JPS6395970A - Color word processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate editing with set color patterns, by providing an editing means for changing arrays of character data in an array storage means and a printing color area changing means for changing a printing color area in a distribution storage means according to the character data moved by said editing means. CONSTITUTION:When areas for each printing color are set on a printing surface by a printing color area setting means M2 according to an inputted designation, a distribution storage means 3 stores the areas. A printing-controlling means M4 discriminates a color in which a dot pattern for a character to be disposed on the printing surface is to be printed, based on the areas stored in the distribution storage means M3, and prints each dot corresponding to character data stored in an array storage means M1 in the relevant color. Upon a change in the arrays of the character data in the array storage means M1 by an editing means M5, a printing color area changing means M6 modifies the areas for each printing color stored in the distribution storage means M3 by movement, division or the like according to the movement of the character data, so that the arrays of the characters themselves are changed together with color patterns.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a color word processor that emits colored characters.

[Prior Art] In order to specify the color of a character in a conventional color word processor, an instruction as to whether or not to print each character in a different color is inputted from a keyboard.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, this method is cumbersome to input, and since the color can only be specified for each character, there is a limit to the free design of color patterns, and even more detailed color specification is desired. ing. In addition, when moving character strings (including single characters), which is a function of a word processor, it may be necessary to move white characters at the same time for special displays such as cautionary statements. What is desired is a device whose color pattern also moves as it moves.

Therefore, the present invention employs the following configuration in order to solve the above problems.

[Means for Solving the Problems] That is, the gist of the present invention is to convert input character data into a dot pattern corresponding to the character data and to print dots according to the pattern, as illustrated in FIG. The color word processor for printing further includes an array storage means M1 for storing the array of character data, and a print color area setting means M for setting an area for each print color on the dot printing surface.
2, distribution storage means M3 for storing the distribution of the area, and printing control means M4 for controlling the dot pattern to be printed in the set color of the area to which the dot pattern belongs;
1. Editing means M5 for changing the arrangement of character data in the arrangement storage means M1, and changing the print color area in the distribution storage means M3 in accordance with the character data moved by the editing means M5. A color word processor characterized by comprising a print color area changing means M6.

[Operation] When the print color area setting means M2 sets an area for each print color on the printing surface according to the input instruction, the distribution storage means M3 stores the area. The printing control means M4 determines the color in which the dot pattern of the characters arranged on the printing surface should be printed based on the above area stored in the distribution storage means M3, and prints the dot pattern of the characters arranged on the printing surface in the corresponding color in the array storage means M1. Print each dot that corresponds to the character data. When the arrangement of character data in the array storage means M1 is changed by the editing means M5, which is a function of a word processor, the printing color area changing means M
6 moves or divides the area for each print color stored in the distribution storage means M3 according to the movement of character data, so when printed by the print control means M4, the character itself The array changes along with its color pattern.

Next, the present invention will be explained in detail. The present invention is not limited to these, but includes various embodiments without departing from the gist thereof.

[Embodiment] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a color word processor that is an embodiment of the present invention. This color word processor includes a keyboard 1 for inputting print data, a liquid crystal panel 2 for displaying up to 24 characters of the print data input from the keyboard 1, and a thermal transfer printing device 4 for color printing the print data input from the keyboard 1. We are prepared.

In addition to the normal character keys, the keyboard 1 includes a color specification key 5 for instructing the start operation of specifying the area color for color printing;
Color-specific keys for instructing the printing colors for color printing, namely yellow key 6, magenta key 8, cyan key 1
0, a cursor key 11 for moving the cursor displayed on the liquid crystal panel 2 vertically and horizontally, a print key 12 for instructing the start of printing, a line feed key 14 for instructing a line feed, and the like are provided.

The printing device 4 also includes a platen 18 to which printing paper 16 is attached and rotated by a step motor (not shown), a guide shaft 20 provided parallel to the platen 18, and a guide shaft 20 that is slidably supported on the guide shaft 20. A carriage base 22, a ribbon cassette 26 placed on the carriage base 22 and containing a film ribbon 24, and a drive shaft 30 that engages with the ribbon cassette 26 and is rotated by a step motor 28.
, a print head 32 for printing by thermally melting the film ribbon 24, and an optical sensor 34 provided adjacent to the print head 32.

