JPH06167965A - Method and device for processing character - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the method and device for processing character while shortening time required for the preparation processing of character patterns by generating the character pattern in any desired size by variably magnifying the character pattern in the same size when that character pattern does not exist in a storage means storing pattern data temporarily extended into character patterns. CONSTITUTION:The character pattern in any prescribed size is generated corresponding to a character font stored in a ROM 102 for storing character font information and the designated character size, and the generated pattern data are stored in a cache memory 103a together with the size information. When the extension processing of the character pattern is instructed, it is decided whether the relevant pattern data are stored in the cache memory 103a or not, when it is decided that the relevant pattern data are not existent, the pattern data with the same character type in different sizes inside the cache memory 103a are read out, and the character pattern in the desired size is prepared by variably magnifying the read pattern data into the desired size.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a character processing method and apparatus for generating a character pattern based on a character code.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, with the increase in resolution of character output devices such as laser beam printers, character patterns are generated using vector format font data such as outline fonts, which can generate higher quality character patterns. Things have come to be done. From such vector format font data to dot format (bitmap format)
The process of converting to the character pattern is generally performed in the following procedure. (1) Read vector data corresponding to a specified character code from a memory such as a ROM or an HD (hard disk). Such vector data is, for example, 1000 × 1
Disassemble the outline of the character pattern into about 000 mesh,
They are straight lines or Bezier curves using integer data, B
It is expressed by using a function that represents a curve such as a spline curve or a circular arc. (2) The vector data thus read is enlarged or reduced to a designated size by using affine transformation or the like. Thereby, the coordinate value of each control point of the vector data is scaled based on the enlargement ratio or the reduction ratio. (3) Plot each control point on the bitmap based on the vector data thus converted to the designated size. (4) A contour line is generated based on the control points and functions plotted in (3), and the inside is filled.

The character pattern data created in this manner is output to a printer, a display or the like for visual display, but if such pattern expansion processing is always executed, it takes much time for the pattern expansion processing. Therefore, once the character pattern data that has undergone pattern expansion is stored in the cache memory, and when pattern expansion of a character of the same character type and the same size is instructed again, the character pattern data stored in that cache memory is reused. By doing so, the time for converting the vector format font data into the dot format pattern data is shortened, and the character pattern generation processing is sped up.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, when the character pattern of the same character type and the same size does not exist in the cache memory, the vector data stored as the font data is expanded to the dot format pattern. It needs to be processed. Therefore, for example, in the case of pattern expansion of document data created by changing the character size many times in the same page,
For example, even if the character types are the same, only the character size is different, so that the probability that the corresponding character pattern exists in the cache memory is low, and it takes a lot of time to create the character pattern.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and when a character pattern of the same size does not exist in the storage means that temporarily stores the pattern data expanded into the character pattern, the character pattern is changed. By generating a character pattern of the desired size by doubling,
An object of the present invention is to provide a character processing method and apparatus that shorten the time required for character pattern creation processing.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the character processing device of the present invention has the following configuration. That is, a character processing device for generating a character pattern based on a character code, wherein a storage means for storing character font information, and a predetermined size in accordance with a character font stored in the storage means and a designated character size. A character pattern generating means for generating a character pattern of a size; a pattern storing means for storing the pattern data generated by the character pattern generating means together with its size information; and a pattern storing means for instructing a character pattern expansion process. Determining means for determining whether or not there is corresponding pattern data in the means, and if the determining means determines that the corresponding pattern data does not exist, the pattern storage means reads out pattern data of the same character type and different sizes,
It has a scaling means for scaling the read pattern data to a desired size.

In order to achieve the above object, the character processing method of the present invention comprises the following steps. That is, it is a character processing method for generating a character pattern based on a character code, and storing means for storing character font information when at least a character code, a typeface and a character size are designated and a character pattern is instructed. Generating a character pattern of a specified character size based on the character font stored in, and storing the generated character pattern data in a cache memory together with at least the character size information, and at least a character code. When the character pattern creation is instructed by specifying the typeface and the character size, the step of determining whether the corresponding character pattern data is stored in the cache memory, and the corresponding character pattern data are stored in the cache memory. If it is determined that it does not exist, the same character type in the cache memory It reads the character pattern data of different sizes, and a step of zooming the character pattern data of the size specified with the read-out character pattern data.

