JPS603669B2 - Character/graphic information input method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a method for inputting character/graphic information, particularly a terminal device that inputs/outputs character information, graphic information, and mixed character/graphic information, in which the insertion position of graphic information can be arbitrarily specified by key operation. This relates to a method for inputting text and graphic information.

Conventionally, character input has mainly been handled with a character input-only terminal device that inputs only characters, and graphic input has mainly been handled with a graphic input-dedicated terminal device that inputs only shapes. When dealing with graphical information such as simple line drawings or special marks, it was necessary to input a set of coordinates to indicate the line drawings or to create a new code key with special marks. Furthermore, with terminal devices such as facsimiles that are only used for inputting graphics, it is not possible to input character codes, and it is common practice to draw the characters on a piece of paper and then input the entire paper as a figure. In this way, character input-only terminal devices are capable of inputting simple line drawings and special marks, but they require a huge amount of coordinate information to draw line drawings, and the number of symbols is too large. The problem is that there are limitations and it is impossible to input complex line drawings, signatures, images, etc.

Further, the graphic input terminal device has the problem that, as described above, the entire sheet of paper on which characters are drawn is input as a graphic, so the amount of information swells to an enormous amount, and processing such as editing is not possible.

For this reason, there is currently no efficient method for inputting information containing a mixture of characters and graphics. The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by making it possible to input text-only information, graphics-only information, and information containing a mixture of text and graphics using a single terminal device, and also simplifies the input operation of the information. The purpose is to make it possible.

A detailed description will be given below according to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a character input section, 2 is a graphic input section, 3 is an output section, 4 is a storage section, and 5 is a control section. are shown respectively,
1-■ is a group of keys that generate general codes such as characters.
2 indicates a key that generates an area designation code, and 1-■ indicates a key that generates an area designation cancellation code.

As the graphic input section 2, for example, a facsimile machine or an image league is used, and the graphic is inputted in the form of image information. @ connecting the character input section 1 and the control section 5 is a signal line for transferring control information and input character code strings between the two, and ■ connecting the graphic input section 2 and the control section 5 is a signal line between the two. control information and pixel code of the input figure (binary code represented by binary values of 0 and 1, the same applies hereinafter)
This is a signal line for transferring columns, and connects the storage section 4 and the control section 5.
@ connecting the two is a signal line that transfers control information between the two, character code strings and pixel code strings exchanged between the two, and ■ connecting the output unit 3 and the control unit 5 is a signal line that transfers control information and output between the two. It is a signal line that transfers character code strings and pixel code strings, and ■
is a signal line that transfers control information, character code strings, and pixel code strings during communication between the terminal device and other terminal devices or the center.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the functions of the area designation code and the area designation cancellation code. An example is shown in which a rectangular graphic area with a width of m'' digits and a height of n'' lines is defined, with the upper left end at line ''. As shown in Figure 2, the area designation code and area designation cancellation code are intended to secure a rectangular graphic area of any size at any position in the document, and their functions are as follows. be. That is, the area specification code specifies the area occupied by the figure in one line containing the area specification code, and instructs the control unit 5 to receive the same area specification for subsequent lines. It has a function of occupying a predetermined area on the storage unit 4. The area designation cancellation code has a function of instructing the control unit 5 to cancel the specified area and regulations of the area specification code from the line next to the line containing the area specification cancellation code, and causing the control unit 5 to take the cancellation operation. It is something that we have. letter·
To input information containing a mixture of figures, first enter characters, area designation codes, and area designation cancellation codes from character input section 1 using keys 1-
Input using ■, 1-■, and 1-■.

These character code strings input from character input section 1 are @
The data is stored in the storage unit 4 via the control unit 5 and (2). Next, the control unit 5 determines the size, position, and number of graphic areas based on the stored character code, area designation code, and area designation cancellation code. Graphic numbers are assigned sequentially starting from the area, and a graphic input instruction is output to the output unit 3 by designating the graphic number to the operator. The operator inputs a figure from the figure input section 2 based on this instruction. The pixel code string of the input figure is ■, the control unit 5
, @ are stored in the storage unit 4. If there is an output instruction such as monitoring from the character input unit 1, the control unit 5 disassembles and assembles the stored character code string and pixel code string according to the area designation code and the area designation cancellation code, and converts the character code string and pixel code string. The data is arranged in a mixed output format, and is output to the output section 3 via (1) the control section 5 and (2). Further, if there is a transmission instruction to the silk or center, the character code string and pixel code string stored in the storage section 4 are transmitted via the @control section 5 and (2). Next, see the third section on how to input characters, area designation codes, and area designation cancellation codes.
This will be explained in detail based on the figures.

FIG. 3 shows an example of how to input characters, area designation codes, and area designation cancellation codes inputted from the character input section 1, with the manuscript A to be inputted on the left and the characters for that manuscript on the right. A code string B is shown. The input manuscript is m digits x
It has a figure with a size of n lines, and the upper left corner is the m'th column and the n'th line (the size of the figure is m'' columns x n'' lines, the shaded part).ッ00...○'' in the manuscript indicates a character. u00...○'' in the code string indicates a character code corresponding to the character in the manuscript, and ``■'' indicates a carriage return and line feed code. Indicates H◎
"" indicates an area designation code, "■" indicates an area designation cancellation code, and ]]...]" indicates an empty code string. From the 1st line to the (n'-1)th line are the characters of the manuscript. Enter the code corresponding to (m
'-1) characters, followed by the area designation code and (
m''-2) empty codes, then input the area designation code again, and input the carriage return and line feed code.
1) From the line to the (n'+n''-2)th line, input (m'-1) characters according to the manuscript.The character input section 1 automatically inputs the carriage return and line feed code. (If the figure is in contact with the center or left edge of the document, the print head of the output unit 3 automatically skips by the width of the figure by the character input unit 1.) The (n+n″-1)th line is (m
'-1) characters, followed by an area designation cancellation code and a new line code. The input method from the (n'10n'')th line to the nth line is the same as the input method from the first line to the (n'-1)th line.Needless to say, the input method shown on the right side of FIG. When a manuscript is input, the illustration control section 5 in FIG. 1 secures a designated graphic area (m'' digits x n'' rows) on the storage section 4 as shown on the left side of FIG. Stored. The above input code string is temporarily stored in the storage unit 4 as described above.

