JPH07156449A - Printer and image font-enlarging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an image and a character of which sizes of basic fonts are different to be printed in a same size. CONSTITUTION:A printer is equipped with a memory 17 storing a basic font of a character composed of a 42X42 dot pattern, a memory 19 storing a basic font of a portrait drawing composed of a 32X32 dot pattern, an input part 13 inputting a data to be printed, printing parts 29, 31, and a conversion part 23 enlarging the basic font. The printer, when the data to be printed contains the character and the portrait image, enlarges the basic font of the portrait image to 3/2 with the conversion part 23, and prints the character and the portrait image in a same size.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing apparatus capable of printing image data such as a portrait.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some conventional word processors and label printers capable of image printing have a font size of an image different from that of a normal character. For example, the font size of an image such as a portrait is set to 32 × 32 dots, and the font size of a character (text) is set to 42 × 42 dots.

[0003]

In this type of printing apparatus, due to the difference in font size, when a normal character and an image are printed simultaneously, the sizes of the character and the image are different. Therefore, there is a drawback in that the line layout is different between when printing only normal characters and when a sentence in which characters and images are mixed is printed, and the print layout cannot be set as desired. In such a case, it is possible to enlarge the font of the image and print it. However, due to the nature of the dot pattern, each dot can be enlarged only by an integral multiple, but the character font size is not always an integral multiple of the image font size, and in many cases the image font cannot be appropriately enlarged.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is a first object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus capable of enlarging image data to a size of a non-integer number for printing. A second object of the present invention is to provide a printing device capable of changing the font size in order to match the font size of an image with the font size of a character. A third object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus capable of printing images and characters having different basic font sizes in the same size. A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a device capable of enlarging the basic font of an image by a non-integer multiple.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a printing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention has an image data storage means for storing image data and an image data enlarged to a non-integer multiple. And an enlarged image data storage unit that enlarges the image data stored in the image data storage unit to a non-integer multiple according to the instruction of the instruction unit and stores the non-integer multiple image data. Printing means for printing the image data of non-integer multiples stored in the enlarged image data storage means.

The printing apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention further comprises a first basic font storage means for storing a first basic font composed of a dot pattern of n × n dots, and m × m ( m and n are natural numbers different from each other) second basic font storage means for storing a second basic font composed of dot patterns, input means for inputting print data, and the input means. When the print data includes the first basic font and the second basic font, the font size of at least one of the first basic font and the second basic font is changed to have the same or substantially the same size. And a printing unit that prints the print target data.

For example, the first basic font includes a basic font of characters, the second basic font includes a basic font of images other than characters, and the dots are smaller than the dot pattern size of the first basic font. Having a pattern size, the printing means enlarges and prints the dot pattern of the second basic font.

Further, the image font enlarging device according to the present invention enlarges the image font storage means for storing the basic font of the image and the image stored in the image font storage means to a non-integer multiple or integer multiple. And the designating means for designating the enlargement to an integral multiple, the basic font forming the image stored in the image font storage means is an integral multiple, and the designating means is a non-integral multiple. When instructed to enlarge, the enlarged font is enlarged to a non-integer multiple to produce an enlarged font, and enlarged font storage means for storing the enlarged font generated by the enlarging means. And is provided. The apparatus may further include means for printing an image forming the enlarged font stored in the enlarged font storage means.

[0009]

According to the printing apparatus of the first aspect, the image data can be enlarged by a non-integer multiple, and the image enlarged by the non-integer multiple can be printed. According to the printing apparatus of the second aspect, the print data having different basic font sizes, for example, characters in which the size of the basic font is 48 × 48 dots, and the size of the basic font is 32 × 40
The size when printing images of 32 dots can be made the same. Therefore, it is possible to make the printed result beautiful and control the line feed and the like easily. Further, according to the image font enlarging device, the basic font of the image can be beautifully enlarged by a non-integer multiple, and the image font enlarging device can be applied to the change of the font size in the first invention.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a printing apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the printing apparatus of this embodiment is
Document control unit 11 and input unit 1 connected to the document control unit 11
3, control processing program storage unit 15, character font storage unit 17, portrait font storage unit 19, document data storage unit 21, font size conversion unit 23, print pattern storage 2
5, a display controller 27 and a print controller 29. A display unit 31 is connected to the display control unit 27, and a printing unit 33 is connected to the print control unit 29.

