JPH0812544B2 - Character font generator - Google Patents

Description

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a character font used for computer output,
Particularly, the present invention relates to generation of a character font suitable for synthesizing a large-width font using a large number of dots.

[Background of the Invention]

Conventionally, computer image fonts were prepared in advance for frequently used typefaces and sizes (dots), and if a size other than this was required, the fonts of the prepared size should be used. A method of combining by adding digital image processing such as enlargement / reduction is adopted. This method
In particular, in the case of enlarging with a large magnification, there is a drawback that the deterioration of character quality cannot be avoided, and this becomes a problem especially for large-sized characters such as characters used for a panel. On the other hand, it is conceivable to newly design a predetermined large-size character, but manually designing up to 8,000 characters for each typeface and size is a work that requires an enormous number of man-hours. There is a demand for a method to create large Japanese characters with less man-hours.

The root cause of large-scale enlargement that cannot be performed with high quality only by image processing is that the input information is only the font image that is the enlargement target, and lacks the appropriate information necessary to control the enlargement operation. There is a point. When a character font is represented not by an image but by coded information such as a vector string that defines the outline of a character graphic, it is possible to enlarge the graphic as an arbitrary magnification by a well-known method. Yes, the quality of results can be secured. (In this case, post-processing is required to convert the figure of the enlargement result obtained from the coded information into an image by, for example, a method such as painting.) However, the coded representation of a character figure that differs for each character type is required. Furthermore, if each typeface is created, it will take an extremely large number of man-hours and its feasibility is low. There is a need for a synthetic method with less man-hours while maintaining high quality of coded expressions.

[Object of the Invention]

A first object of the present application is to provide a character font generation device that can easily generate a font with high definition of different characters.

A second object of the present application is to provide a character font generation device that can easily generate a character font of different typeface and high definition.

[Outline of Invention]

For the above first object, in the first invention of the present application, (1) for each of a plurality of characters, each type of a plurality of specific character elements each having a thickness and configuring the characters and those characters The positions of a plurality of characteristic points of the element are stored in advance, and (2) the geometrical characteristics of a plurality of portions of each character element for each kind of a plurality of character elements used to form the plurality of characters. A shape parameter group that prescribes is stored in advance for the plurality of characters in common, and (3) when a font of any character is generated, for each of a plurality of specific character elements forming the character, a) positions of a plurality of feature points forming the character element,
The shape parameter group stored for the type of the character element is read, and (b) the position, length, and inclination determined by the positions of the plurality of characteristic points read for the specific character element are read out. A closed curve having a shape defined by the shape parameter group is generated, and (4) the character font is generated from the closed curve generated for each of the plurality of character elements forming the specific character.

Further, in the second aspect of the present invention, the above processing is performed using the shape parameter group stored for each of the plurality of typefaces. At this time, the positions of the characteristic points of each character element are commonly stored for a plurality of typefaces.

The outline of the preferred embodiment of the present application will be described below.

According to the present invention, by simulating an operation of pasting while transforming a character element indicating a characteristic of a typeface along a line figure (character data) having no thickness giving a skeleton of the character figure by a computer, It is characterized by synthesizing high quality character fonts for each typeface. Since the font data is common between the fonts, it is sufficient to create one for all the font types for which fonts should be prepared, and the font character elements are common between the font types, and at most about 20 fonts should be created for each font. Is known empirically, and the man-hours required to realize this method are much smaller than when designing a character font for each combination of a character type and a typeface.

In fact, in the world of lettering, as shown in Figure 1,
The character design of each typeface is done with the shape of the font in mind.

In FIG. 1, (a) is a reference font, (b) is a Mincho font,
(C) is a Gothic type, and (d) is a round Gothic type.

Further, FIG. 2 shows an example of the Mincho type character element 20, and FIG. 3 shows an example of the Gothic type character element 30. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, character elements of each typeface are defined and used as a basic shape for character design.

The names of (1) to (12) in FIGS. 2 and 3 are as follows.