[0008]

In the above structure, a character pattern of a predetermined size is generated according to the character font stored in the storage means for storing the character font information and the designated character size, and the generated pattern data is stored. It is stored in the pattern storage means together with the size information. Then, when the character pattern development processing is instructed, it is determined whether or not there is pattern data corresponding to the pattern storage means,
When it is determined that the corresponding pattern data does not exist, pattern data of the same character type and different size in the pattern storage means is read, and the read pattern data is scaled to a desired size to create a character pattern of a desired size. .

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may be applied to a system including a plurality of devices or an apparatus including one device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can also be applied to the case where it is achieved by supplying a program for implementing the present invention to a system or an apparatus.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic arrangement of the character processing apparatus of this embodiment. This device may be, for example, a Japanese word processor, a workstation or a computer system.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 101 denotes a CPU (central processing unit), which controls the entire character processing device and performs arithmetic processing. Reference numeral 102 denotes a ROM, which stores a start-up program for this apparatus or character font data. Reference numeral 103 denotes a RAM, which is a data storage area with no use restriction, and various application programs and data are loaded and executed for each various processing. still,
The RAM 103 has a cache memory 103a for storing the character pattern converted from the vector format font data into the pattern data, and when the pattern development of the same character pattern is instructed again, the cache memory 103a. If the character pattern corresponding to is stored, the character pattern is stored in the cache memory 1
It is read from 03a and used. A keyboard control unit (KBC) 104 receives key input data from the keyboard (KB) 105, converts it into a corresponding code, and transmits it to the CPU 101. A display control unit (CRTC) 106 controls the display (CRT) 107 to display the contents of the display memory provided in the RAM 103.

109 is a floppy disk device (FD)
Alternatively, programs and data are stored in an external storage device such as a hard disk device (HD), and these programs and data are referred to when necessary when executing a certain process or loaded into the RAM 103. It is executed by the CPU 101. A disk control unit (DKC) 108 controls data transmission and the like between the external storage device 109 and the CPU 101. A printer control unit (PRTC) 110 outputs data instructed by the CPU 101 to a printer device (PRT) 111 to obtain a print result. Reference numeral 112 denotes a system bus for connecting the above-mentioned respective parts, which is a data path between the above-mentioned components.

The operation of the character processing apparatus of the first embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 2 shows a process for creating a character pattern of x dots. Unless otherwise noted, in this embodiment, the x-dot character pattern refers to a dot-type character pattern consisting of vertical x dots and horizontal x dots.

The process of FIG. 2 is started by instructing the creation of a character pattern. First, in step S201, it is checked whether or not the corresponding x-dot character pattern is already stored in the cache memory 103a.
If it is stored in the cache memory 103a, the process proceeds to step S203, and if it is not stored in the cache memory 103a, the process proceeds to step S202. In step S202, it is next checked whether or not a character pattern of (x + 1) dots or more and (x + 3) dots or less is stored in the cache memory 103a. If stored, step S
If not, the process proceeds to step S206.

In step S204, the corresponding character pattern is extracted from the cache memory 103a,
Let the dot size of the character pattern be y. Here, the value of y is not less than (x + 1) and not more than (x + 3). Next, proceeding to step S205, a process of reducing the character pattern of y dots to x dots is performed. Details of this bitmap reduction processing will be described later.

On the other hand, when (x + 1) dots or more, (x + 3)
The character pattern below the dot is the cache memory 103a
If not stored, the vector raster conversion process for creating pattern data from the vector font is performed in step S206 to create a character pattern of x dots. Then, in step S207, the created x-dot character pattern is stored in the cache memory 103a.

When the x dot pattern data is present in the cache memory 103a in step S201, the flow advances to step S203 to read the character pattern from the cache memory 103a and develop it into a bit map.