A part of the timing belt 36 is engaged with the carriage base 22, and as the timing belt 36 is rotated by the step motor 38, the carriage base 22 also moves.

In addition, the film ribbon 24 has yellow Y, magenta M
, cyan C (hereinafter referred to as Y, M, and C, respectively).

) are sequentially applied to the same length as the width of the printing paper 16, and a bar code is provided at the beginning of each color.

This barcode is discriminated by the optical sensor 34 to identify the color and determine the color boundary. 9 The three primary colors Y of the above colors
, M, C, and red R and green -G, which are mixed in reduced color by printing them overlappingly.
, blue B, black BK, and a total of seven colors are printed.

This printing device 4 uses a step motor 28 to move a predetermined color of an ink ribbon 24 to the position of a print head 32, prints dots by the print head 32, and then moves the ink ribbon 24 to a carriage base via a timing belt 36 using a step motor 38. By moving 22 in the surface direction, printing is performed sequentially.

When one line of printing is completed, the platen 18 is rotated and the printing paper 16 is fed by one line.

Next, the electrical system of this embodiment will be explained using the block diagram shown in FIG. Each of the above devices is driven and controlled by an electronic control device 50 built into the color word processor to perform color printing.

As shown in FIG. 3, this electronic control device 50 includes a well-known CPU 51, a ROM 52 that stores control programs and data in advance, an array storage means M1, and a distribution storage means M3.
It is constituted as a logical operation circuit by a RAM 53 which can be read and written freely as a memory, a line memory 54 which stores character strings (maximum 24 characters for one line displayed on the liquid crystal panel 2) by corresponding dot arrangement, and the like. CPU51 is R
According to the procedure (program) stored in the OM52, the keyboard input circuit 55 and sensor input circuit 5 are activated as necessary.
A data signal is input from 6 and drives the ribbon drive circuit 57, print drive circuit 58, or paper feed drive port 1i59 to perform various processing.

Note that the panel drive circuit 60 displays the contents of the line memory 54 as is on the liquid crystal panel 2. That is, the display on the liquid crystal panel 2 is performed using a so-called bitmap display method.

Next, the electronic control device 5 serves as the print color area setting means M2.
The process of specifying the print color performed by 0 will be explained using the flowchart of FIG. 4(A).

First, when the color word processor of this embodiment is powered on, flags and the like are initialized.

Next, it is determined whether or not the color designation key 5 is pressed (S
100), if not pressed, character processing as a word processor is performed (sllo). If pressed, a request for inputting a starting point for area designation is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 2. (S120). The starting point is set using a cursor displayed in dot units on the liquid crystal panel 2 when the color designation key is pressed.

The cursor may blink pixels on the liquid crystal panel, or a special cursor that moves pixel by pixel may be used.

Of course, a cursor that moves in units of multiple dots may also be used.

The movement of the cursor is determined by the input key 3130), and if the cursor key 11 is pressed, the cursor moves forward, backward, left, and right in dot units according to the instruction (S140).
>. When the line feed (execution) key 14 is pressed, the current cursor position is set as the starting point and stored at a predetermined location in the RAM 53 (S150). If you press any other key, the system will wait for input again. Once the starting point position is set, a request for inputting the ending point is displayed on the LCD panel 2 (S), 6
0).

Here, you can also position the cursor (S1
70, 3180) and the execution key, the end point is determined and the position of the end point is stored (Si20).

The starting point and ending point are set, for example, as a starting point P1 and an ending point P2 as shown in FIG. 4(B).

The position of each point is represented by the number of pixel dots from a predetermined reference position PO. That is, the starting point P1 is a position of C1 vertically and b1 horizontally, and the ending point P2 is a position of C1 vertically and d1 horizontally. At this time, the area is within a rectangle with diagonals of points Pi and P2. The actual specified range on the liquid crystal panel 2 is as shown in FIG. 5(B).

Next, select the area color using color keys 6, 8. 10 is determined (S200). The input color code is stored in the RAM 53 adjacent to the start and end point data (S2
10). Next, a header indicating that the data in the RAM 5B is color information data is attached (S220).

The above data has a structure as shown in FIG. 4(C),
Starting from a specific address xxxx, color information data (header, color code, position data) is stored, and further, other color information data is stored. Following this, text data in which a document is stored from a predetermined location YYYY is stored.

Next, a text editing routine performed by the electronic control unit 50 as the editing means M5 and the print color area changing means M6 is shown in FIG. 5(A).9 First, a starting point is input (S300). This input is performed in the start point input process (8120 to 514) in FIG. 4(A) described above.
0). However, the cursor is a cursor that moves character by character. Further, the position of the input starting point is represented by the corresponding address in the text area, and is stored at a predetermined location in the RAM 53 (S310). Next, the end point is input (S320). This is also similar to the end point input process (SL60 to SL5180) in FIG. 4(A). Further, the position of the input end point is represented by the corresponding address in the text area, and is stored at a predetermined address in the RAM 53 (333
0).

The text data between the start point and end point is copied to a buffer provided at a predetermined location in the RAM 53 (S340). Next, processing for moving and dividing the color area in conjunction with text data deletion is performed (S345). Details of this processing will be described later. Next, a process is performed to delete the copied portion of the text data and fill in the gaps (3350).

Next, a request for specifying the destination is made on the liquid crystal panel 2 (S
360). Next, the input key is determined (5370), and if the cursor key 11 is pressed, the cursor moves forward, backward, left, and right one character at a time according to the instruction (S380).
. When the new line execution) key 14 is pressed, the text l
- Color area movement and division processing is performed when inserting data (8
385).

Details of this processing will be described later. Next, the position of the cursor is set as the insertion point, and in order to free up storage space, the following data is transferred backwards by the amount of text data stored in the buffer at the address corresponding to the insertion.
The entire buffer is transferred there (S390). The display on the liquid crystal panel 2 is updated according to this new text data (S395). For other keys, the process waits for input again (S370).

Next, the process of moving and dividing the color area accompanying deletion of the text data will be explained based on the flowchart of FIG. 5(B). First, a process of reading out one set of stored color information data representing a color area is performed (S400).
. Next, the color area represented by the read color information data is compared with the position of the character string specified for deletion, and it is determined whether the color area needs to be divided for movement due to deletion. (S410). For example, if the printing surface P on which characters are arranged is as shown in FIG. 5(D), f2-b2, f3-b
3. If each line of character string in the range f4-b4 or f5-b5 is the part to be deleted, the color area must be divided in order to be moved.

In the case of f27b2, as shown by the dotted line, the rectangular deletion area is divided into three areas: an area above the top edge, an area to the right of the right edge, and an area below the bottom edge. In the case of f3-b3, it is divided into four areas: the area above the top edge, the area to the left of the left edge, the area to the right of the right edge, and the area below the bottom edge.
In the case of -b4, it is divided into two areas: the area above the top edge and the area below the bottom edge, and in the case of f5-b5, it is divided into three areas: the area above the top edge, the area to the left of the left edge, and the area below the bottom edge.
divided into regions. In the case of fl-bl, the color area C is not directly divided, and in the case of f6-b6, the color area C is not affected at all. If this division is necessary, color information data of the color area is created according to the division (S420). At this point, the color information data is the value before being moved due to deletion. The movement process is performed in step 460, which will be described later.

