JPH08123399A - Method and device for processing character data and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve efficiency for the utilization of a storage means and to reduce the utilization by performing post-plotting enlargement processing on an enlargement scale permitted by the capacity of the storage means as much as possible before plural modification processings and performing remaining enlargement after the plural modification processings. CONSTITUTION: The X-fold enlargement scale is set in the biginning but it is divided into y-fold pre-plot enlargement scale and a double plot enlargement scale. Concerning, x, y and z, the relation like 5004 (x=y×z) is established. How to divide the enlargement scale is set, in a certain range so that the character data size of 5002 can not exceed the modification work point. Then, before the plural modification processings are performed, pre-plot enlargement processing is performed with the divided pre-plot enlargement scale and character data 5001 are prepared. Next, the plural modification processings are performed and character data 5002 are prepared. Then, the enlargement processing is performed at the time of plotting while using the plot enlargement scale and character data 5003 are prepared. In this case, it is also available to change the order of each modification in plural modifications corresponding to the size of the storage means.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a character data processing method,
The present invention relates to a character data processing device and an image forming device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when character modification is performed on character data by using an enlarging processing means and a plurality of modification processing means, the modification is performed in an order uniquely determined by the modification control means. Further, when the enlargement processing means is used, the character quality is taken into consideration and the plural modification processing means is applied first.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, when there is the enlarging processing means and the plural modifying processing means, the enlarging processing is performed before the other modifying, and the storing means for the expanding and plural modifying processing. There was a case where there was not enough capacity and there was no choice but to perform special processing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a character data processing method and apparatus which can solve the above problems and improve the efficiency and reduction of storage means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus using the character data processing device.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 enlarges character data at a predetermined enlargement ratio, and the size of the character data after the modified processing can be stored in the storage means. If it is a size that cannot be stored in the storage means according to the determination, the character data is expanded to a size within a range that can be stored in the storage means and stored in the storage means. The character data stored in is modified, and the character data after the modification extracted from the storage means is subjected to the expansion processing so as to obtain the predetermined expansion ratio and output.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the storage means for storing the character data after the enlargement and modification processing, and the size of the character data after the modification processing for expanding the character data at a predetermined enlargement ratio are the storage means. And a judgment means for judging whether the character data can be stored in the storage means by the judgment, and if the character data is stored in the storage means by the judgment, the character data is expanded to a size within the range that can be stored in the storage means A means for storing, a means for modifying the character data stored in the storage means, and an enlarging process for obtaining the predetermined expansion ratio for the character data after the modification processing extracted from the storage means. And an output means for outputting the output.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the character data processing device according to the second aspect, and means for drawing the character data with a predetermined enlargement ratio from the output means in the character data processing device. .

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of a laser beam printer (hereinafter abbreviated as LBP) to which the present embodiment is applied. This LBP is for registering a character pattern from a data source (not shown) and a fixed format. You can register (form data) etc. In the figure, reference numeral 1000 denotes an LBP main body, which inputs and stores character information (character code) supplied from an externally connected host computer, form information, microinstructions, etc., and responds in accordance with those information. A character pattern, a form pattern, etc. are created, and an image is formed on a recording medium which is a recording medium. 10
Reference numeral 12 denotes an operation panel on which switches for operation and LED displays are arranged, and 1001 is a printer control unit for controlling the entire LBP 1000 and analyzing character information supplied from the host computer. The control unit 1001 mainly converts character information into a video signal having a corresponding character pattern to convert the character information into a laser driver 100.
Output to 2. The laser driver 1002 is a circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 1003, and switches on / off the laser light 1004 emitted from the semiconductor laser 1003 according to an input video signal. Laser 100
A rotary polygon mirror 1005 is swung in the left-right direction to scan the electrostatic drum 1006. As a result, the electrostatic drum 100
An electrostatic latent image of a character pattern is formed on 6. This latent image is developed by the developing unit 1007 around the electrostatic drum 1006.
And then transferred to a recording paper. A cut sheet is used as the recording sheet, and the cut sheet recording sheet is LBP.
It is stored in the paper cassette 1008 attached to 1000,
Paper feed roller 1009 and transport rollers 1010 and 101
1 and the electrostatic drum 1006.
Is supplied to.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the printer control unit.

Reference numeral 2001 indicates an external device such as a host computer, reference numeral 2002 indicates a printer control unit,
Reference numeral 2011 denotes a printer engine. The printer control unit 2002 has the following configuration. Reference numeral 2003 indicates an address / data bus, 2004 indicates a host I / F including a buffer unit, 2005 indicates a CPU, and 2006 indicates a CPU 20.
RO storing the control procedure and the like as shown in FIG.
M, 2007 is a DMA unit controlled by the CPU, 20
Reference numeral 08 is a panel unit, and 2009 is an I including an output buffer unit for storing data for sending the engine 2011.
A / F circuit unit, 2010 indicates a RAM.

The flow of processing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2 and FIG.

