JPH07156450A - Font size-enlarging device and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a printer capable of enlarging a basic character font non-integral times to print it. CONSTITUTION:A character font ROM 14 stores a basic character font in a bit map form. When the basic character font is enlarged to 1.5 times, a control part 11 multiplies dots of an even line and an even row of a bit map of the basic character font one time: longitudinally and transversely, and multiplies dots of an odd line and odd row two times longitudinally and transversely. Therefore, the basic character font is beautifully enlarged to 1.5 times longitudinally and transversely as a whole.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for enlarging a font size and an apparatus for printing an enlarged font.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional printing device such as a word processor or a label printer is equipped with a font memory for storing character fonts. The font memory is accessed to convert print data into a dot pattern and print it. . Generally, these printers have a function of printing characters by enlarging them.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

A character font is composed of dot patterns. On the other hand, it is not possible to enlarge each dot of the character font in the memory to a decimal point unit, that is, a non-integer multiple. Therefore, the conventional printing device has a problem that the enlargement ratio is limited to an integral multiple and the size of printable characters is limited. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a font size enlarging device for enlarging a font at a magnification other than an integral multiple and a printing device capable of printing the enlarged font.

[0004]

To achieve the above object, a font size enlarging device of the present invention stores a basic font in a matrix-like bitmap format and a basic font storage means for storing the basic font in the basic font storage means. Specifying means for specifying that the basic font to be enlarged to a non-integer multiple in at least one of the vertical and horizontal directions of the bitmap, and the at least the bitmap of the bitmap in response to the enlargement designation by the specifying means. Enlargement means for enlarging the even-numbered bits in one direction to N times and the odd-numbered bits to M times different from the N times, and an enlarged print font enlarged by the enlarging means in a matrix bit map. And an enlarged font storage means for storing in a format.

For example, if the designation means is n. 5 (1.5,
(2.5, ...) times, the enlarging means enlarges the bits of the even-numbered column of the bitmap by n times and n + 1.
Magnify by one of the two times and multiply the bits in the odd columns by n times and n +
The basic font can be enlarged to the designated magnification by enlarging the other one magnification.

[0006]

In the font size enlarging device having the above construction, when the non-integer multiple of the basic font is designated by the designating means, the even-numbered bit and the odd-numbered bit of the basic font are enlarged by different magnifications. Therefore, the entire basic font is enlarged to a non-integer multiple. If the magnification designated by the designating means is L and M and N are set so as to satisfy the relationship of L = (M + N) / 2, the basic font can be L times as designated by the designating means. Also,
The basic font is expanded by n.times.n + 1 times the bit of the basic font by enlarging the bits of the even column and n.times.n + 1 times the other ratio of the basic font by expanding the basic font by n.times. 5
The magnification can be increased by a factor of 2, for example, 1.5.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an electronic circuit of a label printer equipped with the printing apparatus of the present invention. In this label printer, the operation of each part of the circuit is controlled by the control unit 11. The control unit 11 includes a key input unit 12, an input data RAM 13, a character font ROM 14, an enlarged character font ROM 15, a display drive unit 16, and a printing unit. Control unit 1
7 is connected. A display unit 18 is connected to the display drive unit 16, and a printing unit 19 is connected to the print control unit 17.

The key input unit 12 is for setting character / symbol keys for creating print data, a "kana / kanji conversion" key, a cursor key, an execution key, and a print format (print character size, etc.). It has a format key, a print key for starting the printing process, and various other control keys. The input data RAM 13 stores the input data. The character font ROM 14 stores basic character fonts such as hiragana, katakana, kanji, English symbols, and alphanumeric characters that can be input from the key input unit 12 in a bitmap format of vertical and horizontal 48 × 48 dots.

The enlarged character font RAM 15 stores the font data obtained by enlarging the basic character font data stored in the character font ROM 14 in a bitmap format.

The display unit 18 is composed of, for example, a dot matrix type liquid crystal display device. The display drive unit 16 is
Displayed data provided from the control unit 11 in response to a key operation of the key input unit 12 is displayed on the display unit 18. The printing unit 19 is a kind of line printer including a 96-dot line-type print head arranged corresponding to the width direction of a label tape (not shown) serving as a print medium. Print control unit 1
When the print pattern of the print-receiving data is given from the control unit 11, the printing unit 7 prints the print-receiving data in synchronization with the feeding operation of the label tape.

