JPH05216459A - Device for preparing external character - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify a compricated work such as a design and to easily prepare outline external characters in a short time by preparing the external characters stores stored in a buffer as outline points paint points of inputted data by a mouse and storing the generated external character data in a memory card. CONSTITUTION:The outline points and paint points are inputted by displaying graphic data read by an image scanner 15 on a CRT display 19 and making the cursor of a mouse 21 match the displayed graphics contour to be clicked. After the external character data are prepared the external character data with the registerd code are transmitted to a printer 3 through a line 2 and stored on the memory card 40 of the printer 3 as the registerd code. Thus if it is the external character images which can be read with the image scanner 15, the need for requiring the complicated operations such as the design is eliminated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an external character creating apparatus for creating external character data and registering the created external character data with an identification code.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a printer is known in which a character not set in a character generator in the printer can be set and registered as an external character. The external character includes an external character in an outline font (hereinafter referred to as an outline external character) configured by data of only the outline (main points) of the external character.

In order to create such an external character, the outline (hereinafter referred to as an outline) of this external character is designed based on the coordinates, and from the design, the coordinates of the starting point, the middle point, the ending point and the filling point of the outline are set to one point. It was supposed to be input and created one by one.

[0004]

In the conventional external character creating apparatus for creating an outline external character, the outline of the external character to be created is first designed based on the coordinates, and the starting point, middle point, and end point of the outline are drawn from the designed external character. In addition, there is a problem that a complicated work of accurately inputting the coordinates of the filled point must be performed. Therefore, there is a problem that it takes time to design the external character and input the coordinates of each point of the outline of the external character.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an external character creating apparatus capable of simplifying complicated work such as designing and easily creating an outline external character in a short time.

[0006]

According to the present invention, an image reading means for reading an image from an original, an image display means for displaying an image read by the image reading means, and an image on the image displayed by the image display means. External character data input means for inputting external character data by designating each point and external character data storage means for storing the external character data input by the external character data input means together with the identification code are provided.

[0007]

In the present invention having such a structure, the image reading means reads the image from the original and the image display means displays the image.

The external character data inputting means inputs the external character data by designating each point of the displayed image, and the external character data storing means stores the input external character data together with the identification code.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a host computer, and a printer 3 is connected to the host computer 1 via a line 2.

The host computer 1 is a first CPU (central processing unit) that constitutes the main body of the control unit.
(1-CPU) 11, a first ROM (read only me) in which program data for processing performed by this CPU 11 is stored
mory) (1-ROM) 12, a first RAM (random access memory) (1-RA) in which areas of various memories used when the first CPU 11 performs processing are stored.
M) 13, first communication I / F connected to the line 2
(Interface) (1-communication I / F) 14, image scanner driver 1 for driving an image scanner 15 as an image reading means for reading an image from a document or the like
6, a keyboard controller 18 for controlling a keyboard 17 composed of function keys F1 to F10 and various keys, and a CRT (cathod r) as an image display means.
ay tude) A CRT controller 20 for controlling the display 19, a mouse 2 for designating each point of the outline in the image displayed on the CRT display 19.
It is composed of a mouse driver 22 for driving 1 and a first system bus 23.

The first CPU 11 receives the first ROM 12 and the first ROM 12 via the first system bus 23.
RAM 13, the first communication I / F 14, the image scanner driver 16, the keyboard controller 18, the CRT controller 20, and the mouse driver 22.

The mouse 21 is the keyboard 1
7 and 7, the external character data inputting means for inputting the coordinate data by moving the cursor on the screen of the CRT display 19 on which the image is displayed to specify each point of the outline.

