JPH04257893A - Data conversion device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain good-looking dot data of high quality by correcting the width and space of character constitution lines to a width and a space corresponding to a width and a space determined according to outline data. CONSTITUTION:When outline data on one character is converted into dot data, line width data required for line width processing are read out of a line width data storage means 4 and moved relatively by a contour line moving means 3 corresponding to read line width data on one contour line determining the character constitution lines. Further, a character constitution line moving means 2 moves one character constitution line so that the number of picture elements in the space between adjacent character constitution lines is equal to a quantity determined with the coordinate values of the outline data. The obtained outline data are converted by a data conversion part 1 into the dot data.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data conversion device for converting outline data representing the contours of characters, symbols, etc. into dot data, and particularly relates to line width correction processing during conversion.

0002

[Background Art] When processing data representing characters such as letters and symbols using a computer and displaying it in some form, such as printing it on paper or displaying it on a display, pixels are the minimum processing unit. It is widely practiced to create dot data for each time. At this time, if dot data for all characters to be displayed are created in advance and stored in memory, an extremely large capacity memory will be required. For this reason, as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-41017, characters are stored as outline data representing their outlines, and when printed or displayed, the outline data is converted into dot data by a device equipped with data conversion means. It is desirable to do so.

A pixel screen is used to convert this outline data into dot data. A pixel screen defines pixels within one plane by a plurality of defining lines parallel to the X-axis and Y-axis, which are perpendicular to each other. Then, the dot data corresponding to the pixels whose outline exceeds a certain standard is set as data representing the presence of a character constituent line, and the outline data is converted.

However, during the above conversion, even if the character is the same line, the number, position, etc. of pixels included within a certain standard vary depending on the position where the character is displayed, and the width of the character line, that is, , the number of pixels included in the width direction within two contour lines defining the character composition line in the width direction is not always the same.

For example, if we pay attention to the three horizontal lines H1, H2, and H3 in the kanji character "日" shown in FIG.
The outline data is created so that the widths W1, W2, and W3 of 1 to H3 are the same width. However, depending on the display position, the number of pixels in the width direction of each horizontal line differs as shown in FIG. That is, there are many cases where the expected width cannot be obtained, such as horizontal lines H1 and H3 having three pixels and horizontal line H2 having four pixels. In this case, the balance of the entire character is lost and the appearance of the character becomes poor. This is particularly noticeable when the number of dots in the line width direction is small, resulting in a problem of deterioration in display quality.

[0006] In order to solve this problem, the present applicant previously set out to ensure that the width of the character composition line is the predetermined width in the specification and drawings attached to the application of Japanese Patent Application No. 1-52524. We are proposing a data conversion device that can do this.

[0007] In this data conversion device, for a line whose width is to be set among the character constituent lines, line width data specifying the line and indicating the width is stored.
Based on this line width data, at least one of the two contour lines that define the specified character composition line in the width direction is moved so that the number of pixels in the contour line becomes the set number. .

For example, in the above data conversion device,
Since the three horizontal lines H1 to H3 of the "day" have line width setting data so that they have the same width, each of the horizontal lines H1 to H3 has the same three pixels as shown in FIG. 15.

[0009]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, with the above data conversion device, the line width of each character constituent line can be secured to a predetermined width, but the portion between adjacent character constituent lines (hereinafter referred to as space) ) h1 and h2 are
Although the widths w1 and w2 are the same at the time of design, the number of pixels when actually printed is different, which upsets the overall balance of the character and makes it look bad.

[0010] Particularly when the point size is small, the above-mentioned imbalance becomes noticeable and the quality of the characters deteriorates.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is capable of generating high-quality characters of any size in line width correction processing when converting outline data to dot data. In other words, by correcting the line width by taking into account the space between adjacent character composition lines during line width correction processing, it is possible to arrange character composition lines in a well-balanced manner and generate high-quality characters. The purpose is to provide a data conversion device that can.

