JPS61198330A - Image output device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute the cut out output of a rectangular area indicated with optional dot positions and dot size by outputting a control signal in accordance with read of one word in the boundary side of the rectangular area. CONSTITUTION:When reading out one word in the right boundary side of a read object rectangular area, a control circuit 27 stops the next read and sets an area permission signal EN to logical '0' to output dummy data. The circuit 27 outputs dummy data until reaching the left boundary of the object rectangular area. When contents of a ly counter 54 becomes '0', the circuit 27 outputs dummy data until receiving a page end signal 43 from a printer device 15. As the result, image information in the read object rectangular area on a BMM 14 which is designated by MXX, My, LXX, and Ly is read out corresponding to a rectangular area, which begins with the position indicated to Px and Py, on a form of the printer device 15, and only image information of the cut-out object rectangular area in the read object rectangular area is printed selectively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an i! it
The present invention relates to an image output device that outputs an i-image to an external output device such as a printer device.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems] When outputting arbitrary images such as characters, figures, map information, etc. to an external output device, such as a printer device, it is common to first draw the target image in a bitmap memory. It is true. After drawing the image on the bitmap memory, the memory is sequentially scanned to obtain data and output to the printer device.

Now, with the image drawn in the bitmap memory, as shown in FIG.
My) and the rectangular fR region of size (Lx xLy)〈
There is a case where it is desired to print the image information (in the paper) from any position (Px, Py) of the printer device (the paper in it). In this case, Mx, MY.

Lx, Ly, Px, and py must be able to be specified in arbitrary dot units. However, in general, due to constraints such as the hardware configuration of the bitmap memory and the hardware or interface of the printer device, MX, LX, and PX in the X direction are generally limited to 8 dots (bits) or 16 bits.
It had to be in units such as dots. For this reason,
There are restrictions on the cutting position and size of image information, as well as the printing position.

On the other hand, in order to eliminate restrictions on the cutting position and size of image information, as well as the printing position, in other words, MX,
In order to be able to specify LX and PX in units of dots, a method is known in which the bitmap memory and printer device are completely treated as dot serials. However, this method has the problem of slow printing speed.

[Object of the Invention] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to create a rectangular area (image information within) indicated by an arbitrary dot position and dot size on a bitmap memory while applying parallel processing. An object of the present invention is to provide an image output device capable of outputting a cut out image.

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention comprises a bitmap memory from which image information can be read in word units, and a first rectangular area from which image information can be read out from the bitmap memory in word units. a first rectangular area that is the smallest area including a second rectangular area that is the rectangular area to be cut out above;
and an area specifying means for specifying a first output destination position; and an area specifying means for specifying a first output destination position; A reading means for reading word by word from the bitmap memory is provided corresponding to an output destination rectangular area of the same size as one rectangular area, and the first rectangular area is cut out in place of the second rectangular area to be actually cut out. It looks like this.

The present invention further includes: a first mask register that specifies in bits whether or not each bit of one word on one boundary side in the word direction in the first rectangular area is within the second rectangular area; a second mask register that specifies whether each bit of one word on the other boundary side in the word direction in the first rectangular area is within the second rectangular area; and a second mask register on the one boundary side in the first rectangular area. A first mask control signal is output in response to reading one word, and a second mask control signal is output in response to reading one word on the other boundary side in the first rectangular area. ! A mask control signal output means for outputting an I signal and a mask means are provided. The masking means reads out the image information in word units from the bitmap memory by the reading means in bit units according to the contents of the first and second mask registers at the timing of the first and second mask control signals. By the operation of this masking means, the image information of the area surrounded by the first rectangular area and the second rectangular area is cut out, and only the second rectangular area is cut out. There is.

[Embodiments of the invention] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1(a) shows the configuration of an image printer.
Reference numeral 11 denotes a control processor that performs overall control. The control processor 11 is, for example, a microprocessor. ,
12 is a host interface that is an interface circuit with a host computer (not shown); 13 is an image generation circuit that generates images such as characters and figures; and 14 is a bitmap memory (hereinafter referred to as 8MM) that stores image information.
).

The 14th 8M can be read in word units.

The 14th word of 8M is, for example, 8 bits (1 byte).
It is. 15 is a printer device; 16 is an image output device that reads image information from the 8M 14 and outputs it to the printer device 15; Control processor 11, host interface 12, image generation circuit 13.8M 14, and image output device 16 are interconnected by system bus 17.