(1) Ten (2) Yokosen (3) Splashing (4) Left flare (5) Tatesen (6) Tatesen (7) Right sled (8) Right sled (9) Left sled (10) Magane (11) Gyakuten (12) Yokoharai The present invention was motivated by the above-mentioned conventional method of lettering, but with the letter design sensuously performed by the lettering designer. Differently, when simulating the pasting operation with a computer, the information on the font and typeface is expressed as coded information in a form that can withstand various transformation operations, and it is applied to each character type according to the font shape. To transform the typeface.

Example of Invention

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following, in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, an example in which a character font is generated using a program will be mainly described, and the correspondence with each unit when the present invention is implemented by an apparatus will be appropriately described. .

FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. Fourth
In the figure, 1 is a graphic terminal, 2 and 3 are interactive programs for editing font data and font data, respectively, 4,
Reference numeral 5 is a file device (typeface storage means and typeface storage means) in which font data and typeface data are stored in a predetermined format, 6 is a font synthesizing program for generating a character font shape from the data of the file devices 4 and 5, and 7 is A file device that stores contour line data describing a character font shape, 8 is a conversion program that performs a format conversion operation such as enlargement on the data 7 and then approximates the contour line data to polygonal lines, and 9 is a closed figure surrounded by polygonal lines. Is a dot generating program for filling the inside of the file, 10 is a file device containing the imaged font, and 11 is a printer device for printing the imaged font. Note that 6, 8, 9 may be replaced with a hardware mechanism having a corresponding function. That is, in the character font generation device which is the hardware mechanism corresponding to FIG. 4, 6 is replaced by contour generation means, 8 is format conversion means, and 9 is replaced by font generation means.

In order to create a character font, it is necessary to prepare predetermined data from the graphic terminal 1 in the file devices 4 and 5 through the interactive programs 2 and 3 in advance. The font data of the file device 4 is shown for each character type in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 regarding the geometric information defining the shape of the font shown in FIG. 1, that is, the line figure without thickness, and each character element of the font. It has an element identification number (typeface element ID) indicating which typeface is used. An example of the structure of the font data of the file device 4 is shown in FIG. Character code 50 that distinguishes the character type, the number 51 of elements that make up the font of the character, and the number of the set of type element ID 52 and geometric information for each font character element.
It forms font data for each character, which is stored in the same number as the character type. As the geometric information, the coordinates of the starting point 53 and the ending point 54 that define the line figure of the font character element, and, if necessary, the intermediate point 55 thereof are described. Start point 53, end point 54,
The intermediate point 55 is shown, for example, in FIGS. 5 (b) and 5 (c). Since the font shape of (2) horizontal line and (6) horizontal line in FIGS. 2 and 3 is a straight line segment, it is defined only by the start point 53 and the end point 54 as shown in FIG. 5 (b). On the other hand, if the font shape is curved, such as (4) left side hull or (7) right sled, it is determined by an appropriate method in addition to the start point 53 and end point 54 as shown in Fig. 5 (c). The midpoint 55 on the curved line is described. The way of defining the intermediate point may be appropriately determined in consideration of the transformation algorithm of the typeface basic element, but one method is to make a contact between a straight line parallel to the straight line connecting the start and end points and a curved line. Fifth
FIGS. 2B and 2C show examples of the geometrical information of the horizontal scroll and the left spiral, respectively.

The typeface data of the file device 5 has a standard value of a shape parameter (generally a plurality) that defines the shape of each typeface character element for each typeface. An example of the structure of the typeface basic element data of the file device 5 is shown in FIG. A typeface code 60 that indicates the type of typeface, the number of basic elements 61 defined for that typeface, and the number of typeface elements for each typeface
A set of ID 62 and shape parameter group 63 is arranged side by side to form typeface data for one typeface, and this typeface data is stored for the number of typefaces. The shape parameter group 63 is obtained by arranging numerical values indicating the shape characteristics of the character element, and the number and meaning of the parameters are defined for each character element. FIGS. 6 (b) and 6 (c) show examples of the shape parameters of the horizontal spiral and the left spiral, respectively.