The control unit 11 is composed of, for example, a one-chip microprocessor having a CPU and a memory built therein,
The operation of the entire apparatus is controlled, and the character enlargement processing described later is performed. For this enlargement processing, the control unit 11 includes a plurality of pointers, a work area for enlargement processing, and the like, which are not shown.

FIG. 2A shows an example of the data structure of the basic character font stored in the character font ROM 14.
The basic character font is vertical 48 dots (6 bytes) x horizontal 4
It is composed of 8 dots (6 bytes), and each dot has a value of "1" or "0". When specifying the standard print size,
This data is printed as it is.

FIG. 2B is a diagram showing an enlarged state when the double enlargement is designated in the label printer. Each bit of the basic character font is vertically and horizontally enlarged to double. That is, each bit of the basic character font is converted into 4 bits having the same value. Therefore, the font after expansion is
It becomes a dot pattern of 96 bits × 96 bits.

FIG. 3 shows the above-mentioned 1.5 in the label printer.
It is a figure which shows the expansion state at the time of double magnification designation. in this case,
Since the enlargement factor is not an integer, each bit of the basic character font cannot be enlarged to 1.5 times as it is. Therefore, in the present embodiment, regarding the enlargement in the vertical direction, the odd-numbered line dots of the basic character font are doubled, and the even-numbered line dots are multiplied by one. Regarding horizontal expansion, the dots in the odd-numbered columns of the basic character font are doubled, and the dots in the even-numbered columns are multiplied by one. Therefore, the dots a of the basic character font of FIG. 2A are enlarged to 2 × 2 dots, b is 2 × 1 dots, c is 1 × 2 dots, and d is 1 × 1 dot, respectively.
The other dots e to n are similarly enlarged. Therefore, the enlarged font has a dot pattern of 72 bits × 72 bits. The font sizes before and after enlargement are shown in FIG.

After the enlarging processing as described above, the basic character font can be further magnified beautifully by performing processing for making the font beautiful by software as necessary, for example, smoothing processing such as rounding the corners. .

Next, the operation of the label printer having the font enlarging function will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the user operates the character / symbol key, the kana-kanji conversion key, the function key, etc. of the key input unit 12 to input the print data to the label printer. The input print data is sequentially stored in the input data RAM 13 in the code format.
The control unit 11 refers to the basic character font stored in the character font ROM 14 and supplies the display data to the display drive unit 16. The display drive unit 16 causes the display unit 18 to display the display data supplied from the control unit 11.

After inputting the print data, the format key is operated to set the print format. In response to the operation of the format key, the control unit 11 starts the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. First, the control unit 11 causes the display unit 18 to display the format setting screen shown in FIG. 6A via the display control unit 16 (step S1).

When setting the size of the print character, the user moves the cursor by using the cursor key and further operates the execute key to select "size" for prompting the setting of the print character size. This selection is detected in step S2, and the character size selection screen shown in FIG. 6B is displayed on the display unit 18 (step S3). When enlarging and printing a character, the user selects "enlarge" to instruct enlargement of the printed character. This operation is detected in step S4,
The enlargement ratio selection screen for specifying the enlargement ratio is shown in Fig. 6.
It is displayed as shown in (C) (step S5).

In the enlargement ratio designation screen of FIG. 6C, "Daizen" means 1.5 x 1.5 times enlargement of a full-width basic character font of 48 dots in the vertical direction and 48 dots in the horizontal direction. “× 2” means 2 × 2 times expansion of a full-width basic character font of vertical 48 dots × horizontal 48 dots.

The user selects the enlargement ratio in step S.
Detected at 6. Further, it is determined whether or not the selected enlargement ratio is an integral multiple (step S7). When the enlargement ratio is an integral multiple, that is, when “large 1 × 2” in FIG. 6C is selected, the control unit 11 performs the operation as described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. , Enlarged character font R by doubling each dot of the basic character font vertically and horizontally
Create enlarged character font on AM15 (step S
8).

After that, when the print key is operated (step S9), the control section 11 reads out the enlarged character font of the print target data stored in the enlarged character font RAM 15 and supplies it to the print control section 17. The print control unit 17 controls the print unit 19 to print the supplied print data on the label tape (step S10).

