JPH0535426A - Video controller and graphic data output method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To identify graphic data from an image formed by printing out the graphic data containing color information by a monochromatic printer. CONSTITUTION:This video controller and graphic data output method are equipped with a page memory 103 where the graphic data A106 outputted from a host machine 101 are temporarily stored while including the color information and a dot conversion part 104 which converts the graphic data A106 read out of the page memory 103 into a dot signal B107 in area data/line data units according to respective previously set conversion tables corresponding to the color information.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video controller and graphic data for outputting graphic data (image information) output from a host machine such as a personal computer to a mono-color printer by performing predetermined dot conversion by the video controller. Regarding the output method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when graphic data (image information) generally output from a host machine such as a personal computer is output using a printer via a video controller, each graphic data is color information in the host machine. Created with a color code that gives After that, the data is sent to the video controller at the time of printout, stored in one or a plurality of memories in a state including the color information, decomposed into each color component, and converted into a dot signal, etc.
It was output to a multi-color printer or the like.

When the printer is mono-color (monochromatic), the graphic data output from the host machine has its color information ignored at some point on the path to the printer and converted into dot signals. It was being output.

[0004]

However, in the graphic data print output system as described above, when the color graphic data from the host machine is output using a mono color printer, a mono color (monochromatic ), The graphic data cannot be identified from the image on the printed recording paper, which is very difficult to understand.

Further, when the color graphic data is output from the host machine by using the multi-color printer, the graphic data can be identified as compared with the case of using the mono-color printer, but the cost is high. There was a problem that

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to identify graphic data from an image in which graphic data containing color information is printed out by a monocolor printer.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a video controller for outputting image data of graphic data output from a host machine by a mono-color printer, the graphic data including color information. Storage means for temporarily storing the graphic data read from the storage means, and dot conversion means for converting the graphic data read from the storage means into a dot pattern for each area data / line data based on each conversion table corresponding to preset color information. A video controller is provided.

The conversion table for the area data is
Regarding the dot area ratio for each color, white is 1, yellow is 24/25, light blue is 7/8, green is 1/2, and purple is 3 /
It is desirable to set 8 for red, 1/8 for red, 1/25 for blue, and 0 for black.

Further, when the input graphic data is area data, color discrimination is performed, dot conversion processing based on the dot area ratio corresponding to the color information is executed, and when the graphic data is line data. Provided is a graphic data output method for performing color discrimination, executing dot conversion processing based on a dot interval corresponding to color information, and outputting the dot conversion data.

[0010]

In the video controller according to the present invention, the graphic data is temporarily stored in the memory in a state including the color information, and the graphic data read from the memory corresponds to preset color information for each area data / line data. A dot pattern is converted based on each conversion table to be output by a monocolor printer.

The area data in the graphic data is white for 1, yellow for 24/25, light blue for 7/8,
1/2 for green, 3/8 for purple, 1/8 for red, 1/25 for blue,
It is converted into a dot signal based on the dot area ratio where black is 0.

Further, in the graphic data output method according to the present invention, when the input graphic data is the area data, the color discrimination is performed, the dot conversion processing is executed based on the dot area ratio corresponding to the color information, and
When the graphic data is line data, color discrimination is performed, dot conversion processing is executed based on dot intervals corresponding to color information, and the dot conversion data is output by a monocolor printer.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration according to the present invention. In the figure, 101 is a host machine (host computer) which has a central function of the system and creates and outputs graphic data, 102 is a video controller including a page memory 103 and a dot converter (color identification) 104, Reference numeral 103 is a page memory for temporarily storing the graphic data A (with color code) 106, 104 is a dot conversion unit (color identification) for executing dot conversion processing with a dot pattern preset according to color information, 105 Is a page printer that performs mono-color recording processing according to the dot signal B107 output from the video controller 102, 106 is graphic data A (with color code) created by the host machine 101, and 107 is a dot conversion unit. (Color identification) Dot change at 104 A dot signal B outputted is processed.

In the above configuration, the host machine 101
The color graphic data (data code + color code) A106 created in step 1 is temporarily stored in the page memory 103 of the video controller 102 in a state of including color information by a print command. This color graphic data (data code + color code) A106 is sent to the dot conversion unit 104, converted into dots based on a dot pattern preset according to the color information of the data, and after conversion to dot data is completed. , And is output as a dot signal B107 to the monochromatic (single color) page printer 105, where a monocolor (monochromatic) image is formed.

