JPS636874B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention reads data of arbitrary characters and figures from a character memory that stores data for specifying the contours of a large number of characters and figures, and adds certain processing to the data. This invention relates to a method for generating characters and figures that can output characters and figures of various shapes based on the contour shapes of stored characters and figures. More specifically, from a single source data stored in the character memory, characters and figures with various line widths and families with different sensory centers of gravity (weights) can be generated depending on the magnification ratio. This provides a method for generating this.

[Problems with the prior art] It is well known that characters in various fonts are used in the printing industry in recent years, and even if the font is the same, the stroke parts of characters, figures, etc. (hereinafter collectively referred to as characters) Families with different line widths (thickness of the lines) and the perceived center of gravity (weight) of the characters are also often used. For example, Mincho and Gossik are different typefaces.
Hoso Mincho, Middle Mincho, and Tai Mincho are all members of the same Mincho family due to differences in line width.

A phototypesetting machine is known as a machine that creates many copies of printed materials and advertising materials using such various typefaces and families. This machine is capable of optically or electronically reproducing dozens of types of characters, ranging in size from 1 mm square to 100 mm square, from a single character (character). However, since the obtained character images are obtained by multiplying one character capital by a certain enlargement ratio from small to large sizes, only the widths of the lines making up the characters are increased or decreased by the same ratio and reproduced. Therefore, even if the same character is used at a small magnification, the space between the drawing areas becomes narrower and the lines appear crowded, making the line width appear thicker. The spacing between the lines becomes large, making the line width appear thinner, resulting in characters that feel underpowered. Therefore, even with a single typeface, it is desirable to increase or decrease the line width according to the magnification ratio, and to adjust the perceptual weight of the characters themselves, which changes accordingly.

Figure 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of this, and the solid line 1 shows the shape of the print area of a character at a certain magnification rate handled by a phototypesetting machine, or the print area of a family with a certain line width. Dotted line 2 is a drawing of a character with a larger magnification than solid line 1, reduced to fit the drawing part shown by solid line 1, or a family drawing with a line width thicker than that of solid line 1. The line shape is shown. As you can see from this figure, even for the same character or the same drawing area, the line width can be changed as the magnification or family changes, or the vertices B and C can be moved while the base point A is fixed. There is a need to create characters that are visually and sensually superior by changing their shape in response to changes in magnification or family.

However, in the past, typefaces with different line widths were prepared separately as a family of typefaces, but little consideration was given to changing the weight in response to changes in magnification. This is because it is necessary to prepare another family in response to changes in the magnification ratio, which imposes a large operational burden on the phototypesetting machine user. Clearing work). For example, some types of phototypesetting machines generally store character data in the form of a dot matrix, so various data compression techniques are used, but in terms of print quality, each character must be at least 500 dots x 500 dots. In order to store approximately 7,200 JIS Level 1 and 2 characters divided into approximately 250,000 dots (250,000 dots), a minimum of 200 megabytes of storage capacity is required for just one typeface. If changes due to multiple families and magnification ratios were to be stored for each character, the storage capacity would be enormous.

[Means for Solving the Problems] From this point of view, the present invention stores data related to the entire family, such as line width (thickness of the character stroke part) and weight changes depending on the enlargement ratio, in the character memory. The purpose is to provide a method for generating characters and figures that can be obtained from a single set of original data, and its characteristics are that the original data that specifies the outline shape of characters and figures is stored in the character memory. , in a character/figure generation method in which the original data is multiplied by an arbitrary enlargement rate to thereby generate characters/figures with different line widths, weights, and sizes, the first shape α ₁ of the character/figure is specified. First data β ₁ composed of a plurality of coordinates (Xi, Yi) on the contour, coordinates (Xi, Yi) that constitute the first data β ₁ , and the character corresponding to the coordinates.・Second shape consisting of the respective displacements (δXi, δYi) from the coordinates (Xi′, Yi′) on the contour of the second shape α ₂ of the figure
data β ₂ , the first data β ₁ and the second data β ₂ constitute original data for specifying the contour shape of one character/figure, and store this for each character/figure, and Based on the first data β ₁ (Xi, Yi) and the second data β ₂ (δXi, δYi), the following formula: X″i=Xi+KδXi Y″i=Yi+KδYi (K is a constant) or ″i=Xi+F(N)δXi Y″i=Yi+F(N)δYi (However, F(N) is a function with the enlargement rate N as a variable)
The coordinates (X″i, Y″i) are obtained as data β _o that specifies the shape α _o , and the data β _o is multiplied by the magnification rate N to obtain the characters/figures with the magnification rate N of the shape α _o . This is what I did to make it happen.

[Operation] First, the principle of the present invention will be briefly explained. As previously shown in FIG _. 1, the present invention uses data _{β 1 ,} β ₂ is stored as a set in the character memory, data β _o that specifies the shape α _o is calculated based on the stored contents, and then the data β _o is multiplied by the enlargement rate to obtain the stored shape 1 (α ₁ ), 2(α ₂ ), it is possible to easily generate shapes with arbitrary magnification ratios and line widths and weights different from those of 2(α 2 ).

