JP2899003B2 - Character processing apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a character processing apparatus and method for generating a character pattern based on vector data.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when vector data is converted into dot data and output to a line output type output device such as a thermal transfer printer, vector data is converted into dot data one character at a time. Or, a data buffer is provided and the data is stored in the data buffer and converted into dot data.

However, in the former case, when outputting to one line output type output device, data is not saved if one line is output, so data must be read from the beginning and converted again, so that time is required. In the latter case, the vector format data differs from the dot format data in that the size of the data varies depending on the font type, so the maximum number of characters that can be stored depends on the maximum data amount. There is a problem that the characters are determined and cannot be converted into the dot format, and the number of stored characters is determined by the maximum data amount, so that there is a problem that the useless place is increased.

[Purpose] In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a high-speed character output method in which the coordinate conversion processing of vector data corresponding to a character in a predetermined area does not need to be performed a plurality of times when the data amount of the character in the predetermined area is small. Generation processing can be performed, and even when the data amount of characters in a predetermined area is large, character generation processing can be performed without limitation on the number of characters by performing coordinate conversion processing of vector data corresponding to characters in the predetermined area a plurality of times. A character processing device and method are provided.

Example Next, an example of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a basic configuration of a word processor according to the present invention. In Fig. 1, 1 is CP
U, that is, a central processing unit, which performs control and arithmetic processing of the entire device. Reference numeral 2 denotes a ROM, that is, a read-only memory, which is a storage area for a system startup program, character pattern data, and the like. Reference numeral 3 denotes a RAM, that is, a random access memory, which is a data storage area with no usage restriction, and is an area where each program and data are loaded and executed for each of various processes. Reference numeral 4 denotes a KBC, that is, a keyboard control unit, which receives key input data by a KB of 5, ie, a keyboard, and transmits the key input data to the CPU 1. Reference numeral 6 denotes a CRTC, that is, a display control unit. Reference numeral 7 denotes a CRT, that is, a display device, which receives data from the CRTC 6 and displays the data. Reference numeral 8 denotes an external storage device such as an FD or a floppy disk device or an HD or a hard disk device, which stores programs and data, and refers to or loads them to the RAM as needed at the time of execution. Reference numeral 9 denotes a DKC, that is, a disk control unit, which controls data transmission and the like. Reference numeral 10 denotes a system bus, which should serve as a data path between the above-described components.

Although the present invention has the above configuration, prior to the description of the embodiment of the present invention, a conventional example will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the overall flow of the conventional embodiment. FIG. 2 (1) shows a method in which data is extracted and processed one character at a time, and FIG. This is a method in which data is stored and processed. In step 1 in FIG. 2, the parameters passed together with the data output request from the output device determine the enlargement / reduction ratio and the width, ie, the bandwidth, in which the line output shown in FIG. 3 can be output by another output device. Then, in step 2, the data in the vector format is read and the enlargement / reduction ratio is applied. Then, only the data relating to the band start and the band end shown in FIG. 3 is extracted, and in step 4, the filling process is performed while the contour is being written. In this way, in the processing of steps 2 to 4, data within the band for one character is created. In step 5, it is determined whether or not the character string still exists. If the character string does not exist, the process proceeds to step 6, where the data is transferred to the output device and the process is terminated. Returning to step 2, a process of converting vector format data for one character into dot format is performed.

After the data is transferred to the printer, if the band end is smaller than the value of the Y coordinate of the font data, the band start / band end values are updated, and a data output request comes again from the printer side, and steps 1 to 6 are performed. Is performed.

Referring to FIG. 2 (2), a process of multiplying the vector-format data by the enlargement / reduction ratio in the process of step 2 and sequentially storing the data in a memory capable of storing data prepared in advance is added. In other words, in FIG. 2 (1), processing is performed one character at a time, whereas in (2), data obtained by multiplying data of a designated character string by an enlargement / reduction rate is stored in a memory for processing. It is. Then, in step 3, data of one character is taken out from the stored memory, and only data relating to the band is extracted.
To paint the outline. Then, in step 5, it is determined whether or not data still exists. If so, the process returns to step 3, and the next one character data is taken out of the stored memory from the stored data and the same processing is performed. If it is determined in step 5 that there is no data, the process proceeds to step 6 where the data is output to the output device and the process ends.

As described above, since the data multiplied by the enlargement / reduction ratio is stored, the step is performed only when the data output is first requested from the output device, that is, when the band start is at the top of FIG. What is necessary is just to perform the process of 1 and step 2. Therefore, when the second or subsequent data output request is received, since the data is stored in the memory, the determination is made in step a, the process proceeds to step 3, and the processes in steps 1 and 2 are not performed.

Next, examples of the present invention will be described. The overall flow of the embodiment of the present invention is as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4. In step 2, the enlargement / reduction ratio and the bandwidth are determined as described above. Then, in step 3, the data in vector format is multiplied by the enlargement / reduction ratio and stored in the memory, and the data size is changed according to the size of the data as shown in FIG.
Change the state of the two flags. The content indicated by the flag 1 means that when ON, the entire data does not fit in the memory and must be divided and stored, and when OFF, it means that the entire data fits in the memory. Regarding the flag 2, when it is ON, it means that the stored data cannot be stored up to the last data and there is still remaining data, and when it is OFF, it means that there is no remaining data to be stored. Therefore, for the flag 1, the flag state does not change after the state of the flag is changed for the first time, and for the flag 2, it changes sequentially according to the state of the data to be stored.

In steps 4-6, the stored data is converted from the vector format to the dot format.

In step 7, the state of flag 2 set in step 3 is checked, and if flag 2 is ON, that is, if there is remaining data, the process returns to step 3 and flag 2 is turned off.
In the case of (2), that is, when there is no remaining data, the process proceeds to step 8 where the data is transferred to the output device and the process is terminated.

After the output of one line of data, when the next data output request comes, since the internal parameters have already been set, it is determined in step 1 and the process proceeds to step 9. In step 9, the state of the flag 1 is checked,
Is ON, that is, when the data is divided and stored, since the data stored in the memory is not the data from the head, the process proceeds to step 3 to read the vector format data again. If the flag 1 is OFF, that is, if all the data is stored in the memory, it is not necessary to read the data in the vector format again, so the process proceeds to step 4.

6 and 7 are diagrams detailing the data amount and the state of the memory according to the present embodiment.

6 (a) and 7 (a) are diagrams showing the data amount of the designated character string. FIG. 6 shows that there are 4 characters, and FIG. 7 shows that there are 9 characters. FIGS. 6 (b), (c) and 7 (b), (c), (d) show examples of storing data in the memory. In the case of FIG. 6, data for three characters is stored. In this example, the remaining one character data could not be stored. At this time, the flags 1 and 2 are turned on. And the fourth
After converting the vector format data into the dot format in steps 4 to 6 in the drawing, the process returns from step 7 to step 3, where the memory is temporarily cleared and the data of the remaining fourth character is stored. At this time, the value of the flag 1 is kept as it is, and the flag 2 is turned off because no data remains.

In the case of FIG. 7, the first three characters are stored in (b), and the flags 1 and 2 are turned on. Then, after converting the data for three characters into the dot format, the process returns from step 7 to step 3 in FIG. 4, and stores the data for the next three characters as shown in (c). At this time, the states of the flags 1 and 2 remain ON. Then, after converting the data for the next three characters into a dot format, the process returns from step 7 to step 3, and
The data of the last ninth character is stored, and the flag 2 is turned off. Then, the data in the vector format of the ninth character is converted into the dot format, the data is transferred to the output device, and the data processing for one line is completed.

As described above, in the present embodiment, in converting vector format data into dot format, at least one or more determination flag registers are provided so that, when the number of characters is small, regardless of the size of the memory, high speed and high It is possible to output data exceeding the amount of characters without being limited by the number of characters.

[Effect] As described above, according to the present invention, when the data amount of characters in a predetermined area is small, coordinate conversion processing of vector data corresponding to characters in the predetermined area does not need to be performed a plurality of times, so that characters can be written at high speed. Generation processing can be performed, and even when the data amount of characters in a predetermined area is large, character generation processing can be performed without limitation on the number of characters by performing coordinate conversion processing of vector data corresponding to characters in the predetermined area a plurality of times. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

 Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the conventional operation. Fig. 3 is an example of conversion from vector format to dot format. Fig. 4 is the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the state of the flag of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between data and memory of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between data and memory of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a CPU, 2 is a ROM, and 3 is a RAM.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A character processing device for generating a character in a predetermined area by dividing the character data into a plurality of times, comprising: a coordinate conversion means for performing scaling processing of vector data; Storage means for storing, if the storage means cannot store the vector data subjected to scaling processing by the coordinate conversion means corresponding to characters in a predetermined area, scaling of vector data corresponding to characters in the predetermined area by the coordinate conversion means; When the processing is performed a plurality of times, the character pattern of the predetermined area is divided into a plurality of times and generated, and the storage unit can store the vector data subjected to the scaling process by the coordinate conversion unit corresponding to the character of the predetermined region, The character pattern of the predetermined area is divided into a plurality of times by using the scaling-processed vector data corresponding to the characters of the predetermined area stored in the means a plurality of times. Character processing apparatus characterized by having a generating means for forming. 2. The character processing device according to claim 1, further comprising output means for outputting the character pattern generated by said generating means. 3. A character processing method for generating a character in a predetermined area in a plurality of times in a character processing apparatus having a storage unit for storing vector data subjected to scaling processing by a coordinate conversion unit, wherein the storage unit stores When the vector data that has been scaled by the coordinate conversion means corresponding to the character in the predetermined area cannot be stored, the coordinate conversion means performs the scaling processing of the vector data corresponding to the character in the predetermined area a plurality of times, and When a character pattern is generated in a plurality of times and vector data subjected to scaling processing by the coordinate conversion means corresponding to characters in a predetermined area can be stored in the storage means, characters in a predetermined area stored in the storage means are stored. Wherein a character pattern of a predetermined area is generated in a plurality of times by using a plurality of times of scaling-processed vector data corresponding to Character processing method.