0012

[Means for Solving the Problem] In order to achieve this object, the data conversion device of the present invention, as shown in FIG. a line width data storage means 2 for specifying at least one of the constituent lines and storing line width data indicating the width of the constituent line; and 2 for defining the character constituent line specified by the line width data in the width direction. If the number of pixels included in the outline of the book in the width direction is not the number corresponding to the line width data,
contour moving means 3 for moving at least one of the two contour lines relative to the pixel screen in a direction and amount such that the number of pixels corresponds to the line width data; When character composition lines are set, at least one character composition is arranged in a direction and in an amount such that the number of pixels in the width direction between adjacent character composition lines is determined from the coordinate values of the outline data. character composition line moving means 4 for moving a line relative to the pixel screen, and the data converting means 1 converting outline data obtained by movement of the contour line moving means into dot data. The gist is:

[0013]

[Operation] The data conversion device of the present invention having the above-mentioned configuration reads line width data necessary for line width processing from the line width data storage means 4 when converting outline data of a certain character into dot data. , the contour line moving means 3 relatively moves at least one of the contour lines defining the character constituent lines so as to correspond to the read line width data, and the character constituent line moving means 2 moves the adjacent character constituent lines. At least one of the character composition lines is moved so that the number of pixels in the space between is determined from the coordinate values of the outline data. The outline data thus obtained is converted into dot data by the data conversion section 1.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the present invention is applied to a device that converts outline data into dot data in a laser printer.

FIG. 2 shows the control circuit of a laser printer.
FIG. 3 is a diagram mainly showing a portion related to data conversion. The microcomputer section 10 that forms the main body of this control circuit is
CPU12, character ROM14, program ROM
16, a text memory 18, a working memory 20, a dot data memory 22, and a line width correction data memory 24. These CPUs 12 and the like are connected by a bus 26.

Furthermore, an input device 28 and a printing section 30 are connected to the bus 26. The input device 28 is for inputting necessary data into the microcomputer section 10, and the printing section 30 is a section for printing based on commands from the microcomputer section 10 using a laser printer method. Note that the resolution of this laser printer is 300 dots/inch.

As conceptually shown in FIG. 3, the CPU 12 includes a data reading section 31, an outline moving section 32, a line width data correcting section 33, a character composition line moving section 34, a spatial pixel number calculating section 35, and an outline data It functions as equipped with a data conversion section 36 etc. that converts the data into dot data.

The text memory 18 stores character data consisting of code data input from the input device 28, data specifying print size, etc., and the working memory 20 temporarily stores data necessary for program execution. It is something to remember. Further, the line width correction data memory 24 stores data related to line width correction obtained by the line width data correction section 35, and the dot data memory 22 stores dot data obtained by conversion by the data conversion section 36. .

The character ROM 14 stores outline data of characters such as letters and symbols such as alphabets and kanji, and also stores line width setting data for characters whose line widths should be maintained at set values. .

[0020] The character is shown in Figure 4 using the kanji ``日'' as an example.
As shown in FIG.
The definition of each character composition line 44 in the width direction is 2.
This is done by an outline 46 of the book, and the longitudinal definition is also done by two outlines 46, which together constitute the outline of the character. The set of contour lines 46 forms a closed loop, and as shown in FIG.
It includes three closed loops 1 to L3. The outline data is made up of stored data groups representing the coordinates of a plurality of points necessary to define a closed loop for each loop.

As shown in FIG. 4, the coordinate plane that determines the outline of the character is 1 in both the vertical (Y axis) and the horizontal (X axis).
The size is 000*1000, and uppercase letters of the alphabet are drawn using Y-axis coordinate values between 200 and 1000, and lowercase letters are drawn using coordinates between 0 and 200. In this coordinate plane, for example, for a character composed of multiple straight lines, such as the kanji "日",
Outline data is composed of coordinate group data for each corner of the outline for each loop of L1 to L3. Furthermore, for items that include a curve, such as the letter "D", the outline data is constituted by a data set including coordinate data sets of a plurality of points necessary to define the curve for each closed loop.

The line width setting data is data that specifies the character constituent line 44 whose line width is to be maintained at a predetermined value and also defines the width of the line. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. The width direction, coordinate values, and width of the character composition line 44 are stored for each address specifying the composition line.

Here, the width direction is the Y-axis direction in the case of a horizontal line parallel to the X-axis direction, and the X-axis direction in the case of a vertical line parallel to the Y-axis direction. In addition, the coordinate value is the Y coordinate value in the case of a horizontal line, and the X coordinate value in the case of a vertical line,
This is the smaller value of the coordinate values in the width direction of the two contour lines 46 that define the character composition line 44 in the width direction. Further, the width is the distance between the two contour lines 46 in the width direction. The address is "" in the line width setting data.
This is the address of the memory where the "coordinate value" is stored, and the character configuration line 44 can be specified by storing this address.