Next, the bitmap reduction processing of step S205 of FIG. 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

As described above, the cache memory 103
The dot size of the character pattern extracted from a is y (x
+ 1 ≦ y ≦ x + 2), and the dot size of the requested character pattern is x. First, reduction processing is performed in the vertical direction, and then reduction processing is performed in the horizontal direction. First, in step S301, the deletion counter is initialized to "0". This deletion counter is provided in the RAM 103. Next, proceeding to step S302, the y-dot character pattern is scanned in the horizontal direction, and the horizontal line with the smallest character portion (line area) is extracted.

An example of this extraction is shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, a character pattern of the katakana character "A" is shown, and this character pattern is sequentially scanned from the top to detect the line 401 having the smallest character portion (line area) (1 dot).
In addition, one square in FIG. 4 indicates one dot.

When the horizontal line having the smallest line width is determined in this way, the process proceeds to step S303 and step S303.
The lines extracted in 302 and the line 402 (FIG. 4) therebelow are logically ORed to form the lines 401 and 402 as one horizontal line data (reduced line) 403. An example of this is shown in FIG. As a result, the character pattern is reduced by one dot in the vertical direction.

Next, in step S304, 1 is added to the deletion counter. Then, the process proceeds to step S305, the sum of the value of x and the value of the deletion counter is compared with the value of y, and if they are equal (y = x + (value of the deletion counter)), the reduction processing in the vertical direction is terminated and the step is completed. It proceeds to S306. If they are not equal, the process returns to step S302 to repeat the above-described vertical reduction processing.

Next, an example of reducing the character pattern in the horizontal direction will be described. In step S306, step S30
Similar to 1, the delete counter is initialized to "0". Next, proceeding to step S307, the character pattern is scanned in the vertical line direction, and the vertical line having the fewest character portions is extracted. In the example shown in FIG.
This is applicable because the number of dots in the column 410 is 1.
Then, in step S308, the logical sum of the line 410 extracted in step S307 and the right line 411 is taken to form one vertical line. As a result, the character pattern is reduced by one dot in the horizontal direction. Then, in step S309, 1 is added to the deletion counter, and in step S310, the sum of the value of x and the value of the deletion counter is compared with the value of y. If they are equal (y = x + (value of deletion counter)) The horizontal reduction processing is ended, and the bitmap reduction processing is ended. If they are not equal in step S310, the process returns to step S306 to repeat the reduction processing in the horizontal direction.

In the above-described first embodiment, the case where a character pattern of x dots is created in both the vertical and horizontal directions is shown.
Of course, the present invention can also be applied to a character pattern in which the vertical and horizontal dot sizes are different. Also, the cache memory 10
If the character pattern stored in 3a is smaller than the requested character pattern, the cache memory 103
By enlarging the character pattern in a, the character pattern can be changed to a desired pattern size in the same manner as described above.

As described above, according to the character processing apparatus of the first embodiment, when the character pattern of the requested size is not cached, the character pattern of the size close to the character pattern of the desired size is generated. It is determined whether or not the character is stored in the cache memory 103a, and if it is stored, the character pattern is processed to generate a character pattern of the requested size, thereby increasing the storage capacity of the cache memory. The pattern generation speed can be improved.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the above-described first embodiment, the character pattern having a size close to the size of the requested character pattern is stored in the cache memory 103a.
, The desired character pattern is generated by performing a reduction or enlargement process on the character pattern. However, in the second embodiment, for example, a character pattern of an integer multiple of the requested character pattern is cached. If the character pattern is stored in the memory 103a, the character pattern is reduced to generate the requested character pattern.

The operation of the second embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Since the structure of this device is basically the same as that of the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

First, in step S601, similarly to step S201 in FIG. 2, it is checked whether or not an x-dot character pattern exists in the cache memory 103a. If it is stored in the cache memory 103a, the process proceeds to step S603, and the corresponding character pattern is read from the cache memory 103a and developed into a bit map in the same manner as in step S203 described above.

On the other hand, if it is not stored in the cache memory 103a in step S601, the process proceeds to step S602, and it is checked whether or not a character pattern having an integral multiple of x dots is stored in the cache memory 103a. If it is stored, the process proceeds to step S604, and the character pattern is taken out from the cache memory 103a. Now, assuming that the size of this character pattern is y, this y is represented by y = k × x (k is a natural number). Next, the process proceeds to step S605, and the process of reducing the y dot character pattern read in step S604 to x dots is performed. The details of this bitmap reduction processing will be described later with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 7.

