JPS5933156A - Method and device for printing hieroglyph - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for printing original text consisting of hieroglyphics, such as Chinese or Japanese kanji text.

Approximately 2000 different hieroglyphs are commonly used in Kanji, which creates significant problems from the point of view of printing them. The use of individual typefaces for each glyph obviously makes the construction of a suitable printer more complex and expensive.

On the other hand, if you use a dot matrix printer to create individual hieroglyphs using rows of dots,
The result is unsatisfactory from an aesthetic point of view.

The present invention provides that, taking Kanji as an example, there are some line segments and forms that are common to many hieroglyphs, and therefore proper identification of these common forms allows for proper alignment with each other. Hieroglyphs in that they are based on the recognition that each hieroglyph in a ``character set'' of kanji can be made up using selected combinations of this relatively small number of basic forms printed below. A method different from any of the above three methods for printing text is used. The features of the invention are limited in the scope of the claims. According to the invention, for each of a large number of hieroglyphs to be printed, each linear and other shaped component is different from each other and found by analysis to be common to some of the hieroglyphs. Groups of corresponding graphical elements are printed in proper alignment with each other so that each spherical character that needs to be printed can be printed using a suitably selected combination of several graphical elements. A device and method are provided in which possible graphical elements are selected. The graphical elements can be selected to express the aesthetic qualities of the hieroglyph.

The printhead can also accommodate a typeface with full characters at its ends, convenient for printing hiragana and katakana phonetic characters of the Japanese alphabet in addition to Kanji.

Some of these katakana and hiragana ideograms can be formed by combining segments such as those used in kanji formations, but where this is not possible, it is possible to print kanji sets with a relatively small number of graphical elements. The fact makes it possible to use individual typefaces for printing characters of the katakana and hiragana character set, which cannot easily be formed from the graphical elements used to create kanji. It is worth noting that the same principles as for Kanji can be applied to Roman letters and numerals, as well as to Arabic numerals.

The invention will be further explained by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a printing device 1 according to the invention with its front force bar removed. During use, printer 1 receives original text from a word processing computer or communication link.

Since the printer 1 is fully disclosed in co-pending Japanese Patent Application No. 64641 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-24170) of 1982, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, it will only be shown in a very schematic manner. This printer has paper 3
The platen 2 is provided with a platen 2 wrapped around it in a conventional manner.

The original text is printed onto the sheet 3 by an impact print head 4 mounted on a trolley (not shown) for movement in the X and Y directions relative to the sheet 3. The print head 4 has individual type molds slidably mounted therein and, if required, a sheet 3 by means of a combined print hammer.
It comprises a rectangularly conveyed cell that is propelled towards.

The print head 4 is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 75596 of 1982 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 75596, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference).
It is driven to move in the X and Y directions by highly accurate and powerful linear motors as disclosed in US Pat. No. 52,369. The linear motor, the rotation of the platen, and the operation of the printing hammer are described in co-pending Japanese Patent Application No. 154734 of 1982, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
(Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-75488), all of which are under the control of the control circuit 5 disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-75488.

In order to produce normal Roman letters, a number of type molds, each adapted to print one of the characters of the relevant character set, are loaded into the print head and then placed into the print head 4. approximate X and Y position control signals of
Printing is carried out under the control of a control circuit 5 which generates a starting signal (F) for the printing hammer and a step rotation signal (R).
) rotates platen 2 in increments.

To print Chinese characters, a set of type characters each having a respective one of the graphic elements shown in FIG. 2 is loaded into the print head 4. For each hieroglyphic character called a kanji, aesthetic characteristics are satisfied by printing appropriately selected combinations of graphic elements, some of which are shown in Figure 2, with appropriately defined spatial relationships. It has been discovered that it is possible to print hieroglyphic characters called kanji while using The illustrated graphical elements were selected after analysis of hieroglyphic characters called kanji showed that it was possible to print satisfactory Chinese handwriting using these graphical elements, but as a practical matter, 144
It has been found that several graphical elements are required.

In order to use the graphical elements shown in Figure 2 to print Chinese handwriting, each hieroglyph to be printed must be stored in, for example, a "ROM" (read-only memory) under software control of the processor that operates the printer. The control circuit 5 searches for the graphical elements necessary for printing each character and their required relative positions in a look-up table which may be stored in a read/write memory (device) or read/write memory. Alternatively, the lookup table can be stored within the processor.

Typically, for originals that are read vertically rather than horizontally on the page, the processor or printer control circuitry must be used to rearrange the characters so that printing can occur across the page rather than across the page. With appropriate buffer storage and software, characters (hieroglyphs) can also be moved in columns.

As mentioned above, when a typeface with graphic elements for printing hieroglyphics is installed, it is possible to simultaneously print hieroglyphs such as hiragana and/or katakana, or translations into other languages using, for example, Roman characters. Additionally, type with completed hieroglyphs can also be loaded into the print head.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a Chinese hand letter printed using the graphic elements of FIG.

This invention may be licensed; please contact the applicant for details.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a slightly schematic perspective view embodying the invention from the front showing the main mechanical components of the printer; FIG. 2 shows some of the rows of graphical elements that can be used to print Kanji; 6 shows an example of a Chinese character sentence printed using the graphic elements shown in FIG. 5: Control circuit agent Akira Asamura 1:. Zhou Li's late Yaomi Ranya Yin Peng Wang Kun Nephew's Yiya is a dog company house: 1

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) For each of the large number of hieroglyphs to be printed, each linear and other shape component that is different from each other and that has been found to be common to some of the hieroglyphics by analysis. including printing groups of corresponding graphical elements properly aligned with each other, each glyph required to be printed being printed using a properly selected combination of several graphical elements; A method for printing hieroglyphs in which available graphic elements can be selected so that they can be printed. 2) comprising a printing mechanism adapted to print a large number of graphical elements, each linear and other shaped configuration being different from each other and found by analysis to be common to some of the hieroglyphs; The available graphical elements are selected so that each glyph to be printed can be printed using a suitably selected combination of several graphical elements corresponding to the component, and the graphical elements are arranged in the necessary spatial relationship with each other. 1. A hieroglyphic printing device comprising a device for printing a desired hieroglyphic character in relation to each other. 3) The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the printing mechanism is an impact printing mechanism. 4) The device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the device comprises a control circuit for controlling the operation of the printing mechanism, and includes graphical elements necessary for printing each hieroglyphic character. and a look-up table storage for storing information regarding their relative positions.