JPH08297711A - Character string output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To precisely arrange the input character strings among the segments constructing a slip form by providing a character string arrangement means to arrange the input character strings along the segments which are detected out of an original image. CONSTITUTION: A CPU 1 detects the segments out of the slip images which are read out by a print device 7 containing an image reader, decides the types (straight lines, circular arcs, etc.) of the segments, and writes these segments in an image graphic work memory 5-1. An image graphic conversion part 10 converts the segment images into the coordinate string data and writes them in the memory 5-1. A character graphic conversion part 11 generates the character strings containing the arrangement information based on the character strings, the image graphics and the contents of the memory 5-1 and writes these generated character strings in a hyperoutline memory 5-2. The data on the character strings containing the arrangement information include the graphic information and the arrangement information which belong to the same coordinate system, so that the character strings can follow up the graphics. Then the CPU 1 prints out the contents of a document memory 5 through the print device 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a character string output device for arranging and outputting an input character string along a line segment in a document image in a document processing device such as a word processor or a personal computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a slip is printed in a document processing apparatus such as a personal computer, when a printer or a slip is set, an input character string is assigned to each entry field according to the slip form, and output is performed. I am trying to do it. By the way, the slip set in the printer may be a copy sheet of a facsimile or a copying machine, or the printing content of the slip form may be inclined with respect to the sheet depending on the printing condition. Alternatively, when the slip is set in the printer, the paper may be set to be inclined with respect to the printer even if the print contents of the slip form are not inclined to the paper.

[0003]

As described above, when the print contents of the slip form are tilted with respect to the paper or the slip is inserted with respect to the printer, an input character string assigned to each entry field of the slip form. Was printed in an inclined state with respect to the line forming the entry column, and the printed content was extremely unsightly. An object of the present invention is to accurately input a character string along a line segment constituting a slip form or the like even if the line segment is inclined with respect to the sheet or the sheet is set while being inclined with respect to the printer. Is to be able to place.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems The means of the first invention (the invention according to claim (1)) is as follows. (1) The character string input means is a key input device or the like for inputting a character string. (2) The image reading unit is an image reader that scans a document and reads the document image. (3) The detecting means detects a line segment from the document image read by the image reading means. (4) The character string arrangement means arranges the character string input from the character string input means along the line segment detected by the detection means. (5) The output means is a printing device or a display device that outputs the character string arranged by the character string arrangement means. The detecting means detects a line segment from the document image read by the image reading means and a frame area surrounded by the line segment, and the character string arranging means is detected by the detecting means. The character string may be arranged in the frame area along the line segment forming the frame. Further, external storage means for registering and storing the character string input by the character string input means and for registering and storing the original image read by the image reading means is provided, and the contents of the external storage means are called to output the output. When instructed, the output means may insert the character string arranged by the character string arranging means into the manuscript image and print it out on paper together with the manuscript image. Further, the image reading means may be incorporated in a printing device so that the document is scanned line by line in response to the driving of the printing mechanism. Means of the second invention (the invention according to claim (5)) is as follows. In a character string output device in which an area sandwiched by two line segments is used as a character arrangement area and an input character string is arranged and output in the arrangement area along the line segment, (1), the image reading means is Scan the document and read the document image. (2) The line segment conversion means detects a line segment from the document image read by the image reading means and converts it into a coordinate sequence. (3) The generating unit defines the character arrangement area based on the line segment coordinate sequence converted by the line segment converting unit and generates the arrangement information expressed in the same coordinate system as the line segment coordinate sequence. (4), the adding means adds the arrangement information generated by the generating means to the input character string. (5) When outputting the character string to which the arrangement information is added by the adding means, the output means arranges and outputs the character string along each line segment in each character arrangement area indicated by the arrangement information.