The kanji character "日" shown in FIG. 4 includes three horizontal lines, and each is actually distinguished by a different address, but here, instead of the address, the symbols H1 to H3 are used.
They will be distinguished by the following. In addition, hereinafter, the coordinate values configuring the line width setting data will be referred to as the setting coordinate value Yi, and the width will be referred to as the setting width Wi.
shall be. Note that the subscript i corresponds to the symbols H1 to H3.

In this laser printer, outline data is converted into dot data using a pixel screen 52 shown in FIG. Although the pixel screen 52 is a computational device for converting outline data into dot data, it will be illustrated here as an actual entity for ease of understanding.

[0026] Here, a pixel is the minimum printing unit when printing is performed by a laser, and the pixel screen 52 is orthogonal to each other in one plane, and the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction
Pixels are defined by a plurality of pixel section lines p that are parallel to the axial direction and provided at equal intervals.

In this embodiment, the pixels are square, and dot data indicating whether or not to print is created for each pixel. Furthermore, an x-direction defining line x and a y-direction defining line y passing through the center point of each pixel (hereinafter referred to as pixel center point) and parallel to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are set, The position of each pixel is expressed by the coordinates of the center of the pixel. Note that the pixels can also be rectangular or other shapes.

Although the pixel screen 52 is assumed to correspond to the printing surface of printing paper, one character is shown in FIG. 6 for ease of understanding. Therefore, the scale values actually attached to the x direction defining line x and the y direction defining line y on the entire pixel screen 52 are as shown in FIG.
In this case, the value is obtained by adding an appropriate integer to the scale value attached to the x-direction defining line x and the y-directing defining line y, but only one character will be considered here.

The conversion of outline data into dot data is performed on the assumption that the outline of the character is superimposed on the pixel screen 52, and in this embodiment, a dot is formed at each pixel within the outline of the character. , and the bit data of that pixel is set to 1. All or part of one pixel is included within the outline, but in this embodiment, the dot data of a pixel whose center point is included within the outline is set to 1.

[0030] This laser printer can print in any size, and the above-mentioned 1000
*The coordinate values of the contour created on the 1000 coordinate plane are converted. Coordinate values are converted by assuming a coordinate plane on the pixel screen 52 in which the length of one side of one pixel is expressed as 1. If a character at a certain point is expressed by C*C pixels, then 1000 By multiplying the coordinate values of each point determining the contour on the *1000 coordinate plane by C/1000, the coordinate values on the coordinate plane assumed on the pixel screen 52 can be obtained.

Note that the outline of the character is drawn on the pixel screen 5.
2, the coordinate values of the reference point of each character on the pixel screen 52 are also determined based on the print position data, and the coordinate values of the obtained reference point and the converted coordinate values are combined. Superposition is performed using

As described above, the position of the outline of a character on the pixel screen 52 is affected not only by the size of the character but also by the printing position. The number of pixels included may vary, resulting in a difference in width.

For example, if a dot formed within one pixel is represented by a circle, a character composition line whose outline is designed so that the number of pixels in the width direction is 4 as shown in FIG. 7(a) is Depending on the printing position, the width may be three pixels as shown in FIG. 7(b). This reduction in pixels is not so noticeable when the print size is large, but becomes noticeable when the print size is small. Note that the x mark in the figure indicates the center point of the pixel.

On the other hand, in this laser printer, when the print size is 12 points or less, if the line width of the character constituent line actually printed differs from the set width, the outline data is corrected and dot data is set. , character composition lines can be printed with a set width, and the program ROM 16 contains the characters shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.
Various programs necessary for printing are stored, including a dot data conversion program with a line width correction function shown in the flowchart in FIG.

The conversion of outline data to dot data will be explained below, taking as an example the case where the kanji character "日" is printed at 4.8 points, paying particular attention to line width correction of horizontal lines (H1 to H3). .

It should be noted that printing is not essential to understanding the present invention, so a detailed explanation will be omitted, but in this laser printer, printing is performed for each page. One page of document data stored in the text memory 18 is read out, and the outline data of a large number of characters corresponding to the data is converted into dot data and printed.

