JPH0499659A - Smoothing system of bit map character data for printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain sufficiently minimum value of an approximate error of a curve of a character profile in a bit map by storing a printing pattern obtained by alternately repeating enlarging of a printable minimum magnification and smoothing in a buffer memory. CONSTITUTION:When data are input, a master controller 1 reads a control program from a program ROM 2, and executes it. A printing pattern is developed in a buffer memory for constituting a RAM 3, and enlarged twice. The printing pattern of the obtained result is developed in the buffer memory, smoothed, further enlarged twice, and then smoothed. Thus, smoothed printing data are input to a print controller 5, and dot printed by a printing mechanism.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to extended control functions of printers, and particularly to a smoothing processing method for bitmap character data.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, this type of printer performs smoothing processing on enlarged characters at an arbitrary magnification when drawing, and then enlarges character patterns stored internally as a dot matrix font at the desired magnification all at once. , temporarily store the obtained print pattern in the buffer memory,
The printing pattern is smoothed a specified number of times.

The prior art will be explained with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 2(1), (2), and (3) are explanatory diagrams showing the operating principle of the conventional example.

Here, in the conventional technology, when performing smoothing processing to form a print pattern after 4 times enlargement, as shown in Fig. 2 (1
) (hereinafter, Figure 2 is omitted) is enlarged four times to obtain the pattern (2) ffl, and this result is smoothed the specified number of times to obtain the pattern (3). 3 [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional printers described above perform any desired enlargement all at once, and then perform smoothing processing a specified number of times. If the number of times of processing is small compared to the magnification of the character, there is a drawback that the approximation error of the curved portion of the character outline will not be sufficiently minimized on the bitmap.

[Means to solve the problem]

The bitmap character data smoothing processing method of the printer of the present invention is a microprogram-controlled printer having a dot matrix type font structure. A read-only memory (hereinafter referred to as ROM) that contains a program that alternately repeats enlargement and smoothing processing to draw enlarged characters at a desired magnification, and a printer device that includes the program in the ROM. The printer has a buffer memory that temporarily stores a newly obtained print pattern or a print pattern required until the new pattern is obtained while a program is being executed by a master control section that controls each part of the printer.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a bitmap character data smoothing processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 (1),
(4), (5), (6), and (7) are explanatory diagrams showing the operating principle of this embodiment.

In FIG. 1, this embodiment includes a master control section 1, a block memory (program ROM) 2, a buffer memory 3, and a dot matrix pattern memory (print ROM).
M) 4 and a print control section 5, which are connected via an address bus 6 and a data bus 7.

The master control unit 1 has a function of controlling the entire printer device, an enlarged character setting function, and a smoothing mode setting function, and is refined from a central processing unit that operates according to a control program written in a program ROM 2.

Each component is controlled via an address bus 6 and a data bus 7.

The program ROM 2 contains a program for controlling the entire printer device, an enlarged character setting program, and a smoothing mode setting program. It has a function to output to 7.

The RAM 3 is composed of a buffer memory and has a function of temporarily storing print patterns such as calculation results while the enlarged character setting program and smoothing mode setting program are being executed.

The print ROM 4 stores dot matrix type print data (normal print pattern) corresponding to specified characters, and has a function of outputting this print data to the data bus 7 under the control of the master control unit 1. are doing.

The print control unit 5 inputs print data via the data bus 7 and also inputs the print data to the side of the printing machine (not shown). ) and has the function of dot printing.

Next, a method of program control by the master control unit when drawing at the minimum printable magnification based on normal print data will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

In Figures 1 and 2, the upper device now shows Figure 2 (1).
) (hereinafter, FIG. 2 is omitted) When data for printing the pattern shown in FIG. 2 is input, the master control section 1 reads a control program from the program ROM 2 and executes it. Then, an atsis specifying the pattern (1) based on the print command is output to the print ROM 4 via the address bus 6, and a read command is output to cause the data bus 7 to output this dot pattern. Furthermore, the master control unit 1 internally imports this dot pattern based on the control program 6 Next, when the program is executed according to this embodiment, the approximation error of the curved edge of the character outline is sufficiently minimized on the bitmap. The values will be explained below.

Based on the control program, the master control unit 1 develops a print pattern (1) to be internally imported onto a buffer memory constituting the RAM 3, and enlarges it twice.

The resulting print pattern (4) is developed on the same buffer memory.

The result of smoothing this pattern (4) is shown in (5). Furthermore, after 2x magnification (6),
Perform smoothing (7).

The print data smoothed in this manner is input to the print control section 5, and is printed in dots by the printing mechanism section.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, when smoothing and drawing enlarged characters at an arbitrary magnification (4 times in this embodiment) using a program built into the ROM, the minimum magnification that can be printed is set according to the present embodiment. 2 times) and smoothing processing to obtain the desired printing pattern,
The buffer memory that stores the printing pattern etc. has the effect that the approximation error of the curved portion of the character outline is sufficiently minimized in the bitmap.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a smoothing processing method for bitmap character data according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 (]),
(4), (5), (6), <7> are explanatory diagrams showing the operating principle of this embodiment, and Fig. 2 <1), (2
) and (3) are explanatory diagrams showing the operating principle of the conventional example.

1... Master control unit, 2... Program ROM, 3
...-RAM, 4... Print ROM, 5... Print control section, 6... Address bus, 7... Data bus.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a microprogram-controlled printer having a dot matrix type font structure, when drawing enlarged characters at an arbitrary magnification by performing smoothing processing, enlargement at the minimum printable magnification and smoothing processing are alternately repeated. The program is being executed by a read-only memory that contains a program for drawing enlarged characters at a desired magnification, and a master control unit that controls each part of the printer device including the program in the read-only memory. A method for smoothing bitmap character data in a printer, further comprising a buffer memory for temporarily storing a newly obtained print pattern or a print pattern needed until the pattern is obtained.