That is, when the shape α _o of a character is commanded at an arbitrary enlargement rate N, the corresponding shape α _o is determined based on the respective coordinates of the character outline specified by the first and second data β ₁ and β ₂ .
By determining the character contour coordinates, β _o , which specifies α _o , is calculated, and this B _o is multiplied by the enlargement rate N to generate the desired character.

As explained above, FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing the process of creating character data of shape α _o and enlargement rate N from data β ₁ and β ₂ specifying shapes α ₁ and α ₂ . First, one contour coordinate of the shape α _{o is calculated from data β 1 and β 2 specifying the shapes} α 1 _{and α} 2 (step S1). Details of calculation of one contour coordinate of the shape α _o will be described later. Next, the calculated contour coordinates are multiplied by a preset enlargement rate N to calculate the contour coordinates of the output character size (step S2). The above process is repeated until the contour coordinates of the output character size for one character have been calculated (step S3).

In this way, the first shape α ₁ and the second shape α ₂
Since the coordinates of the shape α _o can be calculated from the respective coordinates of economical provision of the family (i.e. storage capacity savings);
Significant effects such as improvement in the apparent quality of printed characters can be obtained.

[Example] Next, an actual method of generating characters will be explained.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of storing character outlines.
In FIG. 3, a contour 3 shown by a solid line indicates the first shape of a character, and represents a contour at an arbitrary line width or an arbitrary enlargement ratio. Further, a contour 4 shown by a dotted line indicates a second shape, and represents a contour with a thicker line width or a larger enlargement ratio than the above-mentioned character represented by the contour 3. These contours 3 and 4 are stored in the character memory by decomposing them into dots, but the method for storing them is to data compress the number of dots (run length) in the part that should be black on the scanning line when the character drawing line part is scanned. Something to remember while doing so.

A method that stores the contours of character drawings as linear approximations or curve approximations.

A linear approximation or curved approximation of the skeleton of the character drawing area (a line connecting the center of the starting point and end point of the part that should be black when scanning the character drawing area), and the black of the main part. A method has been proposed that simultaneously stores the run lengths of the portions where the line width should be, but it is difficult to increase or decrease the line width in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction due to storage capacity, ease of calculating the intermediate line width, etc. A method that memorizes the outline of the line and a method that memorizes the skeleton and line width are suitable.

Next, a case will be described in which the character contour 3 is expressed by the linear approximation described above. In this case, the memory of the character contour is the starting point or end point coordinates (X ₀ , Y ₀ ), (X ₁ , Y ₁ ), (X ₂ , Y ₂ ) of the straight line that approximates the contour.
Express it in the form of...

In Figure 3, if the coordinates of point 20 are (X ₀ , Y ₀ ), then
The coordinates of points 21 to 25 are as follows.

Point 21 (X ₁ , Y ₁ ) Point 22 (X ₂ , Y ₂ ) Point 23 (X ₃ , Y ₃ ) Point 24 (X ₄ , Y ₄ ) Point 25 (X ₅ , Y ₅ ) On the other hand, contour 4 , displacement amount (δX ₀ , δY ₀ ) of points 20' to 25' from corresponding points 20 to 25 of contour 3
Expressed in the form ~(δX ₅ , δY ₅ ).

Therefore, in the outline of the character in Figure 3, (X ₀ , Y ₀ )
~((X ₅ , Y ₅ ) is the first data β ₁ that specifies the first shape, and (δX ₀ , δY ₀ ) ~ (δX ₅ , δY ₅ ) is the second data that specifies the second shape. Then, the first and _second data are stored as original data for one character, and this original data is stored for each character, for example, for all characters up to JIS level 2.

Next, a case will be described in which a character outline having a certain line width at an arbitrary enlargement ratio is generated from the character outline shown in FIG. 3 stored as described above. Now, assuming that points corresponding to points 20 to 25 of contour 3 of the newly calculated character contour are points 20'' to 25'', the coordinates of these points are calculated as follows.

20″(X ₀ +aδX ₀ , Y ₀ +bδY ₀ ) 21″(X ₁ +aδX ₁ , Y ₁ +bδY ₁ ) 22″(X ₂ +aδX ₂ , Y ₂ +bδY ₂ ) 23″(X ₃ +aδX ₃ , Y ₃ +bδY ₃ ) 24″(X ₄ +aδX ₄ , Y ₄ +bδY ₄ ) 25″(X ₅ +aδX ₅ , Y ₅ +bδY ₅ ) In this case, first of all, if we set a=b=K (K...constant), then K's It is possible to obtain the following contour coordinates that are independent of the enlargement rate N and have various line widths depending on the value.

K=0......Contour same as contour 3 K=1......Contour same as contour 4 0<K<1...Contour between contours 3 and 4 K<0......Line width from contour 3 Thin outline 1<K...Outline with thicker line width than outline 4 Also, let N be the ratio (enlargement rate) between the output character size and the size of the character used for dot decomposition (hereinafter referred to as font master), Assuming that the most suitable character size for contour 3 and its magnification rate for the font master is n ₀ , and the most suitable character size for contour 4 and its magnification rate for the font master as _n1 , a=b=F(N)=M×( If we define a function F(N) with the expansion rate N as a variable, as in N-n ₀ )/(n ₁ -n ₀ ), the fourth It is possible to obtain contour coordinates of line widths and weights that change as shown in FIGS. 30, 31, 32, and 33.