Figure 1(b) is an image output device! 16 shows the internal configuration of the system bus 17, and 21 is an area designation register group 21 connected to the system bus 17. The area designation register group 21 is a rectangular area that can be read in word units from the BMM 14 shown in FIG. This is used to specify the read target rectangular area, which is the smallest area including the area, and the printing start position in the printer W115. The rectangular area to be cut out is specified in units of dots (bits) by MX, MY, LX, and LV, as shown in FIG. Furthermore, the area to be read is MXX.

It is specified by MV, lxx, and LV. Mxx.

LXX can be specified in units of 8 dots (1 word). Further, the printing start position is specified by px and Py. In this example, px is 8 dots (1 word)
It is a unit.

Reference numeral 22 denotes each bit of one word on the left boundary side in the word direction in the rectangular area to be read (the left side which holds 8-bit left mask information LM that specifies whether or not the Draton is within the rectangular area to be cut out in bit units). Mask register, 23
is 8-bit right mask information R that specifies in bits whether each bit of one word on the right boundary side in the word direction in the rectangular area to be read is within the rectangular area to be cut out.
This is the right mask register that holds M. The left mask register 22# and the right mask register 23 are connected to the system bus 1.
7 is connected.

24 is read from 8M No. 14 shown in FIG. 1(a).
Read register for holding bit image information, 25
is a mask circuit. The mask circuit 25 converts the output data D of the read register 24 into the left mask register 22 and the right mask register 23 according to the timing control signals of the area permission signal EN, the left boundary signal, and the right boundary signal R.
It has the circuit configuration necessary to mask bit by bit according to the contents of the data. Note that the area permission signal EN indicates that the output data D of the read register 24 is data within the rectangular area to be read. Further, the left boundary signal and the right boundary signal R indicate that the output data D of the read register 24 is the left boundary data and right boundary data of the rectangular area to be read.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of the mask circuit 25 for one bit. In the figure, reference numeral 31 denotes an OR gate (to which the first (i is any one of 0 to 7) bit LMi of the left mask information LM from the left mask register 22 and the left boundary signal @L is supplied.
32 is an OR (OR gate) to which the i-th bits R to 11 of the right mask information RM from the right mask register 23 and the right boundary signal R are supplied, and 33 is an AND gate (hereinafter referred to as AND). It is. AND33 contains the i-th bit D of the output data D of the read register 24.
The respective output signals of i, 0R31, and 0R32, and the area enable signal EN are supplied. The output of the A N D 33 indicates the i-th bit D1 of the data [)m after masking with respect to the output data D of the read register 24.

Referring again to FIG. 1(b), 26 is a mask circuit 25.
The output data [)m is sent to the printer device 15 in FIG.
27 is a control circuit. The control circuit 27 generates a read address for the 14th 8M, and also generates the above-mentioned left boundary signal.

Various timing lllIJwi signals such as a right boundary signal R1 area permission signal EN and a data stove signal 40 for the printer device 15 are generated.

The control circuit 27 has a ready signal 41 indicating that data output is possible.
．． A line end signal 42 indicating the end of one line, and 1
A page end signal 43 indicating the end of the page is supplied from the printer device 15. The control circuit 27 is the lower 3 of MXX.
mx8 where the remaining bits excluding the bit Mx8 are initialized
counter 51, my counter 52 where MY is initialized
, a 1x8 counter 53 to which the remaining bits LX8 excluding the lower three pits of Lxx are initialized, a 1y counter 54 to which LV is initialized, and a px counter 55 and a py counter 56 to which O is initialized, respectively. have.

Next, the operation of one embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the operation explanatory diagram of FIG.

Now, as shown in Figure 3, Mx, My, Lx
.

It is assumed that a rectangular area indicated by LV is cut out as a cutting target area. In this case, in this embodiment, the smallest rectangular area that can be read from the 8MK 14 in units of words and that includes the target rectangular area is read from the BMM 14 as the read target area. . This readout target area is Mxx, My as shown in FIG.
, Lxx, LV.

The first bit (dot) of the rectangular area to be cut out indicated by the coordinates (MX, My) is x-tvlxx-8i.