FIG. 2 shows a dot conversion unit 104 according to the present invention.
5 is a flowchart showing an operation example of FIG. In the figure, first, color graphic data (data code + color code) A106 stored in the page memory 103 is input to the dot conversion unit 104 (S201). Next, it is determined whether the color graphic data (data code + color code) A106 sent from the page memory 103 is a line or an area (S202). At this time, if it is determined that the color graphic data (data code + color code) A106 is area data,
Color discrimination is executed (S203), and from the color information,
It is converted into a dot signal based on a dot area ratio corresponding to each color shown in FIG. 4 described later (S204).

On the other hand, in step 202, when the color graphic data (data code + color code) A106 input from the page memory 103 is a line 301 (line width a) as shown in FIG. 3, color discrimination is similarly performed. Then, the color information is converted into a dot signal based on the dot interval corresponding to each color shown in FIG. 5, which will be described later (S206).

The above conversion operation is executed for one page (S2
07) When the data conversion is completed, the data converted into dot signals are continuously output to the mono-color page printer 105 (S208).

FIG. 4 is a conversion table showing dot area ratios corresponding to respective color information of area data. 401
Indicates each color of the color graphic data output from the host machine 101, and 402 indicates the dot conversion unit 10.
4 is the dot area ratio when converted to dot data in 4, and is set for each color. For example, white data →
Dot area ratio 1, yellow data → 24/25, light blue data → 7/8, green data → 1/2, purple data → 3/8, red data → 1/8, blue data → 1/25, black (background ) Dot conversion of the area data of each color such as data → 0.

FIG. 5 is a conversion table showing dot intervals corresponding to each color information of line data. 501 is shown in FIG.
The dot width constituting the line width of the line data shown in (4), 502 is the dot interval when converting to dot data in the dot conversion unit 104, and is set for each color. For example, when the line width is a, white data → dot interval 0,
Yellow data → a / 2, light blue data → a, green data → 3a
/ 2, green data → 5a / 2, purple data → 5a / 2, red data → 4a, blue data → 6a, black (background) data →-
Dot conversion for each color line, such as (None).

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an output example after the area data conversion, and is an output example after the area data conversion based on the conversion table shown in FIG. That is, this is an output example in which the area data is converted into a dot area ratio corresponding to each color. In addition, the numbers from to indicate the color numbers shown in FIG. 4, respectively.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing an output example after the line data conversion, and is an output example after the line data conversion based on the conversion table shown in FIG. That is, this is an output example in which line data is converted into dot intervals corresponding to each color. In addition, the numbers 1 to 5 in the figure respectively indicate the color numbers shown in FIG.

As described above, the data output in color by the host machine 101 can be easily identified even from a monochrome image.

[0023]

As described above, according to the video controller and the graphic data output method thereof according to the present invention, the graphic data is temporarily stored in the memory in a state including the color information, and the graphic data read from the memory is stored. Each area data / line data is converted into a dot pattern based on each conversion table corresponding to the preset color information and is output by the monocolor printer. Therefore, graphic data including color information is printed out by the monocolor printer. From the image, it may be possible to identify the graphic data.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a video controller according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation example of a dot conversion unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing line data processed by a video controller according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a conversion table showing dot area ratios corresponding to respective color information of area data according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a conversion table showing dot intervals corresponding to each color information of line data according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an output example after area data conversion according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an output example after line data conversion according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 Host Machine 102 Video Controller 103 Page Memory 104 Dot Converter 105 Page Printer 106 Graphic Data A 107 Dot Signal B

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Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A video controller for outputting image data of graphic data output from a host machine by a mono-color printer, and storing means for temporarily storing the graphic data in a state including color information, and a graphic read from the storing means. A video controller comprising: dot conversion means for converting data for each area data / line data into a dot pattern based on each conversion table corresponding to preset color information. 2. The conversion table of the area data relates to a dot area ratio for each color, white being 1 and yellow being 2
4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein 4/25, light blue 7/8, green 1/2, purple 3/8, red 1/8, blue 1/25, and black 0 are set. 1. The video controller described in 1. 3. When the input graphic data is area data, color discrimination is performed, dot conversion processing based on a dot area ratio corresponding to color information is executed, and when the graphic data is line data. A graphic data output method characterized by performing color discrimination, executing dot conversion processing based on a dot interval corresponding to color information, and outputting the dot conversion data.