On the other hand, when there is no character pattern of the corresponding size in step S602, the process proceeds to step S606, and vector raster conversion processing is performed to create a character pattern of x dots in the same manner as in step S206 of FIG. Next, proceeding to step S607, the x-dot character pattern created from the vector font is stored in the cache memory 103a, as in step S207.

Next, the bitmap reduction processing of step S605 of FIG. 6 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Here, when the dot size of the character pattern extracted from the cache memory 103a is y and the dot size of the requested character pattern is x, y = k × x (k is a natural number). In this process, first, the reduction process is performed in the vertical direction, and then the reduction process is performed in the horizontal direction.

First, in step S701, the loop variable i is initialized to "0". This loop variable i is RA
It is stored in M103. Next, proceeding to step S702, one line of data is created by taking the logical sum of all the horizontal lines from the kith to {k (i + 1) -1} th. The desired character pattern size is x
In the case of dots, it is assumed that there are horizontal lines from 0 to (x-1) th. Therefore, if k = 2 here, for example, in the case of the character pattern of FIG. 4, the uppermost line (0th line) 510 and the line below it (first line) 5
The logical sum of 11 and 11 is taken, converted into one line data, and reduced to (1/2). Also, k = 3
Then, for example, in the case of the character pattern of FIG. 4, the logical sum of three lines including the uppermost line (0th line) 510, the lower line (first line) 511, and the next line 401 is obtained. Is converted into one line data, and as a result (1/3: generally 1 / k)
Will be reduced to.

Next, in step S703, "1" is added to the loop variable i, and in step S704, the value of ki and y are added.
Is determined to be equal, and when they are equal, this y
In order to indicate that the dot pattern has been reduced to x dots in the vertical direction, the pattern compression processing in the vertical direction is ended and the process proceeds to step S705, and otherwise, step S70.
Returning to 2, the above-mentioned reduction processing is repeatedly executed.

In step S705, the loop variable i is initialized to "0" again, and in step S706, ki
The logical sum of all the {k (i + 1) -1} -th vertical line data from the second is taken as one line of data. Next, proceeding to step S707, "1" is added to the loop variable i. Next, in step S708, it is determined whether the value of ki and the value of y are equal to each other.
Returning to 706, the horizontal reduction processing is executed. In this way, in step S706 to step S708, the character pattern is horizontally compressed to 1 / k, and a character pattern of a desired size (x dots) is obtained.

In the second embodiment, the case where the character pattern of the desired size is created by reducing the character pattern of the cache memory 103a to 1 / (k) is shown. It is also possible to create the requested character pattern by multiplying the character pattern in the cache memory 103a by an integer.

As described above, according to the second embodiment,
A character pattern of a desired size is not stored in the cache memory, and a character pattern of an integer multiple of the desired character pattern or a size of an integer is stored in the cache memory 1.
In the case of No. 03a, by processing it to generate a character pattern of a desired size, the generation processing speed of the character pattern can be improved without increasing the storage area of the cache memory.

In the above-described first and second embodiments, if the cache memory 103a has a character pattern capable of generating the requested character pattern, the character pattern stored in the cache memory 103a is processed. To create the required character pattern.
However, depending on the situation, it is possible to use the vector raster conversion and the processing of the character stored in the cache memory 103a separately without performing such processing. The process of creating such a character pattern is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

First, in step S801, the processing for processing the character pattern in the cache memory 103a to create a character pattern of a different size from that is enabled, or
Decide whether to invalidate. This will be called a cache processing flag, and this flag is stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 103. As a factor for determining whether or not the creation processing of the character patterns of different sizes is effective, for example, there is a method of determining by the output destination of the character pattern. That is, if the output destination is a printer, character quality is required, so the cache processing flag is invalidated so that a character pattern is generated by vector raster conversion without fail.
Further, if the output destination of the character pattern is an interactive device such as a display, the expansion speed of the character pattern is important, so it is conceivable to enable the cache processing flag. As another determination method other than this, it is also possible that the user of the character processing device does not make this determination but sets it. In this case, for example, if the character output is the final output, the user disables the cache processing flag so as to emphasize the character quality, and otherwise activates the cache processing flag to create a character pattern at a higher speed. It becomes possible to output the document by expanding it.

