JPH04149593A - Output controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform output control over information on a specific color according to an index number read out of a storage means corresponding to gradation data by supplying an output device with the gradation data indicating the density values of the primary colors as instruction codes for information display. CONSTITUTION:Color attribute data are the gradation data (R-gradation data, G-gradation data, and B-gradation data) indicating the density values of red(R), green(G), and blue(B) which are the primary colors and supplied as the instruction codes from a CPU. Then when output form attribute data is read out of an output form attribute storage area 41 in an attribute table and indicates a 256-color output form, a memory control part 35 retrieves a 256-color LUT on an LUT storage memory 34 to extract the index number 48 corresponding to, for example, the given gradation data and transfers it to a buffer write control part 37. The control part 37 writes the index number 48 in a specific bit location of a frame buffer 38.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an information processing device, and more particularly to an output control device that performs control when outputting information to an output device such as a bitmap display device.

``Prior Art'' Information processing systems such as so-called workstations and word processors are equipped with output devices such as hit map display devices and laser printers. Among these, for example, bitmap display devices include monochrome display devices that display information in only a single color, 256-color display devices that can display 256 colors, and full-color display devices that can display an extremely large number of colors. There are various types depending on the number of colors that can be displayed. Such display devices are usually
It is controlled by a display control section based on instruction codes output from a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) within the information processing apparatus main body. This instruction code is decoded by the display control section, an index number indicating the color to be displayed is extracted, and then written to the frame buffer. This frame buffer is scanned at a constant speed and the index numbers are sequentially read out. Based on this index number, the corresponding color attribute data is read out from a lookup table that is a comparison table with color attribute data.

This color attribute data includes red (R) as the three primary colors, edge (G
), and gradation data indicating the respective densities of blue (B). The color attribute data read out in this manner is transferred to a display device, and a predetermined color is displayed.

"Problem to be Solved by the Invention" As described above, display display in conventional information processing devices was performed using instruction codes composed of index numbers, so even when displaying the same color, The instruction code was different depending on the display device. This is because the contents of the lookup table that is referenced when reading color attribute data based on the index number differs depending on the type of display device. For example, when index number I is given to a 256-color display device, Even if it indicates red, it will indicate other colors when the same number is given to a full color display device. For this reason, conventionally, it has been necessary to create a unique command hood for each type of display device based on the corresponding index number.

FIG. 14 shows the relationship among a conventional information processing device, instruction code, and display device. In this figure, as shown in (a), when the display device included in an information processing system is a monochrome type, the information processing device prepares a monochrome instruction code and provides it to the monochrome display control unit. It is designed to be displayed. When changing this to a 256-color display device or a full-color display device, the instruction code must be changed to a 256-color instruction code and a full-color instruction code, respectively. The same applies to the case where the reverse change is made.

This problem exists not only in display devices but also in cases where information is output to a printing device such as a laser printer.

As described above, in the past, it was necessary to change a large amount of instruction codes each time the type of output device was changed, which had the disadvantage of being extremely inefficient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an output control device that can perform output control using the same instruction code regardless of the type of output device used.

"Means for Solving the Problem" The invention according to claim 1 provides: (1) an index number assigned to each displayable color, and three numbers constituting the color;
(11) decoding an information display instruction code given from an information processing device that processes various information;
gradation data extraction means for extracting gradation data strings for each of the three primary colors as attribute data of the color to be displayed;
(1) index number reading means for reading out the corresponding index number from the storage means using the set of gradation data extracted by the gradation data extraction means as a search key; and (iv) index number reading means for reading out the corresponding index number from the storage means; The output control device is provided with color information output instruction means for issuing an instruction to output information of a predetermined color based on the index number.

In the invention described in claim 1, gradation data indicating the density of each of the three primary colors is provided as an information display command code to the output device, and the gradation data is read out from the storage means in accordance with this gradation data. The output of information of a predetermined color is controlled based on the index number.

In the invention as claimed in claim 2, (1) outputting a reference table showing the correspondence between index numbers as index numbers of displayable colors and gradation data showing the density of each of the three primary colors constituting each color; (1) output device detection means for detecting the type of output device connected; , a storage means for selecting an output device corresponding to the type of output device detected by the output device detection means and storing the contents; and (iv) an information display command given from an information processing device that processes various information. (v) gradation data extraction means for decoding the code and extracting gradation data for each of the three primary colors as attribute data of the color to be displayed; and (v) gradation data extracted by the gradation data extraction means. An index number reading means for reading out a corresponding index number from the storage means as a search key, and (1) a frame buffer memory provided as a temporary storage memory for outputting the index number read by the index number reading means. (vii) index number reading means for scanning this frame buffer memory and sequentially reading out index numbers;
i) The output control device is provided with gradation data output means for reading gradation data corresponding to the index number read by the index number reading means from the storage means and outputting it to the output device.

In the invention according to claim 2, a number of reference tables indicating the correspondence between the index number and each gradation data of the three primary colors is prepared according to the type of output device, and from among the reference tables connected to the output device The reference table corresponding to the above table is selected, and the output control similar to that of the invention described in claim 1 is performed below.

At this time, read/write control of index numbers is performed with respect to the frame buffer memory serving as the -time storage memory.

"Example" The present invention will be described in detail with reference to Examples below.

FIG. 1 shows an information processing device using an output control device and its peripheral devices in one embodiment of the present invention.

This information processing device 11 is provided with a system bus 12 to which the following various lid circuits are connected.

(i) CPU (Central Processing Unit) 13: Performs information processing such as creation and editing of documents and figures, and controls the operation of the entire device.

(ii) Main memory 14: Consists of a random access memory (RAM), in which control programs read from the hard disk 21 and user data are stored.

(■l) Bit map display (CRT) 15:
The user data input from the keyboard 17 and the hard disk 21 are connected via the display control unit 16.
The data read from the CPU 13 and various messages from the CPU 13 are displayed.

(1v) Display control unit 16: Controls the bitmap display 15 according to the instruction code from the CPU 13.

FIG. 3 shows the display control section 16 in detail. The display control section 16 is provided with a look-up table storage memory (hereinafter referred to as LUT storage memory) 34, which is connected to a memory control section 35 and a buffer readout control section 36. The memory control unit 35 is connected to the system bus 12 (FIG. 1), and is also connected to the frame buffer 38 via the buffer bibliography control unit 37. The buffer readout control section 36 is connected to the frame buffer 38 and the bitmap display 1
5 (Fig. 1).

(V) Keyboard 17: Keyboard/mouse control unit 19
It is used to manually input instructions and user data for executing various commands to the CPLI 13.

(vi) Mouse 18: It has a plurality of button switches and is used for moving a graphic cursor on the screen of the bitmap display 15, selecting processing items, etc.

(vj) Hard disk 21: A control program for this information processing device is stored, and this is the disk control unit 2.
2 and the system bus 12, and are stored in the main memory 14, and each part of the device is controlled. In addition, the hard disk 21 stores a lookup table (hereinafter referred to as LUT), which is a comparison table of index numbers indicating colors to be displayed and color attribute data, for each type of output device. ing. The contents of these LUTs are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Of these, Figure 4 is
This represents a 256-color output LUT. This table contains 2 index numbers from “0” to “255”.
For each of the 56 index numbers, RGB gradation data is stored so as to correspond to each other. Each gradation data is 25 from “0” to “255”.
It takes any predetermined value among the six gradations.

FIG. 5 shows an LUT for full color output. There are 2563 items in this table, that is, 16. 777. For each of the 216 index numbers, RGB gradation data is stored so as to correspond to each other.

Each gradation data takes one of 256 gradations from "0" to "255".

(i) Local printer 23: Performs 8-print printing of information such as characters and image information as necessary.

(1x) Printer control unit 24: Controls the printer 23 according to instruction codes from the CPU 13.

(X) Communication ink face 25: This is an ink face that connects with the network 27.

A printer 29 is connected to the network 27 via a print server 28, and is shared by the information processing device 11 and a plurality of information processing devices (not shown) on the network.

FIG. 2 shows the external appearance of the information processing device 11 shown in FIG. As shown in this figure, the main cabinet 31
A bitmap display 15 is placed on top and is connected to the main body cabinet 29 by a dedicated cable (not shown). A keyboard 17 is connected to this main cabinet 31 via a dedicated cable 32, and a mouse 18 is further connected via a dedicated cable 33.

The main body cabinet 31 houses device circuits such as the CPU 13, main memory 14, and hard disk 21 shown in FIG.

The operation of the information processing apparatus configured as above will be explained. Here, it is assumed that the bitmap display 15 is a monochrome display device, a 256-color display device, or a full-color display device, and data is output thereto.