Exists within one word in BMM 14 specified by address y-MY. As is clear, 11 or MX
The remaining bits of X excluding the lower 3 bits Mx8 match the remaining bits of MX excluding the lower 3 bits.

In addition, the upper right boundary bit of the rectangular area to be cut out, which is indicated by (Mx + Lx-1, My), is x = 8j, y-
It resides within one word in B M K14 addressed by My. j matches the remaining bits excluding the lower three bits of MX+LX-1. In this example, Mxx,
The image information of the read target area indicated by My, lxx, and Ly is read from the 8MK14 and output to an area whose leading position is the position specified by Px and Py on the paper on the printer device 15 side. At this time, the mask circuit 25 makes effective only the image information within the rectangular area to be cut out, and does not print in other areas.

First, when printing image information, the control processor 11 sends Mxx, MV, LXX, and cy that specify the rectangular area to be read (corresponding to the rectangular area to be cut out), and Px and Py that indicate the printing start position to the image output device 16. The area specification register group 21 is set via the system bus 17. The control processor 11 also stores left mask information LM and right mask information R in the left mask register 22 and right mask register 23 in the image output device 16, respectively.
Set M. L.M.

Each bit LMi and RMi of RM indicates that a logic "1" indicates the inside of the rectangular area to be cut out, and a logic "0" indicates that it indicates outside the rectangular area to be cut out. When the control processor 11 performs the data setting operation described above, the control processor 11 controls the control circuit 27 in the image output device 16.
Activate against.

When activated by the control processor 11, the control circuit 27 sets the remaining bits MX8 other than the lower three bits of MXX in the area designation register group 21 to the mx8 counter 51, and sets the same <MV to the my counter 52. The control circuit 27 also sets the remaining bits Lx8 excluding the lower three bits of LXX in the 1x8 counter 53, and sets Ly to 1y
Set it on the counter 54. The control circuit 27 also clears the px counter 55 and the py counter 56. Next, the control circuit 27 sets the area permission signal EE'N to logic ii O
” state, and while transmitting and receiving signals (data stove signal 40, ready signal 41, line end signal 42, page end signal 43) with the printer device 15, the printer head of the printer device j15 moves to the print start position ( Px, Py) is sent out.This means that when EN=O, A of the mask circuit 25
It is clear that the AND condition of N D 33 is not satisfied and the output data Dmi becomes logic "On" regardless of the input data Di. That is, in the case of EN-0,
The 8-bit output data Dm of the mask circuit 25 are all “0”.
'', and empty data is output to the printer device 15.

The llllK1 circuit 27 increments the px counter 55 by 1 every time it outputs 8 pits of data (and the data stove signal 40) to the printer device 15. Then, each time the line end signal 42 is received from the printer device 15, pX
The counter 55 is cleared and the py counter 56 is incremented by 1.

When the contents of the px counter 55 match the remaining bits PX8 excluding the lower three bits of Px and the contents of the py counter 56 match Py, the control circuit 21 sets all three bits to the lower bits of Mx8 indicated by the mx8 counter 51. An address (MXX) consisting of MXX obtained by adding "○" data and My indicated by the my counter 52.

My) is output to BMM 14 and one word of image information is read out. Next, the control circuit 27 latches the read data from the 14th 8M in the read register 24.

The data latched in the read register 24 is masked by the mask circuit 25, supplied to the output driver 26, and sent to the printer device 15 together with the data stove signal 40 from the control circuit 27. The control circuit 27 reads mx8 image information every time one word of image information is read from the 14th 8M.
The counter 51 is incremented by 1, and the l x8 counter 53 is
is decremented by 1, and the operation of reading/outputting the next one word every time the ready signal 41 is received from the printer device w115 is repeated until the content of the 1.times.8 counter 53 becomes O. The control circuit 27 continues to update the px counter 55 during this operation.