[0005]

The operation of the means of the first invention is as follows. When the image reading means reads a document image such as a voucher, the detecting means detects a line segment from the document image, and the character string arranging means arranges the input character string along the detected line segment. Then, the output means outputs the character string arranged by the character string arrangement means. The operation of the means of the second invention is as follows. The line segment conversion means detects a line segment from the original image read by the image reading means and converts it into a coordinate sequence, and the generation means based on the line segment coordinate sequence converted by the line segment conversion means. The character arrangement area is defined and the arrangement information expressed in the same coordinate system as the line segment coordinate string is generated.
Then, the adding means adds the arrangement information generated by the generating means to the input character string, and the output means outputs the character string to which the arrangement information is added by the adding means, and indicates each of the arrangement information indicated by the arrangement information. A character string is arranged and output along the line segment in the character arrangement area. Therefore, even if the line segments that make up the slip form or the like are inclined with respect to the paper, or if the paper is set while being inclined with respect to the printer, the input character string must be accurately arranged along the line segment. You can

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the document processing apparatus. C
PU1 is a central processing unit that controls the overall operation of this document processing apparatus according to various programs, and when character string data is input from the key operation unit 2, the CPU 1 takes it in and gives it to the display control unit 3, It is output from the display device 4 and stored in the text memory 5-3 which constitutes the document memory 5. When a print command is input from the key operation unit 2, the CPU 1 gives the content of the document memory 5 to the print control unit 6, causes the printing device 7 with an image reader to print out, and the key operation unit 2 sends a save command. When input, the contents of the document memory 5 are given to the external storage control device 8 and registered and stored in the external storage device 9. Further, in response to the load command, the CPU 1 fetches the content of the external storage device 9 and stores it in the document memory 5.

The document memory 5 has an image / graphic work memory 5-1, a hyperoutline memory 5-2, a text memory 5-3 and the like. Although the image figure work memory 5-1 will be described later, when the slip image is read by the printing device 7 with an image reader, the CPU 1 detects a line segment included in the slip image, and the image figure conversion unit 10 causes a line to be detected. It is a temporary storage for work that temporarily stores the type (graphic type) of the line segment together with the data (image figure) of the coordinate sequence converted for each minute.

Here, in the present embodiment, a technique called hyper-outline is premised in order to arrange the input character string along the line segment included in the slip image, and this technique will be described later. As will be described later, the area sandwiched by two line segments is the character placement area, and by placing the text in this placement area, the entire text can be placed anywhere along a straight line, arc, bezier curve, etc. It is arranged to be deformed. By using this, in the present embodiment, a character string that is obliquely inclined according to the line segment in the slip image is arranged and output.

In the hyperoutline memory 5-2, an area sandwiched by two lines is a character arrangement area, and a character string arranged along the line segment in the character arrangement area is data called a graphic element + character string. A structure (see FIG. 2), that is, a memory that stores character string data to which layout information that defines a character layout area that is a graphic element is stored as data of a hyperoutline, the content of which is defined by a character / graphic information conversion unit 11 described later. It was generated. The text memory 5-3 is an ordinary document memory that stores character string data input from the key operation unit 2 and character string data loaded from the external storage device 9.

The printing device 7 with an image reader is a thermal printer, which moves a carriage on which a print head is mounted in the vertical direction to perform printing for one line, and then rotationally drives a platen to feed the paper. In the present embodiment, the platen is rotatable in the forward / reverse directions, and is configured to feed the paper or back feed. In addition, in the present embodiment, an image reader is mounted on the carriage in addition to the print head, and the printing mechanism is driven to scan the entire sheet line by line to read the original image. .
The slip image read by this is the print control unit 6
It is taken into the CPU 1 via. The CPU 1 stores this voucher image in the voucher image memory 1-1 for each voucher, detects a line segment from the voucher image, and gives the line segment image to the image figure conversion unit 10.
The type of the line segment (straight line, circular arc, etc.) is discriminated and written in the image figure work memory 5-1. The image figure conversion unit 10 converts a line segment image into coordinate sequence data, and the coordinate sequence data converted for each line segment is written in the image figure work memory 5-1.