First, the operation at system start-up will be explained with reference to FIG.

When a power switch (not shown) is turned on or a reset switch is pressed, the system is initialized. At this time, the CPU 3 inquires of the display control unit 16 about the type of device (hereinafter referred to as the device type) of the connected bitmap display 15 (step ■ in FIG. 6). The unit 16 sends the device type identification information that the bitmap display 15 has to the CPU 13.

The CPU 13 identifies the type of the bitmap display 15 from the received device type identification information. As a result, when the device type is monochrome type (
Step ■; Y), the CPU 13 writes monochrome output attribute data to the output format attribute storage area of the attribute table in the main memory 14 (Step ■). Note that this device type identification may of course be performed based on identification information given by the operator at the time of startup, for example.

FIG. 7 shows the contents of the attribute table.

This attribute table includes an output format attribute storage area 41. Attribute areas such as the color attribute storage area 42, the line type attribute storage area 43, and the line width attribute storage area 44 are set to predetermined addresses in advance, and output format attribute data, color attribute data, Line type attribute data, line width attribute data, etc. are stored. Among these, the output format attribute data is code data indicating either a monochrome format, a 256-color format, or a full-color format, and is written only when the system is initialized. Color attribute data is red (R) as the three primary colors
, edge (G), and blue (B) (hereinafter referred to as R gradation data, 6th gradation data, and 8th gradation data, respectively), and an instruction code from CPU 3. is given by The line type attribute data is code data indicating the type of line segment to be drawn (solid line, broken line, etc.), and the line width attribute data is data indicating the thickness of the line segment.

On the other hand, when the device type is a 256-color type, step 6 in Fig. 6; N1 step 2;
(Fig. 4) is read out and transferred to the LUT storage memory 34 via the memory control unit 35 (Fig. 3) of the display control unit 16, and outputs 256 colors starting from a predetermined address. The data is stored in the LUT storage area (step ①). Then, the main memory 14 (first
The output format attribute storage area of the attribute table in Figure) contains 2
Attribute data for 56-color output is written (step ■)
.

In addition, if the device type is a full-color type, in step (N; Y), the gradation data, which is the content of the full-color output LUT (Fig. 5), is read from the hard disk 21 and sent to the display control unit. The data is transferred to the LUT storage memory 34 via the memory control unit 35 (FIG. 3) of No. 16, and stored in the full-color output LUT storage area starting from a predetermined address (step 2). Then, full-color output attribute data is written into the output format attribute storage area of the attribute table in the main memory 14 (FIG. 1) (step 2).

In this way, when the system starts up, LUTs corresponding to various device types are transferred from the hard disk 21 to the LU.
It will be loaded into the T storage memory 34.

Next, referring to FIG. 8 and FIGS. 10 to 12, the operation of actually displaying output on the bit map display 15 will be explained.

When a request is made to display a line segment of a certain color with a predetermined line type and line width on the screen of the bitmap display 15 as the control program is executed, the color of the line segment to be displayed is indicated. The color attribute data is written into the color attribute storage area 42 of the attribute table (FIG. 7) in the main memory 14 (
Figure 8 Step ■). At this time, attribute data such as the line type and line width of the line segment to be displayed are also written into the line type attribute storage area 43, line width attribute storage area 44, etc., respectively.

Subsequently, the output format attribute data is read from the output format attribute storage area 41 of the attribute table (step ■), and is stored in the memory controller 35 of the display controller 16 along with the gradation data 47 (FIG. 3) as color attribute data. (Step ■)

In the memory control unit 35, when the output format attribute data indicates a monochrome output format (step ■; Y in FIG. 8), the values of the R gradation data, 6 gradation data, and 8 gradation data constituting the color attribute data are Find out. All these values “
255'', step ■; Y) This is judged as white, step ■), buffer write control section 37
Transfer the value “0” to The buffer write control unit 37 writes this value "0" to a predetermined position of the frame buffer 38 (step 2). In addition, if any one of the three gradation data is a value other than "255", the value is set to "255" (step ■; N), and this is determined to be black (step ()), and the buffer write control unit 37 sets the value " 1” is transferred. The buffer write control unit 37 writes this value "1°" into a predetermined pit position of the frame buffer 38 (step ■). The state of this writing will be explained with reference to FIG. 9.

