JPH0627924A - Data converting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To output characters and symbols of good print quality without losing the shape balance of slanting constitution lines even when horizontal and vertical constitution lines are adjusted in line width by providing an outline data storage means, a contour moving means, and a dot data converting means. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 2 is provided with a data read part 22, a contour moving process part which moves contours so as to adjust the line width of constitution lines specified with line width data, a line width processing part 24 composed of a contact moving processing part which moves the position of the contact point between a horizontal or vertical line and a slanting line indicated with a flag in the contour data in outline data to the intersection of the contour moved by the contour moving process and the contour of the slanting constitution line, and a dot data conversion part 26 which converts the outline data into dot data. Then the CPU 2 performs the conversion from the outline data to the dot data according to a given program.

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 contours of characters and symbols into high quality bitmap data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is an outline system that uses contour data of characters and symbols (hereinafter referred to as outline data) as a device for generating characters such as characters and symbols. This method reads the outline data from the storage unit according to the index code signal, scales it to an arbitrary point size, and then writes the width of the constituent lines that make up the characters / symbols defined by the outline data (hereinafter line width). (Referred to as) is adjusted and converted into bitmap data.
The converted data was output from an output device such as a laser printer.

In this system, the outline data is shown in FIG.
As shown in, the line width data and the contour data are included. The line width data is stored as the position coordinate value of the reference point that defines the line width and the line width. Here, “N” indicates the number of stored line width data, “HX” is a flag indicating the line width information of the vertical constituent line, and “HY” indicates the line width information of the horizontal constituent line. Represents a flag. The contour data is stored as straight line and curved line data. However, the curve data is not necessary in this description, so it is omitted. Where "S" is 1
A flag indicating the start point of the closed loop, and the following x
The position of the coordinate value and the y coordinate value is used as the starting point. “L” is a flag indicating a straight line, and indicates a straight line from the current position (referred to as the current point) to the position of the subsequent x coordinate value and y coordinate value.

[0004]

However, if the line widths of the constituent lines are adjusted and output to the output device by the conventional method using the above-mentioned outline data, the line widths of the oblique constituent lines become non-uniform and the quality of Poor print results. The outline data shown by the solid line in FIG. 4 is the horizontal component line (point 9-1-2).
-3), the vertical component line (points 6-7-8-9) and the diagonal component line (3-4-5-6). In order to adjust the line widths of the horizontal component line and the vertical component line according to the line width information of FIG.
If the coordinate value of is moved by ΔY in the Y direction and the coordinate values of points 6 and 7 are moved by ΔX in the X direction, the diagonal component line is point 3′-.
It becomes 4-5-6 '. The original line width of the diagonal constituent lines before the line width processing was uniform, but became non-uniform after the processing. If you convert this outline data that has undergone line width processing to dot data, the characters originally intended by the designer
A print result different from that of the symbol design can be obtained.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and prints without disturbing the shape balance of diagonal constituent lines even if line width processing for adjusting the line widths of horizontal and vertical constituent lines is performed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a data conversion device that outputs high quality characters and symbols.

[0006]

In order to achieve this object, a data conversion apparatus of the present invention specifies a line that indicates at least one of a plurality of constituent lines that form a character / symbol and the width of the constituent line. Width data, information indicating the start point / straight line / curve distinction of the contour line data of the characters / symbols, a data group of coordinate value data, and a component line specified by the line width data is moved in the line width direction. Outline data storage means for storing a flag that indicates a joining point of a movable contour line that can be moved and a non-movable contour line of the constituent lines that are not specified by the line width data; and an outline data storage unit that is specified by the line width data. When the number of pixels in the width direction of the pixels included in the two contour lines that form the constituent line is not the number corresponding to the line width data, at least one of the two contour lines is A contour line moving unit that relatively moves with respect to the pixel screen in a direction and an amount that corresponds to the line width data, a movable contour line moved by the contour line moving unit, and an immovable contour line. Junction moving means for moving the junction to the intersection of
Dot data conversion means for converting the contour data of the symbol into dot data.

[0007]

In the data output device of the present invention having the above structure, the outline data storage means designates at least one of a plurality of constituent lines forming a character / symbol and line width data indicating the width of the constituent line. The data of the outline of the character / symbol is designated as a start point, information indicating the distinction between a straight line and a curve, and a data group of coordinate value data, and at least one of a plurality of component lines forming the character / symbol is specified. Line width data indicating the width of the component line and a movable line that defines the component line specified by the line width data in the width direction and a contour line that cannot be moved that defines the component line that is not specified by the line width data A contour line moving means stores a flag designating a joining point with the contour line, and the contour line moving means includes the constituent lines designated by the line width data in the two contour lines defining the constituent line in the width direction. When the number of pixels in the width direction is not the number corresponding to the line width data, at least one of the two contour lines has a direction and amount such that the number of pixels becomes the number corresponding to the line width data. And the joint point moving means moves the joint point to the intersection of the movable contour line moved by the contour line moving means and the immovable contour line, and the dot data converting means The contour line data of the character / symbol is converted into dot data.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The present embodiment will be described as an example in which the present invention is applied to a device for converting outline data into dot data in a laser printer.

