JPH09146519A - Character composition device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To generate image data of a composite character of a different font from an original character by compositing image data of plural original characters of different fonts. SOLUTION: The character composition device 2 describes the image data as a set of pieces of density information on the respective pixels of an image output device having many pixels whose density can be set in plural stages. Further, pieces of density information on the respective pixels of the image data on plural original characters are made to correspond to one another among the image data. The device is equipped with a density arithmetic means 5 (CPU) which performs predetermined operations for the density information on the image data of the original, characters which are made to correspond to one another and a composite character image data generating means 5 (CPU) which generates the image data of the composite character by setting the operation results as density information on corresponding pixels of the composite character.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for synthesizing image data of a plurality of characters.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for printers, displays, and other devices that output characters such as characters and symbols that can output characters in multiple fonts. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, characters 101 and 102 of various typefaces (so-called family typefaces) having the same basic design but different apparent thicknesses of constituent lines (hereinafter also referred to as weights) are used. The demand for a device capable of outputting is particularly high.

[0003]

By the way, in the conventional output device, different image data is prepared for each typeface, and by appropriately selecting the image data, a plurality of typeface characters are output. However, this method requires image data for the number of typefaces, and in particular, to enable output of family typefaces with multi-stage weights,
I have to store a huge amount of image data,
There has been a problem that the storage capacity of a memory, a disk device or the like is increased and the product cost is soared.

An object of the present invention is to provide a character synthesizing device capable of outputting a large number of typeface characters with a relatively small amount of data.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a character synthesizing apparatus for synthesizing image data of a plurality of original characters of different typefaces to generate image data of a synthetic character of a typeface different from those original characters. In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized by being configured as follows. That is, the image data is described as a set of density information of each pixel of an image output device having a large number of pixels whose density can be set in a plurality of stages, and also, the image data of each pixel of the image data of a plurality of original characters is described. The density information is associated with each other among the image data. Then, the density calculation means for performing a predetermined calculation on each of the associated density information of the image data of the original character, and the result of the operation are set as the density information of the corresponding pixel of the composite character. Accordingly, a synthetic character image data generating means for generating image data of a synthetic character is provided.

According to the above-described character synthesizing device, the density computing means performs a predetermined computation on the respective associated density information of the image data of the original characters of different typefaces, and the computation result is synthesized. It is set as the density information of the pixel corresponding to the character, and image data of a typeface different from the original character is generated. That is,
Since the image data of another typeface is generated by using the image data of the original character, it is possible to output a large number of typeface characters with a relatively small amount of data.

The image data of the plurality of original characters may give a character image of a typeface in which the apparent thicknesses (weights) of the constituent lines of the characters are different from each other. In this case, the image data of the generated synthetic character gives a character image of a typeface whose weight is different from any of the original characters. By doing so, it is possible to output a large number of typefaces (family typefaces) having different weights with a relatively small amount of data.

More specifically, it can be configured as follows. That is, the image data of the original character is the image data of the characters of two typefaces having different weights, and the density information is the density value representing the density of the pixel by the magnitude of the numerical value. In addition, as a reference for designating the weight of the composite character, the first weight reference value corresponding to the one of the two original characters having a small weight (small weight original character) and the one having a large weight (large A weight designated value setting means for setting a second weight reference value for each weight original character) and setting a weight designated value for designating the weight of the composite character. Then, the concentration calculation means is configured as follows. That is, the density value of the pixel of the small weight original character is associated with the first weight reference value, and the density value of the pixel of the large weight original character is associated with the second weight reference value. Then, based on the magnitude relationship between the set weight designation value and the first and second weight reference values, the density value corresponding to the weight designation value is set to the density value on the small weight original character side and the large weight original character side. The density value of and is calculated. Further, the synthetic character image data generating means is to set the calculated density value as the density information of the corresponding pixel of the synthetic character.

According to this structure, the density value of the pixel of the composite character is apparent on the basis of the density value of each pixel of the image data of the characters of two typefaces having different weights and the weight designation value. Since the thickness is calculated and adjusted so as to correspond to the weight specification value, it becomes easier to control the weight of the character, and the user can select the desired weight just by setting the weight specification value. Therefore, the operation becomes easy.

In this case, when the weight designation value is set within the section having the first and second weight reference values at both ends, the density calculation means sets the density value corresponding to this to the small weight original character side. It can be configured to be calculated by an interpolation method based on the density value of ## EQU1 ## and the density value of the large weight original character side. Thereby, the arithmetic processing of the image data for obtaining the typeface having the intermediate weight between the small weight original character and the large weight original character can be easily performed. On the other hand, when the weight designation value is set outside the section, the corresponding density value is
It can also be configured to be calculated by the extrapolation method based on the density value on the small weight original character side and the density value on the large weight original character side. By doing so, it is possible to output a typeface having a weight smaller than that of the original character having a small weight or a typeface having a weight larger than that of the original character having a large weight.