The input unit 13 is provided with a symbol / character key, a kana-kanji conversion key, a cursor key, an execution key, a format key, a print key, etc., and inputs a character code, control data and the like. The control processing program storage unit 15 stores an operation program of the document control unit 11, such as an input control program, a kana-kanji conversion program, and a portrait creation program.

The character font storage unit 17 stores 48 × characters (Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji, numbers, alphabets, etc.).
The basic font of 48 dots is stored. The portrait font storage unit 19 stores a 32 × 32 dot basic font of a portrait image. The portrait image is designated by the code data attached to each. The portrait image may be registered in advance as a portrait image, may be created by the user operating the input unit 13, or may be an image input from an image input device such as a CCD camera (not shown).

The document data storage unit 21 stores the print data input from the input unit 13 in a code format. The font size conversion unit 23 enlarges the character font and the portrait font according to the instruction from the document control unit 11. The print pattern storage unit 25 stores the print pattern in the dot pattern format.

The display control unit 27 displays the input data, the converted data, the print data, etc. on the display unit 31 under the control of the document control unit 11. The display unit 31 is composed of a liquid crystal display device or the like and displays an image. Print control unit 29
Under the control of the document control unit 11, prints the print image stored in the print pattern storage unit 25 by controlling the printing unit 33. The printing unit 33 includes a thermal dot printer or the like.

The document control unit 11 is composed of, for example, a microprocessor including a CPU, a memory, etc., and operates according to a program stored in the control processing program storage unit 15. The document control unit 11 performs the following operation, for example. (1) The character code supplied from the input unit 13 is stored in the document data storage unit 21 and the font storage unit 1
Display control unit 27 using 7 and 19 to convert to display font
It is displayed on the display unit 31 via. (2) The input character string stored in the document data storage unit 21 is converted into, for example, Kana-Kanji according to an instruction from the input unit 13, and the input character is determined. (3) When printing is specified by the input unit 13, the font size conversion unit 23 is controlled to enlarge the font of the character code string stored in the document data storage unit 21 and expand it in the print pattern storage unit 25. At this time, the print sizes of the characters and the portrait are made the same by enlarging the basic font of the portrait. (4) The developed dot pattern data is read out, supplied to the print control unit 29, and printed by the printing unit 33. The control program for executing these operations is stored in the control processing program storage unit 15 described above.

Next, the operation of the printing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be described. The user operates the input unit 13 to input a character to be printed or specify a portrait image to input print data. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 (A), it is possible to input only the normal character M.
As shown in (B), it is possible to input only the portrait image N, and further, as shown in FIG. 2 (C), it is possible to input in the form in which the character M and the portrait image N are mixed. is there. Each portrait image N is designated by the code data input from the input unit 13.

The document control unit 11 stores the print data input from the input unit 13 in the document data storage unit 21, and further displays the input data by using the character font storage unit 17 and the portrait font storage unit 19. And is supplied to the display control unit 27. In addition, the document control unit 11 performs processing such as Kana-Kanji conversion in accordance with an instruction from the input unit 13 to determine the document data stored in the document data storage unit 21.

When the input of the print data is completed, the user operates the format key of the input unit 13. In response to the operation of the format key, the document control section 11 causes the display section 31 to display the format setting screen shown in FIG.

When the user operates the cursor key, the execution key, etc. of the input unit 13 to select “size” for prompting the setting of the print character size, the document control unit 11 displays the display unit 31 via the display control unit 27. The character size selection screen shown in FIG. 3 (B) is displayed. When the user operates the cursor key, the execute key, or the like to select "Hyoujun", the print size is set to the standard size (1 × 1 times). On the other hand, if "Kakudai" is selected to instruct enlargement of print characters, the print size is set to twice the standard size (2 x 2 times).

After that, when the print key of the input section 13 is operated, the document control section 11 starts the print processing shown in FIG. First, the document control unit 15 reads the font corresponding to the first data of the print data stored in the document data storage unit 21 from the character font storage unit 17 or the portrait font storage unit 19 (step S1). Next, the document control unit 11 determines whether the print magnification set in the format setting process is 1 × 1 or 2 × 2 (step S2).

When the printing magnification is 1 × 1 times, it is determined whether the read font is a character font or a portrait font (step S3). If the font is a character font, the font is written in the print pattern storage unit 25 (step S4). On the other hand, when the read font is a portrait font, the font is supplied to the font size conversion unit 23. The font size conversion unit 23 enlarges the supplied font 1.5 times in the vertical and horizontal directions and converts the 32 × 32 dot font into a 48 dot × 48 dot font (step S5).

