JPH0263850A - Image processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an image processing device, and particularly to an image processing device capable of outputting an image suitable for the output characteristics of an output device.

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus in which the output quality does not change even if characters, figures, etc. to be output are edited.

[Prior art]

Generally, image processing apparatuses that receive character code data sent from a host computer and output it to a printer are well known. The image processing device is usually built into a host computer or printer. Also,
There is also an image processing apparatus that has a function of rotating characters in horizontal writing, vertical writing, etc.

Normally, an image processing device stores character pattern information in the memory as dot data or stroke (vector) data, and reads the character pattern information from the memory based on the character code data sent from the host computer. The data is converted and output to suit the output device. In addition, even in an image processing device capable of character rotation, character pattern information is retrieved from memory based on information obtained by adding rotation information to the character code sent from the host computer, just like in a normal image processing device. Image data was sent to an output device by rotating the data.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Incidentally, in image forming apparatuses such as laser beam printers, the diameter of the laser spot is usually made into a vertically elongated ellipse in order to correct pitch unevenness in the paper feeding direction. If a laser printer with this type of configuration performs editing processing such as rotation on the same character data and outputs it, as with conventional image processing devices, the thickness of the vertical and horizontal lines will change, resulting in deformed fonts. (For example, Fig. 14).

〔the purpose〕

In view of the above points, the present invention eliminates the drawbacks of the above-mentioned conventional example, and
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing device that does not change the output quality even if it edits characters and graphics and outputs them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing device capable of outputting an image suitable for the characteristics of an output device.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a host computer, and 2 is an image processing device. The host computer l outputs character code information to the image processing device 2.

The code system of the character code information is, for example, as shown in FIG. (CHA; A, T) is the character A for vertical writing.
represents. 3 is a dot font ROM, which has two types of character data, one for horizontal writing and one for vertical writing.

3a is a dot font ROM for horizontal writing, and 3b is a dot font ROM for vertical writing. The dot font ROM 3 stores character patterns as dot data as shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, the dot font ROM for horizontal writing is thicker in the horizontal direction, and the dot font ROM for vertical writing is thicker in the vertical direction. When outputting with a laser printer, the horizontal lines are thicker than the vertical lines, so data that has been corrected is stored in advance so that they will have the same thickness when printed.

FIG. 4-1 is a block diagram showing the inside of the image processing device 2. As shown in FIG. Reference numeral 2a denotes an arithmetic processing unit, which has a ROM that stores a program as shown in FIG. 4-2, for example. 2b
is page memory. The operation will be explained below based on FIG. 4-2. The arithmetic processing unit 2a decodes the character code information sent from the host computer 1.
S2), character data corresponding to the character code is read from the dot font ROM 3 and written to a predetermined address in the page memory 2b (S5). At this time, if it is written horizontally,
From dot font ROM 3a for horizontal writing (S3
), for vertical writing, from dot font ROM3b (S
4) Read character data.

The above operation is repeated (S6→Sl), and when the image for one page has been written, the T/F control unit 2c outputs image data from the page memory 2b according to the I/F system of the printer 4 ( S7).

[Other Examples]

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, 5 is an image processing device, and 6 is a stroke font ROM. 6a is a stroke font ROM for horizontal writing, and 6b is a stroke font ROM for vertical writing.

The stroke font ROM 6 stores coordinates indicating the outline of characters as shown in Figure 6-1, and also stores coordinates that indicate the outline of characters, such as connecting any two points with a curve or straight line as shown in Figure 6-2. Data for defining the interpolation method is also stored. still,
The stroke font ROM for horizontal writing and the stroke font ROM for vertical writing store stroke data that has been corrected to suit the characteristics of the printer 4, as in the first embodiment. Note that the stroke font in the present invention is
You can think of it as synonymous with what is called a columnar vector font or an outline font. Figure 7-1 shows the second
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the inside of an image processing device 5 according to the embodiment. 5a is an outline forming part, 5b is a figure filling part, 5c
is a page memory, and 5d is a TIF kindergarten section. Note that the image processing device 5 has a ROM that stores a program shown in FIG. 7-2. Next, the operation will be explained with reference to FIG. 7-2.

The contour forming unit 5a decodes the character code information sent from the host computer 1 (S1, S2), reads character data corresponding to the character code from the stroke font ROM 6, performs interpolation processing, and creates a contour at a predetermined address in the page memory 5C. is written (S5). At this time, if it is horizontal writing, the stroke font ROM 6a (S3
), if it is vertical writing, character data is read from the stroke font ROM 6b (S4). Next, the figure filling unit 5b fills in the inside of the outline formed by the outline forming unit 5a on the page memory 5C (S6). The above operation is repeated (S6→Sl), and when the image for one page has been written, the I/F control unit 5d outputs image data from the page memory 5C according to the 1/F system of the printer 4 ( S7).

[Third Embodiment] FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

In Figure 8, 7 is an image processing device, and 8 is a dot font RO.
It is M.

The dot font ROM 8 is common both vertically and horizontally.

The dot font ROM 8 stores character patterns in the form of dot data, as shown in FIG. 10(a).

FIG. 9-1 is a block diagram showing the inside of the image processing device 7. As shown in FIG. Note that the image processing device 7 has a ROM that stores the program shown in FIG. 9-2.