First, it is checked in step 1 whether or not character data (or character code: hereinafter collectively treated as character data) is received from the external device 2001. If the character data is not received, the process is skipped and the process ends. If you are receiving character data, step2
Check whether the character data is valid data. If the character data is invalid, the process returns to step 1 to receive the next character data. If it is valid character data, ste
Whether or not the character data is modified is checked in p3. If the character data is not modified, step11
Then, the normal processing is performed and the next character data is received in step 1. Normal processing in this case simply renders character data. If modified, step4
Investigate whether the modification processing includes expansion modification. If there is no expansion modification, normal processing is performed in step 11. The normal process in this case is to perform character modification according to the modification control means stored in the ROM of 2006 before rendering. The modification control means is a program that controls the order of character modification.

If the expansion modification is included in the character modification, it is checked in step 5 whether the character modification is only the expansion modification. If the character modification is only the expansion modification processing, normal processing is performed in step 11. The normal processing in this case is to perform enlargement modification at the time of rendering. If not only expansion modification processing but expansion modification and multiple modification processing are combined, step6
The analysis means stored in the ROM of 2006 analyzes the size of the character data after the decoration when all the decoration means specified by using the decoration control means stored in the ROM of 2006 are executed. The analysis means is the size of character data (size of character data 4002 in FIG. 4).
Checks whether the size exceeds the predetermined size of the character data storage area or the character data modification work area.

If the character data does not exceed the size of the above area, normal character modification processing is performed in step 11. The character modification processing in this case is to be performed using the modification control means stored in the ROM of 2006. The outline of this process is shown in FIG. First, 4000 times of character data is enlarged by x times, and character data 4001 after x times enlargement is created. Next, the character data 4002 after the x-fold enlargement is subjected to a plurality of modification processes.
make. When the size of the character data (size of the character data 4002) after analysis by the analyzing means exceeds the size of the character data storage area or the character data modification work area in step 6, the expansion modification in the modification information is performed in step 7. The enlargement ratio of is divided into a pre-drawing enlargement ratio and a drawing enlargement ratio.

According to FIG. 5, the enlargement ratio of x times was initially set, but it is divided into the pre-drawing enlargement ratio y times and the drawing enlargement ratio z times. For x, y, and z, a relation such as 5004 (x = y ×
z) holds. The method of dividing the enlargement ratio is set within a range in which the character data size of 5002 does not exceed the modification work area. Before performing the multiple modification process in step 9, the pre-drawing enlargement process is performed at the pre-drawing enlargement ratio divided in step 8 to create character data 5001. Next, in step 9, a plurality of modification processes are performed to create character data 5002. Then, in step 10, enlargement processing is performed at the time of drawing using the drawing enlargement ratio to create character data 5003.

With the above processing of one character is completed, step 1
Return to and repeat from receiving the next character data.

(Other Embodiments) In the above embodiment, the case of character modification of the character development means of the LBP was dealt with, but it is also possible to use a device other than the LBP having character development means and character modification processing.

Further, in the above embodiment, the storage means is efficiently used by dividing the enlargement ratio, but the order of each of the plurality of modifications may be changed according to the size of the storage means. Further, division of the enlargement ratio and exchange of the modification order may be performed at the same time.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the capacity of the storage means for enlargement and multiple modification processing is insufficient, the expansion processing is divided into before and after the multiple modification processing, and the capacity of the storage means is reduced. By performing the pre-drawing enlargement process before the multiple modification process and performing the remaining enlargement after the multiple modification process at an expansion rate as long as it is allowed, the efficiency and reduction of the use of the storage unit can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of a printing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a printer control unit of the printing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a procedure of normal modification processing.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a procedure in this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2001 External Device 2002 Printer Control Unit 2003 Address / Data Bus 2004 Host I / F 2005 CPU 2006 ROM 2007 DMA Section 2008 Panel Section 2009 I / F Circuit Section 2010 RAM 2011 Engine Section

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Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. The character data is enlarged at a predetermined enlargement ratio, and it is judged whether the size of the character data after the modified processing can be stored in the storage means. Stores the character data in the storage unit by enlarging the character data to a size within a range that can be stored in the storage unit, modifies the character data stored in the storage unit, and extracts the character data from the storage unit. A character data processing method, characterized in that the character data after the modification processing is subjected to expansion processing so as to obtain the predetermined expansion ratio and is output. 2. Storage means for storing character data after enlargement and modification processing, and whether the size of the character data after the character processing after the character data is expanded at a predetermined enlargement ratio can be stored in the storage means. And a means for expanding the character data to a size within a range that can be stored in the storage means and storing the character data in the storage means when the size cannot be stored in the storage means. A means for modifying the character data stored in the storage means; and an output means for executing and outputting the expansion processing so that the character data after the modification processing extracted from the storage means can obtain the predetermined expansion ratio. A character data processing device comprising: 3. An image forming apparatus comprising: the character data processing device according to claim 2; and means for drawing character data of a predetermined enlargement ratio from an output means in the character data processing device.