JPH09138679A - Data processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image data processor capable of preventing or suppressing the deterioration in its output quality when a character image containing a gentle line part is reduced and outputted. SOLUTION: A gentle line specifying information storage means 8 stores gentle line specifying information for specifying pixels arranged along a straight line or a curved line (gentle line) varied gently with respect to a reference line by forming a part of the outline of the character image among the pixels set in second density in the image data of a character formed by setting the pixel belonging to an area formed with the character image among many pixels of an output device in first density, and setting the pixel not belonging to the area in the second density different from the first density. Further, a gradation setting means 5 sets the pixels other than the prescribed number of pixels placed in the vicinity of its both ends among gentle line forming pixels in third density between the first density and the second density.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to image data for displaying or printing out characters, symbols, figures, etc. (hereinafter collectively referred to as characters), and a predetermined value for improving the quality of an output image. The present invention relates to a data processing device that performs the processing of.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an output device such as a printer or a display, a method of storing the shape of a character as outline data representing the outline of the character, converting the outline data into image data of pixels, and outputting the image data. Is widespread. Specifically, by overlaying the outline on the coordinate system (pixel coordinates) that defines the pixels of the output device, and scanning the outline in a predetermined direction, pixels inside the outline and pixels outside , And the image data of the character is generated by turning on the pixels that are determined to be present inside thereof (hereinafter, the process of converting outline data into image data by such a method is scanned. Conversion process). Here, when enlarging or reducing the character,
Image data corresponding to the specified size is generated by enlarging or reducing the reference size outline, superimposing it on the pixel size, superimposing it on the pixel coordinates, and then performing the scan conversion process.

[0003]

By the way, when a character image is output based on the image data obtained as described above, when the output size of the character becomes small, a straight line that changes gently with respect to a vertical line or a horizontal line. In addition, there is a problem that the quality of the output image is deteriorated in the contour portion formed by the curve (hereinafter referred to as the loose line portion). For example, as shown in FIG. 13, in a character image 100 having a gentle line portion 101, it may give an impression that pixels P located at both ends of the gentle line portion 101 are unnaturally projected.

An object of the present invention is to provide an image data processing device capable of improving the output quality when outputting a character image including a loose line portion.

[0005]

In order to solve the above problems, the data processing apparatus of the present invention is characterized by including the following requirements. Slow line specific information storage means: Among a large number of pixels of the output device, a pixel belonging to a region forming a character image is set to a predetermined first density, and a pixel not belonging to the region is defined as a first density. In the image data of a character formed by setting different second densities, among the pixels set to the second density, at least a part of the outline of the character image is formed and a straight line determined as a reference Slow line specifying information for specifying pixels arranged along a straight line or a curve (slow line) that changes gently with respect to the (reference line) as a soft line forming pixel is stored. Gradation setting means: Among the gentle line forming pixels specified by the stored gentle line specifying information, pixels other than a predetermined number of pixels (intermediate pixels) located in the vicinity of both ends thereof are set to the first density and the second density. Set to a third concentration that is intermediate to that of.

That is, the gentle line specifying information is given in advance to the pixels forming the gentle line in the character image, and the intermediate pixel of the gentle line forming pixels specified thereby is set to the third density. It As a result, it is possible to eliminate or reduce the problem that the loose line forming pixels located at both ends thereof appear to project from the character image, and it is possible to improve the output quality of a small character image in particular. Here, the gradation setting means can be configured to execute the setting of the third density for the intermediate pixel when the output size of the character image is equal to or smaller than a predetermined size.

The above structure can be provided with a gentle line converting means for converting a gentle line portion formed by the gentle line forming pixels of the contour of the character image into a straight line portion substantially parallel to the reference line. In this case, the gradation setting means sets the pixel corresponding to the intermediate pixel in the converted character image to the third density. Thereby, the output quality of the character image can be further improved.

The third density can be set in any of a plurality of levels. In this case, the gradation setting means may set the density of the intermediate pixel such that the density difference between the pixels located at both ends becomes larger toward the center of the array. By doing so, the gentle line portion of the character image can be expressed more smoothly.