The small weight original character and the large weight original character may have contours of the same shape and size, and the density values of each pixel in the image data may be associated one-to-one. In addition, the image data is divided into pixels in an area (center area) further inside than an area (edge area) formed inside the character image with a predetermined width along the contour of the character image. Are set to different intermediate density values, and the pixels belonging to the edge area are data of the gradation image set so that the density difference with a predetermined pixel in the central area becomes larger as the pixels are closer to the contour. be able to. In this case, each image data is formed such that the area width in which the density difference is equal to or larger than a predetermined value in the edge area is wider in the image of the small weight original character than in the image of the large weight original character. . When the image data of the composite character is generated using the image data of such a small weight original character and the large weight original character, the density value of the pixel near the outline of the character image changes due to the data combination, and it corresponds to it. Then, since the width of the area in which the pixels are set to be equal to or less than the predetermined density value in the vicinity of the contour also changes, the apparent line width of the character, that is, the weight, changes. As a result, a character having various weights can be output with a good appearance.

A character output device equipped with the character synthesizing device of the present invention is provided by adding an image output device for outputting the character image based on the image data of the synthetic character obtained by the character synthesizing device. Can be configured.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings and with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a character output device equipped with the character synthesizing device of the present invention. That is, the character output device 1 includes an I / O port 4, a computer main body 2 as a character synthesizing device of the present invention including a CPU 5, a ROM 6, a RAM 7 and the like connected thereto, and a disk connected to the computer main body 2. The storage device 8 and the like are provided. Further, the I / O port 4 is connected to the printer 3 as an image output means. Further, the I / O port 4 has an input unit 9 such as a keyboard and a display control unit 1.
0 is connected, and a monitor 11 such as a CRT or a liquid crystal display is connected to the display control unit 10. In addition,
The CPU 5 is the main body of the density calculation means and the synthetic character image data generation means.

A control program storage unit 6a is formed in the ROM 6 of the computer main body 2, and a control program for controlling the character synthesizing process and the data output process described below in this embodiment is stored therein. Further, the RAM 7 includes a work memory 7a, a text memory 7b, a weight designated value memory 7c, and an image memory 7.
d, etc. are formed. The work memory 7a is the CPU 5
Is used to temporarily store necessary data when executing a program. Also, the text memory 7b
Is for storing character code input from the input unit 9 and character modification information such as character rotation, italics, superscripts and subscripts. Further, the weight designation value memory 7c stores a weight designation value for designating the weight of the character to be output. The weight designation value is input from the input unit 9, for example. The image memory 7d also stores image data of a composite character, which will be described later. The image memory 7d may be provided in the disk storage device 8 as the same 8b.

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 is formed therein. In the character storage unit 8a, character data corresponding to a large number of characters such as various characters and symbols in a one-to-one correspondence is stored in a randomly readable manner in units of one character. As shown in FIG. 2, the character storage unit 8a stores, as character data, small weight image data (that is, image data of a small weight original character) A2 and large weight image data (that is, image data of a large weight original character) A3. And are stored in association with the character code A1.

3A and 3B show the small weight image data A2 and the large weight image data A3.
2 shows an example of a small weight character image (hereinafter, referred to as a small weight image) and a large weight character image (hereinafter, referred to as a large weight image) based on FIG. That is, the small weight image 17 shown in (a)
Has an edge region 16 formed along the imaginary contour 15 with a predetermined width inside, and the pixels belonging to the edge region 16 are set to the intermediate density, and a region further inside (central region). The gradation image is formed by setting 14 pixels to the maximum density, for example. On the other hand, the large weight image 18 shown in FIG.
7 is a gradation image having a contour 15 of the same shape and size as 7.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the density distribution of pixels in the width direction of the constituent line. In any image, the density value of each pixel increases from the contour 15 toward the center of the line. It is set. That is, the density values of the pixels belonging to the edge area 16 are set so that the density values closer to the contour 15 have a larger density difference from the pixels in the central area 14. Then, the small weight image 17 is formed such that the region width in which the pixel density is equal to or less than a predetermined value (for example, CA) in the edge region 16 is wider than the large weight image 18, and thus the apparent line width t
s is made smaller than the apparent line width tL of the large weight image 18.

FIGS. 5A and 5B conceptually show a part of the image data 27 and 28 of the small weight image 17 and the large weight image 18, respectively. That is, in the figure, the horizontal direction of the drawing corresponds to the line width direction of the character, each grid of the grid-shaped frame corresponds to each pixel, and the numerical values displayed in the grid are The density value of the pixel is shown. Then, the small weight image 17 and the large weight image 1
8 is displayed on a pixel matrix equivalent to each other in which a predetermined number of pixels are arranged vertically and horizontally, so that the density values of the pixels of both image data 27 and 28 are associated with each other in a one-to-one correspondence. In the present embodiment, each pixel is set with 16 levels of density values from 0 to 15. That is, the image data 27 and 28 are configured to include 4-bit data representing the density value by the number of pixels in the pixel matrix.

