JPH0930059A - Output device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To save the capacity of a memory by storing a bit map front in a type independent of resolution by installing a character size unit conversion means for converting a logical character size with a character to be output designated into a pixel unit physical character size and others. SOLUTION: A size unit conversion part 206 obtains resolution, a pixel size, and a logical character size from a format analysis part 203, converts into a physical character size, and sends to a font selection part 207. A parameter operation part 210 calculates the logical layout information value of a character from the standard character information value of a scalable font. A bit map formation part 211 forms a bit map pattern from the control point data of the scalable font given from the format analysis part 203. A resolution conversion part 212 converts a printing image prepared by the format analysis part 203 into engine resolution and sends it to a printer engine part 204.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an output device and method capable of outputting at a plurality of resolutions.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an output device has used a scalable font in a vector data format in which a character size can be freely selected. However, it takes time to convert a scalable font into a bitmap pattern, which leads to a reduction in the speed of image forming processing. Therefore, as a means for solving the problem, in a size which is frequently used, a scalable font is previously expanded into a bitmap pattern and stored in a ROM or the like.
dot font) is used. In the Sdot font, characters that are crushed when output in a small size may be converted into a bitmap pattern.

In recent years, scalable fonts have been used in output devices so that the size of characters can be freely selected. However, it takes time to convert a scalable font into a bitmap pattern, which leads to a reduction in the speed of image generation processing. Therefore, as a means of solving the problem, the generated bitmap pattern is cached and the cached pattern is used for the second time and thereafter to improve the speed.

[0004]

However, in the above conventional example, in the output device having a plurality of resolutions,
Since each resolution has an Sdot font, the font storage area is increased and resources are wasted.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, in the output device having a plurality of resolutions, caching the bitmap pattern for each resolution wastefully uses the storage area such as the RAM capacity and puts a load on the cache system. This can cause a decrease in speed.

Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an output device and method capable of saving memory capacity by storing a bitmap font in a format independent of resolution. is there.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an output device of the present invention stores a bitmap font in a physical character size of a pixel unit in the output device capable of outputting at a plurality of resolutions. Whether there is a storage means, a character size unit conversion means for converting a designated logical character size of a character to be output into a physical character size in pixels, and whether or not there is a bitmap font corresponding to the converted physical character size Determination means for determining.

In order to achieve the above object, the output method of the present invention uses a storage means for storing a bitmap font in a physical character size of a pixel unit, and is an output method capable of outputting at a plurality of resolutions. A character size unit conversion step of converting a specified logical character size of a character to be output into a physical character size in pixels, and determining whether or not there is a bitmap font corresponding to the converted physical character size And a determination step.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of a laser beam printer (hereinafter abbreviated as LBP) applied to this embodiment. This LBP is a character pattern registration from a data source (not shown). You can register a standard form (form data), etc. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1000 denotes an LBP main body, which is a host computer (FIG. 2) connected to the outside.
No. 201), the character information (character code), the form information, or the macro command is input and stored, and the corresponding character pattern or form pattern is created in accordance with the information, and on the recording paper as a recording medium. To form an image. Reference numeral 1012 denotes an operation panel on which switches for operation and an LED display are arranged.
A printer control unit 001 controls the entire LBP 1000 and analyzes character information and the like supplied from the host computer. The control unit 1001 mainly converts character information into a video signal of a corresponding character pattern and outputs the video signal to the laser driver 1002. The laser driver 1002 is a circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 1003, and switches on and off a laser beam 1004 emitted from the semiconductor laser 1003 according to an input video signal. The laser 1004 is swung right and left by a rotary polygon mirror 1005 to scan on an electrostatic drum 1006. As a result, an electrostatic latent image of a character pattern is formed on the electrostatic drum 1006. This latent image is the electrostatic drum 1006.
After being developed by the surrounding developing unit 1007, it is transferred to a recording sheet. Using a cut sheet for this recording paper,
The cut sheet recording paper is stored in a paper cassette 1008 mounted on the LBP 1000, taken into the apparatus by a paper feed roller 1009 and conveyance rollers 1010 and 1011 and supplied to the electrostatic drum 1006.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the printing apparatus of this embodiment.

Reference numeral 201 denotes a host computer which prints print information including print data and control data.
It is output to 02.

Reference numeral 202 denotes a printing apparatus, which is 1000 in FIG.
Is equivalent to In the present embodiment, the resolution can be set to two of 300 dpi and 600 dpi in the print data analysis process. The resolution may be set according to the designation on the panel or the resolution information received from the host computer 201, or may be set by the automatic resolution conversion processing. In the present embodiment, the automatic resolution conversion process is a banding process in which a print image is divided into bands and processed when a raster memory for one page cannot be secured at high resolution, but it is determined that an overrun occurs during the process. In this case, the resolution is automatically set to a low resolution and a raster memory for one page is secured to switch to the full band processing and to avoid overrun.

