a host device rather than by switch operations. in this case,
The pattern-converted fonts stored in the CGRAM 30 are handled in the same way as the fonts stored in the CGROM 20, and by specifying the font number from the host device, it is possible to print while selecting any font.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the character pattern generation circuit of the present invention performs the character pattern conversion operation during a period other than the printing operation where there is less restriction on data processing time, and registers the character pattern in advance on the CGRAM. It is possible to generate character patterns in many types of fonts and sizes from character patterns, and it also has the effect of allowing characters in various fonts to be mixed and printed without interfering with printing operations.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a character pattern generation circuit showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the character pattern conversion operation in FIG. 11...MPU, 12...F/WROM, 13...
・F/WRAM, 14...I/O boat, 15...
Display, 16...Function switch, 17...
Font selection switch, 18... Font copy switch, 19... Start/stop switch, 20.
...CGROM, 30...CGRAM, 40...FB
RAM, a...Basic pattern, b...Italic, C...Bold, d...Italic and bold.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In the character pattern generating circuit of a printer that prints a character pattern formed by a dot matrix, a CGROM that is fixedly stored in a read-only memory and housed inside the printer or in a font cartridge, and a character pattern of the CGROM are A character pattern generation circuit comprising a character pattern conversion means for reading and performing arbitrary data processing, and a CGROM for storing the converted character pattern, and performing the character pattern conversion operation prior to the start of a printing operation. .