JPH0740596A - Character pattern output device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Structure] BCOUNTER is used as an area for counting blank character codes, BADDR is used as a pointer in the blank character table, and BNO is used as an area for counting the number of blank characters remaining after the pointer BADDR.
As the area for storing the blank character code
Is used as an area for storing the internal code after the conversion from the JIS character code to the internal code. The font used in this embodiment has a dot pattern of vertical 48 × horizontal 48, and the logical “1” is assigned to the dot to be printed and the logical “0” is assigned to the blank dot. Therefore, one character is composed of 48 × 48 bits, that is, 288 bytes. [Effect] Since it is not necessary to store a large amount of blank character data, there is an excellent effect that it is possible to eliminate wasteful data of blank character portions and perform font compression with a high compression rate.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a character pattern output device for efficiently storing and outputting a character font pattern used in a display device or a printing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventionally known character pattern output device of this type, a character font pattern containing no print dots as font data, that is, a blank font, is stored in the same manner as a normal character font.

[0003]

As described above, since Kanji fonts defined by JIS include many blank fonts that do not contain any printing dots, printers and CRTs of recent years that require high definition are required. Then, this blank font requires a lot of storage space, which is a waste.

Therefore, in view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to provide a character pattern output device capable of storing a font pattern without waste.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention identifies a blank font containing no print dots from a character group in which one character is composed of a bit pattern of M rows and N columns. A blank character identifying means is provided so that data for the blank font can be deleted.

Further, there is provided decompressing means for decompressing compressed data obtained by compressing a character group of characters composed of the bit pattern of M rows and N columns, and the decompressing means responds to the output of the blank character identifying means. It is preferable to output a blank character.

In addition, a sub-matrix divided into M1 rows and N1 columns is formed for each character composed of the bit pattern of M rows and N columns, and coding is performed for each different pattern of the sub-matrix. The sub-matrix number may be provided with a number storage area for storing each character.

Further, it is possible to adopt a structure provided with a printing device or a display device for visualizing the compressed / decompressed font pattern.

[0009]

In the present invention, a means for identifying a blank font is provided so that the data for the blank font can be deleted, so that the font pattern can be stored without waste.

[0010]

Embodiment 1 Each embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, 1 is a number of processes in this apparatus and FIG.
Is a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as a CPU) that executes a process described later in detail. Reference numeral 2 is a random access memory (RAM), and each area (BCOUNTER, BNO, BADDR,
BCODE, ICODE). Reference numeral 3 is a read only memory (ROM) including the procedure of the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 as the control procedure of this embodiment. Further, 4 is a printing device, 5 is a print buffer for holding print data of the printing device 4, 6 is a character generator read-only memory (hereinafter referred to as CGROM) for storing fonts used in this embodiment, 7 Is a common bus for exchanging data between the CPU 1 and other peripheral devices.

Next, the structure of the CGROM 6 shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

In the CGROM 6, there are a blank character table 20 for storing character codes of blank characters in which all dots are not print dots, and a font data area 21 for storing a character pattern of a character including at least one dot in print dots. Exists.

Here, at the head of the blank character table 20, as shown in FIG. 5, the number of blank characters registered in the blank character table is stored in 2 bytes, and then the blank character code is incremented every 2 bytes. Should be stored.

Next, the storage area in the RAM 2 will be described. In this RAM 2, BCOUNTER is stored as an area for counting blank character codes, BADDR is stored as a pointer in a blank character table, BNO is stored as an area for counting the number of blank characters remaining after the pointer BADDR, and blank character codes are stored. BCODE is used as an area, and ICODE is used as an area for storing an internal code after conversion from a JIS character code to an internal code.

The font used in this embodiment is as shown in FIG.
It is composed of a dot pattern of vertical 48 × horizontal 48, and the logical “1” is assigned to the dot to be printed and the logical “0” is assigned to the blank dot. Therefore, one character consists of 48 × 48 bits, that is, 288 bytes.