The printer 3 has a second CPU (2-CPU) 31 which constitutes the main body of the control unit of the printer 3, and a second ROM (2 which stores program data for processing performed by the second CPU 31. -ROM) 32, a second RAM (2-RAM) 33 in which areas of various memories used when the second CPU performs processing, and a second communication I / F connected to the line 2 (2-communication I / F) 3
4, a drawing buffer 35 for storing print data as a dot image based on the drawing command received via the second communication I / F 34, a thermal head drive circuit 37 for driving the thermal head 36, paper conveyance, etc. Motor drive circuit 3 for driving the pulse motor 38 for performing
9. The memory card 40 is a detachable removable external character data storage means for storing registered external character data, and a second system bus 41.

The second CPU 31 is connected to the second ROM 32 and the second ROM 32 via the second system bus 41.
RAM 33, the second communication I / F 34, the drawing buffer 35, the head drive circuit 37, the motor drive circuit 39, and the memory card 40. FIG. 2 shows a flow of processing for creating an external character by an outline font (hereinafter referred to as an outline external character) performed by the first CPU 11 of the host computer 1.

First, when the dot size is designated and input and the dot size is designated by the keyboard 17, an area of the designated dot size is created on the screen of the CRT display 19.

Here, depending on whether or not the F4 key of the function keys provided on the keyboard 17 is input,
It is confirmed whether or not the dot image is read, and if the dot image is read, the image scanner 15 is made to read the original document or the like, and the read image data is displayed on the CRT display 19 with the dot size of the created dot data. Display in the area (scanning display).

Next, in step 1 (ST1), data of outline points and paint points input by the input of the function keys F1 to F3 and the predetermined key input of the mouse 21 or the keyboard is used for the first RA.
Writing to the buffer formed in M is performed.

When the writing of the outline point and paint point data to the buffer is completed, it is judged whether or not the outline external character creation / editing is completed depending on whether or not there is a specific key input on the keyboard 17, and the outline external character is completed. If the creation / editing of the outline character is not completed, the process returns to the above-mentioned step 1. If the creation / editing of the outline character is completed, the outline character composed of the outline point and the paint point written in the buffer The data is transmitted together with the registration command to the printer 3 via the first communication I / F 14, and the printer 3
The memory card 40 is stored with the registration code. Then, the outline character forming process is ended.

In the present embodiment having such a configuration, for example, when the special graphic character A shown in FIG. 3 is registered as an outline external character, the dot size for creating this graphic character A as an outline external character is the keyboard 17 Enter by. Then, the area of the dot size is displayed on the CRT display 19.

Next, when the F4 key of the function key provided on the keyboard 17 is input and the original document on which the graphic character A is drawn is read by the image scanner 15, within the dot size area of the CRT display 19. The graphic character A read by is displayed.

When the F1 key is input here, the point is set, and further the F1 key is input to declare the outline point setting. When the cursor of the mouse 21 is moved to the point a and clicked, the coordinate of the point a is the start point. It is input as data. Next, when the cursor of the mouse 21 is moved to the points b to h in order and clicked, the coordinates of the points b to h are sequentially input as the midpoint data. A again
Move the cursor of mouse 21 to the point and click
This time, the coordinates of this point a are input as the end point data.
As described above, the outer contour of the graphic character A is input and set as the outline point data.

Further, when the cursor of the mouse 21 is placed on the point i and clicked, the coordinates of the point i are input as the starting point data. Next, when the cursor of the mouse 21 is moved to the j point and the k point in order and clicked, the coordinates of the j point and the k point are sequentially input as the middle point data. Mouse 21 again at point i
When the cursor is clicked and clicked, the coordinates of this point i are input as the end point data. As described above, the inside contour of the graphic character A is input and set as the outline point data.

Next, press the F1 key to set the point, and further press the F2 key to declare the designation of the paint point. When the cursor of the mouse 21 is moved to the m point and clicked, the coordinates of the m point become the paint point. It is input as data. That is, the closed area defined by the outline including the m points is set as a paint target.

Each data input in this way is stored in the buffer formed in the first RAM 13, as shown in FIG. That is, "attribute" is the starting point data,
The middle point data, the end point data, and the paint point data are set as data A, B, C, and D, and the coordinates of each point are input as the X coordinate (0 to 255 points) and the Y coordinate (0 to 255 points). Has been done.

