JPS63131278A - Information storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To output a graphic data to a pen plotter and a dot printer by developing a bit of graphic vector information from a host computer into a dot image capable of outputting to the dot printer and storing the resulting dot image. CONSTITUTION:An information storage device 2 is provided between the host computer 1 and a peripheral equipment 7. This storage device 2 is constituted of an input pat 3, central processing part 4, a bit image area 5, and an output part 6. The bit image area 5 stores the graphic vector information outputted from the host computer 1 in form of a bit number in an address corresponding to a coordinate value capable of inputting/outputting to/from a dot printer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an information storage device, and particularly to an information storage device suitable for handling graphic vector information.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, CAD (Computer Aided De
A graphic processing system such as a sign) system or a graph creation system outputs graphic information processed by a host computer to a peripheral device, and forms a graphic for the first time in the peripheral device. Typical peripheral devices used are a pen plotter that outputs five figures as a vector image, and a dot printer that outputs a pixel image. Each of these pen plotters and dot printers has advantages and disadvantages.

That is, although pen plotters can produce highly accurate figures, they operate slower than host computers and require a long time to obtain output results. On the other hand, dot printers are less accurate than pen plotters, but they operate faster and can produce results quickly. Therefore, it is ideal for a graphic processing system to include both a pen plotter and a dot printer, with the dot printer used for checking graphics and the pen plotter used for fine-printing.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in order to operate a pen plotter and a dot printer, it is necessary to perform different software processing, and in order to output the same figure from a post computer to a pen plotter and a dot printer, two types of processing must be performed on the host computer. Software needs to be prepared. Therefore, equipping one graphics processing system with both a pen plotter and a dot printer has the disadvantage of significantly increasing the burden on the host computer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an information storage device that allows a pen plotter and a dot printer to draw graphics using only graphic vector information output from a host computer.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention includes an input section for receiving graphic vector information from a host computer, a storage section for storing the graphic vector information received by the input section, and an output section for outputting the graphic vector information stored in the storage section to a peripheral device. an information storage device having a central processing unit that controls the output of graphic vector information via the input unit and the output unit, and performs information writing/reading operations and various arithmetic operations on the storage unit. , the storage unit is an information storage device characterized in that the storage unit has a bit image area for storing coordinate values as graphic vector information from the host computer as the number of bits in an address corresponding to the coordinate values.

[Effect]

In the present invention configured as described above, the figure vector information output from the host computer is stored as the number of bits in the address corresponding to the coordinate values that can be input to the dot printer. It is configured to allow a pen plotter and dot printer to draw figures using only vector information.

〔Example〕

Below is a preferred embodiment of the information storage device according to the present invention:
The details will be explained according to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an information storage device according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, an information storage device 2 includes an input section 3 that receives graphic vector information from a host computer, an output section 6 that outputs data to a peripheral device 7, and stores graphic vector information as bit image information to be described in detail later. The input unit 3, bit image area 5, and output unit 6 are connected to a central processing unit 4 via a bus. The central processing unit 4 includes a processor (not shown) that performs various calculations and controls, a ROM (ROM) that stores the processing procedures of the processor, and a work area that temporarily stores data used by the processor. It consists of random access memory (RAM).

The bit image area 5 forms part of the storage unit and is a RAM
It is constructed as shown in FIG.

If one bit unit represents one coordinate value, then 32
According to 000 bytes of RAM, (0,0) to (639,
399) coordinate planes can be handled. Addresses arranged in order from 0 to 631119 are assigned to this RAM, and each address consists of 8 bits (1 byte).

The address numbers are address 0 at the bottom left of the coordinate plane, address 1 at the right side, address 80 in the X direction, address 389 in the Y direction, and so on. It has an address of 31120. The final address 31119 corresponds to the upper right corner of the coordinate plane.

If you define the bit image area like this.

Generally, coordinates (x, y), address a and bit No.
The correspondence with b is as shown in (1) below.

However, p is the quotient obtained by dividing the value of X by 8, and q is the remainder. Therefore, for example, location W4 (10°2) corresponds to bit 1 of address 161.