The font size conversion process executed in step S5 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6A is a dot pattern of a basic font of a portrait image, FIG.
Indicates a dot pattern of a font enlarged to 3/2 times. As shown in FIGS. 6 (A) and 6 (B), in this embodiment, each dot of the portrait font is doubled every other dot to make a font of 32 × 32 dots 48.
Converted to x48 dot font.

That is, 32 × of the basic font of the portrait image
As shown in FIG. 6 (A), each of the 32 dots is A1,1, ..., A1,32, A2,1 ,. Each dot of
As shown in (B), B1,1, ..., B1,48, B
2, 1, ..., B48,48, this embodiment expands to satisfy the following relationship. B1,1 = A1,1, B1,2 = A1,1, B1,3 = A1,2, ...
B2,1 = A1,1, B2,2 = A1,1, B2,3 = A1,2, ...
B3,1 = A2,1, B3,2 = A2,1, B3,3 = A2,2, ...
・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・
.., B48,46 = A32,31, B48,47 = A32,31, B48,48
= A32,32

The above relationship can be summarized as one expression (1)
It is represented by a formula. Bi, j = AINT {2 (i-1) / 3} + 1, INT {2 (j-1) / 3} +1 (1) where i, j = 1 to 48, INT ( X) is a function that represents an integer that does not exceed X.

Therefore, the conversion operation of step S5 by the font size conversion unit 23 can be carried out by the processing (subroutine) shown in the flowchart of FIG. That is,
In step T1, the column number j is set to 1, in step T2 the row number i is set to 1, and in step T3, the value of the dot Bi, j of the i-th row and j-th column of the enlarged font is calculated based on the equation (1). . Then, in step T4, it is determined whether or not the line number i reaches 49. If it is less than 49, the line number i is updated in step T5 and the process returns to step T3. on the other hand,
If the row number i is 49, it is determined in step T6 whether or not the column number j reaches 49. If it is less than 49, the column number j is updated in step T6 and the process returns to step T2. . If the column number j is 49, the enlargement process for one font is completed.

When the conversion process in step S5 is completed,
The document control unit 11 writes the portrait font, the size of which has been converted by the font size conversion unit 23, in the print pattern storage unit 25 (step S4). In addition, the dots that have been enlarged while performing the enlargement process are sequentially printed in the print pattern storage unit 2.
5 may be written.

If the printing magnification is 2 × 2, step S1
It is determined whether the font read in step 3 is a character font or a portrait font (step S6). When the read font is a character font, the document control unit 11 supplies the character font to the font size conversion unit 23.
The font size conversion unit 23 doubles the supplied character font vertically and horizontally to convert a 48 × 48 dot font into a 96 dot × 96 dot font (step S
7).

In this case, for each dot Bi, j (i, j = 1 to 48) of the 48.times.48 dot font, each dot Ci, j of the 96.times.96 dot font doubled in step S7. (I, j = 1 to 96) is expressed by the equation (2). Ci, j = BINT {(i-1) / 2} + 1, INT {(j-1) / 2} +1 (2) where i, j = 1 to 96, INT (X) Is a function that represents an integer that does not exceed X.

In the flow chart of such enlargement processing, the equation (1) in step T3 of FIG. 6 is changed to the equation (2), and 49 to be compared in steps T4 and T6 are set to 96.
It can be realized by replacing with. When the conversion is completed, the document control unit 11 prints the font whose size is converted by the font size conversion unit 23.
5 (step S4).

On the other hand, if the printing magnification is 2 × 2, step S
When the font read in 1 is a portrait font, the document control unit 11 supplies the portrait font to the font size conversion unit 23. The font size conversion unit 23 enlarges the supplied font three times in length and width to convert a 32 × 32 dot font into a 96 dot × 96 dot font (step S8). In this case, for each dot Ai, j (i, j = 1 to 32) of the 32 × 32 dot font, each dot Ci, j (i, i of the 96 × 96 dot font enlarged three times in step S8. j = 1 to 96) is expressed by the equation (3). Ci, j = AINT {(i + 2) / 3}, INT {(j + 2) / 3} (3) where i, j = 1 to 96, INT (X) exceeds X It is a function that represents a non-integer.