Further, the above structure can be further provided with outline data conversion means. The outline data conversion means assumes that an outline based on the outline data defining the contour shape of the character of the image data is superimposed on the coordinate system (pixel coordinates) defining the pixels of the output device, and the pixel coordinates and the outline are When the positional relationship satisfies a certain criterion, the pixels determined to be inside the outline are set to the first density, and the other pixels are set to the second density to convert the outline data into image data. Convert. According to this structure, since the character shape is stored by the outline, the data amount can be reduced. In addition, when performing scaling of a character, if the image data is generated by enlarging or reducing the outline by a predetermined calculation and setting the pixels existing inside it to the first density, what size It is possible to output an image in which the contour is smoothly expressed even for a character.

The outline data can be constituted by vector data for specifying each outline vector when an outline is formed by a set of a plurality of outline vectors arranged continuously. In this case, the gentle line specifying information is stored in the gentle line specifying information storage means in a form associated with a predetermined one of the outline vectors as a gentle line, and the pixels arranged along the corresponding outline vector. Is specified as the loose line forming pixel. As a result, since the gentle line forming pixel is specified via the outline vector, it is possible to easily set the third density for the intermediate pixel.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings with reference to some examples. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a character output device incorporating the data processing device of the present invention. That is, the character output device 1 serves as the data processing device of the present invention including the I / O port 4, the CPU 5, the ROM 6, the RAM 7 connected to the I / O port 4, the disk storage device 8 as the loose line specific information storage means, and the like. Computer body 2
And a printer 3 connected to the computer main body 2 at the I / O port 4. Also, I
An input unit 9 such as a keyboard and a display control unit 10 are connected to the / O port 4, and the display control unit 10 includes a CRT.
A monitor 11 such as a liquid crystal display or the like is connected.
The CPU 5 is the main body of the gradation setting means and the outline data converting means.

An output control program storage unit 6a is formed in the ROM 6 of the computer main body 2, and the output control program is stored therein. Based on this output control program, a conversion process of character image data and an image output process based on the converted image data described below in this embodiment are performed. Further, the RAM 7 is formed with a work memory 7a, a text memory 7b, an X scan intersection memory 7c, a Y scan intersection memory 7d and the like. Work memory 7a is CP
Used by U5 to temporarily store the necessary data as it executes the program. Also, the text memory 7
b stores the code and size of the character input from the input unit 9 and the character modification information such as the rotation of the character, italics, and superscript / subscript. Other roles of the memory will be described later.

On the other hand, the disk storage device 8 is composed of a hard disk device, a magneto-optical disk device or the like, and a character storage portion 8a and an image memory 8b are formed therein. In the character storage unit 8a, character data corresponding to a large number of characters such as characters and symbols of various typefaces in a one-to-one correspondence is stored so as to be randomly read in units of one character. This character data is outline data that gives the outline shape of each character,
It includes character attribute data such as character width.
It should be noted that the character storage unit 8a is the ROM 6 as the same 6b.
It is also possible to form the inside.

FIG. 2 shows an example of outline data. That is, as shown in FIG. 2A, the reference coordinates 15 are set in the computer main body 2, and the outline data of each character has the constituent lines of the outline (outline) 16 on the reference coordinates 15. It is described as a combination of vector data when displayed as an outline vector. A specific example is shown in FIG. The data is the processing flag A1.
And a coordinate value A4 which gives the position of the pointer at the time when the process corresponding to the flag is completed. For example, the outline 16 shown in (a) is formed by four outline vectors 16a to 16d starting from the coordinate (X0, Y0) and returning to the coordinate again.

Here, the numerical value 1 and the numerical value 2 respectively represent the X coordinate and the Y coordinate of the pointer position. Also,
Regarding the processing flag A1, "S" represents processing for moving the pointer to the drawing start point. Further, “L” draws each constituent line of the outline 16 based on the trajectory of the pointer when the pointer is moved from the immediately preceding coordinate to the coordinate corresponding to the flag along a straight line path connecting the two coordinates. Indicates processing. Further, “C” indicates a process of drawing each component line of the outline 16 based on the trajectory of the pointer when the pointer is moved along the cubic Bezier curve path connecting both coordinates. Here, in order to define the cubic Bezier curve, it is necessary to specify the coordinates of the two control points for defining the curve shape in addition to the coordinates at both ends thereof, so the coordinates A5 of those control points are Given (in the present embodiment, the X and Y coordinates of one control point are given by the numerical values 3 and 4, and the X coordinate and Y coordinate of the other control point are given by the numerical values 5 and 6).
). Instead of the cubic Bezier curve, another type of curve such as a quadratic Bezier curve, a quadratic B-spline curve, or an arc may be used.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the outline of the character based on the outline data configured as described above is directly or appropriately enlarged or reduced (scaled) and superimposed on the pixel coordinates 20, and a scan described later is performed. By the conversion process, the pixel coordinates 20
By setting the pixels existing in the upper outline 16 ′ to the first density (eg black) and the pixels existing outside the outline 16 ′ (not shown) to the second density (eg white). Image data corresponding to the character image 40 as shown in FIG. 9B is described and generated as an aggregate of density information for each pixel. Here, each pixel is capable of gradation output with a third density (for example, gray) intermediate between the first and second densities.