In the following description, a number added with "h" at the end represents a hexadecimal number, and a number added with "b" represents a binary number. Also, decimal numbers are not added unless otherwise specified.

Next, the control to be executed by the CPU 1 will be described according to the processing procedure (stored in the ROM 3) shown in FIG.

First, in step S100 (hereinafter, the word "step" is omitted), the CPU 1 causes the BCOUNT
Clear the ER. Next, in S101, the blank table start address is stored in BADDR.

Next, in S102, the contents of the address indicated by BADDR are substituted into BNO for 2 bytes. In addition,
Items enclosed in parentheses in the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 indicate stored contents.

Next, in step S103, BADDR is increased by 2. Next, in S104, the contents of the address indicated by BADDR are read in 2 bytes and stored in BCODE.

At the next step S105, BADDR is increased by 2 again. In the next S106, it is determined whether or not the character code of the character to be expanded is equal to BCODE.

When the determination in S106 is "true", S11
In step 4, 288 bytes (6 vertical bytes × 48 horizontal slices) of 00h are expanded in the print buffer 5, and the process is terminated. If the judgment is “false”, the character code is B
It is determined whether it is smaller than CODE. The judgment is "true"
In the case of, it progresses to S111, and in the case of "false", S108.
Increase the value of BCOUNTER by 1.

Next, in S109, BNO is decreased by 1, and SNO
At 110, it is determined whether BNO is equal to "0". If the determination is "false", the process returns to S104, and if "true", the process proceeds to S111, where the upper rank (C
The value obtained by subtracting 21h from ODEH) is multiplied by 5Eh, and added to the value obtained by subtracting 21h from the lower order (CODEL), and stored in ICODE as an internal code.

This S111 is for converting the JIS code into an internal code (zero offset) and can be easily understood by those skilled in the art. The next S112 is for skipping white space characters, and from ICODE to BC
A new version of COUNTER is stored in ICODE.

Finally, in S113, ICODE × 6 × 48
+ Calculate the font table start address and expand the corresponding character font in the print buffer 5 by 288 bytes,
The process ends.

Next, a specific example will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the case of printing the character code 222Fh will be described. Since 222Fh is a blank character, it is included in the blank character table 20 (see FIGS. 2 and 5).

Since the number of blank characters is 0322h from FIG. 5, B
If NO = 03222h, the process from S104 to S110 is looped 322h times unless the determination in S106 or S107 is "true". On the other hand, since 222Fh is registered as the second blank character in the blank character table, S106 becomes true in the second loop, and 288 bytes of 00h are expanded in the print buffer 5 in S114.

Next, the case of printing 225h will be described. BNO is 0322h as before.
Since 2225h is not included in the blank character table and is smaller than the second 222Fh, the determination in S107 becomes "true" in the second loop. At this time, BCOU
It can be easily understood that NTER is 1.

At S111, ICODE becomes 0064h, and at S112, BCOUNTER, that is, 1 is subtracted to become 0063h.

Finally, in S113, 0063h × 6 × 48
+ The font table start address is calculated, but 22
25h is the font table offset 63h x 6 x 4
Since it is stored in the 8th place, "black painting of Δ" is printed.

Similarly, character expansion can be correctly performed for all character codes.

As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to obtain the effect that the print data can be expanded in the print buffer 5 without storing a large amount of blank character data.

Second Embodiment FIG. 6 shows a CGROM in a second embodiment to which the present invention is applied.
6 shows the configuration of No. 6. In the figure, the pointer unit 60 is composed of 3 bytes for each character code, and stores the offset from the pointer unit for the corresponding character in the font table 62. Furthermore, in the case of a special pointer to a blank character, 000000h is stored as the pointer.

This is configured so that the address of the first character registered in the font table 62 does not become at least 000000h as the final address + 1 of the pointer section 60, so that 000000h is assigned to a blank character.

In the font table 62, the first embodiment
Similarly, the font data for the blank character is not included, and the character patterns other than the blank character are arranged in the memory in the order of 288 bytes in the character code.

The configuration and font pattern other than the CGROM are the same as in the first embodiment.

