JPH03113496A - Character processing device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce data quantity and to produce plural faces from one face by providing a generating means generating a character pattern based on character information detected by a detecting means and a face instruction inputted by a inputting means. CONSTITUTION:Contour point information for generating the character pattern is stored in a storage means 6. At least the face instruction and a character code are inputted by the inputting means 2. The contour point information corresponding to the character code inputted by the inputting means 2 is detected by the detecting means 3 from the contour point information stored in the storage means 6. The character pattern is generated by the generating means 7 based on the character information detected by the detecting means 3 and a face instruction inputted by the inputting means 2. Thus, the data quantity can be reduced and plural faces can be produced from one face.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a character processing device, and for example, to a character processing device that generates a character pattern based on a character code.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in this type of device, in order to output character patterns with different fonts even if the character code is the same, it is necessary to provide other pattern information, that is, contour point information. Met.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional example described above, it was necessary to have contour point information corresponding to the character code for each typeface. As a result, the amount of data required to form a typeface increases, resulting in a disadvantage that a large amount of memory is required.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional examples, and its purpose is to provide a character processing device that can reduce the amount of data and generate multiple fonts from one font. .

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objectives, a character processing device according to the present invention includes a storage means for storing contour point information for generating character patterns, and at least a typeface. an input means for inputting a command and a character code; a detection means for detecting contour point information corresponding to the character code input by the input means from the contour point information stored in the storage means;
The apparatus is characterized by comprising a generating means for generating a character pattern based on the contour point information detected by the detecting means and a font command input by the input means.

[Operation] According to this configuration, the storage means stores contour point information for generating a character pattern, the input means inputs at least a font command and a character code, and the detection means receives characters input by the input means. The contour point information corresponding to the code is detected from the contour point information stored in the storage means, and the generation means generates a character pattern based on the contour point information detected by the detection means and the font command inputted by the input means. do.

[Embodiments] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the character processing device 1 of this embodiment inputs character codes and control commands (for example, font commands) from an external device 20 such as a host computer, and sends character pattern data of a font according to the font commands to a printer 30. output.

The printer 30 prints a character image on memory paper based on the input character pattern data. In the character processing device 1, reference numeral 2 indicates a large-capacity buffer for storing character codes, control commands, etc. sent from an external device 20. Reference numeral 3 indicates a central processing unit (CPU) that controls the entire water device 1, and this CPU 3 operates according to a control program stored in a ROM 4, an error processing program, a program shown in FIG. 6, which will be described later, and the like. Further, the CPU 3 uses the RAM 5 as a work area and a temporary save area during error processing. Reference numeral 6 indicates a font memory that stores character information for generating character patterns of this embodiment.

Reference numeral 7 indicates an image buffer that stores image data for one page formed by the font pattern etc. generated by the font memory 6, and 8 indicates the printer 30.
A printer interface for controlling the transmission of image data stored in the image buffer 7 is shown.

Next, a method of storing character information in this embodiment will be explained.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the character pattern of this embodiment, and FIG.
The figure shows a method of storing character information corresponding to the character pattern shown in Fig. 2, and Figs. 4 and 5 show other fonts generated based on the basic font shown in Fig. 2. FIG.

FIG. 2 shows the basic character pattern of ``川'', that is, the contour lines of the strokes that make up the basic typeface. 201-2
08 shows the outline of each stroke according to the stroke order.

Each of the contour lines 201 to 208 is formed by a plurality of contour points (coordinate points), that is, pattern extraction points. In FIG. 3, the number of strokes and pattern extraction points for each stroke are stored as character information so as to correspond to the character code. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the character information is continuous with the previous stroke pattern (not necessarily the previous stroke), "2" is used.
A flag is stored for each stroke, with a flag set to ``1'' if it is not continuous, and ``O'' if it is not patterned, and the pattern of the previous or subsequent stroke (not necessarily the strokes located before or after in stroke order).
The starting point and ending point when connecting with the terminal are also stored. Two starting points and two ending points are each stored in order to make the outline thicker. As shown in Figure 3, in the case of the character "river", the code is "324F" and the number of strokes is °°8, and the start point, end point, and pattern extraction point are from 1 stroke to 8.
Each image is memorized. In this example, −
Characters are formed in a 100x100 dot matrix.

When generating a character pattern based on the above character information, in this embodiment, two pieces of information are received from the external device 20. One is the character code, and the other is the font command that determines the font of the character corresponding to the character code. The font commands include Gothic, Mincho 9-brush, Orator, etc., and the method of specifying these fonts is a known technique on the external device 20 side, so a description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a character pattern obtained by connecting each stroke from the basic typeface (FIG. 2). The font of this character pattern is an image when it is actually output to the printer 30, and is formed based on the flag information of the character information shown in FIG. Therefore,
The part 401 (FIG. 4) of the character "river" is a pattern in which contour lines 201, 202, and 203 (FIG. 2) are connected. Also, “9402 (Figure 4) for the character “river”
In the "mouth" part, the text information flag of the outline 208 (Fig. 2) is set to "°°2", but if you change the flag to "
0'' and may be set to connect the end points of the contour lines 206 and 207.