When the enlargement magnification selected by the user is a non-integer multiple, that is, when "large-scale" in FIG. 6C is selected, the flow proceeds from step S7 to step S11, and FIG.
As described with reference to (A) and FIG. 3, the dots in the odd-numbered rows and the odd-numbered columns of the basic character font are doubled in the column direction and the row direction, respectively, and the dots in the even-numbered rows and the even-numbered columns are changed in the vertical and horizontal directions. Enlarged character font RAM by multiplying by 1 in each direction
Create enlarged character font on 15 (step S1)
1).

After that, when the print key is operated (step S9), the control section 11 reads out the enlarged character font of the print data from the enlarged character font RAM 15 and supplies it to the print control section 17, for example, as shown in FIG. Printing is performed as shown in (step S10).

When "direction" is selected on the format setting screen of FIG. 6A, a process for controlling the printing direction and vertical / horizontal writing is performed in step S12. When "tape length" is selected on the format setting screen of FIG. 6A, a process for controlling the length of the print label is performed in step S12. Furthermore, FIG.
When "Hyoujun" is selected on the size selection screen of (B), the process of printing the print data stored in the input data RAM 13 in the size of the basic character font stored in the character font ROM 14 is performed. S
Perform at 12.

Next, the basic character font enlargement processing executed in steps S8 and S11 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 shows a procedure of processing when the basic character font is enlarged vertically and horizontally twice, and FIG. 9 shows a procedure of processing when the basic character font is enlarged vertically and horizontally 1.5 times.

First, with reference to FIG. 8, a procedure of processing for enlarging the basic character font to double the height and width will be described. The control unit 11 sets 1 to the horizontal dot number pointer PB that indicates the horizontal position of the enlargement processing target dot of the enlargement target basic character font. Further, the coordinates of the starting point when the enlarged font is written in the enlarged character font RAM 15 are set as the writing reference coordinates (PRX, PRY) (step T1). Next, the control unit 11 sets 1 to the vertical dot number pointer PC that indicates the vertical position of the enlargement processing target dot of the basic character font (step T2).

The control unit 11 sets 2 to the pointer D indicating the horizontal expansion number and the pointer E indicating the vertical expansion number (step T3), and further sets the coordinates (PB, PC) of the basic character font to be expanded. The vertical and horizontal E × D dot patterns each having the position data), that is, a 2 × 2 dot pattern is set (step T4).

The control unit 11 performs a smoothing process such as taking a corner on the pattern of vertical and horizontal E × D dots (step T5). Next, the control unit 11 develops the smoothed E × D dot pattern in the enlarged character font RAN15. That is, this E × D dot pattern is written in the E × D bit area with the writing reference coordinates (PRX, PRY) as the upper left vertex (step T6). As a result, the dot at the position of coordinates (PB, PC) of the basic character font to be enlarged becomes the enlarged character font RA
The size is enlarged to horizontal and vertical E × D dots on M15.

Next, the control unit 11 adds 1 to the vertical dot number pointer PC (step T7), and the value of the vertical dot number pointer PC is 48 in the vertical direction of the basic character font.
It is checked whether it has become larger, that is, has reached 49 (step T8). If the value of the pointer PC is equal to or smaller than the dot number 48, the writing reference coordinate P
E is added to RY (step T9), and then the process returns to step T3.

The value of the vertical dot number pointer PC is the number of dots 4
If it is larger than 8, the horizontal column pointer PB is incremented by 1 to process the data in the next column of the basic character font to be enlarged (step T10). Next, it is checked whether or not the value of the horizontal dot number pointer PB is larger than the horizontal dot number 48 of the basic character font (step T1).
1). If the value of the horizontal dot number pointer PB is equal to or smaller than 48, D is added to the write reference coordinate PRX to initialize the write reference coordinate PRY (step T12), and then the process returns to step T2. If the value of the horizontal dot number pointer PB is larger than 48, the enlarging process for one basic character font ends. If there is a character to be enlarged next, the above process is executed for that character, and the enlargement process ends when there are no more characters to be enlarged.