The graphic vector information sent from the host computer is expressed, for example, in the format shown in FIG. That is,
Start code (STX: 5tartoft)
ext) and end code (ETX:endof)
It is a sequence of characters ending in text). Between the start code STX and the end code EXT, there is a combination of a command, a parameter, a comma (delimiter) to indicate a separation between parameters, and a semicolon which is a terminator to indicate the end of one command. There are two types of commands; one is a command U that moves the pen of the pen plotter in a down state and at the target position. Further, the parameters (Xt+Yt)+(Xz, Yz) following the command shown in FIG. 3 indicate the coordinates of the target to which the pen is to be moved.

When the graphic vector information shown in FIG. 3 is input to the input unit 3 from the host computer 1, the central processing unit 4 of the information processing device 2 performs the following processing.

(1) First, when the input unit 3 reads the start code, the central processing unit 4 clears the RAM in the bit image area 5 to all zeros. Then, (0, O) is virtually set as the current pen position. This corresponds to setting new paper in the pen plotter and resetting the pen to the home position.

(2) Next, the central processing unit 4 reads one command separated by terminators.

(a) For command U: Update the current pen position to the coordinate values specified by the command.

(b) Command D In this case, a pen plotter performs processing on the bit image area 5 that corresponds to drawing a line on a sheet of paper.

Pen plotters typically approximate ideal curves by linear interpolation known as Bresenham's algorithm. This situation is shown in FIG. In the figure (Xo+Yo)
indicates the current position of the pen, and (XIF Yl) indicates the target position.

That is, the central processing unit 4 sequentially calculates the point marked O in the figure, which is the trajectory of the pen, according to this algorithm. Each time a point is found, the corresponding bit in the RAM is set to 1 according to equation (1), and when the target position is reached, that position is updated as the current position. The above processes (a) and (b) are continued until the input section reads out the end code.

This sets the bit in RAM corresponding to the pen trajectory to 1.
is set, and the graphic vector information is expanded into bit image information.

(3) When the end code is read, the central processing unit reads the data in the bit image area and outputs the data from the output unit 6 to the peripheral bag [17].

If one peripheral device is, for example, a 7×5 dot printer, data output is performed as follows.

The graphic data is output from the upper left part of FIG. If the bits corresponding to each dot of the dot printer are dL, d2, . . . d7 from the top of the printer head, they are as shown in FIG. The numbers in Figure 5 are R
AM address is shown, and Figure 5 shows printer 1 address.
Only the lines are shown.

Each bit is output from bit No. and O.

The central processing unit 4 outputs a return and line feed code every time it outputs one line (640 dots). When 58 lines are printed in this way, one screen is completed.

In the manner described above, the graphic vector information from the host computer can be converted into bit image information, and the graphic information can be output to the dot printer.

Further, in this device, even after the graphic information is output to the dot printer, the bit image information is not lost, so by attaching an appropriate switch, it is possible to output multiple sheets of the same drawing to the printer.

It is also possible to provide a mode changeover switch so that the graphic vector information can be output as is to a peripheral device such as a pen plotter without converting it into bit image information. In this case, the RAM can be used as a data buffer.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, graphic vector information from a post computer is developed and stored in a bit image that can be output to a dot printer.
Graphic data can be output to a pen plotter and dot printer using only the graphic vector information output from the postcomputer.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an information storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a bit image area, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of graphic vector information,
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of straight-line scanning using Bresenham's algorithm, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the correspondence between printer heads and bit image information. 1... host computer, 2... information storage device,
3...Input section, 4...Central processing section, 5...Bit image 3rd I12] Kure 40 □Tui Ni 〼↑T Haya■

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An input section for receiving graphic vector information from a host computer, a storage section for storing the graphic vector information received by this input section, and an output section for outputting the graphic vector information stored in this storage section to a peripheral device. , an information storage device having a central processing unit that controls the input/output of graphic vector information via the input unit and the output unit, and performs information writing/reading operations and various arithmetic processing with respect to the storage unit; An information storage device characterized in that the storage unit has a bit image area for storing coordinate values as graphic vector information from the host computer as the number of bits in an address corresponding to the coordinate values.