In the flow chart of such enlargement processing, the equation (1) in step T3 of FIG. 5 is changed to the equation (3), and 49 to be compared in steps T4 and T6 are set to 96.
It can be realized by replacing with.

When the conversion is completed, the document control unit 11 writes the font, the size of which is converted by the font size conversion unit 23, in the print pattern storage unit 25 (step S).
4).

There are printing magnifications other than 1 × 1, 2 × 2,
When it is selected, the enlargement processing according to the selected print magnification is executed (step S9).

Next, it is judged whether or not there is print data to be converted into a dot pattern (step S1).
0). If it remains, the target print data is updated (step S11), and the process returns to step S1. on the other hand,
When there is no print target data to be converted into a dot pattern, that is, when all print target data has been converted into dot patterns, other processing for creating a print pattern, for example, hatching, Processing such as framing and underlining is performed (step S12). With respect to the enlarged font, processing for making the font beautiful such as rounded corners, for example, smoothing processing is performed in step S12.
You may go in.

After performing the process of step S10, the print pattern stored in the print pattern storage unit 25 is printed (step S13). For example, when the printing unit 33 is a line printer, the document control unit 11 uses the print pattern storage unit 25.
The dot pattern stored in (1) is cut out for each line (one line of the heating element of the print head included in the printing unit 33) and is supplied to the print control unit 29. Print control unit 29
Controls the transportation of the label tape which is the medium to be printed and also controls the print head to print the data supplied from the document control unit 11.

That is, in FIG. 7 (A), "Tsujo" is selected and the 48 × 48 stored in the character font storage unit 17 is selected.
Printing example when dot character M is printed, FIG. 7B
"Tsujo" is selected for, and the portrait font storage unit 1
A printing example in which the basic format of 32 × 32 dots stored in FIG. 9 is converted into an enlarged font of 48 × 48 dots, and a portrait image N of 48 × 48 dots is printed based on the converted enlarged font. A print example of data in which the character M and the portrait image N are mixed when "Tsujo" is selected in 7C, a print example of the character M when "Enlarge" is selected in Fig. 7D, FIG. 7 (E) shows a print example of a portrait image when “enlarge” is selected, and FIG. 7 (F) shows a print example of data in which characters and a portrait image are mixed when “enlarge” is selected. .

With such a configuration and operation, it is possible to print the characters and images respectively constituting the size of the character font and the font of the portrait image different from the size of this character font in the same size, and line feed. It becomes easy to control such as

In the above embodiment, when the basic font of the portrait image is enlarged to 48 × 48 dots, that is, 3/2 times, the dots in the odd rows and the odd columns are doubled. However, the dots in the odd rows and the odd columns may be multiplied by 1 and the dots in the even rows and the even columns may be doubled.

As described above, according to this embodiment,
Print data composed of basic fonts having different dot sizes such as characters and portrait images can be printed with the same print size for both data.

The magnification of the portrait image is not limited to 3/2. If necessary, the basic font of an image image such as a portrait image may be enlarged to an arbitrary magnification represented by (2M + 1) / 2 times. Here, M is a natural number. In this case, for example, each dot of the basic font is multiplied by 2M and "2M
It may be arranged such that the magnification is alternately increased by +1 ". For example,
When the basic font is enlarged to 5/2 times, the dots in the odd-numbered rows or odd-numbered columns of the basic font are multiplied by 2 or 3 in the column direction or the row direction, and the even rows or columns are increased in the column direction or the row direction by 2 or 3. The dots in the even rows or the even columns are tripled in the column direction or the row direction by 3 or 3.

In the above embodiment, the dot size of the basic font for characters is 48 × 48 dots and the dot size of the basic font for portraits is 32 × 32 dots, but the number of dots is not limited to this. For example, the dot size of the character basic font may be 42 × 42, and the dot size of the basic font of the portrait image may be 28 × 28 dots. Although the portrait image is enlarged in both the vertical and horizontal directions in the above embodiment, for example, the characters and the portrait image may be printed in the same print size by enlarging the portrait image only in the vertical direction.

In the above embodiment, the number of dots of the basic font of the special image, which is different from the ordinary characters of the portrait image (Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji, alphabets, numbers, etc.), is different from the ordinary characters, and these characters are mixed. The case was explained. The invention is not limited to this example. That is, the font of the image image does not need to be a portrait image, and may be any image such as various marks and symbols in addition to images of various objects. Further, for example, when printing a document in which characters having different basic font dot sizes are mixed, the characters may be enlarged or reduced so that the print sizes of those characters match.