FIG. 9 schematically shows the structure of the frame buffer 38. This frame buffer 38 consists of 24 bit brains 55-1 to 5524, and each bit position t on the bit brain is a bit map display 1.
5 corresponds to each dot position in the screen area. That is, each pit location has a depth of 24 bits. Of these bit planes, in the case of monochrome output format only the first bit plane 55-1 is used;
In the case of 6-color output format, 8 pieces of BitBrain 55-1
~55-8 is used. Furthermore, in the case of full-color output format, all 24 bit planes are used.

When the output format attribute data indicates a 256-color output format (step ■; N, step (INN), memory control unit 35
is the LUT for 256 colors in the LtJT storage memory 34 (4th
(Step 0)
, index number 4 corresponding to the given gradation data
8 (FIG. 3) and sends it to the buffer write control unit 37.
Transfer to.

buffer! The input control unit 37 writes this index number 48 into a predetermined pit position of the frame buffer 38 (step 2).

For example, when the color to be output is "red", the values of each RGB gradation data of the color attribute data are as shown in the following equation (1). However, D RD c and Dll indicate the values of R gradation data, 6th gradation data, and 8th floor sub-data, respectively.

(Dffi, DG, DB) = (255,
0,0)...(1) The index number corresponding to this set of gradation data is the fourth
From the figure, it is “100”, so this value is the LU for 256 colors.
It is searched and extracted from T and written to the frame buffer 38. At this time, if the corresponding index number does not exist, the index number corresponding to the most approximate set of RGB gradation data is extracted.

Now, the index number "100" searched and extracted from the 256-color LUT is expressed as the following equation (2) in binary format. However, the subscript,. , 2″ is
Indicates a decimal number and a binary number, respectively.

(100) ,. = (01100100), ...
...Therefore, the frame buffer 38 (i81ffl
) (7) Bit positions 56-1 to 56-8 in each of bit brains 55-1 to 55-8 have values “0”, “0”, “1”, “0”0”, and “1”, respectively. “1”, “
0" will be written. On the other hand, when the output format attribute data indicates a full color output format (step ■;
N, step @; Y), the memory control unit 35 performs a search on the full-color LOT (FIG. 5) of the LUT storage memory 34 (step o), thereby searching for data corresponding to the given gradation data. The index number 48 (FIG. 3) is extracted and transferred to the buffer write control section 37. The buffer write control unit 37 writes this index number 48 into a predetermined pit position of the frame buffer 38 (step 0).

For example, if the color to be output is "red 1", the index number is searched for the set of RGB gradation data shown in equation (1), and the full color LtJT (Figure 5) is performed.
"2" is extracted as index number 48 from. At this time, if the corresponding index number does not exist, the index number corresponding to the most approximate set of RGB gradation data is extracted, as in the case of 256-color format output.

This index number "2" is expressed as the following equation (3) in binary format.

(2),,= (0000000000000000
00000010)2 ・・・・・・(3) Therefore,
“1” in bit position 56-2 of bit brain 55-2
is written and other bitplanes 551.55-3 ~
Bit positions 56-1 and 5 in each of 55-24
6-2 to 56-24 are all written with "0".

Note that this frame buffer 38 is scanned for reading in the main scanning direction A and the sub-scanning direction B at a constant speed, and the index number is written as the scanning point of the reading scan moves from the lower right to the upper left. This will be done during the return.

In this way you will write the index number 4 in the frame buffer.
When 8 is written, this is written to the buffer read control unit 36.
(FIG. 3), the corresponding RGB gradation data 49 is read out in the readout scan of the next cycle, and by referring to the LUT storage memory 34, the corresponding RGB gradation data 49 is displayed on the bitmap display 1.
Sent on 5th.

This operation will be explained for each output format.

First, in the case of monochrome output format, the pit data of "0" or "1" is read out as the index number 48 (step ■ in Figure 10), and this value is output as is to the bitmap display 15 ( Step ■) Display is performed.

In addition, in the case of 256 color format output, frame buffer 3
When index number 48 is read from 8, the 11th
Figure step ■), based on this number, the LUT storage memory 34
The corresponding RGB gradation data is read out from the 256-color LUT (step 2 in the figure) and output to the bitmap display 15 (step 2 in the figure) for display.