The generated print image has a resolution conversion unit 2
Converted to engine resolution by 12. Printing device 2
01 is roughly divided into a reception buffer 205, a formatter control unit 203, and a printer engine unit 204.

The receive buffer receives the data transmitted from the host computer and sends it to the formatter control unit 203.

The formatter control unit 203 performs the analysis process of the print information received from the host computer 201 or specified by the user at the specified resolution. Then, the bitmap data of the Sdot font and the print information of the scalable font obtained from the font selection unit 207 are passed to the bitmap generation unit 211 to be expanded into bitmap data, and based on the character information value calculated by the parameter calculation unit 210. A print image is created and sent to the printer engine unit 204 via the resolution conversion unit 212. For high resolution, the occurrence of overrun is predicted from the analysis information of the print data, and if it is predicted that overrun will occur, automatic resolution conversion processing is performed. The formatter control unit 203 uses C
It is composed of PU, RAM, ROM and the like. The formatter information section includes a size unit conversion section 206, a font selection section 207, a font table section 209, a parameter calculation section 210, and a bitmap generation section 211.

The printer engine section 204 has a print function for forming a permanent image on the print information section.

The size unit conversion unit 206, which is the character size unit conversion means of the present invention, obtains the resolution, pixel size, and logical character size from the formatter analysis unit 203, converts them into physical character sizes, and transfers them to the font selection unit 207.

The font selection unit 207, which is the Sdot font determining means of the present invention, manages font data such as font data management, font selection, and font table creation. Font data part 2
08, a font table unit 209 is included.

The font table section 209, which is the font linking means of the present invention, stores a font table. In addition to font information, the font table has link information between scalable fonts and Sdot fonts. An example of the font table is shown in FIG. FIG.
In the table of scalable fonts, link information is represented in the form of a pointer to the table of Sdot fonts.

The font data section 208 stores font data.

The parameter calculation unit 210, which is the font information calculation means of the present invention, calculates the logical layout information value of the character from the reference character information value of the scalable font.

The bitmap generation unit 211 generates a bitmap pattern from the control point data of the scalable font provided by the formatter generation unit 203.

The resolution conversion unit 212 converts the print image created by the format analysis unit 203 into engine resolution and sends it to the printer engine unit 204. In this embodiment, since the printer engine resolution is 600 dpi,
When the bitmap data is generated at 600 dpi, it is output to the engine as it is, but when it is generated at 300 dpi, it is subjected to smoothing processing and enlargement processing and output to the engine.

FIG. 3 shows a size unit converter 20 according to the present invention.
6 is a flowchart for explaining the font selection unit 207 and the parameter calculation unit 210, showing the printing process of the printing apparatus 202 when print information is transmitted from the host computer 201 to the printing apparatus 202 in FIG. 2.

The program relating to the flowchart is stored in the ROM, and the program is controlled by the CPU.

Receive print data from the host (S3)
01).

The formatter analysis unit 203 analyzes the print data (S302).

If a scalable font is selected in the print data, the font information is sent to the font selection section, the font is selected (S303), the reference character information value of the selected scalable font is sent to the parameter calculation section 210, and the logical layout is performed. An information value is obtained (S304).

The logical character size specified in the print data is passed to the size unit conversion unit 206 and converted into a physical character size (S305).

The size unit conversion unit 206 transfers the physical character size calculated in S304 to the font selection unit 207. The font selection unit 207 searches the Sdot font having the same physical character size as the Sdot font corresponding to the already selected scalable font from the font table unit 209 (S30).
6).

If the corresponding Sdot font exists, the Sdot font is converted to the formatter analysis unit 203.
(S307).

If there is no corresponding Sdot font, the scalable font is passed to the formatter analysis unit 203 (S308).

In the formatter analysis unit 203, S3
07 or S30, using the font selected in S308
The print data is expanded into bitmap data based on the character layout information value created in step 4 (S309).

Based on the expanded bitmap data,
If necessary, the resolution is converted by the resolution converter 212 and printed (S310).

In the above flow chart, S
If the order of 303 and S304 does not change, the order of S303 and S305 may be exchanged.

(Other Embodiments of the Invention) FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a printing apparatus of this embodiment.

Reference numeral 501 denotes a host computer, which prints print information consisting of print data and control data by the printer 5.
It is output to 02.

