JPH067311B2 - Character pattern generator - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a character pattern generator that generates a character pattern of a predetermined font to be displayed / printed on a character display / printing device.

In most cases, the final output format of the data processing device needs to be output in the form of characters, symbols, figures, etc. that appeal to the human visual sense.
Printing devices are widely used.

Display devices in the information processing field are devices that temporarily display characters, symbols, and graphics in a visible image, and are roughly classified into character display devices and graphic display devices according to the range of information handled.

On the other hand, printing devices are roughly classified into impact printers such as line printers and serial printers and non-impact printers according to their processing methods.

Various developments and improvements have been made to provide both devices with excellent operability and at a lower cost.

Information such as characters, symbols, and graphics to be displayed / printed on the display / printing device is created and output by a character pattern generator having a plurality of memories for storing in a pattern format suitable for the purpose. Incidentally, this character pattern generator is generally housed and used in a display / printing device.

Similar to the display / printing apparatus, such a character pattern generating apparatus is also more inexpensive and excellent in operability, but it is desired to develop and put into practical use.

[Conventional technology]

As a conventional technique, a character pattern generator will be described as an example.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a conventional character pattern generator.

There are various types of character fonts. For example, Mincho typeface, Gothic typeface, open typeface, antique typeface, etc.

A character pattern generator microprocessor (hereinafter referred to as MPU) 1 having memories 2a to 2n in which the character patterns of the respective fonts are stored in advance is stored in a predetermined character from a host device (not shown). When a signal is input to output a pattern, the MPU1 outputs the outputs of the memories 2a to 2n that store the character patterns of each font to a multiplexer (hereinafter
It is controlled so as to selectively output 3) (referred to as MPX).

Each of the memories 2a to 2n is assumed to store dot-unit data.

When the MPX3 selects the output of the selected font, for example, the memory 2a (assuming that the Gothic character pattern is stored), this output is sent to the output unit 4. The output unit 4 outputs the data for a display or printing device (not shown).

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In the conventional character pattern generator as described above, it is necessary to have a pattern memory for each font in order to create and output character patterns of different fonts. Therefore, there is a problem that a large amount of memory for storing character patterns is required.

[Means for solving problems]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is intended to realize a novel character pattern generation device that solves the above problems, and various problems are that a character pattern formed in dot units is specified by a higher-level device. In the generated character pattern generation device, a first storage means for storing a basic character pattern in dot units, and a character pattern stored in the first storage means are transformed into character patterns of different fonts designated by the host device. From the first storage means, a second storage means for storing character pattern modification information including information for designating a dot position for the dot and information for instructing addition and deletion of the dot for which the position is designated. Deformation means for transforming the inserted character pattern into a character pattern of a different font based on the information stored in the second storage means, If you specify a serial underlying fonts other than the character pattern character pattern, said deforming means is solved by the character pattern generation apparatus according to the present invention for generating a character pattern is deformed.

[Action]

That is, a basic character pattern memory for storing a basic character pattern of each font as the character pattern information is provided. This memory stores a basic character pattern in dot units designated by a two-dimensional structure consisting of X and Y coordinates.

When a character pattern modification memory for storing character pattern modification information consisting of dot position designation information and dot addition / deletion information for this basic character pattern is provided and a character pattern of a predetermined font is output, output data of the basic character pattern memory Is changed by the output data of the character pattern transformation memory to create and output a character pattern of a predetermined font, thereby significantly reducing the memory capacity.

〔Example〕

The gist of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a character pattern generator according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is data contents of a memory in a character pattern generator according to the present invention, (A) is a basic character pattern memory, ( B) shows the character pattern transformation memories, respectively. Throughout the drawings, the same symbols indicate the same objects or contents.

The memory 5 of this embodiment is an image memory having a size equivalent to the display size or the print size, and is a two-dimensional memory designated by the X axis and the Y axis. For example, each memory as shown in FIG. The character pattern of the font that is the basis of the font is stored.

As shown in FIG. 2 (B), the memory 6 is an addition / deletion area for storing information on whether to add data to the basic character pattern output information of the memory 5 to make it a predetermined font or to delete it. a, an X information area b for storing dot designation information on the X axis of addition and deletion processing, and a Y information area c for storing dot designation information on the Y axis.

The numerical value in the area a is "1" for addition and "0" for deletion, and the numerical values in the areas b and c indicate the respective addresses.

In a normal operation, the MPU 1 controls the memory 5, the output unit 4, etc. so that the output information of the memory 5 is used as the output data as it is. However, when it is desired to transform the basic character pattern output information of the memory 5 and output it in a predetermined font, the target memory 6 is captured and the following control is performed using the information.

The MPU 1 outputs the X coordinate and Y coordinate scan operation instruction signals on the basic character pattern of the memory 5, and the X at this time is output.
The information and the Y information are sent to the X information comparator 7 and the Y information comparator 8, respectively.

On the other hand, the MPU 1 similarly sends the dot designation information on the X axis of the X information area b of the memory 6 and the dot designation information on the Y axis of the Y information area c to the X information comparator 7 and the Y information comparator 8. , And outputs the data at the coincident position to the AND circuit 9.

A logical product circuit 9 performs a logical product operation on the outputs from the X information comparator 7 and the Y information comparator 8, and if the conditions are matched, outputs this to the output changing unit 10 as an instruction signal for changing the basic character pattern. To do.

Further, the addition / deletion information for the dot position is output from the memory 6 to the output changing unit 10, and if the dot information of the basic character pattern is instructed to be changed and, for example, the addition is instructed, the coordinates thereof are set to the predetermined addition. And output as output data via the output unit 4.

As described above, since the character deformation information stored in the memory 6 only needs to have information on the changed position with respect to the basic character pattern, it requires less memory than having a dedicated character pattern memory. Become.

〔The invention's effect〕

According to the present invention as described above, since it is not necessary to have a dedicated character pattern for each font, it is possible to significantly reduce the memory capacity.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a character pattern generator according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is data contents of a memory in a character pattern generator according to the present invention, (A) is a basic character pattern memory,
(B) shows a character pattern transformation memory, and FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a conventional character pattern generator. In the figure, 1 is an MPU, 2a to 2n, 5 and 6 are memories, 3 is an MPX, 4 is an output section, 7 is an X information comparator, 8 is a Y information comparator, 9 is an AND circuit, and 10 is an output change. Parts and are shown respectively.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A character pattern generating device for generating a character pattern formed in dot units in response to a designation from a higher-level device; first storage means for storing a basic character pattern in dot units; From the information designating the dot position for transforming the character pattern stored in the first storage means into the character pattern of the different font designated by the higher-level device, and the information designating the addition and the deletion to the designated dot. And a character string read out from the first memory unit, the character pattern being transformed into a character pattern of a different font based on the information stored in the second memory unit. When the upper device specifies a character pattern of a font other than the basic character pattern, the deforming unit is deformed. A character pattern generator characterized by generating a character pattern.