The character / graphic information conversion unit 11 is a character string storage unit 1.
1-1, graphic information storage unit 11-2, arrangement information creation unit 11
-3 for generating the above-mentioned character string with the layout information based on the contents of the image graphic work memory 5-1 and the hyper outline memory 5-2, the CPU 1 stores the image graphic in the graphic information storage unit 11-2. , And the character string is set in the character string storage unit 11-1. The arrangement information creation unit 11-3 includes a character string storage unit 11-1 and a graphic information storage unit 11
-2, a character string with placement information is generated based on the contents of -2. At that time, the graphic information analysis unit 11-3A and the character information analysis unit 11-3B analyze the image graphic and the character string, and the analysis result According to FIG.
-3C converts the image figure into arrangement information. The character string with the placement information obtained by this is the data buffer 11
-4 is temporarily stored, and then written in the hyper-outline memory 5-2.

Here, the operating principle of the technique which is the premise of this embodiment, that is, the technique of arranging a character string at an arbitrary place will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The character string arranged at an arbitrary location has a data structure as shown in FIG. That is, the data structure of the character string with arrangement information has the form of graphic element + character string as described above,
The "pattern code" that defines a graphic element shows what kind of combination of the two lines the line segment is composed of, and the pattern code "0" shows that the two lines are "straight line +
It is shown that the character arrangement area is composed of a combination of "straight lines". Further, the pattern code "1" is a combination of "straight line + bezier curve", "2" is a combination of "bezier curve + bezier curve", and "3" is "arc + curve".
It indicates that the character arrangement area is formed by the combination of "arcs". Also, the "digit pitch" is the character width n / 32
The character pitch is defined by the value of n represented by. In addition,
“32” indicates the maximum value of the character width. In addition, "coordinate data" is a sequence of coordinates that defines the character arrangement area. The start and end points of a straight line part, the start point, control point and end point of a bezier curve part, the center and start angle of an arc part. , End angle, radius. The "character string data" is a character string arranged along the line segment in the character arrangement area, and the character string data is defined together with the number of characters.

Since the character string data with the layout information configured in this way has the graphic information and the layout information in the same coordinate system, the character string can be made to follow the graphic. When a character string is arranged and output based on the column data, it becomes as shown in FIG. That is, FIG.
(A) shows an arrangement example when the pattern code is "0", and the upper straight line forming the character arrangement area is the start point (1),
It is defined by the end point (1) and the lower line is defined by the start point (2) and the end point (2), both straight lines are not parallel and the spacing is from the start point to the end point. It is getting wider gradually. When arranging and outputting a character string in a character arranging area sandwiched by two such straight lines, the character arranging area is equally divided by the number of characters in the character string, and the corresponding characters are placed in the character frame corresponding to the number of characters. Are placed. As a result, the character size gradually increases from the beginning of the character string, and a character string with a natural sense of depth can be obtained. FIG. 3B is an arrangement example when the pattern code is “2”, and FIG. 3C is an arrangement example when the pattern code is “3”. The character string is arranged along the Bezier curve or arc. , You can get a variety of character strings. Note that FIG.
In (B), starting points (1), (2), control points (1a), (1b), and 2) are used to draw two Bezier curves.
(2a), (2b), end points (1), (2) are required, and in FIG. 3 (C), to draw two arcs, radii (1), (2), center coordinates, start Angle and ending angle are required.

As described above, the technique which is the premise of this embodiment is 2
This is a technology in which if a straight line or a curved line of a book is defined, the character string is arranged in such a way that the characters fit between them. In the case of a straight line, the character arrangement area is specified by two start points and end points. The straight line is equally divided by the number of characters to determine a character frame in which one character can be stored, and the character is stored in it. In addition, 2
Whether the line of the book is a Bezier curve or a circular arc is similarly applicable.