Reference numeral 502 denotes a printing apparatus, which is 1000 in FIG.
Is equivalent to In the present embodiment, the resolution can be set to two of 300 dpi and 600 dpi in the print data analysis process. The resolution may be set according to the designation on the panel or the resolution information received from the host computer 201, or may be set by the automatic resolution conversion processing. In the present embodiment, the automatic resolution conversion process is a banding process in which a print image is divided into bands and processed when a raster memory for one page cannot be secured at high resolution, but it is determined that an overrun occurs during the process. If you do, the resolution is automatically lowered to 1
It refers to the process that avoids overrun by switching to full band processing by securing raster memory for pages.

The generated print image is the resolution conversion unit 2
Converted to engine resolution by 12. Printer 5
01 is roughly divided into a reception buffer 505, a formatter control unit 503, and a printer engine unit 504.

The reception buffer receives the data transmitted from the host computer and sends it to the formatter analysis unit 503.

The formatter control unit 503 performs user-specified processing or analysis processing of print information received from the host computer 501 at a specified resolution. Then, the print information is expanded into bitmap data, and the resolution conversion unit 51
3 to the printer engine unit 504. For high resolution, the occurrence of overrun is predicted from the analysis information of the print data, and if it is predicted that overrun will occur, automatic resolution conversion processing is performed. Formatter control unit 50
Reference numeral 3 includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM and the like. The formatter information unit 503 also includes a size unit conversion unit 506, a font selection unit 507, a parameter calculation unit 511, and a bitmap generation unit 512.

The printer engine section 504 has a printing function for forming a permanent image on the print information section.

The size unit conversion unit 506, which is the character size unit conversion means of the present invention, obtains the resolution, pixel size, and logical character size from the formatter analysis unit 503, converts them into physical character sizes, and transfers them to the font selection unit 507.

The font selection unit 507, which is the Sdot font determination means of the present invention, manages font data, font selection, font table creation, and other font data management. Font data section 5
09, a font table unit 508, and a font cache unit 510.

The font table section 508, which is the font linking means of the present invention, stores a font table. The font table contains scalable fonts and S
It has link information between dot fonts. An example of the font table is shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, the link information is represented in the scalable font table in the form of a pointer to the Sdot font table.

The font data section 509 stores font data.

The font cache unit 510 stores the bitmap pattern generated by the bitmap generation unit 511 in the storage device, retrieves the designated font in accordance with the request from the font selection unit, and delivers it. The storage device may be a RAM, a hard disk, or anything.

The parameter calculation unit 511, which is the font information calculation means of the present invention, calculates the logical layout information value of the character from the reference character information value of the scalable font.

The bitmap generation unit 511 generates a bitmap pattern from the control point data of the scalable font.

The resolution converter 212 converts the print image created by the format analyzer 203 into engine resolution and sends it to the printer engine 204. In this embodiment, since the printer engine resolution is 600 dpi,
When the bitmap data is generated at 600 dpi, it is output to the engine as it is, but when it is generated at 300 dpi, it is subjected to smoothing processing and enlargement processing and output to the engine.

FIG. 6 shows a size unit converter 50 according to the present invention.
6 is a flowchart illustrating a font selection unit 507, which is a printing apparatus 502 when print information is transmitted from the host computer 501 to the printing apparatus 502 in FIG.
Shows the print processing of.

The program according to the flowchart is stored in the ROM, and the program is controlled by the CPU.

Receive print data from the host (S6)
01).

The formatter analysis unit 503 analyzes the print data (S602).

The logical character size specified in the print data is passed to the size unit conversion unit 506 and converted to the physical character size (S603).

The size unit conversion unit 506 transfers the physical character size calculated in S604 to the font selection unit 507. The font selection unit 507 searches the font cache unit 510 for a bitmap pattern of the physical character size from the fonts in the cache corresponding to the specified scalable font (S604).

If the corresponding bitmap pattern exists (S605), the bitmap pattern is passed to the formatter analysis unit 503 (S606).

If there is no corresponding bitmap pattern, the corresponding scalable font is passed to the bitmap generation unit 511 to generate the pattern. The generated pattern is saved in the font cache (S60
7).

Next, the font selecting unit 507 is requested for the reference character information value of the scalable font.

The font selection unit 507 searches the font table unit 508 for a scalable font specified by the font table unit 508, and the font data unit 50.
The reference character information value is obtained from 9, and the formatter analysis unit 50
It returns to 3 (S608).

The formatter analysis unit 503 sends the reference character information obtained in S608 to the parameter analysis unit 511,
The logical character information value is calculated (S609).

In the formatter analysis unit 503, S6
06 or using the bitmap pattern generated in S607 and the logical layout information value obtained in S609,
The print data is expanded into bitmap data (S61)
0).