Also, in Figure S, the contour line 202 of the second eye (Figure 2)
The font is shown without patterning. In this case, as shown in FIG.
is patterned in the same manner as in FIG. Also, the character ``river''
In the bias 501, the flag of the second car is set to “O” and the flag of the first car is set to “O”.
Outline 201 of both eyes (Figure 2) and outline 2 of the third eye
03 (FIG. 2).

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of character generation processing by the CPU 3.

First, this program starts when data is transmitted from the external device 20 and a character code is detected. Therefore, when a character code and its font command are input from the external device 20, the data is stored in the power buffer 2 (step S1). Then, character information corresponding to the input character code is searched in the font memory 6 (step S2). In this way, when the character information corresponding to the input character code is detected, the total number of strokes of the character is set to the parameter N (step S3), and furthermore, the initial number of strokes of the character when developing the pattern is set to the parameter N. A value "1" is set (step S4). And the Mth
As character information for both eyes, pattern extraction points and flags are R.
AM5 (step S5), and it is determined whether the flag needs to be changed based on the font control command input in step Sl (step S6). This snap S6
Now, as an example, in the character pattern shown in FIG. 5, the contour lines 201, 202,
Out of 203, the flag information of contour line 202 is from °2"
In this way, if there is a flag change, it is rewritten to another flag information on the RAM 5 based on the font command (step S7).

Next, the state of the flag is checked, and patterning processing or the like is performed depending on its contents. First, if the flag is "O", the outline 202 of the character pattern shown in FIG.
As in, proceed to the next process without creating a pattern. Also,
If the flag is "1", the contour line of both M eyes currently being processed is formed by the pattern contour points of both M eyes, and the inside of the closed area formed by the contour line is filled (step S9). . Or, if the flag is “2”, the end point of the pattern based on the previous contour line (■, ■)
The contour lines are connected by connecting the starting points (■, ■) of both M eyes currently being processed, and the plurality of contour lines are integrated. In this way, the closed area formed by the integrated contour lines is also filled in as in step S9 (step 510).

Then, when the processing for both Mth eyes is completed, "1" is added to the parameter M in order to increment the number of developed strokes by one (
Step 511). After this, until the parameter M exceeds the parameter N, the process returns to step S5 and -
The process of generating a character pattern is repeated for each stroke (step 512).

As explained above, according to this embodiment, by memorizing the connection for each stroke as character information, that is, the start point and end point, connections between contour lines forming a stroke can be made freely. Not only can a plurality of fonts be generated from one font, but also the memory capacity for storing font patterns can be saved.

Now, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the start point and the end point were simply connected to connect each stroke, but the present invention is not limited to this (the pattern formed by the outline By determining the center position between the lines or the center of gravity, a connecting contour line can be newly determined, and thereby a character pattern with good layer balance can be generated.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, by adding means for changing the stroke order, it is possible to generate unique characters. In this case, the writing order, etc. may be rewritten by reading character information from the font memory 6 to the RAM 5.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to this embodiment, not only can a plurality of fonts be generated from one font, but also the memory capacity for storing font patterns can be saved. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the character pattern of this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is character information corresponding to the character pattern shown in FIG. 2. Figures 4 and 5 are diagrams showing other fonts generated based on the basic font shown in Figure 2, and Figure 6 explains the operation of character generation processing by the CPU 3. It is a flowchart. In the figure, 1... character processing device, 2... large power buffer,
3...CPU, 4...ROM, 5...RAM, 6
...Font memory, 7...Image buffer, 8
... printer interface, 20 ... external device,
30... Printer, 201-208... Outline, 4
01°501... bias, 402,50i2... labor.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A storage means for storing character information for generating a basic character pattern; an input means for inputting at least a typeface command and a character code; and a storage means for storing character information for generating a basic character pattern; The method further comprises: a detection means for detecting character information stored in the storage means; and a generation means for generating a character pattern based on the character information detected by the detection means and a font command inputted by the input means. Characteristic character processing device. (2) The generating means includes closed area generating means for generating a closed area from the character information detected by the detecting means and the font command input by the input means, and 2. The character processing device according to claim 1, further comprising patterning means for patterning. (3) The character information includes connection points for connecting to other strokes in the same character, and the closed area generation means includes connection means for connecting each stroke based on the connection points. 3. A character processing device according to claim 2.