On the other hand, the outline data shown in FIG. 2B includes a loose line designation flag A2 corresponding to each vector data. The loose line designation flag A2 is, for example, "0", "1",
It is assumed to take any one value of "2", and "0" means that the outline vector is not designated as a gentle line. In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, “1” is designated as a Y-direction gentle line 43 that changes gently with respect to a reference line (Y-direction reference line or vertical reference line) 41 parallel to the Y-axis at reference coordinates 15. To do, "2" is
Similarly, an X-direction gentle line 44 that gently changes with respect to a reference line (X-direction reference line or horizontal reference line) 42 that is parallel to the X-axis.
Respectively means to specify as. Correspondingly, reference line data A3 for specifying the reference line is given. The reference line data A3 is given by, for example, the X coordinate value ξ of the intersection with the X axis in the case of the Y direction reference line and the Y coordinate value η of the intersection with the Y axis in the case of the X direction reference line. In this embodiment, FIG.
As shown in (b), the X coordinate or Y coordinate of the start point or the end point of the outline vector specified by the gentle line is adopted as the value of ξ or η.

Returning to FIG. 1, the image memory 8b contains
Image data of a character generated based on the character data is stored. The image memory 8b may be formed in the RAM 7 as the same 7e.

The printer 3 also includes a print output unit 13 that prints out an image of a character based on the image data. The print output unit 13 is composed of, for example, an electrophotographic printing device using a laser light source, an inkjet printing device, or the like. In addition, between the print output unit 13 and the I / O port 4, the computer main body 2
It is possible to provide a printer buffer memory 12 for temporarily storing image data and the like sent from the side.

The flow of processing in the character output device 1 will be described below with reference to a flow chart. First, FIG.
In S1, the character code and size data (hereinafter collectively referred to as text data) is input using the input unit 9 (FIG. 1). These input data are stored in the text memory 7b (FIG. 1) of the RAM 7 as a text file. It should be noted that the text file created in advance may be stored in the disk storage device 8 or the like, and may be read out and used as appropriate. Next, in S2 and S3, the outline data corresponding to the character code included in the text data is sequentially read from the character storage unit 8a, and the outline of the character based on the outline data is scaled based on the size data described above. The pixel coordinates 20 (FIG. 3) are overlaid.

Subsequently, in S4 and S5, scan conversion processing is performed on the overlapped outlines. The scan conversion process is individually executed in two directions (that is, the X direction and the Y direction) orthogonal to each other. FIG. 6 shows the flow of the X-direction scan conversion process (S4). First, in S21, the Y coordinate of the scan line (scan line) is initialized, and then in S23.
In, the scan line in the X direction corresponding to the first Y coordinate value is generated, and as shown in FIG. 8, all the intersections of the scan line Ym and the outline 16 ′ are calculated.

Specifically, first, a process for deciding whether or not each pixel exists inside the outline based on whether or not a certain positional relationship with the outline is satisfied is arranged on the scan line. Sequentially from the one side to the other side of the pixel to be performed. This determination can be made based on, for example, whether or not a predetermined reference point (for example, the center of the pixel) set in the pixel exists inside the outline. It should be noted that the determination may be made based on other determination criteria such as whether or not the area occupied by the pixels is inside the outline at all, or whether the entire area is inside the outline. And
The first pixel row (hereinafter referred to as the filled area) determined to exist inside the outline (start point; B1,
The coordinates of each reference point of B2) and the last one (end point; E1, E2, etc.) are calculated as the coordinate value of each intersection.

The coordinate values of the intersections thus calculated are shown in FIG.
X in the RAM 7 as an X scan intersection list as shown in
It is stored in the scan intersection memory 7c. Subsequently, in S25, a predetermined pixel on the scan line is set to black to perform a filling process, and in S26, the Y coordinate value of the scan line is updated and the process returns to S22, and the same process is repeated. Be done. In addition, all Y
The process ends when the scan corresponding to the coordinate value is completed.