Here, in the present embodiment, in order to specify the character arrangement area, a method of inputting and designating two line segments in advance is not adopted, but a slip read by the printing device 7 with an image reader is used. The line segment is detected from the image and the frame area (area corresponding to the entry field on the slip) surrounded by this line segment is detected, and the character arrangement area is specified based on this frame area, and this character arrangement is determined. The layout information that defines the area is automatically generated and added to the input character string. FIG. 4A shows a specific example in which the entire character string is arranged obliquely according to the inclination of the line segment in the character arrangement area specified based on the slip image. Further, FIG. 4B shows the contents of the hyper outline memory 5-2 in this case, and the character string arrangement as shown in FIG. 4A becomes possible based on the character string data with arrangement information.

Here, if the character arrangement area is long in the vertical direction, the character string can be arranged in a plurality of lines in the character arrangement area by dividing the area in the row direction equally into a plurality of lines. In this case, another parallel line that sandwiches the character string is newly generated below the line segment at the top of the character arrangement area.
A character string for one line is arranged between the upper and lower line segments, and another parallel line is newly generated under the line segment at the lower part to generate the character string for the next one line. The operation of arranging between the line segments may be repeated. Further, when the image figure is a single circle, a new circle is generated inside the circle in a concentric circle shape, and the area sandwiched by these two circles is the character arrangement area.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the flow charts shown in FIGS. FIG. 5 is a general flowchart showing the entire operation, which is started by setting a slip on the printing device 7 with an image reader and operating the function key F1 on the key operation unit 2. First, the printing apparatus 7 with an image reader performs input processing of a slip image (step A1).

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing this image input processing. First, the print control unit 6 feeds the entire paper P (see FIG. 1) set in the printing device 7 with an image reader into the printing device 7, and its upper end EG.
It is checked whether or not is detected (step B1). In this case, it is detected by an optical means whether the paper has been fed to the upper end, and the print control unit 6 rotates the platen in the forward direction until the paper is fed to the upper end and pulls in the paper (step B2). As a result, when the entire sheet is drawn into the printing device 7, the platen is rotated in the opposite direction to backfeed the sheet by one line (step B3). Then, the carriage is moved in the digit direction, and the image reader installed therein is operated to read the image data (step B).
4). Such a reading operation is repeated line by line until the lower edge of the paper is detected (step B5).

When the image data for one voucher is read in this manner, the CPU 1 fetches the voucher image, stores and holds the voucher image in the voucher image memory 1-1, and gives it to the display control section 3 to display the display device 4. Display output (step A2 in FIG. 5). FIG. 8A shows a display example in this case, and shows a case where the image data is read in a state where the slip form is inclined with respect to the paper. On this display screen, a message indicating that the slip entry field (input frame) should be specified is also displayed.

Now, as shown in FIG. 8 (A), when the cursor key on the key operation unit 2 is operated to move the arrow mark and an arbitrary input frame is designated (step A3), the image figure conversion unit 10 The dots around the specified point are examined to detect the line segments that make up the input frame, and the coordinate points of this input frame (in the case of a rectangle, the upper left, lower left, upper right, and lower right coordinate points)
Is generated and given to the CPU 1 (step A4). Then, the CPU 1 checks whether or not the image data can be converted into the coordinate sequence data (step A5), and if the conversion is not normally performed, the process returns to step A3 to prompt re-input of the input frame, but the coordinate conversion is normally performed. If so, the CPU 1 displays and outputs a frame as a figure based on the coordinate sequence and displays a message to the effect that a character sequence should be input (step A6). FIG. 8B shows a display example in this case, and the frame as a figure is displayed in a dotted line as shown in the figure.

When a character string to be set in the slip entry field is entered from the key operation unit 2 (step A7), the CPU
First, the input character string is temporarily set in the text memory 5-3, and then the character string data in the text memory 5-3 is read out together with the coordinate string data in the image / graphics work memory 5-1 and the character / graphic information conversion unit is read. 11 is set in the graphic information storage unit 11-2 and the character string storage unit 11-1 and the character / graphic information conversion unit 11 is activated (step A8). Then, the character / graphic information conversion unit 11 generates the character string data with the arrangement information as described above, and stores it in the hyperoutline memory 5-2. In this case, the character / graphic information conversion unit 1
1 is the upper left and upper right of the rectangle are the start and end points of the upper line segment, the lower left and lower right are the start and end points of the lower line segment, and the pattern code is a straight line + straight line = "0" It is added to the column and stored in the data buffer 11-4. Then C
When writing the contents of the data buffer 11-4 to the hyperoutline memory 5-2, the PU 1 adds the identifier of the character string with the arrangement information. Then, the CPU 1 displays and outputs the character string data with the arrangement information. FIG. 8C shows a display example in this case. Since the input character string is arranged along the line segment that constitutes the frame, if the line segment is inclined, the entire character string is also inclined. Will be placed in.

Next, the CPU 1 checks whether the function key F2 on the key operation unit 2 has been operated (step A9). Here, the function key F2 is operated when the input for one slip is completed, and if the function key F2 is not operated, the print key (step A1
3) Or it is checked whether the end key (step A12) has been operated. Here, the end key is for instructing the end of slip input, and if neither key is operated,
Returning to step A3, the next input frame is designated. In this manner, when the character string is input while sequentially designating the input frames for one slip, the character string data with the arrangement information is sequentially generated for each frame, and the hyper outline memory 5-2.
Stored in. Here, when the input process for one slip is completed and the function key F2 is operated, step A10 is performed.
When the document name corresponding to the slip is input, the document name, the contents of the hyper-outline memory 5-2 and the contents of the slip image memory 1-1 are given to the external storage control device 8, and the external storage device 9 It is registered and stored in (step A11). On the other hand, when the print key is operated (step A13), the process proceeds to the printing process (step A1).
4).

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing this printing process. First, the CPU 1 checks whether the document name has been input (step C1). If the document name has been input, the hyper outline memory 5- is stored in the external storage device 9.
Since the contents of No. 2 are registered and saved, the process proceeds to step C2, and the contents of the external storage device 9 are loaded into the hyperoutline memory 5-2. On the other hand, if the document name has not been input, it is checked whether or not the character string data with the arrangement information is stored in the hyperoutline memory 5-2 (step C3), and if there is not, the process proceeds to error processing (step C4). When printing the contents of the hyper outline memory 5-2, first, the paper is fed until the upper edge of the paper is detected in step C5 (step C).
6). Then, when the upper end of the paper is detected, the printing operation is started, and the contents of the hyper-outline memory 5-2 are sequentially printed out while the paper is back-fed (step C7). FIG. 9 shows a printing example in this case. Even if the slip form is inclined with respect to the paper, the entire character string is arranged and output along the inclination.

As described above, in the present embodiment, even if the line segments forming the slip form are inclined with respect to the paper, or the paper is set while being inclined with respect to the printer, the input character string is Since the lines can be accurately arranged along the line segment, it is possible to print with good appearance. In this case, the input character string can be printed on the paper on which the slip form is printed, and the input character string can be printed together with the slip image even when a blank paper is set. That is, the slip image memory 1-1
A slip image is stored for each slip, and the contents of the slip image memory 1-1 are stored in the hyperoutline memory 5
If it is registered and saved in the external storage device 9 together with the content of -2, the input character string can be printed together with the slip image by loading the slip image and the character string with the layout information from the external storage device 9.

In the above embodiment, the input character string is sequentially input by designating the input frame when the slip image is displayed and output. However, the line segment of the entire slip image is recognized and the coordinate data is recognized. If the frame area of the entire slip is displayed based on this coordinate data, it is possible to enlarge the frame area and display it, which is convenient for inputting. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the input character string may be arranged so as to be equally divided in the character arrangement area sandwiched by two line segments, or may be arranged by left alignment, right alignment, or centering. In this case, the user may arbitrarily specify right justification or the like. Further, in the above embodiment, by arranging the character string in the character arrangement area sandwiched by the two line segments, the entire character string is slanted along the line segment forming the character arrangement area, that is, the character Although the hyper-outline arranged in a rotated state is shown, the invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 10A, an input character string may be placed in a character arrangement area, for example, a line segment forming the character arrangement area. The characters may be arranged so as to be shifted in the row direction according to the inclination, and then each character may be rotated according to the inclination of the line segment as shown in FIG. Further, in the above embodiment, the slip image is read, and in the frame forming the slip entry field,
Although the input character string is arranged, the input character string may be arranged along a ruled line like a notepaper. Further, in the above embodiment, the image reader is incorporated in the printing apparatus, but the apparatus may be separate from the printing apparatus.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if a line segment forming a slip form or the like is inclined with respect to the paper, or even if the paper is set while being inclined with respect to the printer, the input character string is changed to the line. Since it can be accurately arranged along the minute, it can be output with a good appearance and is extremely practical.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a document processing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a basic principle on which the present embodiment is based, showing an example of a data structure of a character string with arrangement information.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a basic principle that is a premise of the present embodiment, and is a diagram showing an arrangement state in which the characters are arranged according to a character string with arrangement information as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of character string arrangement in this embodiment and an example of data in a hyperoutline memory 5-2 corresponding thereto.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining step A1 (image input processing) in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining step A14 (print processing) in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a display state diagram that changes according to the flowchart of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of printing slips.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a modified example of the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 1-1 slip image memory 2 key operation unit 3 display control unit 4 display device 5 document memory 5-2 hyperoutline memory 6 print control unit 7 printing device with image reader 8 external storage control device 9 external storage device 10 image figure Conversion unit 11 Character / graphic information conversion unit 11-1 Character string storage unit 11-2 Graphic information storage unit 11-3 Layout information creation unit 11-3A Graphic information analysis unit 11-3B Character information analysis unit 11-3C Graphic / location conversion Department

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A character string input means for inputting a character string, an image reading means for scanning an original to read an original image, and a detecting means for detecting a line segment from the original image read by the image reading means. A character string arranging means for arranging the character string input from the character string inputting means along the line segment detected by the detecting means, and an output means for outputting the character string arranged by the character string arranging means. And a character string output device. 2. The detecting means detects a line segment from the original image read by the image reading means and a frame area surrounded by the line segment, and the character string arranging means detects the line area. The character string output device according to claim 1, wherein the character string is arranged in the frame area detected by the above along a line segment that constitutes the frame. 3. An external storage means for registering and saving the character string input by the character string input means and for registering and saving the original image read by the image reading means, and calling the contents of the external storage means. When the output is instructed, the output means inserts the character string arranged by the character string arranging means into the document image, and prints out on a sheet together with the document image. The character string output device according to item (1). 4. The character string according to claim 1, wherein the image reading means is incorporated in a printing device, and the document is scanned line by line in response to the driving of the printing mechanism. Output device. 5. An original document is scanned in a character string output device which sets an area sandwiched by two line segments as a character arrangement area and outputs an input character string in the arrangement area along the line segment. Image reading means for reading the original image, line segment converting means for detecting a line segment from the original image read by the image reading means and converting it into a coordinate sequence, and line segment converting means for converting the line segment. Generation means for defining the character arrangement area based on the line segment coordinate sequence and for generating arrangement information expressed in the same coordinate system as the line segment coordinate sequence, and inputting the arrangement information generated by the generation means When outputting the character string to which the arrangement information is added by this addition means, the character string along each line segment is displayed in each character arrangement area indicated by this arrangement information. String output apparatus characterized by comprising an output means for arranging output.