When character codes etc. are input from the input device 28, those codes are sequentially stored in the text memory 18.
When a predetermined amount of the code is stored in the text memory 18, the flowcharts shown in FIGS.
Executed by U12.

First, in step S1 (hereinafter abbreviated as S1; the same applies to other steps), a code and a character code for specifying the print size are read from the text memory 18, and the character code specified by this character code is read out from the text memory 18. The outline data of the selected character is read from the character ROM 14. The coordinate values of the read outline data are values set on the 1000*1000 coordinate plane, and are converted into coordinate values on the pixel screen 52 based on the print size and print position data and stored in the working memory 20. Stored. The conversion is performed by dividing by the value at the 1000*1000 coordinates of one side of one pixel (50 if the print size is 4.8 points).

In S2, the line width setting data for the character is read from the character ROM 14, and information necessary for line width correction is stored in the line width correction data memory 24 by conversion similar to the outline data in S1. The data to be stored is initially the number N of line width setting data as shown in FIG.
, the set coordinate value Ai (hereinafter referred to as the first set coordinate value) converted after that, the width value Bi that was converted from the set width Wi, and the larger value Ci that defines the constituent line 44 (hereinafter referred to as the second set coordinate value). ), and dummy data Di corresponding to the number N of line width setting data are stored. The width values Bi all have the same value in the case of "day".

The second set coordinate value Ci is calculated from the sum of the first set coordinate value Ai and the width value Bi, ie, Ci=Ai+Bi. The width of the space is stored in the dummy data Di in S7, which will be described later. Also, the subscript i is the line width correction data memory 2.
This is a number indicating the order of line width setting data in No. 4.

In S3, it is determined whether the number N of line width setting data is "0" or not. If it is "0", there is no data for line width correction, so the process moves to S4; The process moves to S5.

[0042] In S4, it is determined whether the print size is 12 points or less. Since there is no need for line width processing for print sizes larger than 12 points, the process moves to S5. 1
If it is 2 points or less, line width processing is required and S6
The processes from S13 to S13 are performed.

In S6, the data stored in the line width correction data memory 24 is rearranged in descending order of the first set coordinate value Ai.

In S7, the width Di of the space between two adjacent character constituent lines is calculated, and the result is stored in the line width correction data memory 24 as shown in FIG. The i-th spatial width Di is the i+1-th first set coordinate value A(i+1
) by subtracting the i-th second set coordinate value Ci. Therefore, the Nth space width Di becomes "0".

In S8, the width value Bi and space width Di are rounded off to the first decimal place to obtain an integer value. This integer value defines the number of dots for each width value and spatial width. In this example, each of the horizontal lines H1 to H3 of "日" is set in the line width setting data to have the same width, and each width value B
Let the integer value of 1 to B3 be "B". In addition, the space width D1,
Let the integer values of D2 be "Da" and "Db", respectively.

In S9, the line width is corrected. The line width is corrected by moving either the first set coordinate value Ai or the second set coordinate value Ci so that the number of dots corresponds to the set width. In this embodiment, the line width is corrected by correcting the second set value coordinate value Ci. In order to match the width of the horizontal line H1 shown in FIG. 13 with the line width B1, it is sufficient to modify the second setting coordinate value C1. In order to match the space h1 with the set width, the space D1 is All you have to do is modify A2 to match.

Therefore, a certain reference value (here, the horizontal line H
The correction value is sequentially obtained by adding the width value and the spatial width to the value obtained by rounding off the part below the decimal point of the first set coordinate value A1 of 1). As a result, as shown in FIG. 12, the modified value of the first set coordinate value Ai is stored in the line width modification data memory 24 as the first modified value Ei, and the modified value of the second set coordinate value Ci is stored as the second modified value Fi. It is stored in the line width correction data memory 24 as a line width correction data memory 24. That is, as shown in FIG.
E1=A1, E2=F1+Da, E3=F2+Db, F
1=A1+B, F2=A2+B, and F3=A3+B.

[0048] In S10, outline data is sequentially read out.

In S11, it is determined whether or not the character data has ended, and if so, the process moves to S5.