To change or add or delete data to / from the inputted outline point data or paint point data, first press the F2 key for editing, and then press the F1 key for further editing. If the point movement is declared, the data in which the coordinate of the point where the cursor of the mouse 21 is clicked is input can be changed to the coordinate of the point where the cursor of the mouse 21 is newly clicked.

If the F2 key is pressed for editing, and the F2 key is pressed for declaring addition of points, the cursor 21 of the mouse 21 is moved to two consecutively input points to click them. It is possible to additionally input, as new data, the coordinates of the point where the cursor of the mouse 21 is newly placed between the data in which the coordinates of the two points are input.

Further, if the F2 key is pressed for editing, and the F3 key is pressed for declaring point deletion, the data in which the coordinates of the point clicked by the cursor of the mouse 21 are deleted can be deleted. it can.

Further, in the case of the graphic character Q constituted by the curve shown in FIG. 5A, first, as shown in FIG. 5B, the outline is appropriately appropriately drawn along the curve of the outer contour of the graphic character Q. Take point data, then
As shown in FIG. 5C, outline point data is taken along the curve of the contour inside the graphic character Q. Then, as shown in FIG. 5D, paint point data n is obtained.

When the creation of the external character data is completed as described above, the external character data is transmitted to the printer 3 via the line 2 by the registration command shown in FIG. 6A, and the registration code is stored in the memory card 40 of the printer 3. It is stored as "A". Figure 6
In (a), the data of (a) designates the registration destination, and B in this figure indicates the memory card 40.
B data indicates the external character type, C data is the registration code, D data is the command connection, E data is the starting point,
K data is the X coordinate data of the starting point, K data is the Y coordinate data of the starting point, K data is the midpoint, X data is the X coordinate data of the midpoint, and K data is the Y coordinate of the midpoint.
The coordinate data, etc. are shown. In addition, d) command connection of data means that if there is a lot of outline point data etc. of external character data to be registered and the amount of data exceeds 800 bytes, it will be sent separately for multiple registration commands. Become. That is, "1" is set when the external character data of the main registration command is connected to the external character data of the next registration command, and "0" is set when the external character data ends with the main registration command.

At the time of printing, the format command and data command shown in FIG. 6B are transmitted to the printer 3 to print the external character data stored in the memory card 40 by the registration code A at a predetermined position on the paper. Figure 6 (b)
In the format command of, the data of S indicates the character string number, the data of S indicates the X coordinate data to be printed,
Data, Y coordinate data to be printed, C data indicates character width data, S0 data indicates character height data, etc., and in the data command, T data indicates a character string number, The data in J indicates the registration code. Therefore, the outline external character corresponding to the registration code designated by the data command corresponding to the format command and the character string number is printed at the position designated by the format command.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the graphic data read by the image scanner 15 is transferred to the CRT.
Since the outline point and the paint point can be input by displaying the image on the display 19 and aligning the cursor of the mouse 21 with the outline of the graphic in the display and clicking, if the external character image can be read by the image scanner 15. It is not necessary to perform complicated work such as designing, and the work of creating the outline character can be simplified, and thus the outline character can be created easily and in a short time.

[0032]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide an external character creating device that can simplify complicated work such as designing and can easily create an outline external character in a short time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of essential parts of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a flow of outline outline character creation processing of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of external character registration in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of external character registration stored in a buffer of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of external character registration of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a command format of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Host computer, 3 ... Printer, 11 ... First CPU, 15 ... Image scanner, 17 ... Keyboard,
19 ... CRT display, 21 ... mouse, 40 ... memory card.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An external character by designating an image reading means for reading an image from a document, an image display means for displaying the image read by the image reading means, and each point on the image displayed by the image display means. An external character creating apparatus comprising: an external character data inputting unit for inputting data; and an external character data storing unit for storing the external character data input by the external character data inputting unit together with an identification code.