Based on the expanded bitmap data,
If necessary, the resolution is converted by the resolution converter 212 and printed (S611).

Although the reference information value is obtained by searching the scalable font in the above example, the reference character information value may be cached in advance in the font cache.

In the above example, the reference character information value is obtained by searching the scalable font. However, a pointer to the storage area of the reference character information value is cached in the font cache in advance. Is also good.

The present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices or an apparatus composed of a single device. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the case of being implemented by supplying a program to a system or an apparatus. In this case, the medium storing the program according to the present invention constitutes the present invention. Then, by reading the program from the storage medium to the system or device, the system or device functions in a specific mode.

[0067]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the output device and method capable of outputting at a plurality of resolutions,
It is possible to use the bitmap font independently of the resolution, save resources in the storage area for storing the bitmap font, and realize an output device and method with high cost performance.

As described above, according to the present invention, in the output device and method capable of outputting at a plurality of resolutions, the font cache is searched in a resolution-independent manner to improve the hit ratio of cache fonts. It is possible to save resources in a storage area for storing cache fonts, and to realize an output device and method with high cost performance.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a laser beam printer which is a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the basic configuration of the printing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a printing process according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a priority font table of this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the basic arrangement of a printing apparatus according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating print processing according to the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 201 host computer 202 printing device (laser beam printer) 203 formatter control unit 204 printer engine unit 205 reception buffer 206 size unit conversion unit 207 font selection unit 208 font data unit 209 font table unit 210 parameter calculation unit 211 bitmap generation unit 212 resolution Conversion unit 501 Host computer 502 Printing device (laser beam printer) 503 Formatter control unit 504 Printer engine unit 505 Receive buffer 506 Size unit conversion unit 507 Font selection unit 508 Font table unit 509 Font data unit 510 Font cache unit 511 Parameter calculation unit 512 Bitmap generation unit 1000 Laser beam printer 1001 Printer control unit 1002 Laser driver 1003 Semiconductor laser 1004 Laser light 1005 Rotating polygon mirror 1006 Electrostatic drum 1007 Developing unit 1008 Paper cassette 1009 Paper feeding roller 1010 Paper feeding roller 1011 Paper feeding roller 1012 Operation panel

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. In an output device capable of outputting at a plurality of resolutions, a storage means for storing a bitmap font in a physical character size in pixels, and a specified logical character size of a character to be output in pixels. An output device comprising: a character size unit conversion means for converting into a physical character size; and a judgment means for judging whether or not there is a bitmap font corresponding to the converted physical character size. 2. The output device according to claim 1, wherein the bitmap font is a part of a scalable font which is frequently used and is developed in advance. 3. The output device according to claim 1, wherein the bitmap font is a cached bitmap font developed from a scalable font. 4. When the determination unit determines that the corresponding bitmap font exists, bitmap data is generated using the bitmap font, and the determination unit determines that the corresponding bitmap font does not exist. The output device according to claim 1, further comprising: a generating unit that generates a bitmap font from the scalable font when generated, and generates bitmap data using the generated bitmap font. 5. The output device according to claim 4, further comprising output means for performing visual output based on the bitmap data generated by the generation means. 6. The output device according to claim 1, wherein the output unit is a printer. 7. The output device according to claim 6, further comprising a conversion unit that converts the bitmap data generated by the generation unit according to the resolution of the printer. 8. The character size conversion means converts the specified logical character size of a character to be output into a physical character size in units of pixel according to the resolution to be output. Output device. 9. An output method capable of outputting at a plurality of resolutions by using a storage means for storing a bitmap font in a physical character size in units of pixels, in which a specified logical character size of a character to be output is specified in pixels. An output method comprising: a character size unit conversion step of converting to a physical character size of a unit; and a determination step of determining whether or not there is a bitmap font corresponding to the converted physical character size. 10. The output method according to claim 9, wherein the bitmap font is a part of a scalable font which is frequently used and is developed in advance. 11. The output method according to claim 9, wherein the bitmap font is a cached bitmap font expanded from a scalable font. 12. When it is determined in the determining step that a corresponding bitmap font exists, bitmap data is generated using the bitmap font,
When the determination unit determines that the corresponding bitmap font does not exist, a bitmap font is generated from the scalable font and a bitmap data is generated using the generated bitmap font. The output method according to claim 9. 13. The output method according to claim 12, further comprising an output step of outputting the bitmap data generated by the generation step to an output means. 14. The output method according to claim 13, wherein the output means is a printer. 15. The output method according to claim 13, further comprising a conversion step of converting the bitmap data generated by the generation step according to the resolution of the printer. 16. The character size conversion step converts a specified logical character size of a character to be output according to a resolution to be output into a physical character size in units of pixels. output method.