Next, referring to FIG. 9, a processing procedure for enlarging the basic character font by 1.5 times in the vertical and horizontal directions will be described. First, the control unit 11 sets 1 to the horizontal dot number pointer PB indicating the horizontal position of the enlargement processing target dot of the enlargement target basic character font. Further, the coordinates of the starting point when the enlarged font is written in the enlarged character font RAM 15 are set as the writing reference coordinates (PRX, PRY) (step U1). Next, the control unit 11 determines whether the value of the horizontal dot number pointer PB is an odd number or an even number (step U2). If it is an odd number, 2 is set to the pointer D indicating the number of horizontal expansions (step U3), and if it is an even number, 1 is set to the pointer D (step U4).

The control unit 11 sets 1 to the vertical dot number pointer PC indicating the vertical position of the dot to be enlarged in the basic character font (step U5), and whether the value of the vertical dot number pointer PC is an odd number. It is determined whether it is an even number (step U6). If it is an odd number, 2 is set to the pointer E indicating the number of enlargements in the vertical direction (step U7), and if it is an even number, 1 is set (step U8).

The control unit 11 controls the horizontal and vertical E × D having the same value as the dot of the coordinates (PB, PC) of the basic character font.
A dot pattern is formed (step U9), and smoothing processing is performed on it (step U10). Further, the smoothed E × D dots are expanded in the enlarged character font RAM 15. That is, the smoothed E × D dots are set to the coordinates (P
(RX, PRY) is written in the area of vertical and horizontal E × D dots with the upper left apex (step U11).

After that, 1 is added to the vertical dot number pointer PC (step U12), and it is checked whether or not the value of the vertical dot number pointer PC is larger than the vertical dot number 48 of the basic character font (step). U13). If the value of the pointer PC is equal to or smaller than the number of dots 48,
The value of the pointer PE is added to the reference coordinate PRY (step U14), and then the flow returns to step U6.

On the other hand, if the value of the vertical dot number pointer PC is larger than the dot number 48, 1 is added to the pointer PB (step U15). Next, it is checked whether or not the value of the pointer PB is larger than the horizontal dot number 48 of the basic character font (step U16). Pointer PB
If the value of is less than or equal to 48, then D is
Is added and the reference coordinates PRY are further initialized, and then the flow returns to step S2. Pointer P
If the value of C is larger than 48, the enlargement process of one basic character font ends. If there is a character to be enlarged next, the above process is executed for that character, and the enlargement process ends when there are no more characters to be enlarged.

In the above embodiment, the case where the basic character font is enlarged to a non-integer multiple is described as being enlarged to 1.5 times, but other magnifications may be used. For example, when the basic character font is enlarged 2.5 times in the vertical and horizontal directions, D is set to 3 in step U3 of FIG. 9, D is set to 2 in step U4, and E is set to 3 in step U7. In step U8, E is set to 2. That is, the basic character font is vertically and horizontally n. In the case of expanding by 5 times (n is a natural number), for example, in step U3 of FIG.
+1 is set, and in step U4 D is set to n,
In step U7, E is set to n + 1, and step U
In step 8, E is set to n. In addition, when expanding the basic character font to vertical and horizontal n (n is a natural number of 2 or more),
For example, n may be set to D and E in step T3 of FIG.

According to the font enlarging method of this embodiment, when enlarging to an integer multiple, each dot is uniformly enlarged, and when enlarging to a non-integer multiple, even columns (rows) and odd columns of the basic character font are used. The number of expansions differs depending on the (row). Therefore, an enlarged character font with a desired magnification can be created. Moreover, the basic character font is beautiful, for example, 1.5, 2,
It can be expanded 2.5, 3 ...

The basic character font is, for example, 1.
When multiplying 5 times, regarding the expansion in the vertical direction (column direction),
The enlargement ratio of dots in odd-numbered rows is set to 1, the enlargement ratio of dots in even-numbered rows is set to 2 times, and regarding enlargement in the horizontal direction (row direction), the enlargement ratio of dots in odd-numbered rows is set to 1 The magnification of dots may be double. That is, the basic character font is vertically and horizontally n. When expanding to 5 times (n is a natural number), for example, D is set to n in step U3 of FIG. 9, D is set to n + 1 in step U4, E is set to n in step U7, and step U8 is set. In E, n + 1 may be set to E. In addition, the basic character font may be expanded in only one direction, not limited to the case of expanding in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

In the example of FIGS. 8 and 9, a pattern of vertical and horizontal E × D dots is formed on the work area of the control unit 11, smoothing processing is performed for this, and then smoothing is performed at the writing reference position of the enlarged character font RAM 15. Are expanding the data that was created. However, it is not necessary to take such an approach. For example, the enlarged character font may be generated by directly writing the same data as the enlargement processing target dot of the enlargement target basic character font in the enlarged character font RAM 15, and then the smoothing processing may be performed. The smoothing process may be performed as needed.