Although FIG. 3 shows a case where there is one graphic area, there may be a plurality of graphic areas. The effects of using area designation codes and area specification cancellation codes in this way are as follows: First, a rectangular graphic area of any size can be secured at any position in the document, so complex characters and figures can be combined. Second, there is no need to count the exact digit number and line number of the graphic area to be secured, making it easy to secure the graphic area. Third, the code key system of the character input section can be used as is. Since it is being reused, character input operations can be made extremely simple, such as by using the same code input method as before. Next, a graphic input method will be explained based on FIG.

FIG. 4 shows an example of an input document C having three graphic areas and a graphic input instruction D output to the output section 3. −
The graphic areas are arranged in the order of [a}, 0, and [b} from the top row of the manuscript, so the graphic area [a}, (c') and the figure number of the figure to be inserted in the other are {a) = No. ．． 1, {b}=N
o. (c}=NO.2. Based on the above premise regarding the correspondence between the graphic area and the graphic number, the control unit 5 first instructs the operator to input the graphic number No. 1 to the output unit 3. (Input instruction ■ in Figure 4).According to Makoto's instructions, the operator inputs the figure corresponding to figure number No. 1 from the figure input section 2.The input figure is
It is converted into the pixel code string shown in the figure and stored in the storage unit 4. FIG. 5 is an example showing the relationship between figure E and pixel code string F, where CF'' in the pixel code string is an identifier indicating that the pixel code string follows CF, or the length of the pixel code string. This is control information.The pixel matrix shown between figure E and pixel code string F in FIG. any 1
It shows pxq pixels corresponding to the digit (one character). Then, the pxq pixels are connected to the pixel code string F as shown by the arrow drawn for the pixel code string F in the figure.
arranged on top. Figure number no. When the input of figure 1 is completed, the figure number No. 1 is inputted. 2.No. 3. Input the figure in the same way.

Note that even if there is only one figure, the figure number is No. Give 1. In this way, when inputting a figure, since an input instruction is outputted from the control section 5, the input operation can be performed in accordance with the instruction, and the operator's figure input operation becomes extremely simple. Next, when there is an output instruction for monitoring or the like, a method of disassembling and coarsening character code strings and pixel code strings and arranging them into an output format in units of one line will be described with reference to FIG. Figure 6 is the input manuscript of Figure 3 (the figure is Figure 5)
The upper half shows the storage state in the storage unit 4 before disassembly and assembly, and the lower half shows the output state after disassembly and assembly. The assembly procedure is performed as follows. First, from the first line to the (n'-1)th line where no area designation code exists, the character code string is re-stored as one line. In the figure (
1} and {2) correspond to this. In the n'th row with the area designation code, insert the pixel code string of the first row of the figure between @ and ◎,
@ and ■ are deleted and stored again. The '31 and '41 models in the diagram correspond to this. The (n'+1)th row is the character code string (
Insert the pixel code string of the second row of the figure between the m'-th character code and the m-th character code (in Figure 6, it becomes ■), delete ■, and store again. . [51, ■ in the figure corresponds to this. This re-storage is repeated from the (n'12)th line to the (n'+n'')th line having the area designation cancellation code. However, the symbol (2) in the (n'+n'')th line is deleted. th (n' tenth n
From the ``+1) line to the nth line, the character code string is re-stored as is.As a result of the above processing, the characters and figures that were input separately are output as a mixture of character code strings and pixel code strings in units of one line. The arranged code string is outputted to the output section 3 through (1).As explained above, according to the present invention, as a means for defining a graphic area, an area designation code, an area designation cancellation code, and Code keys are provided to generate each code, making it possible not only to freely input text information, graphic information, and mixed text/graphic information, but also to input rectangles of any size in any position. It has the advantage that it is possible to place figures such as , and input operations for these can be carried out extremely easily.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the functions of an area designation code and an area designation cancellation code that define a graphic area. Figure 3 shows an example of how to input characters, area designation codes, and area designation cancellation codes, Figure 4 shows an example of how to input figures, and Figure 5 shows how figures and pixel code strings are input. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining means for disassembling and assembling character code strings and pixel code strings once stored in a storage unit into an output format. In the figure, 1 is a character input section, 2 is a graphic input section, 1--, 1--, and 1-- are keys or key groups, respectively, 3 is an output section, 4 is a storage section, and 5 is a control section. Spear' Spear 2 Spear 3 Shio 4 Spear S Diagram Ok

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A character input section for inputting characters including numbers and symbols, a figure input section for inputting figures including line drawings, images, and patterns, a storage section for storing information on input characters and figures, and a storage section for storing information on input characters and figures. In a terminal device consisting of an output unit that outputs information on characters and figures that are displayed, and a control unit, an area designation code and an area designation code for specifying the size and position of the graphic area are input to the character input unit. A means for generating a release code is provided, a character code, an area designation code, and an area designation release code are inputted from the character input unit, and the control unit generates the input character code, area designation code, and area designation release code. The size, position, and number of graphic areas are determined based on the graphic area, a graphic input instruction is outputted to the output section by specifying a graphic number, and the graphic is input from the graphic input section according to this instruction. A character/graphic information input method characterized by: