JPH04280295A - Character pattern processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a character pattern processing device capable of economically and efficiently processing a variety of character code systems in relation to a printing device, a display device, etc., which output a character pattern corresponding to a character code. CONSTITUTION:A device for inputting a character code of a plurality of predetermined character code systems and outputting a character pattern determined from the character code is built up in such constitution which comprises conversion tables 10a to 10c corresponding to respective character code systems, character pattern information, and a processing part 12, such that the respective conversion tables 10a to 10c are tables for converting respective character codes in the character code systems into predetermined internal codes, the character pattern information 11 holds respective determined character patterns corresponding to the respective internal codes the processing part 12 receives the character code of the designated character code system and converts the character code into the internal code with the conversion tables 10a to 10c of the designated character code system, and subsequently the character pattern, determined by the character pattern information 11 using the internal code, is output.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to printing devices, display devices, etc. that output character patterns corresponding to character codes, and more particularly to a character pattern processing device that can handle a wide variety of character code systems.

0002

[Prior Art] In devices that output text information for human viewing, such as text display devices and printing devices, each character code is designed to represent each character in order to be processed by a computer, etc. Convert the character shape into a character pattern,
For example, it is configured to display or print the character pattern composed of dot figures.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a character pattern processing device having the function of displaying/printing character patterns as described above. , 1b, 1c
etc.

[0004] Each character pattern information 1a, 1b, 1c, etc. corresponds to each character code in each character code system and holds the character patterns that constitute the character figure of that character code. For example, the character code is used as an address. , is configured so that the character pattern can be read out.

[0005] When the processing unit 2 receives the designation of a character code system and a string of character codes, the processing unit 2 generates character pattern information 1a.
, 1b, 1c, and extract each character pattern corresponding to each character code of the input character code string from the selected character pattern information 1a, 1b, or 1c.

[0006] In this way, the generated character patterns are output to the output section 3 in the order of the character codes of the input character code string, so the output section 3 outputs the character figures drawn by the character patterns to the output section 3. Display output to a display device or print output to a printer device.

[0007] Here, character pattern information 1a, 1b, 1c
Each of these is a relatively large amount of data, requiring several tens of bytes or more for one character, so it is stored in a magnetic disk storage device, etc., and the process of accessing it and generating a character pattern as described above is required. takes a relatively long time.

[0008] Therefore, in many cases, a relatively small-capacity buffer 4 composed of a relatively high-speed memory such as a semiconductor memory is provided in the processing section 2 to speed up the process of generating character patterns.

[0009] When buffer 4 is provided, when character patterns are extracted from character pattern information 1a, 1b, and 1c,
A character code system, a character code, and a character pattern are associated and stored in a buffer 4. When generating a character pattern, first search buffer 4, and if there is a corresponding character code, use the character pattern stored in buffer 4, and access character pattern information only if it is not stored in the buffer. do.

When the buffer 4 runs out of storage space, the previously stored information is erased in an appropriate order and the newly retrieved character pattern is stored.

[0011]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] According to the above processing,
Character pattern generation processing is performed individually for each character code system, so even if different character code systems end up generating the same character pattern, the character pattern information for each character code system The same character pattern must be retained repeatedly.

[0012] In addition, in the character pattern generation process, processing is performed regardless of character code system, and the same character pattern is stored repeatedly in the buffer, and when character code systems are mixed in this way, processing time This results in unnecessary consumption of storage capacity.

The object of the present invention is to provide a character pattern processing device that can process various character code systems economically and efficiently.

[0014]

Means for Solving the Problems FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention. The figure shows the configuration of a character pattern processing device, which inputs character codes of a plurality of predetermined character code systems and outputs a character pattern determined from the character codes, and converts corresponding to each character code system. It has tables 10a, 10b, 10c, etc., character pattern information 11, and a processing section 12.

Each of the conversion tables 10a, 10b, and 10c is a table for converting each character code of the character code system into a predetermined internal code. The character pattern information 11 is
Each predetermined character pattern is held corresponding to each internal code.

The processing unit 12 receives the character code of the specified character code system, converts the character code into the internal code using the conversion table 10a, 10b or 10c of the specified character code system, and converts the character code into the internal code. The character pattern determined from the character pattern information 11 by the code is output.

[0017]

[Operation] The character pattern processing device of the present invention converts a character code into an internal code using a conversion table for each character code system, and then indexes the character pattern using the internal code from the character pattern information 11 provided in only one set. A character pattern is generated by

A conversion table is required for each character code system, but since it only converts between codes, the amount of data can be much smaller than conventional character pattern information, and the character pattern information can be used for character code systems. Regardless of the number, there is a large reduction due to only one type of internal code. Furthermore, even when a buffer of read character patterns is provided, the character patterns only have to be stored in association with internal codes, and the same character patterns are not stored twice.

[0019]

[Example] Each conversion table 10a, 10b, 10 in FIG.
c etc. are configured to hold internal codes corresponding to each character code in each character code system, and to read the internal codes by using the character code as an address, for example.

As is clear from the functions of the internal codes used as described below, each conversion table 10a, 10b, 10c, etc.

The character pattern information 11 holds, corresponding to each internal code, character patterns such as dot information or vector information of characters and figures represented by that internal code. For example, the character pattern can be read using the internal code as an address. It is configured so that it can be released.

[0022] When the processing unit 12 receives the designation of the character code system and a string of character codes, the processing unit 12 converts the conversion table 10a.
, 10b, and 10c, and each character code of the input character code string is converted into a corresponding internal code using the selected conversion table.

Next, using this internal code, each character pattern corresponding to each internal code is extracted from the character pattern information 11, and the generated character patterns are output to the output unit 3 in the order of the character code of the input character code string. to display/print out.

The processing unit 12 stores the buffer 1 as in the conventional case.
4, when the character pattern is extracted from the character pattern information 11, the internal code and the character pattern are associated and stored in the buffer 14, and when the character pattern is generated, the internal code is extracted from the character pattern information 11. After conversion, the buffer 14 is first searched, and if a corresponding internal code is found, the character pattern stored in the buffer 14 is used.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the processing flow of the present invention. When a character code system designation and a character code string are received in processing step 20, processing is performed from conversion tables 10a, 10b, 10c, etc. in processing step 21. Selects the conversion table for the specified character code system.

Next, one character at a time is extracted from the beginning of the character code string, and in processing step 22, the extracted character code is converted into an internal code using the selected conversion table. In a processing step 23, the buffer 14 is searched for the internal code, and if the internal code is not stored in the buffer, the character pattern of the internal code is extracted from the character pattern information 11 in a processing step 24.

Next, in a processing step 25, the internal code and character pattern are stored in the buffer 14. In this case, if there is no free space, the data is written to a storage area selected according to a predetermined appropriate criterion, and the previous storage is thus erased.

Further, if the internal code obtained by the conversion is found in the buffer 14 in processing step 23, the character pattern stored in the buffer 14 corresponding to the internal code is extracted in processing step 26.

The character pattern generated as described above is sent to the output section 3 in processing step 27 to be outputted, thereby completing the output of one character code. The above processes from process step 22 to process step 27 are repeated until the character code of the input character code string is identified in process step 28 and ends.

[0030]

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, various character code systems can be used economically and efficiently in printing devices, display devices, etc. that output character patterns corresponding to character codes. It has a remarkable industrial effect in that it can be treated.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

[Figure 1] Block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention

[Figure 2]
Block diagram showing a conventional configuration example

[Figure 3] Flowchart of processing of the present invention

[Explanation of symbols]

1a, 1b, 1c, 11 Character pattern information 2, 12
Processing unit 3 Output units 4, 14 Buffers 10a, 10b, 10c Conversion tables 20 to 28
processing step

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A device for inputting character codes of a plurality of predetermined character code systems and outputting a character pattern determined from the character codes, comprising a conversion table (10a, 10b, 10c), character pattern information (11), and a processing unit (12), each conversion table (10a, 10b, 10c) converts each character code of the character code system into a predetermined internal code. The character pattern information (11) holds each predetermined character pattern corresponding to each internal code,
The processing unit (12) receives the character code of the specified character code system, and converts the character code into the internal code using the conversion table (10a, 10b, 10c) of the specified character code system. , a character pattern processing device configured to output the character pattern determined from the character pattern information (11) by the internal code.