If print data having different basic font dot sizes can be printed in the same size, for example, print data of a large size may be reduced and printed. For example, in the above embodiment, the basic font of characters may be reduced to 2/3 times and the characters and the portrait image may be printed in the same size.

In the above embodiment, the portrait image is always 4 pixels in length and width.
It is converted into an 8 x 48 dot font and printed. The present invention is not limited to this. For example, when only a portrait image exists in a certain line, the portrait image is 32 × 3 vertically and horizontally.
It is also possible to print in a basic size of 2 dots and enlarge the portrait only when the characters and the portrait are mixed in the same line. In this case, for example, before the step S1 in the flowchart of FIG. 4, a step of determining whether or not a character and a portrait image are mixed in the same line is provided. If they are mixed, the processing of FIG. If not, normal print processing may be performed.

In the above embodiment, the document control unit 11 and the font size conversion unit 23 are independent blocks, but the font size conversion process may be performed by the document control unit 11 itself. Further, the character font storage unit 17, the portrait font storage unit 19, the document data storage unit 21, the print pattern storage unit 25 and the like may be configured by a common memory.

[0046]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Printed data with different basic font sizes, for example,
Character data and image data can be printed in the same size. Further, according to the present invention, the basic font of the image can be enlarged to any non-integer multiple or non-integer multiple enlarged font according to a user's instruction.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of input data, FIG. 2A shows an example of only characters, FIG. 2B shows an example of only portrait images, and FIG. 2C shows an example in which portrait images and characters are mixed.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a display screen of a display unit, (A) shows a format setting screen, and (B) shows a print size selection screen.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a printing process.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining font enlargement processing by a font size conversion unit.

FIG. 6A is a diagram showing a dot pattern of a basic font of a portrait image. FIG. 9B is a diagram showing an example of a dot pattern when the basic font shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a printing example, (A) is a printing example of a character when “Tsujo” is selected, and (B) is a printing example of a portrait image when “Tsujo” is selected. , (C)
Is a print example of print data in which characters and portrait images are mixed when "Tsujo" is selected, (D) is a print example of characters when "Enlarge" is selected, and (E) is "Enlarge" A print example of a portrait image when is selected, and (F) is a print example of print target data in which characters and a portrait image are mixed when “Enlarge” is selected.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Document control unit, 13 ... Input unit, 15 ... Control program storage unit 15, 17 ... Character font storage unit, 19 ...
..Portrait font storage unit, 21 ... Document data storage unit,
23 ... Font size conversion unit, 25 ... Print pattern storage unit, 27 ... Display control unit, 29 ... Print control unit, 31 ...
・ Display unit, 33 ... Printing unit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An image data storage unit for storing image data, an instruction unit for instructing to enlarge the image data by a non-integer multiple, and an image stored in the image data storage unit according to an instruction of the instruction unit. An enlarged image data storage unit that enlarges data to a non-integer multiple and stores the non-integer multiple image data, and a printing unit that prints the non-integer multiple image data stored in the enlarged image data storage unit Printing device. 2. A first basic font storing means for storing a first basic font composed of dot patterns of n × n dots, and a dot pattern of m × m (m and n are natural numbers different from each other) dots. Second basic font storage means for storing a second basic font that is configured, input means for inputting print target data, and print target data input by the input means is the first
When the basic font and the second basic font are included, the font size of at least one of the first basic font and the second basic font is changed, and the print data is printed in the same or almost the same size. And a printing unit for performing the printing. 3. The first basic font includes a character basic font, and the second basic font includes an image basic font.
The basic font of the image has a dot pattern size smaller than the dot pattern size of the first basic font, and the printing unit enlarges and prints the dot pattern of the second basic font. The printing device according to claim 2. 4. An image font storage unit for storing a basic font of an image, a designation unit for designating enlargement of an image stored in the image font storage unit to a non-integer multiple or an integer multiple, and the designation unit. Is an integral multiple, the basic font forming the image stored in the image font storage means is an integral multiple, and if the instructing means instruct a non-integral multiple, An image font comprising: an enlarged font creating means for producing an enlarged font by enlarging the basic font by a non-integer multiple; and an enlarged font storage means for storing the enlarged font generated by the enlarging means. Magnifying device. 5. The image font enlarging apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising means for printing an image forming an enlarged font stored in said enlarged font storage means.