In this Figure 4, the X axis represents the magnification rate _N , and the Y axis represents the line _width . The values are indicated by dotted lines.

M=1...The line width of the slope in Fig. 4 30 M<1...The line width of the slope in Fig. 4 31 M>1...The line width of the slope in Fig. 4 32 M is the magnification rate N In the case of a function with variable , the line width follows the curve as shown in Figure 4, 33.

Moreover, when the values of a and b are changed separately, a deformed contour is obtained.

Next, by multiplying each of the contour coordinates thus obtained by N times, the contour coordinates of the output character size can be obtained.

Therefore, for example, if the on/off position of a CRT or laser scanning line is calculated by interpolation processing etc. based on the outline coordinates of the output character size mentioned above, data for exposing the necessary character on the photosensitive material can be obtained. Obtainable.

In the above explanation, the method of linearly approximating the contour has been described as an example, but the method can be implemented in exactly the same way by using curved approximation. The method of curve approximation is described in detail in, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 116100/1983 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 39963/1983) filed by the applicant, and it is also possible to use the coordinate data of several points on the contour. This is approximated by an n-dimensional equation, but in this case as well, the stored coordinates may be calculated using the method described above. The method of memorizing the skeleton and line width is also described in detail in, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 55-74699 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 57-1765) filed by the applicant of the present application. Can be implemented. In this case, since line width information is stored at the same time as the skeleton coordinates, it is also possible to change only the line width independently.

FIG. 5 shows an example in which the above-described invention is implemented in a CRT type phototypesetting machine. In the figure, 50 is an input unit for inputting characters and commands such as size and print position, 51 is a central processing unit (CPU) for controlling each part, and 52 is a character memory for storing characters in the above-described manner. Reference numeral 53 refers to an original data processing unit that calculates a character outline having a shape α _o based on the original data of the character read from the character memory 52 and calculates data β _o that specifies α _o ; 54 refers to the original data processing unit 53;
₅₅ is a display control unit; 56 is a CRT; 55 is a display control unit; and 56 is a CRT.

In the phototypesetting machine configured as described above, when information such as printed characters, their sizes, line widths, printing positions, etc. is input from the input unit 50, the CPU 51 stores the original data of the input characters in the character memory 52. Give command to read. The read original data is processed according to information such as line width input by the original data processing unit 53.
Based on the first data β ₁ and the second data β ₂ , as described above, a function F is applied to the coordinates determined by the first data β ₁ with the constant K or the enlargement rate N as a variable.
(N) multiplied by the second data β ₂ and then added,
Calculate data β _o that specifies the shape α _o . Next, the enlargement processing unit 54 multiplies the data β _o by a predetermined enlargement rate based on the input size information to create character data of a desired size.

Based on the character data created as described above, desired characters are displayed on the CRT 56 by controlling ON/OFF of the raster of the CRT 56 by the display control unit 55.

When one character is displayed on the CRT 56 and printed on a photosensitive material (not shown), a signal for the next character is sent to the character memory and the same process is repeated.

Although the above explanation has been given using a CRT type phototypesetting machine as an example, a laser phototypesetting machine using a laser can be configured in exactly the same way. Furthermore, it is clear that the present invention can be carried out not only with a phototypesetting machine as shown in FIG. 5, but also with a word processor and other various character output devices.

[Effects] As described above, the present invention can obtain many font families with a small storage capacity, and can also obtain characters with line widths and weights suitable for each size. This has a very large effect.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of how the line width of the drawing area changes depending on the character size or typeface family.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the processing process of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram when storing the outline of a character, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the enlargement ratio and line width of the character to be stored.
FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a phototypesetting machine embodying the present invention. 50...Input unit, 51...Central processing unit, 52
... Character memory, 53 ... Original data processing section, 54
... Enlargement processing section, 55 ... Display control section, 56 ...
CRT.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Original data specifying the outline shape of characters/figures is stored in a character memory, and the original data is multiplied by an arbitrary enlargement ratio, thereby creating characters/figures with different line widths, weights, and sizes. In the method of generating characters/figures that generates a first shape α ₁ of the character/figure,
data β ₁ and coordinates (Xi, Yi) constituting the first data β ₁
and the coordinates (Xi′, Yi′) on the contour of the second shape α ₂ of the character/figure corresponding to the coordinates and the respective displacement amounts (δXi, δYi). _β2
1 by the first data β ₁ and the second data β ₂
The original data specifying the contour shape of each character/figure is constructed and stored for each character/figure, and the first data β ₁ (Xi, Yi) and the second data β ₂ (δXi, Based on the following formula, X″i=Xi+KδXi Y″i=Yi+KδYi (where K is a constant) or ) is a function with the enlargement rate N as a variable)
Find the coordinates (X″i, Y″i) as data β _o that specifies the shape α _o , and multiply the data β _o by the magnification rate N to obtain the characters/figures of the shape α _o with the magnification rate N. How the characters and figures are generated.