In the above embodiment, the size of the basic character font is only 48 × 48 dots full width, but it is 48 × 24.
You may make it provide with the half-width basic character font of a dot. In this case, the dot size after enlargement is 96 × 48 dots when the magnification is 2 × and 72 × 3 when the magnification is 1.5 ×
It will be 6 dots. Further, when the value of the horizontal dot pointer PB reaches 25 in the processing of FIGS. 8 and 9, the enlargement processing for the basic character font is terminated.

In the above embodiment, the size of the basic character font is 48 × 48 dots, but the size is not limited to this.
4 × 24 dots, 36 × 36 dots, etc. can be arbitrarily selected. In the above embodiments, an example in which the present invention is applied to a label printer has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to various devices for printing, such as word processors and personal computers.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention,
An appropriate enlarged font can be created regardless of whether the enlargement ratio is an integral multiple or a non-integer multiple (n.5). Therefore,
Characters obtained by expanding the basic character font to a non-integer multiple can be printed properly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a structure of a label printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a diagram showing a dot pattern of a basic character font. FIG. 3B is a diagram showing a dot pattern when the basic character font shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows the basic character font shown in FIG.
It is a figure which shows the dot pattern when it expands 5 times.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a difference in size between a basic character font and a font enlarged in a length and width of 1.5 times.

5 is a flow chart for explaining a procedure for enlarging and printing the label printer shown in FIG.

FIG. 6A is a diagram showing an example of a display menu for setting enlargement of characters. (B) is a diagram showing an example of a display menu for setting enlargement of characters. (C) is a diagram showing an example of a display menu for setting the enlargement ratio of characters.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a print example of a font enlarged in a length and width of 1.5 times.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a processing procedure for doubling a basic character font vertically and horizontally.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing procedure for enlarging a basic character font by 1.5 times in length and width.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Control unit, 12 ... Key input unit, 13 ... Input data RAM, 14 ... Character font ROM, 15 ... Enlarged character font RAM, 16 ... Display drive unit, 17 ... ..Print control unit, 18 ... Display unit, 19 ... Printing unit

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A basic font storage unit for storing a basic font in a matrix bitmap format, and a basic font stored in the basic font storage unit in at least one of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction of the bitmap. Specifying means for specifying enlargement to a non-integer multiple; and N, for responding to the enlargement specification by the specifying means, for even-numbered bits in the at least one direction of the bitmap.
A magnifying means for magnifying twice and magnifying odd-numbered bits to M times different from the N times; and an enlarged font storage means for storing the enlarged print font enlarged by the enlarging means in a matrix bitmap format. A font size enlarging device characterized by being provided. 2. A magnifying power L designated by the designating means.
2. The font size enlarging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the enlarging ratio N of the even-numbered bit and the enlarging ratio M of the odd-numbered bit satisfy the relationship of L = (M + N) / 2. . 3. The designating means comprises n. When a 5 (n is a natural number) times enlargement is instructed, the enlargement means enlarges the bits of the even column of the bitmap by one of n times and n + 1 times, and the bits of the odd column by n times and n + 1. The font size enlarging device according to claim 1, wherein the font size enlarging device enlarges the image at the other magnification. 4. The font size enlarging device according to claim 1, further comprising a printing unit for printing the enlarged font stored in the enlarged font storage unit. 5. A basic font storage means for storing a basic print font in a matrix bitmap format, and the basic print font in the row and column directions n.
5 (n is a natural number) times a designating means for designating enlargement, and in response to the designating means, the even-numbered bits in the rows and columns of the bitmap are scaled up by one of n times and n + 1 times. An enlarging means for enlarging odd-numbered bits by the other magnification of n times and n + 1 times, an enlarged font storage means for storing the print font enlarged by the enlarging means in a matrix bitmap format, and the enlarged font And a printing unit for printing the enlarged print font stored in the storage unit.