FIG. 1 shows a control circuit of the laser printer.
Mainly converting outline data to dot data,
It is a block diagram which shows the output part. The microcomputer unit 1, which is the main component of this control circuit, includes a CPU 2, a character ROM 3, a program ROM 4, a text memory 5, a working memory 6, and a dot data memory 7. The CPU 2 and the like are connected by a bus 8, and an input device 9 and a printing unit 10 are connected to the bus 8.

The CPU 2 executes the processing for realizing the embodiment according to a given program.

The character ROM 3 stores shape data representing the shape of the character in an outline data format.

The program ROM 4 stores programs for executing various controls performed in this embodiment.

The text memory 5 stores output data including a character code input through the input device 9 and size data for designating a character size, and deformation designation data such as italics and rotations.

The working memory 6 temporarily stores data necessary for executing a program.

The dot data memory 7 stores the dot data obtained by the outline conversion section.

The input device 9 is used to input a character code, size data for designating a character size, transformation designation data for italic or rotation, etc., which are supplied from the outside, to the microcomputer unit 1.

The printing section 10 is a section for printing the dot data read from the dot data memory 7 by an electrophotographic printing mechanism.

The CPU 2 described above has a data reading section 22 conceptually shown in FIG. 2, and a contour line moving process for moving the contour line in order to adjust the line width of the constituent line designated by the line width data. Section and the position of the joining point of the horizontal or vertical line and the diagonal line indicated by the flag in the contour data in the outline data, between the contour line moved by the contour line movement processing unit and the contour line of the diagonal component line. A line width processing unit 24 including a contact movement processing unit for moving to an intersection and a dot data conversion unit 26 for converting outline data into dot data.
And are provided.

Next, the processing performed by the data reading section, the line width processing section, and the dot data converting section of the data converter of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 5 and the outline data of FIG. The following Si (i = 1,
2, 3, ...) represent each step in the figure.

After the character code, the character size, and the resolution of the output device are designated by the input device 9, this flowchart is executed. First, the outline data of the designated character code is read from the character ROM 3. The data structure of the outline data is composed of line width data and contour data, as shown in FIG.

In S1 and S2, line width data is read. The line width data is composed of a flag, a position coordinate value for defining the line width of a constituent line, and a line width value. Here, the flag “N” indicates the number of line width data stored after N, the flag “HX” is a flag indicating line width information of a vertical constituent line, and “HY” indicates a horizontal constituent line. A flag indicating the line width information, and next to the flag, the position coordinate value and the line width value of the reference point that defines the line width of the vertical or horizontal constituent line are stored. The position coordinate value of the line width of the vertical component line 6-7-8-9 of the outline data of the arrow is x ₇ , and the line width is a. Similarly, the line of the horizontal component line 9-1-2-3. The position coordinate value of the width is y ₂ ,
The line width is b. The read line width data is stored in the working memory.

At S3, the contour data in the outline data is read. As shown in FIG. 6, the structure of the contour data has the attribute information of the flag 1 and the flag 2 as the coordinate value of each point. Here, "S", "L" of flag 1
“*” And “!” Are the same as those in FIG. 3 described above. That is, “S” indicates the start point of the contour line of one closed loop, (x ₁ , y ₁ ) is the coordinate value of the start point, L indicates that the segment is a straight line, and the coordinate values thereafter are For example, (x ₂ , y ₂ ) indicates the end point coordinate value of the straight line, “*” indicates the end of the closed loop, and “!” Indicates the end of the outline data of one character.

In S4, it is determined whether or not the flag 1 is "*", and if YES, one closed loop data has been read out, and therefore the process proceeds to the next process (S8). If NO, the process proceeds to S5.

In S5, it is determined whether or not the flag 2 is "C.""C" of the flag 2 is a flag that indicates the junction between the contour line of the vertical or horizontal constituent line and the contour line of the diagonal constituent line, The next value of the flag indicates the coordinate value of the junction.
For example, in FIG. 7, the junction of the contour 3-4 of the contour line 2-3 and oblique arrangement line of the horizontal arrangement line is "3", the coordinate value is (x _3, y _3). Similarly, the junction of the contour 6-5 of the contour line 6-7 and oblique arrangement line of the vertical configuration line is "6", the coordinate value is (x _6, y _6). S5
When the determination is YES, the process proceeds to S7, and when the determination is NO, S6
Move to.