Now, during the reading period of the rectangular area to be read, the control circuit 27 sets the area permission signal EN to logic 11 as shown in FIG.
1 I+, and during the reading period of one word on the left boundary side of the rectangular area to be read, the left boundary signal is set to logic 110 I+ as shown in FIG. During the period of reading one word, the right boundary signal R is set to logic 0 as shown in FIG. Therefore, during the period of reading one word on the left boundary side of the rectangular area to be read, the left mask information LM, which is the content of the left mask register 22, is valid, and the mask circuit 25 converts the output data D of the read register 24 into the left mask information. It is masked bit by bit according to the state of LM and output as data [)m. As a result, data outside the left boundary of the rectangular area to be cut out (out of the 8-bit image information read from the 8M 14th) is invalidated. Similarly, during the period of reading one word on the right boundary side of the rectangular area to be read, the right mask information RM, which is the content of the right mask register 23, is valid, and the mask circuit 25 uses the output data D of the read register 24 as a right mask. Masks bits according to the state of the information RM,
Output as data [)l. As a result, (8M 14th
Among the 8-bit image information read out from the 8-bit image information), data outside the right boundary of the rectangular area to be cut out is invalidated. In addition, during the read period excluding one word each on the left boundary side and right boundary side in any one line of the rectangular area to be read, the output data D of the mask circuit 25 and the output register 24
is output as is as data DIIl. That is, according to the image output device 1G of this embodiment, only the image information within the rectangular area to be cut out of any one line in the rectangular area to be read out is outputted to the printer device 15 as valid data.

When the control circuit 27 reads one word on the right boundary side of the rectangular area to be read, specifically, when the content of the 1×8 counter 53 becomes O, it stops the next read and sets the area permission signal EN to logic again. When the control circuit 27 receives the line end signal 42 from the printer device 15, the control circuit 27 sets the mX8 counter 51 to Mx8.
, and set lx8 in the 1x8 counter 53. The control circuit 27 also controls the my counter 52 and the upy counter 5.
6 is incremented by 1, and the 1y counter 54 is incremented by 1. Next, the control circuit 27 outputs empty data until the contents of the px counter 55 match Px8, that is, until the left boundary of the rectangular area to be read is reached. Thereafter, the control circuit 21 repeats the operation described above. Eventually, when the content of the ly counter 54 becomes 0, the control circuit 27 activates the printer W115.
Empty data is output until the page end signal 43 is received from the page end signal 43. As a result, Mxx, My, Lxx
, The read target rectangle w on the 8M 14th specified by Ly
The image information of area A is read out corresponding to the rectangular area starting from the position indicated by Px and Py on the paper on the printer device 15 side, and only the image information of the rectangular area to be cut out within the rectangular area to be read is read out. can be selectively printed.

In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which image information of an arbitrary rectangular area in a BMM (bit map memory) is outputted to a printer device. However, the present invention is also applicable to a case where the above image information is outputted to, for example, a display device. It can also be applied.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a rectangular area (image information within) indicated by an arbitrary dot position and dot size on a bitmap memory can be cut out and output.

Moreover, since it is parallel processing, high-speed processing is possible.)
Ru.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1(a) is a block diagram of an image printer according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1(b) is a block diagram of an image output device shown in FIG. 1(a), and FIG. 1
A diagram showing the configuration of one bit of the mask circuit 25 in Figure (b), Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the operation, and Figure 4 shows the rectangular area to be cut out on the bitmap memory and the output light on the paper on the printer side. FIG. 11... Control processor, 14... Bit map memory (BMM), 15... Printer device, 16...
・Image output device, 21...area specification register group,
22... Left mask register, 23... Right mask register, 25... Mask circuit, 27... Control circuit. Applicant's representative Patent attorney Takeshi Suzue Industry 1 Figure (a) Bakery 3 Figure

Claims (1)

[Claims] a bitmap memory in which image information is stored and can be read out in word units; a first rectangular area that can be read out from the bitmap memory in word units;
A first rectangular area that is the smallest area including a second rectangular area that is a rectangular area to be cut out on the same bitmap memory, and an area specifying means for specifying the first output destination position; The image information of the first rectangular area is transferred to a word from the bitmap memory corresponding to an output destination rectangular area of the same size as the first rectangular area, with the output destination position specified by the area specifying means as the starting position. A reading means for reading in units, and each bit of one word on one boundary side in the word direction in the first rectangular area,
A first mask register that specifies in bits whether or not the area is within the second rectangular area, and each bit of one word on the other boundary side in the word direction in the first rectangular area is within the second rectangular area. a second mask register for specifying whether or not there is a border on the other side of the first rectangular area; mask control signal output means for outputting a second mask control signal in response to reading of one word on the side; and image information read out in units of words from the bitmap memory by the reading means.
An image output device comprising: masking means for masking bit by bit according to the contents of the first and second mask registers at the timing of the first and second mask control signals and outputting the masked data.