The details of the X-direction scan conversion processing (S4) in FIG. 5 are as described above, but the contents of the Y-direction scan conversion processing (S5) performed subsequently are X-direction except for the scanning direction. Since this is exactly the same as the directional scan conversion processing, description thereof will be omitted. The image data of the character obtained in each of the X-direction and Y-direction scan conversion processing is combined in S6.

Next, if the character size designated in S1 is equal to or smaller than the preset lower limit value, the process proceeds to the correction process in S8. The details are shown in FIG. First, in S31, a straight line straight line conversion process is performed. That is, based on the values of the respective intersection coordinates stored in the X scan intersection memory 7c and the Y scan intersection memory 7d of FIG. 1, as the Y direction gentle line or the X direction gentle line by the gentle line designation flag “1” or “2”. Pixels G (loose line forming pixels: see FIG. 3) corresponding to the respective designated outline vectors are specified, and the line portions of the character image 40 formed by these line forming pixels G are straightened as follows. Convert to.
That is, as shown in FIG. 3A, when the specified gentle line is the Y direction loose line, the X coordinate of the reference point of each gentle line forming pixel G is given as the reference line data A3. By converting with the above-mentioned ξ and setting the pixel G ′ having the coordinates obtained by the conversion as a reference point to black, the corresponding gentle line part is linearly converted as shown in FIG.
On the other hand, when the designated gentle line is the loose line in the X direction, the Y coordinate of the reference point of each gentle line forming pixel G is converted by η described above, and the coordinate obtained by the conversion is used as the reference point. The same linear conversion is performed by setting the pixel to black. It should be noted that this straight line conversion process can be omitted.

Next, proceeding to S32, the density of the converted gentle line forming pixel G ', which is located at both ends thereof (both end pixels; for example, Q in FIG. 3B), is read out. In this embodiment,
The combined image data is supposed to form binary bit map data. As shown in FIG. 10A, all the pixels of the portion forming the character image have the maximum density of "8" and the other pixels have "8". Is set to 0 "(that is, the density value" 8 "corresponds to the above-mentioned first density, and the density value" 0 "
Corresponds to the second concentration). Therefore, the set density of the pixels Q at both ends is also "8". Then, the process proceeds to S33, in which the density correction processing is performed on the loose line forming pixel G ′ excluding the pixels Q on both ends, that is, the intermediate pixel. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10B, the density of the central pixel R among these intermediate pixels is 0 or a predetermined value (“2” in the present embodiment), and The densities of the remaining pixels are set to the above-described third densities so that the densities decrease (or increase) at equal intervals toward the pixels R located at. The processing from S31 to S33 is executed for each outline vector designated as a gentle line.

Returning to FIG. 5, the image data thus obtained is stored in the image memory 8b (FIG. 1). Then, in S9, the image of the character is printed and output from the printer 3 based on the image data, and the whole process is completed. FIG. 3C shows an example of the character image thus output.

The image data generated by the above processing is left in the image memory 8b.
When outputting the characters of the same type and size next time, if the image data stored in the image memory 8b is used, the image data generating process including the scan conversion process and the correction process (see FIG. 5). S2 to S8: hereinafter referred to as expansion processing) need not be repeated each time, and processing efficiency can be improved.

When the present invention is applied to an apparatus in which a simple gradation character image is sufficient and requires higher speed processing, either X-direction scan conversion processing or Y-direction scan conversion processing is performed. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which only one is performed.

The character image based on the image data can be displayed and output on the monitor 11 in addition to being printed and output on the printer 3. In this case, character data different from that for printing may be used for monitor output.

In the above-described embodiment, the character image development process is mainly performed on the computer main body side, but it may be performed on the printer side. FIG. 11 shows an example of the apparatus configuration in that case. In this configuration, the printer 3 includes a printer control unit 30 including a computer or the like. The printer control unit 30 includes an I / O port 31 and a C connected to the I / O port 31.
The output control program is provided in the output control program storage unit 34a in the ROM 34, and the character data is stored in the character storage unit 34b. RAM3
3, the work memory 33a, the X scan intersection memory 33b, the Y scan intersection memory 33c, the image memory 33d, etc. are formed. That is, the text data stored in the text memory 7b or the like on the computer main body 2 side is transferred to the printer control unit 30, and the CPU 32 executes the expansion processing according to the same flow as that described above based on the text data.