In S12, the outline data of the same character is read again from the character ROM 14, and the coordinate values (X, Y) of the outline data are compared with the line width correction data stored in the line width correction data memory 24. In this embodiment, since we are focusing on the correction of the horizontal lines of the kanji character "日", the Y coordinates of each horizontal line H1 to H3 are the first set coordinate value Ai and the second set coordinate value C of the line width correction data.
Check whether it matches i. If they match, the coordinate point is a point requiring line width correction, and S13 is executed. If they do not match, line width correction is not necessary and the process moves to S10.

[0051] In S13, the corrected value is read out. For example, S
The Y coordinate determined to match the first set coordinate value Ai in step 12 is set as the corrected coordinate value by reading out the value stored in the first correction value Ei, and matches the second set coordinate value Ci. Then, the determined Y coordinate is set as a coordinate value corrected by reading out the value stored in the second correction value Fi. When the process of moving the outline data according to the line width correction data is completed as described above, it is determined in S11 that the character data has ended, and the outline data given by the correction coordinate values is converted into dot data in S5.

In this embodiment, the horizontal lines H1 to H3 have been specifically described in detail, but the same applies to the vertical lines.

As described above, in the laser printer of this embodiment, characters can be viewed by modifying the widths and spaces of the character constituent lines so that they correspond to the widths and spaces determined by the outline data. It can print clearly.

As is clear from the above description, in this embodiment, the portion of the program ROM 16 that stores S5 and the portion of the CPU 12 that executes S5, that is, the data converting section 40, constitute the data converting means 1. R.O.
M14 constitutes the line width data storage means 4, and the program R
Part that stores S6 to S13 of OM16 and CPU 12
The portion that executes these, that is, the contour line moving unit 34 and the line width data correction unit 35 constitute the contour line moving means 3, and the portion that stores S6 to S13 of the program ROM 16 and the CP
The parts of U12 that execute these operations, that is, the character composition line moving section 34 and the spatial pixel number calculation section 35 constitute the character composition line moving means 2.

The present invention is of course applicable to printers other than laser printers, and is generally applicable to devices other than printers that need to convert outline data of characters such as letters and symbols into dot data. can be applied.

[0056] In addition, the present invention can be practiced with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, although no specific examples will be given.

[0057]

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above explanation, the data conversion device of the present invention, when correcting the line width, adjusts the width and space of character constituent lines to correspond to the width and space determined by outline data. By correcting the width and space, high-quality and good-looking dot data can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually showing the configuration of 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 that is a component of the control circuit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the Kanji character "日" converted according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the contents of line width setting data.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the above-mentioned "day" superimposed on a pixel screen.

FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) are diagrams showing differences in the number of pixels depending on the printing position of an outline defining a character composition line.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a data conversion program among the programs stored in the program ROM.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a data conversion program among the programs stored in the program ROM.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the contents of a line width correction data memory.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the contents of a line width correction data memory when a space width Di is stored by a line width correction program.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the contents of a line width correction data memory when first and second correction values are stored by a line width correction program.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the setting of line width setting data for the kanji character "日".

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing dot data of a horizontal line portion when line width correction processing is not performed in a conventional device.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing dot data of a horizontal line portion when line width correction processing is performed in a conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Data conversion means 2 Character composition line movement means 3 Contour line moving means 4 Line width data storage means

Claims (1)

[Claims] [Claim 1] When it is assumed that the outline of a character represented by outline data is superimposed on a pixel screen that defines pixels by a plurality of defining lines parallel to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, which are perpendicular to each other. , data conversion means for setting dot data corresponding to pixels included in a character composition line that composes a character in a state that satisfies a certain standard as data representing the existence of a character composition line, and converting outline data into dot data. In the data conversion device, a line width data storage means for specifying at least one of a plurality of character constituent lines constituting the character and storing line width data indicating the width of the constituent line; If the number of pixels in the width direction of the two contour lines that define the character composition lines defined in the width direction is not the number corresponding to the line width data, contour line moving means for moving at least one of the pixels relative to the pixel screen in a direction and amount such that the number of pixels corresponds to the line width data, and two or more of the character composition lines are set; At least one of the character composition lines is aligned with respect to the pixel screen in a direction and amount such that the number of pixels in the width direction between adjacent character composition lines is determined from the coordinate values of the outline data. 1. A data conversion device, comprising a character composition line moving means for relatively moving the character, and wherein said data conversion means converts outline data obtained by movement of said contour line moving means into dot data.