In step S6, the coordinate value of the start point or the end point of the straight line is set to the character RO according to the instruction of flag 1.
Read from M3 and store in working memory.

In S7, the coordinate values of the junction point (points 3 and 6 in FIG. 7) designated by the flag 2 are read out and stored in the working memory.

In S8, line width processing is performed using the line width data read in S2 and S7 and the attribute information of the line width processing. For example, in the horizontal configuration line 9-1-2-3 in FIG. 7, the line width b of the configuration line is only 2 dots when converted to dot data, but a conversion error ( Hereinafter referred to as quantization error)
Therefore, it becomes 3 dots. In order to correct this quantization error, the contour line 2-3 of the constituent line is moved by Δy in the Y direction. At this time, since the point 3 is a joining point with the contour line of the diagonal component line as indicated by the flag 2, the coordinate value of the point 3 does not move by Δy in the Y direction, but the line of the diagonal component line. In order to prevent the widths from becoming uneven, a line parallel to the contour line 2-3 and moved by Δy in the Y direction and a contour line 3-4 of the diagonal component line.
It becomes the coordinate value of the intersection 3'of and. As a result, the horizontal constituent line after the line width processing becomes 9-1-2'-3 '. Similarly, the junction point of the vertical construction line (6-7-8-9) is also moved to the 6'position to correct the quantization error, and the new construction line becomes 6'-7'-8-9. .

After the contour data changing process is completed, the dot data converting unit 26 executes a process of converting the outline data into dot data. Conversion to dot data is performed using the pixel screen 32 shown in FIG.
Pixel screens are computational for converting outline data to dot data, but are shown here as being real, for ease of understanding. Further, the pixel here is a minimum unit when printing is performed by a laser, the pixel screens are orthogonal to each other in one plane, are parallel to the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction, and are equally spaced. A plurality of pixel section lines p provided in
The pixels are defined by. In this embodiment, the pixels are square, and dot data indicating whether or not printing / displaying is performed is created for each pixel. In addition, the center point of the pixel (hereinafter,
The x-direction defining line x and the y-direction defining line y are set in parallel with the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction, respectively, and the position of each pixel is represented by the coordinates of the pixel center point. To be done.
Note that the pixel can also have a rectangular shape or another shape.

The pixel screen 32 is supposed to correspond to the printing surface of the printing paper, but FIG. 8 shows one character taken out for easy understanding. Therefore, the scale values actually attached to the x-direction defining line x and the y-direction defining line y in the entire pixel screen 32 are the scale values attached to the x-direction defining line x and the y-direction defining line y in FIG. However, here, only one character is considered. 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 32, and in this embodiment, dots are formed at each pixel within the outline of the character. , The bit data of the pixel is set to 1.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the present invention can be applied not only to a printer other than a laser printer, but also to a device that needs to convert outline data of characters such as characters and symbols into dot data in addition to the printer.

[0032]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, even if the line width processing for adjusting the line widths of the horizontal and vertical constituent lines is performed, the shape balance of the diagonal constituent lines is not lost and the print quality is improved. It is possible to provide a data conversion device that outputs good characters and symbols.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a data conversion unit of a control circuit of a laser printer of this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram conceptually showing a function of a CPU.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of conventional line width data and contour data.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a contour shape obtained by conventional line width processing.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process of changing contour data.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of line width data and contour data according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of a contour shape obtained by the line width processing of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a pixel screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 CPU 3 character ROM 6 working memory 24 line width processing unit 26 dot data conversion unit 32 pixel screen

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. When superposing outline data of one or more closed loop contours of a character / symbol on a pixel screen having pixels of a plurality of rows × a plurality of columns, the outline data of the character / symbol is included in a constituent line forming the character / symbol. At least one of a plurality of constituent lines forming a character / symbol in a data conversion device provided with dot data conversion means for converting the outline data into a set of dot data by arranging pixels in a state satisfying a certain criterion. And a line width data indicating the width of the component line, a data group consisting of information indicating the start point / straight line / curve of the contour data of the character / symbol and coordinate value data, and the line width A movable contour line that can move in the line width direction on the component line specified by the data and an unmovable contour line of the component line that is not specified by the line width data. Outline data storage means for storing a flag indicating a junction with a line; and the number of pixels in the width direction of pixels included in the two contour lines forming the constituent line designated by the line width data is the number. When the number is not the number corresponding to the line width data, at least one of the two contour lines is moved relative to the pixel screen in the direction and amount such that the number of the pixels corresponds to the line width data. Data conversion comprising: a contour line moving means; and a joint point moving means for moving the joint point to an intersection of the movable contour line moved by the contour line moving means and the immovable contour line. apparatus.