In the embodiment described above, the image data of the character is generated by performing the expansion process using the outline data corresponding to each character. However, as shown in FIG. It is also possible to use the binary bit map data 60 corresponding to character images of a plurality of sizes. Referring to FIG. 1, the description will be given with reference to FIG.
The binary bit map data of each character is stored in the character storage unit 8a (or 6b) of the OM 6), and the binary bit map data of a desired size of the character is appropriately read based on the text data.

The character storage section 8a stores gentle line specifying data for specifying the X-direction gentle line and the Y-direction gentle line corresponding to each character. For example, as shown in FIG. 12B, the gentle line specifying data may be auxiliary bit map data 61 in which a loose line forming pixel (referred to as a pixel) is represented by “1” and a pixel other than that is represented by “0”. . Then, with respect to the loose line forming pixel specified by this, the density correction process is executed for the intermediate pixel by the same process as the flowchart shown in FIG. 7.
In this case, in S32, the densities of the pixels at both ends of the X-direction or Y-direction gentle line specified by the gentle line specifying data are read out.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a character output device incorporating a data processing device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of outline data.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a character image based on a scaled outline and the contents of correction processing for the character image.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a gentle line and a reference line.

5 is a flowchart showing the overall flow of processing in the character output device of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing details of the X-direction scan conversion processing.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing details of correction processing.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of intersection point calculation processing between an outline and a scan line.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an X-scan intersection list.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a density correction method.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing another configuration example of the character output device of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of loose line identification data corresponding to binary bitmap data.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a character image having a gentle line.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 character output device 2 computer main body (data processing device) 5 CPU (gradation setting means, outline data conversion means) 6 ROM 8 disk storage device (loose line specific information storage means) 16 outlines 16a to 16d outline vector 30 printer control unit (Data processing device) 32 CPU (gradation setting means, outline data conversion means) G, G'Slow line forming pixel Q Both end pixels 40, 50 Character image 41 Y direction reference line 42 X direction reference line 43 Y direction loose line 44 X direction loose line 60 Binary bit map data 61 Slow line forming pixel specifying data (slack line forming pixel specifying information)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A pixel among a large number of pixels of an output device, which belongs to a region forming a character image, is set to a predetermined first density, and a pixel which does not belong to the region is different from the first density. In the image data of the character formed by setting the second density, among the pixels set to the second density, at least a part of the outline of the character image is formed, and it is determined as a reference. A gentle line that stores gentle line specifying information for specifying pixels arranged along a straight line or a curve (hereinafter, referred to as a gentle line) that changes gently with respect to a straight line (hereinafter referred to as a reference line) as a gentle line forming pixel. Among the gentle line forming pixels specified by the specified information storage means and the stored gentle line specifying information, pixels other than a predetermined number of pixels located near both ends thereof (hereinafter referred to as intermediate pixels). ) The data processing apparatus characterized by comprising a gradation setting means for setting a third concentration of the intermediate between the first concentration and the second concentration. 2. The gradation setting means, comprising: a gentle line converting means for converting a gentle line portion formed by the gentle line forming pixels of a contour of the character image into a straight line portion substantially parallel to the reference line. 2. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in the converted character image, the pixel corresponding to the intermediate pixel is set to the third density. 3. The third density can be set to any one of a plurality of levels, and the gradation setting unit includes pixels located at both ends of the intermediate pixel toward the center of the array. 3. The data processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the density is set so that the density difference between the two becomes large. 4. It is assumed that an outline based on outline data defining a contour shape of a character is superposed on a coordinate system (hereinafter, referred to as pixel coordinate) defining a pixel of an output device, and the position of the pixel coordinate and the outline. When the relationship satisfies a certain criterion, the pixels determined to be inside the outline are set to the first density, and the other pixels are set to the second density to obtain the outline data. An outline data conversion means for converting the image data is provided, and the outline data is constituted by vector data that specifies each outline vector when the outline is formed by a set of a plurality of outline vectors arranged continuously. Furthermore, the loose line identification information is Among the tolls, those which are stored in the gentle line specifying information storage means in a form associated with a predetermined one as the gentle line, and which specify pixels arranged along the corresponding outline vector as the gentle line forming pixels. The data processing device according to claim 1, wherein