Similarly, in the case of full-color format output, when the index number 48 is read out from the frame buffer 38 (step ■ in FIG. 12), the corresponding RGB gradation data is read out from the full-color LUT in the LUT storage memory 34 based on this number. (Step 2 in the same figure) and output to the bitmap display 15 (Step 2 in the same figure) for display.

FIG. 13 shows the relationship among the information processing device, instruction code, and display device in this embodiment. As shown in this figure, the main body of the information processing device only needs to provide the display control unit 16 with RGB gradation data, which is determined in a single manner for the color to be displayed, as an instruction code, and the display control unit side sends the data to the connected display device. Appropriate color display control can always be performed regardless of the type of color.

Note that in this embodiment, the output formats are monochrome format, 2
Although the three cases of 56-color format and full-color format have been described, the LUT corresponding to other output formats is created in advance on the hard disk, and this is stored in the LOT storage memory 340 as needed. - This can be done by entering the following code.

Furthermore, the LUT storage memory 34 stores one type of LU at the same time.
It is not that TL is not stored, but that multiple types of L are stored.
UT may also coexist.

In this case, it is also possible to control a plurality of bitmap displays of different types with one display control section.

Furthermore, although this embodiment has been explained using a bitmap display device as an example of an output device, it is natural that similar control can be performed when outputting to a local printer 23 or a printer 29 on a network. It is.

"Effects of the Invention" As explained above, according to the present invention, the output device
Giving gradation data indicating the density of each of the three primary colors as an information display instruction code, and controlling the output of predetermined color information based on an index number read from a storage means in correspondence with this gradation data. Therefore, there is no need to use different instruction codes for each type of display device. That is, output control can be performed using the same instruction code regardless of the type of output device used.

Therefore, there is no need for a large amount of instruction code modification work, which was conventionally done every time the type of output device was changed, so that a highly versatile system can be constructed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 13 are for explaining one embodiment of the present invention, of which FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an information processing device using an output control device and its peripheral devices, and FIG. 9J2 is a block diagram showing an information processing device using an output control device and its peripheral devices. Figure 1 is an external view showing the main parts of the information processing device, Figure 3 is the
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of the LUT for 256-color output, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of the LUT for full-color output, and FIG. is a flowchart for explaining the operation at startup of the information processing device, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of the attribute table, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of writing index numbers to the frame buffer. Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the frame buffer, Fig. 10 is a flowchart to explain the output operation in monochrome format, and Fig. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of the frame buffer.
Flowchart for explaining output operation in 56-color format, 1st
Figure 2 is a flowchart explaining the output operation in full color format, Figure 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the information processing device, instruction code, and display device, and Figure 14 is a conventional information processing device and instruction code. , and a display device. FIG. 1... Information processing device, 2... System bus, 3... CPU. 4...Main memory, 5...Bitmap display, 6...
...Display control section, 1...Hard disk, 4...LUT storage memory, ...Memory control section, ...Buffer reading control section, ... ...buffer write control section, ...frame buffer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A memory that stores index numbers assigned to each displayable color in association with gradation data indicating the density of each of the three primary colors constituting the color. and a gradation system that decodes an information display instruction code given from an information processing device that processes various information and extracts a set of gradation data for each of the three primary colors as attribute data of the color to be displayed. data extraction means; index number reading means for reading out a corresponding index number from the storage means using a set of gradation data extracted by the gradation data extraction means as a search key; 1. An output control device comprising: color information output instruction means for issuing an instruction to output information of a predetermined color based on the index number. 2. Stores a number of reference tables that indicate the correspondence between index numbers of displayable colors and gradation data that indicates the density of each of the three primary colors that make up each color, depending on the type of output device. output device detection means for detecting the type of output device connected; and output device detection means for detecting the type of output device detected by the output device detection means from among the reference tables stored in the reference table storage means. The storage means that stores the contents and the information display instruction code given from the information processing device that processes various information are decoded, and the three primary colors are selected as the attribute data of the colors to be displayed. gradation data extraction means for extracting gradation data for each color; and index number reading means for reading out a corresponding index number from the storage means using the gradation data extracted by the gradation data extraction means as a search key. , index number writing means for writing the index number read by the index number reading means into a frame buffer memory provided as a temporary storage memory for output; and index number writing means for sequentially reading out the index numbers by scanning the frame buffer memory. It is characterized by comprising an index number reading means, and a gradation data output means for reading gradation data corresponding to the index number read by the index number reading means from the storage means and outputting it to the output device. output control device.