The flow of processing in the character output device 1 will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, in S1, the character code is input using the input unit 9 (FIG. 1) and the like. Characters having the same shape but different output sizes are stored as different image data having different pixel matrix sizes, and different character codes are given to them. Therefore, both of the character shape and the output size are specified by the code input.

Then, in S2, the above-mentioned weight designation value is input. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the designated weight value can be set in five stages of 1 to 5, and is “1”.
Is associated with the pixel density CS of the small weight image 17, and "5" is associated with the pixel density CL of the large weight image 18. It should be noted that it is also possible to set the number of steps in which the weight designation value can be set to a number other than the above, or to set it by a continuous numerical value instead of a stepwise numerical value. next,
In S3, the memory area used for the density calculation processing (for example, the work memory 7a of the RAM 7) is initialized, and S4
At the reading positions of the small weight image data 27 and the large weight image data 28 (FIG. 5), and the writing positions in the image memory 8b (or 7d) for storing the composite character image data 29 (FIG. 5). initialize.

Next, in S5, the corresponding pixel density values CS and CL of the small weight image data 27 and the large weight image data 28 are sequentially read. The reading order is
For example, on the pixel matrix, when the leftmost end of the uppermost row goes to the rightmost end and reaches the right end,
It is possible to adopt the order of moving to the next lower stage and heading from the left end to the right end again, and finally reaching the right end of the lowermost stage. Then, in S6, the pixel density value C corresponding to the composite character image is calculated based on the following equation 1 using the read pixel density values CS and CL.

[0022]

(Equation 1)

Here, W is the input weight designation value,
WL and WS represent weight designation values corresponding to the pixel density values CS and CL, respectively, that is, first and second weight reference values (“1” and “5” in this embodiment),
The density value C corresponding to the weight designation value W is calculated by the interpolation method (interpolation method). FIG. 7 conceptually shows the contents of the calculation, and divides the interval between WL and WS on the weight designated value number line into equal intervals,
The weight designation value of each stage is associated with the division position. As a result, pixel density values are also generated at equal intervals between CS and CL corresponding to the weight designation values at each stage.

The density value C thus calculated is S7
At image memory 8b. After that, the process proceeds to S9, the next pixel density values CS and CL are read, and the same calculation and storage of the density values are repeated. Then, when the calculation for all the pixel density values CS and CL is completed, FIG.
The image data 29 of the composite character as shown in FIG. 6 is formed in the image memory 8b (FIG. 2 shows an example in which the weight setting value is "2"). And
In S10, based on the image data 29, FIG.
The composite character image 19 shown in FIG.
(Fig. 1). The image of the character can be displayed / output on the monitor 11, for example, in addition to being printed / output on the printer 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the combined character image 19, the pixels belonging to the edge area 16 of the small weight image 17 and the large weight image 18 have an intermediate density distribution corresponding to the weight designation value W. The area width in which the pixel density is equal to or lower than the above-mentioned CA is also in the middle. As a result, the synthesized character image 19 has an apparent line width t as shown in FIG.
N is small weight image 17 and large weight image 18
It is a typeface with an intermediate weight, which is set in the middle of. As shown in FIG. 7, it is possible to set a weight designation value (for example, "0" or "6") outside the section sandwiched between WL and WS. In this case, the corresponding density C is calculated by the extrapolation method (extrapolation method) based on Equation 1, and the composite character image 19 has a weight smaller than the small weight image 17 or larger than the large weight image 18. Becomes

In designating the weight, as shown in FIG. 8, one of the user-specified values set at equal intervals is selected, and the user-specified value is referred to the conversion table to set the weight-specified value W. After the conversion, the designated value W after the conversion can be used to perform the calculation. For example, the weight designation value W to be input and the number 1
When the density C is calculated by directly connecting and, when the weight designation value W is changed at equal intervals as described above, the obtained density C also changes at equal intervals, but in the output composite character image. It may give the impression that the appearance of the line width does not necessarily change evenly. Therefore, if the interval of the designated value W after conversion is set in consideration of such appearance adjustment, the above problem can be solved.

Further, when it is desired to take a wide range of weight change, it is necessary to increase the weight difference between the small weight image 17 and the large weight image 18.
In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, the data of the intermediate weight image 20 (pixel density value C
M) is prepared, and depending on the value of the designated weight value W,
The intermediate weight image 20 and any one of the small weight image 17 and the large weight image 18 may be combined.