Next, in step S802, it is determined whether or not the cache processing flag is valid. If it is valid, the process proceeds to step S803, and as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2 or 6, the character pattern of the corresponding character size. Is not present in the cache memory 103a, the character pattern is scaled to create a character pattern.

On the other hand, in step S802, when the cache processing flag is not valid, the process proceeds to step S804, and the above-mentioned step S206, S207 or step S60.
6, a character pattern is generated by vector raster conversion in the same manner as S607.

As described above, according to the character processing apparatus of this embodiment, when the cache memory 103a does not have a character pattern of a desired size, the cache memory 10 has
By providing a function for enabling or disabling the processing of processing the character pattern of 3a to create a character pattern of a desired size, an optimum method of generating the character pattern can be selected for the output device, or Depending on the desire / selection, it is possible to perform character pattern generation processing that emphasizes character quality or emphasizes pattern development speed.

In the above description, the cache memory 1
Although the description has been made in the case of the character processing device provided with 03a, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be adopted in a character pattern generation unit for displaying and outputting a character pattern such as a display or a printer.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by processing the dot format data in the cache memory 103a, even if the desired pattern data is not stored in the cache memory, vector format font data can be generated. This has the effect of converting pattern data in dot format at high speed.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a character pattern of the same size does not exist in the storage means that temporarily stores the pattern data expanded into the character pattern, the character pattern is scaled. By doing so, a character pattern of a desired size is generated, and there is an effect that the time required for the character pattern creation processing can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a character processing device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows x in the character processing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
It is a flowchart which shows the creation process of the character pattern of a dot size.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a reduction process of bitmap data in step S205 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a character pattern of a character “A” for explaining a reduction process of bitmap data in the character processing device of the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a reduction example of bitmap data in the character processing device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a character processing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention,
It is a flowchart which shows the process which produces the character pattern of x dot size.

7 is a flowchart showing a reduction process of bitmap data in step S605 of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a character pattern creation process in a character processing device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 CPU 102 ROM 103 RAM 103a Cache memory 104 Keyboard (KB) 107 Display (CRT) 109 External storage device (FD, HD) 111 Printer device (PRT) 401, 402, 510, 511 Horizontal line 403 Reduced line 410, 411 Vertical Direction line

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A character processing device for generating a character pattern based on a character code, comprising: storage means for storing character font information; and a character font stored in the storage means and a designated character size. A character pattern generating means for generating a character pattern of a predetermined size in response to the pattern data, a pattern storage means for storing the pattern data generated by the character pattern generating means together with the size information thereof, and an instruction for character pattern expansion processing, A determination unit that determines whether or not there is corresponding pattern data in the pattern storage unit, and if the determination unit determines that the corresponding pattern data does not exist, pattern data of the same character type and different size in the pattern storage unit Magnification that reads and reads the read pattern data to the desired size Character processing apparatus comprising: the stage, a. 2. The storage means stores a character font in a vector format font.
The character processing device described in. 3. The scaling unit reads the pattern data having a size of 1 dot or more and 3 dots or less from the desired size from the pattern storage unit to scale the pattern data. Character processing unit. 4. The character processing device according to claim 1, wherein the scaling means reads pattern data having a size that is an integral multiple of the desired size from the pattern storage means and scales the pattern data. 5. A character processing method for generating a character pattern based on a character code, wherein character font information is stored when at least a character code, a typeface and a character size are designated and a character pattern is instructed. Generating a character pattern of a specified character size based on the character font stored in the storage means, and storing the generated character pattern data together with at least the character size information in a cache memory, When at least the character code, the typeface, and the character size are designated and the creation of the character pattern is instructed, the step of determining whether the corresponding character pattern data is stored in the cache memory, and the corresponding character pattern data are If it is determined that the cache memory does not exist, the cache memory Character processing method characterized by having Flip read character pattern data of different sizes in the character type, the step of scaling the character pattern data of the size specified the read-out character pattern data. 6. The storage means stores a character font in a vector format font.
Character processing method described in.