Next, the control to be executed by the CPU 1 will be described in accordance with the processing procedure (stored in the ROM 3) shown in FIG.

First, in step S200, the character code × 3 + pointer start address is calculated and stored in PADDR. Next, in S201, the storage content of PADDR is read for 3 bytes and stored in FADDR.

Next, in step S202, FADDR is 00000.
It is determined whether it is equal to 0h. If the determination is “false”, the process proceeds to S203, the font is expanded in the print buffer 5 from the address indicated by FADDR, and the process ends.

On the other hand, if the determination in S202 is "true", 288 bytes of 00h are expanded in the print buffer 5 (see FIG. 1) as in the first embodiment, and the process is terminated.

In the case of the present embodiment, since the address in which the blank character has been deleted is stored in the pointer portion in advance, the calculation as in the first embodiment can be omitted, but the effect is that of the first embodiment. Is the same as in.

Third Embodiment FIG. 8 shows a CGROM in a third embodiment to which the present invention is applied.
6 shows a configuration diagram of No. 6. In this embodiment, the font is compressed.

For convenience of explanation, a so-called dictionary type compression method, in which a font pattern is divided into M1 rows.times.N1 columns sub-matrix for index reference, will be described. However, the present invention is also applicable to other compression methods. It goes without saying that it is adaptable.

In the dictionary compression described above, one character is M
A character group consisting of bit patterns of rows x N columns is divided into M1 rows x N1 columns of sub-matrix for each character, and a code number (addition of index) is executed to all the sub-matrices (sub-matrix of the same dot pattern). The same number is assigned to each sub matrix), and the characters divided into M1 rows × N1 columns are represented by index numbers corresponding to each sub matrix, so that M1 of each sub matrix is
This is a method of compressing × N1 bits to the number of bits used in the index number (usually a multiple of 8).

In the CGROM 6 according to this embodiment, a pointer 80, a font table 82 and a font table 8 are provided.
It consists of a code number sub-matrix 84 in which bit pattern data referred to by the index number in 2 are arranged.
Other configurations are the same as those in the second embodiment.

In the case of the present embodiment, the details are omitted because it is exactly the same as that of the second embodiment except that in the processing of S203 of the second embodiment, it is developed by referring to the index using the conventional technique.

Fourth Embodiment FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a fourth embodiment to which the present invention is applied. In this embodiment, the dot refresh type display device 1 is used instead of the printing device 4 (see FIG. 1) used in the first embodiment.
4 is adopted. In the present embodiment, the font output destination is from the print buffer 5 (see FIG. 1) to the VRAM 15.
However, the detailed description is omitted because it is similar to the first embodiment.

[0049]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to store an enormous amount of blank character data, so that it is possible to eliminate wasteful data of blank character portions and perform font compression with a high compression rate. The effect is obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a CGROM of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a bit configuration of a character “A”.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a blank character table according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a CGROM of a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram showing a CGROM of a third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a JIS character code.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a JIS character code.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a JIS character code.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 RAM 3 ROM 4 printing device 5 printing buffer 6 CGROM 7 system bus 14 display device 15 VRAM

Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification number Office reference number FI Technical display location G06F 17/21

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A blank character discriminating means for discriminating a blank font containing no print dots from a character group in which one character is composed of a bit pattern of M rows and N columns, and deleting data for the blank font. A character pattern output device characterized in that it is possible. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: decompression means for decompressing compressed data obtained by compressing a character group of characters composed of the bit pattern of M rows and N columns, wherein the decompression means is the blank character. A character pattern output device which outputs a blank character in response to the output of the identification means. 3. The M1 according to claim 1, further comprising M1 for each character composed of the bit pattern of the M rows and N columns.
Character pattern characterized by forming a sub-matrix divided into rows N1 columns, and having a number storage area for storing the numbers of the coded sub-matrix numbered for different patterns of the sub-matrix for each character Output device. 4. The character pattern output device according to claim 1, further comprising a printing device or a display device for visualizing the compressed / decompressed font pattern.