In the above-described embodiment, an example of creating a typeface having different weights according to the composite character image has been described. For a character decorated with an intermediate density, for example, the decoration design is changed by the composite character image. It is also possible to create various typefaces. FIG. 10 shows an example thereof. By synthesizing two kinds of original character images 47 and 48 having different widths of stripes Q formed in the character based on the same principle as the above, A composite character image of a typeface with an intermediate stripe width 4
9 data can be obtained.

The image data of the original character is
In addition to the method of storing in the form of gradation image data including all the set density values of each pixel, a method of storing outline data defining the contour shape of the character can be adopted. In this case, assuming that the outline based on the outline data is overlaid on the coordinate system (hereinafter, referred to as pixel coordinates) that defines the pixels of the output device, and the positional relationship between the pixel coordinates and the outline satisfies a certain criterion, Image data is created by setting the pixels determined to be inside the outline to have a density different from that of the other pixels. At this time,
By setting the density value of the pixel determined to form the predetermined contour portion of the character image to the intermediate density value, the image data can be used as the gradation image data.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a character output device provided with a character synthesis device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an example of the contents of a character storage section thereof.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a small weight image, a large weight image, and a composite character image.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the pixel density distribution.

FIG. 5 is a diagram conceptually showing the image data.

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

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a correspondence relationship between weight setting values and pixel density value calculation results.

FIG. 8 is another explanatory diagram of the same.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram when an intermediate weight image is used.

FIG. 10 is a diagram conceptually showing another application example of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a family typeface.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 character output device 3 printer 5 CPU (density calculation means, composite character image data generation means) 14 central area 15 contour 16 edge area 17 small weight character image (small weight original character image) 18 large weight character image (large weight original Character image) 19 Composite character image 27-29 Image data

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location H04N 1/387 B41J 3/12 P

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A character synthesizing apparatus for synthesizing image data of a plurality of original characters of different typefaces to generate image data of a synthetic character of a typeface different from those original characters, wherein the image data is , Is described as a set of density information of each pixel of an image output device having a plurality of pixels capable of density setting in a plurality of stages, and the density information of each pixel of the image data of the plurality of original characters is Density calculation means that is associated with each other between the image data and executes a predetermined operation on each associated density information of the image data of the original character, and the operation result is the composite character. Image data of the composite character is generated by setting the density information of the corresponding pixel of A character synthesizing apparatus comprising: a synthesized character image data generating means. 2. The image data of the plurality of original characters gives character images of a typeface in which the apparent thicknesses of the constituent lines of the characters (hereinafter, referred to as weights) are different from each other, The character synthesizing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data gives a character image of a typeface whose weight is different from any of the original characters. 3. The image data of the original character is
Image data of characters of two typefaces having different weights are used, and the density information is a density value representing the density of the pixel according to the magnitude of a numerical value, and is used as a reference for designating the weight of the composite character. , The first weight reference value corresponding to one of the two original characters having a smaller weight (hereinafter referred to as a small weight original character) and corresponding to one having a larger weight (hereinafter referred to as a large weight original character) And a second weight reference value is set respectively, and a weight designated value setting means for setting a weight designated value for designating a weight of the composite character is provided, and the density calculation means is provided for the small weight original character. The first weight reference value is made to correspond to the density value of the pixel of The second weight reference value to correspond to the density value of the pixel of the data, and to correspond to the weight designation value based on the magnitude relationship between the set weight designation value and the first and second weight reference values. The density value to be calculated is calculated using the density value on the side of the small weight original character and the density value on the side of the large weight original character, and the composite character image data generating means calculates the calculated density value, The character synthesizing device according to claim 2, wherein the character synthesizing device is set as density information of pixels corresponding to the synthetic character. 4. When the weight designation value is set within a section having both ends of the first and second weight reference values, the density calculation means sets a density value corresponding to the weight specification value to the small weight. If the weight designation value is set outside the section, it is calculated by an interpolation method based on the density value on the original character side and the density value on the large weight original character side.
The density value corresponding to this is calculated by an extrapolation method based on the density value on the small weight original character side and the density value on the large weight original character side.
The character synthesizer described. 5. The small weight original character and the large weight original character have virtual contours of the same shape and size, and the density values of each pixel in the image data are associated with each other in a one-to-one correspondence. In addition, the image data is a region further inside than a pixel of a region (hereinafter, referred to as an edge region) formed inside the character image with a predetermined width along the contour. An intermediate density value different from that of a pixel (hereinafter, referred to as a central area) is set, and a pixel belonging to the edge area has a greater density difference from a predetermined pixel in the central area as being closer to the contour. Data of the gradation image set so that the area width in which the density difference is equal to or more than a predetermined value in the edge area is To be wider than the image of the large weight original characters in the image of small weights original character, character synthesizing device according to claim 3 or 4 wherein each image data is formed.