The conversational programs 2 and 3 are used as means for creating and modifying the data in the file devices 4 and 5. The conversational programs 2 and 3 are ordinary conversational graphic editing programs, and can be constructed by known techniques.

Next, the font synthesizing program 6 will be described. After the predetermined data is prepared in the file devices 4 and 5, the font synthesizing program 6 uses the font shape and the element identification number obtained from the file device 4 and the shape parameter of the typeface character element obtained from the file device 5 for each process. The contour line data indicating the character graphic of the typeface is synthesized. The processing procedure of the font synthesizing program 6 is shown in FIG. 7 by taking the case of synthesizing a specific character type of a specific typeface as an example. When there are a plurality of character types, typefaces, or both, this can be realized by changing the data by the number of combinations and repeating the procedure of FIG. First, the data corresponding to the character type and the typeface concerned are read from the file devices 4 and 5, respectively (step 100), converted into the internal data format, and the typeface data buffer 12 and the typeface data buffer respectively.
Store in 13 (step 110). Next, regarding each of the font components of the character, the positions of the start point, the intermediate point, and the end point obtained from the font data buffer 12 are regarded as the reference point positions defined for the font character element indicated by the font element ID, and the periphery thereof. Then, a contour shape similar to the contour shape of the typeface character element is generated using the shape parameter group obtained from the typeface data buffer 13 (step 130). Of the quantities that determine the contour shape, those that do not depend on the geometric information of the font character elements are uniquely determined from the shape parameters of the font data buffer 13, and those that depend on the reference point coordinates or reference points obtained from the font data. Calculated from coordinates and shape parameters. For example, in the case of the horizontal scroll of FIG. 6 (b), the length l is the width of the scale from the start and end coordinates in the font data.
cl is the value c of the shape parameter 63 and the coordinates of the start point 53 and the end point 54,
Others are determined only from the shape parameter 63.

The contour shape is specifically expressed as a sequence of feature points on the contour line. After determining the sequence of the characteristic points that define the contour line, a series of straight line segments and curved line segments that smoothly connect them are determined (step 140). At this time, known arcs, spline curves, Bezier curves, and the like are used as the curved lines. After determining the series of straight line segments and curved line segments, a line segment ID indicating the type of each line segment and a column of a set of two to three feature point coordinates that define the line segment are written in the output buffer 14 ( Step 150).

After repeating steps 130 to 150 by the number of font components included in the font data buffer 12, the contents of the output buffer are flushed to the file device 7 (step 160). The data of the file device 7 is an array of data showing a series of straight lines and curved lines representing the contour line of the character graphic of the typeface for each character type, and a configuration example is shown in FIG. Character code 80 that distinguishes the character type, the number 81 of line segments that make up the contour line, and the number of line segment IDs 82 for each line segment and the group of feature point coordinates 83 group are arranged side by side to form one line of contour line data. This is accommodated by the number of character types, and constitutes data for one typeface. In order to realize a plurality of typefaces, as shown in FIG. 8, the above-mentioned data for one typeface is repeated for each type of typeface with a typeface code 85 for identifying the typeface and a character type number 86.

In the character font generation device that realizes the present invention by the hardware mechanism, the steps 100 and 110 correspond to the reading means for reading the information necessary for the character font generation, and the steps 130, 140, 150 and 160 correspond to the reading means. , Which corresponds to closed curve generating means for generating a closed curve for each character element based on the read information. Also, font data buffer 12
Corresponds to the font storage means, and the font data buffer corresponds to the font storage means.

Both the conversion program 8 and the dot generation program 9 are programs that can be configured by known algorithms.
Further, the file device 10 is similar to the dot font library which a word processor or a document processing system has and is known. Further, the printer device 11 may be any device that can print an image defined by a set of dots, and a commercially available laser beam printer or the like can be used.

As is clear from the above, in the present embodiment, (1) each character is represented by a combination of character elements, (2) each character element is represented by a feature point and a shape parameter group, , It is possible to express the shape of character elements up to extremely minute points.

Furthermore, (3) The shape parameters of the same type of character element used for multiple characters are commonly stored for these characters.