It is determined whether the color information data to be read out next has been completed (8430), and if there is still data, the next data is read out (3400). When all of this is completed, next, the divided and newly created color information data is read from the beginning (5440), and it is determined whether or not there is any effect on the color area due to text data deletion (S450). For example, the deletion of fl-bl shown in FIG.
If the number of deleted character strings is larger than the space 11 on the left side of the color area C, the color area c1 in FIG. 5(E)
This is because the color area C may be separated into two left and right parts due to movement, as in cases 1 and C12. If there is such an influence, the color area is moved and divided as described above. That is, if the deleted portion is in the upper digit or upper row of the color area divided and set in step 5420,
Similarly to the movement and division of color area C due to deletion of fl-bl described above, each is moved and divided according to the influence of deletion. For example, in the deletion of fl-b2, step 42
Area C21, which was newly set by being divided into three by the process of 0,
Among C22 and C23, area C2 that is lower than the deleted part
2, C23 moves to the left as shown in FIG. 5(F). If the amount of movement is large and it protrudes beyond the left end, division processing is performed as shown in FIG. 5(E) above.

When all the color information data is completed in this way, the process moves to the next process (3350).

Next, the process of moving and dividing the color area accompanying the text data insertion will be explained based on the flowchart of FIG. 5(C). First, a process of reading out one set of stored color information data is performed (S500). Next, the color area represented by the read color information data is compared with the position to which the character string is to be moved, and it is determined whether the color information data needs to be divided (S510). For example,
To explain in the diagram (D>), for the color area C represented by the dashed line, the insertion position is f2, and the insertion position is b2.
If the number of characters is up to 1, the color area C must be divided according to the movement required for insertion.

That is, because the area C after that line is shifted by the number of inserted characters, unlike in the case of deletion, the area C is divided into two areas, a part above and a part below the upper side of the rectangular insertion area. If this division is necessary, color information data of the color area is created according to the division (3520). At this point, the color information data is the value before movement due to insertion.

The movement process is performed in step 560, which will be described later.

It is determined whether the color information data to be read out next has ended (3530), and if there is still data, the next data is read out (S500). When all of this is completed, next, the newly created divided color information data is read from the beginning (5540), and it is determined whether or not there is any effect on the color area due to the text data insertion (S550). For example, in the insertion of f2-b2, of the areas C31 and C32 newly set after being divided into two in step 520, area C32, which is lower than the inserted part, moves to the right as shown in FIG. 5(G). do. If the number of inserted character strings is larger than 2 spaces on the right side of the color area, move the color area C.
32 may be separated into left and right parts. If there is such an influence, the color area is moved and divided. That is, among the color regions divided and set in step 5520,
When the inserted portion is in the upper digit or upper row, each is moved and divided according to the influence of the insertion, similar to the movement and division of the color area CB2 due to the insertion of f2-b2 described above. When all the color information data is completed in this way, the process moves to the next process (S390).

=16- Next, using the above data, the color printing process performed by the electronic control bag W50 as the printing control means M2 will be explained based on FIG. 6<A).

First, one line of print is read from the text data and developed as dot information in a buffer provided in the RAM 53 (S600). For example, if the dot pattern shown in FIG. 6(B) is to be printed, rA in the first row
``B Kanji'' is developed in the illustrated dot pattern.

Next, the buffer is compared with the color area to leave only the specific color area and erase information on other dots (S61
0). That is, based on the positional data of the starting point P1 and the ending point P2 stored next to each color code, as shown in FIG. 6(B)
Since the color inside the area shown in is different from that outside the area, first, the dots corresponding to the area are erased as shown in (1) of Fig. 6(C).In this state, the dots corresponding to the dot information are (3620).For example, the image shown in Fig. 6 (C
) is printed as shown in (1).

Next, whether or not there are other colors that are not printed is determined based on each color code and its area data (3630)
.

In the case of the first line, since the area is not printed, the first line is expanded into the buffer again (S600). Next, only the dots of a specific color are left, but this time the area determined by the starting point P1 and the ending point P2 is left, and the others are erased (S610).

That is, the dots shown in (2) of FIG. 6(C) are printed over the black print as shown in (3) of FIG. 6(C) (S620).

At this point, the color data included in the one line has ended, so it is determined whether the next line exists in the text data (S640).

In the above example, there is a line for "CX Wow" and a line for "rYZ Pro", so rotate the platen 18 and change the line f
& (3650), set the processing pointer to the next line and (
3660), the process on the second line is performed again. When the second line is completed, the third line is executed.