7a is an arithmetic processing section, 7b is an image correction section, 7C is an image rotation section, 7d is a page memory, and 7e is an I/F control section. Next, the operation will be explained with reference to FIG. 9-2. The arithmetic processing unit 7a decodes the character code data sent from the host computer l (Sl), reads character data corresponding to the character code from the dot font ROM 8, and writes it to a predetermined address in the page memory 7d (Sl).
6). At this time, if vertically written code data comes from the host computer l (S3), the image rotation unit 7C rotates the image into 9
It is rotated by 0° and written into the page memory 7d (S4).

The image correction unit 7b determines whether the writing is vertical or horizontal, and corrects the image as shown in FIG. 10(b) (S5). FIG. 10(b) shows the correction for horizontal writing; the opening is a newly added dot, and the space is a deleted dot.

The above operation is repeated (S7→Sl), and when writing of the image for one page is completed, the I/F control unit 7e outputs image data from the page memory 7d according to the I/F system of the printer 4. (S8).

[Fourth Embodiment] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 11, 9 is an image processing device, and 10 is a stroke font ROM. The stroke font ROM is common both vertically and horizontally. The stroke font ROM10 stores character patterns as stroke data, as shown in FIG. 13(a).

FIG. 12-1 is a block diagram showing the inside of the image processing device 9. As shown in FIG. The image processing device 9 has a ROM that stores a program shown in FIG. 12-2.

9a is an outline forming section, 9b is an image correction section, 9C is an image rotation section, 9d is a figure filling section, and 9e is a page memory. The contour forming unit 9a decodes the character code data sent from the host computer 1 (S1), reads character data corresponding to the character code from the stroke font ROM10 (S2), and performs interpolation processing (S5). The image correction unit 9b determines whether the writing is vertical or horizontal (S3), the thirteenth
As shown in (b) of the figure, it is necessary to correct (move the coordinates (S)
5). FIG. 13(b) shows the image corrected for horizontal writing. Thereafter, the corrected character data is written to a predetermined address in the page memory 9e (S7). At this time, if vertically written code data is received from the host computer 1, the image rotation unit 9c rotates the coordinates by 90 degrees (S4) and then writes it into the page memory 9e. Thereafter, the figure filling unit 9d fills in the inside of the outline formed by the outline forming unit 9a on the page memory 9d (S6).

The above operation is repeated (S8), and when the image for one page has been written, the I/F control unit 9b outputs image data from the page memory 9e according to the I/F system of the printer 4 (S9). .

As explained above, as is clear from each of the embodiments, by performing correction processing according to the characteristics of the printer, it is possible to output the font without deforming its original form.

Although this embodiment has been described using vertical writing and horizontal writing as examples, the present invention is not limited to this, and is of course effective even when outputting diagonally.

Furthermore, although this embodiment has been described using a printer as an example of an output device, the present invention is not limited to this;
Needless to say, the present invention can also be put to practical use in output devices such as T.

〔effect〕

As described above in detail, the present invention makes it possible to provide an image processing device capable of outputting an image suitable for output characteristics.

As described in detail above, the present invention makes it possible to provide an image processing apparatus in which the output quality does not change even if characters, figures, etc. to be output are edited.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the first embodiment.
4-2 is a control flowchart of the first embodiment, FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the second embodiment, and FIG. 6-1 is a diagram showing the code system of character code information. FIG. 6-2 is an explanatory diagram of data in the stroke font ROM. FIG. 7-1 is a block diagram showing the inside of the image processing device 5 in the second embodiment. 2 is a control flowchart of the second embodiment, FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the third embodiment, and FIG. 1-1 is a block diagram showing the inside of the image processing device 7 in the third embodiment. Figure 9-2 is a control flowchart of the third embodiment, Figure 10 is a diagram showing patterns stored in the dot font ROM and examples of their correction, and Figure 11 is a diagram showing the fourth embodiment. Block diagram shown, No. 12-
1 is a block diagram showing the inside of the image processing device 9 in the fourth embodiment, FIG. 12-2 is a control flowchart of the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 13 is data stored in the stroke font ROM. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of the conventional example. 2, 5. 7. 9・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Image processing device 6.
10 ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ Stroke font ROM3.8 ・・・・・・・・・・・・
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Dot font ROM3^ 3-chi naka font 7 nt F? OM 3 (CHA; A, T) 1-= を宮A〕い(CH, 4: B Y) 文宮士摸 (CflA; C. T) One character C1 snake <(”HAND γ) One character p7 horizontal 20th ri For eave cutting, Tofu 7''-to ROH 3 busy t, 1) Udo 71 to R2H 1st 2 Do υ Otsu b Stroke 7F-Sito ROI-fLG Phase 4 Old stroke Fant RoM Stroke for SC viewing 〉To ROM Figure 6-1 Figure 8 (b)

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A memory means for storing image data such as characters or figures, an output means for outputting dots based on the image data stored in the memory, and conversion into different dot information according to the output characteristics of the output means. 1. An image processing apparatus, comprising: processing means for processing an image. (2) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the memory means is capable of storing the image data corrected according to the output characteristics of the output means. (3) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data stored in the memory means is stored as dot information. (4) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data stored in the memory means is stored in representative point coordinates giving outline coordinates of a graphic image.