As a result, the amount of information required to generate a multi-character font is reduced.

(4) However, even with the same character element, the feature point itself is
Memorize depending on the character that uses that character element.

(5) Even with the same character element, a character element pattern in which the position, length, inclination, etc. differ depending on the character that uses it is generated. Furthermore, when the character element has a bending part, the bending angle is also determined for each character.

That is, in this way, from a plurality of feature points of a certain character element stored corresponding to each character and a shape parameter group stored for that character element, the position is dependent on those feature points, Generates a shape that depends on those feature points and their parameters.

That is, the position or shape of the same character element may differ slightly depending on the character that uses it. For example, in the case of the horizontal line character element illustrated in Fig. 5 (b) of this application, its position and length differ depending on the character used. Furthermore, the height of both ends is also different, and the inclination changes after all. The present invention realizes such a pattern of different character elements by changing the position of the feature point for each character.

Similarly, in the case of the left side of FIG. 5 (c) of the present application, the bend at the intermediate point 55 can be changed along with the position, length, and inclination. In the first invention of the present application, even in this case,
By changing the position of the characteristic points, it is possible to change the position, length, inclination, and even the angle of bending.

Generally, the feature point of each character element is the start point of the character element,
Only the endpoints, and sometimes one or more intermediate points, are needed, and the number of these feature points is usually much less practical than the number of parameters of the shape parameters of the character element. Therefore, in the first invention of the present application, the shape parameter group having a large amount of information is commonly used for a plurality of characters, and thus the amount of information is significantly reduced, and the shape of the character element depending on the character is changed. Is realized by changing the feature points, which have much less information than the shape parameter group, for each character.

In this way, in this embodiment, both the reduction of the amount of information and the realization of fine character shapes are realized.

As a result, it is possible to easily generate a character font having an accurate shape using a small amount of memory.

Furthermore, the characteristic points of each character element are stored in common regardless of the typeface, and the above processing is executed for each typeface.

In other words, even if the typeface is different, it is not necessary to change the feature points of the character elements, and by simply changing the shape parameter group for each typeface, even minute shapes of different typefaces can be realized. As a result, a character font with an accurate shape,
You can easily generate multiple fonts using less memory.

In Fig. 4, enlarged in the range of the same character design,
Format conversion operations such as reduction and rotation can be performed again from the file device 7. On the other hand, when changing the character design itself, either change the data in the file units 4 and 5 by using the interactive programs 2 and 3, or change the font character elements of the font composition program 6 only for a specific character type. Change the standard value of the parameter.

According to the present invention, there is an effect that character fonts of various typefaces can be created with high quality with far fewer man-hours than in the past. When preparing N kinds of characters for S kinds of fonts, the number of basic elements per font is E, the number of man-hours for creating one character font data, and one kind of basic font element data are P _J and P respectively.
And _E, also directly without using the present invention, when the number of steps to create each character and one character 1 font per P, man-hours reduction G of the present invention is G = P · N · S- ( P J · N + P E・ E ・ S) Even if it is strictly estimated that P = P _J = P _E , G = P (N (S-1) -ES) N is usually 3,000 or more, while S is 10 at most and E is at most 20. Therefore, if S ≧ 2, that is, G >> 0, that is, a sufficiently large man-hour reduction can be expected as long as two or more types of fonts are prepared. Moreover, since N and S are usually increasing, the effect becomes even larger.

〔The invention's effect〕

In the first invention of the present application, it is possible to generate a high-definition font of different characters using a small memory capacity.

In the second invention of the present application, it is possible to generate a high definition font of characters of different typefaces using a small memory.

[Brief description of drawings]

1, 2, and 3 are explanatory views showing a lettering method, FIG. 4 is an overall configuration diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of configuration of font data of the file device 4. , FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration example of typeface data of the file device 5, FIG.
The figure shows the character font synthesizing program 6 which is the core of the present invention.
8 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of FIG. 8, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of the file device 7. 1 ... Graphic terminal, 2, 3 ... Conversational editing program, 4, 5 ... File device containing font data and typeface data, 6 ... Character font synthesis program, 7 ...
… A file containing the outline data of character figures, 8 ……
A program or mechanism that performs format conversion on contour line data,
9 ... Program or mechanism for performing closed figure filling, 10 ... File device containing image font, 11 ...
... printing device.

Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP 58-55973 (JP, A) JP 57-71082 (JP, A) JP 55-28183 (JP, A) JP 59-765 (JP , A) Actual development Sho 55-81834 (JP, U)

Claims (8)

[Claims] (1) With respect to each of a plurality of characters, each type of a plurality of specific character elements having respective thicknesses, which constitutes each character, and coordinates of a plurality of feature points included in each character element. (2) Each character element based on the length, width, and inclination for each type of a plurality of character elements used to form the plurality of characters with reference to the coordinates. A font storage means in which a shape parameter group that defines the shape characteristics of a plurality of parts included in the character string is stored in advance for the plurality of characters in common (3) When the font of a desired character is generated, the character Contour generating means for generating a contour line for each of a plurality of specific character elements constituting the above, and (4) combining closed curves generated for each of the plurality of character elements constituting the specific character, Character The outline generating means further includes: (a) reading the coordinates of a plurality of characteristic points forming the specific character element from the font storing means, and the font storing means. Reading means for reading the shape parameter group stored for the specific character element type; and (b) the coordinates of a plurality of feature points read from the font storage means for the specific character element as a reference. As a character, a closed-curve generating unit that determines a plurality of contour points defined by a shape parameter group read from the typeface storage unit and generates a closed curve that connects the contour points smoothly in sequence. Font generator. 2. In the font storage means, the plurality of feature points included in each character element include at least a start point and an end point, and when any one of the character elements is a bent figure, the plurality of feature points of the character element are 2. The character font generation device according to claim 1, further comprising a midpoint representing a bending point. 3. The closed curve generating means, when a character element for which a closed curve is to be generated has a bending portion, a closed curve in which the bending angle of the character element changes depending on the bending angle at an intermediate point representing the bending point. The character font generation device according to claim 2, wherein the character font generation device generates the character font. 4. The character font generation device according to claim 1, wherein the font generation means fills the inside of the closed curve generated for each character element to generate the character font. 5. (1) For each of a plurality of characters, the respective types of a plurality of specific character elements having respective thicknesses that constitute each character and the coordinates of a plurality of characteristic points included in each character element. Is stored in advance in common with a plurality of fonts that the character can have. (2) To configure a plurality of characters of each of the different fonts based on the coordinates as a reference. A shape parameter group that defines shape characteristics of a plurality of portions of each character element by length, width, and inclination is common to a plurality of characters of the typeface for each type of a plurality of character elements used. (3) When generating a font of a desired specific font for one of a plurality of desired characters, a contour line for each of a plurality of specific character elements that make up the character. To generate the contour raw And (4) a font generating unit that generates a font of a character by synthesizing closed curves generated for each of the plurality of character elements that form the specific character, the contour generating unit further comprising: (A) The coordinates of a plurality of characteristic points that compose the character element stored for the specific character element type are read from the font storage means, and the font storage means reads:
Read-out means for reading out a shape parameter group stored for the type of the specific character element; and (b) with reference to coordinates of a plurality of feature points read out from the font storage means for the specific character element, Character font generation means for determining a plurality of contour points defined by a shape parameter group read from the typeface storage means and for generating a closed curve connecting the contour points smoothly in sequence; apparatus. 6. In the font storage means, a plurality of feature points of each character element include at least a start point and an end point, and when any one of the character elements is a bent figure, the plurality of feature points of the character element are further 6. The character font generation device according to claim 5, wherein the character font generation device includes an intermediate point that represents a bending point. 7. The closed curve generating means, when a character element for which a closed curve is to be generated has a bending portion, generates a closed curve in which the bending angle of the character element changes depending on the bending angle at an intermediate point representing the bending point. The character font generation device according to claim 6, wherein the character font generation device generates the character font. 8. The character font generation device according to claim 5, wherein the font generation means fills the inside of the closed curve generated for each character element to generate the character font.