If all lines are completed in this way, the print line is considered to be finished, and
Finish the printing process. As a result, the input characters are printed in the color set for each area as shown in FIG. 6(D).

Next, once the color area is set for the one shown in FIG. 6(B), if only the text data is changed in the process of the text editing routine shown in FIG. 5(A), for example,
If you specify a moving character string with ``kan'' as the starting point and ``ji'' as the end point, and set the cursor to ``a'' as the insertion position, the ``kanji'' character string will be changed to ``wa J'' and ``a''. It will be inserted in between. As a result, when printing is performed using the color printing routine described above, the color pattern also moves as the character arrangement changes, as shown in FIG. 6(E).

However, this color pattern can be reset regardless of the character arrangement by activating the color area setting routine shown in FIG. 4(A) described above.

Since this embodiment is configured as described above, it is possible to express arbitrary minute color patterns in dot units on printed character strings, and the color patterns also move in accordance with the movement of the character data arrangement. A similar visual effect can be produced at the destination of the moved character string. In particular, when a detailed color pattern is set in a character string or a specific color is set, the character string does not change, so there is no need to readjust it, making editing extremely easy.

In the embodiment described above, if the number of bytes of color information data is not fixed, the number of bytes of each color information data is included in the header. In addition, the color area specification was made into a rectangular shape with the starting point and end point as diagonals, but for example, you can set a circular color area by inputting the data of the center point and radius, or you can also create a circular color area, an elliptical shape, etc. , a rhombus, a triangle, etc. Further, color area specification may also be done not in units of dots, but in units of multiple dots or in units of characters.

Although the text editing routine described above only shows the movement of character strings, if the text deletion special color area movement/division processing routine shown in FIG. 5(B) is used alone, it is possible to deal with text deletion processing. Text insertion processing can be handled by using the text insertion special color area movement/division processing routine alone.

Sakigake Ω Example Plate 1 20 = Since this example is configured as described above, each color can be easily specified, the color pattern can be freely set, and no matter how much the character arrangement is edited, the editing The color pattern of the character string that you move is saved as is. Therefore, the visual effects designed for each character string are preserved as is. Editing becomes extremely easy, especially when a detailed color pattern is set or a specific color is set.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the basic configuration of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a color word processor according to an embodiment, FIG. 3 is a block diagram thereof, and FIG. 4(A) is a color area setting routine. Flowchart, FIG. 4(B) is an explanatory diagram of the setting operation, FIG. 4(C) is an explanatory diagram showing the data storage structure, FIG. 5(A) is a flowchart of the text editing routine,
FIG. 5(B) is a flowchart of the text deletion special color area movement/division processing routine, FIG. 5(C) is a flowchart of the text insertion special color area movement/division processing routine, and FIGS. 5(D), (E), ( F) is an explanatory diagram of the effect on the color area due to deletion of text data, Figure 5 (G) is an explanatory diagram of the influence on the color area due to insertion of text data, and Figure 6<A) is color printing. 6(B) is an explanatory diagram showing the printing dot pattern, FIG. 6(C) is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure for printing by color,
Fig. 6 (D> is an explanatory diagram showing the printing state after printing is completed, and Fig. 6 (E) is an explanatory diagram showing the printing state after changing the character arrangement. 1...Keyboard 2...Liquid crystal panel 4.
...Thermal transfer printing device 5...Color specification key 6...
Yellow key 8...Magenta key 10...
Cyan key 11...Cursor key 12...
Print key 14...Line feed key 50...Electronic control device

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A color word processor that converts input character data into a dot pattern corresponding to the character data and prints dots according to the pattern, further comprising an array storage means for storing an array of the character data, and a dot printing method. A printing color area setting means for setting an area for each printing color on a surface, a distribution storage means for storing the distribution of the area, and a printing unit for controlling the dot pattern to be printed in the setting color of the area to which the dot pattern belongs. a control means; an editing means for changing the arrangement of character data in the array storage means; and a printing color area for changing the print color area in the distribution storage means in accordance with the character data moved by the editing means. A color word processor comprising: a changing means; and a color word processor.