JP2841631B2 - Data converter - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data conversion device for converting outline data representing outlines of characters of characters and symbols into high-quality dot data.

[Prior Art] Conventional character generation involves reading out predetermined outline data by inputting a character code from a storage device in which font data is stored in an outline system, converting this data into dot data, and then outputting the data to a laser printer or the like. Conversion data was output to the device.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, a character having a curvature (for example, C,
When the outline 2 of D, G, J, O, Q, S, U, etc.) is converted into dot data, only one of the plurality of dots 1 may protrude as shown in FIG. . Such a protruding portion has a problem that it is relatively easily noticeable by humans, and the printing quality looks poor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and has as its object to provide a data conversion device that generates good-looking, high-quality characters without a protrusion of only one dot.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve this object, a data conversion device according to the present invention stores an outline font storage unit for storing outline font shape data, and stores data indicating a portion to be subjected to curve correction. Curve correction data storage means, outline conversion means for converting the outline font data into dot data, and when there is no dot above, below, or left or right of the dot specified by the correction data, at least one of the dots Curve correction processing means for adding a dot to one of the upper and lower sides or at least one of the left and right sides.

[Operation] According to the present invention having the above configuration, a predetermined outline font shape and curve correction data are called from the outline font means and the curve correction data storage means by inputting a character code. Next, the outline conversion means converts the outline data of the font into dot data, and the curve correction processing means smoothly corrects the protrusion of the dot generated at the vertex of the curve by the curve correction data.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In the present embodiment, the data conversion device of the present invention is applied to a laser printer and will be described in detail.

FIG. 2 is a diagram mainly showing a part related to data conversion in a control circuit of the laser printer. The microcomputer unit 10, which is a main component of the control circuit, includes a CPU 12,
Character ROM14 as outline font storage means,
It has a program ROM 16, a text memory 18, a working memory 20, a dot data memory 22, and a curve correction data memory 24 as a curve correction data storage means. These CPU1
2 and the like are connected by a bus 26, to which an input device 28 and a printing unit 30 are connected. The input device 28 is for inputting necessary data to the microcomputer unit 10, and the printing unit 30 is a unit for performing printing by a laser printer system based on a command from the microcomputer unit 10. The resolution of this laser printer is 300 dots / inch.

As shown conceptually in FIG. 3, the CPU 12 includes a data reading section 32, a curve correction processing section 34 as a curve correction processing section for correcting a curved section, and an outline conversion section as an outline conversion section for converting outline data into dot data. Three
6, etc. are provided. The text memory 18 stores character data composed of code data input from the input device 28, and the working memory 20 temporarily stores data necessary for executing a program. The curve correction data memory 24 stores data for instructing the vertices of the contour line to correct the curved portion, and the dot data memory 22 stores dot data obtained by the conversion of the outline conversion unit 36. Also, character ROM1
4 stores outline data such as alphabets and other characters and symbols.

Next, the processing performed by the CPU will be specifically described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step S1 (hereinafter abbreviated as S1; the same applies to other steps), the character ROM 14 of the outline font storage unit is used.
Calls the outline font shape data from. The shape data includes X, Y coordinate values of a start point and an end point defining a straight line, and X, Y coordinate values of a start point, an end point, and a control point defining a curve.

In S2, the data for instructing the position for performing the curve correction is called from the curve correction data memory. The data is the X and Y coordinate values of points A, B, E on the rectangle circumscribing the outline of the font as shown in Fig. 5 and points C, D that correspond to the vertices of the curve even if they are not on the rectangle. is there.

In S3, the curve function of the outline data called in S1 is developed to generate a large number of interpolation points in one segment. Short vector data is obtained by connecting these interpolation points and the start point and end point of the straight line in order with a straight line vector.

In S4, the short vector data generated in S3 is converted into dot data. Conversion to dot data
This is performed using the pixel screen 52 shown in FIG. The pixel screen is a computational one for converting outline data into dot data, but is illustrated here as an actual one for easy understanding. Here, the pixel is a minimum printing unit when printing is performed by the laser, and the pixel screens are orthogonal to each other in one plane, are parallel to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and are at equal intervals. The pixel is defined by a plurality of pixel section lines p provided in. In this embodiment, the pixels are square, and dot data is generated for each pixel to determine whether or not to print. Further, an X-direction defining line X and a Y-direction defining line Y passing through a center point of each pixel (hereinafter, referred to as a pixel center) and being parallel to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are set. The position of the pixel is represented by the coordinates of the pixel center. still,
The pixels can be rectangular or any other shape.

The pixel screen is supposed to correspond to the printing surface of the printing paper, but FIG. 6 shows only one character for easy understanding. Therefore,
The scale values actually given to the X-direction defining lines X and Y-direction defining lines Y in the entire pixel screen are appropriately set to the scale values given to the X-direction defining lines X and Y-direction defining lines Y in FIG. The value is obtained by adding an integer, but here, only one character is considered.

The conversion of the outline data into the dot data is performed on the assumption that the outline 2 of the character is superimposed on the pixel screen. In this embodiment, a dot 1 is formed at each pixel in the outline 2 of the character. And the bit data of the pixel is set to 1. The outline 2 includes all or a part of one pixel. In this embodiment, the bit data of the pixel including the pixel center point in the outline 2 is set to 1.

In S5, it is determined whether or not the position for correcting the curve is designated by the curve correction data. If not, the process is terminated. If so, move to S6.

In S6, as shown in FIG. 1 (a) and FIG. 1 (c), the dots 1a, 1a of the point designated by the curve correction data
If there is no dot 1 on both sides of the dots 1a and 1c and only one dot protrudes, the process proceeds to S7. When two or more dots are arranged side by side, the process is terminated.

In S7, a process of correcting an unsightly portion protruding by only one dot is performed. That is, as shown in FIG. 1B, when there is no dot above and below the dot 1a at the point designated by the curve correction data, as shown in FIG.
One dot is added vertically and one dot is added above or below. As shown in FIG. 1 (c), when there is no dot 1 on the left and right of the dot 1c, one dot on the left and right as shown in FIG. 1 (d).
One dot is added to each dot or to the right or left.

The dot data converted from the outline data to the dot data and further subjected to the correction processing is stored in the dot data memory.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various restrictions can be added without departing from the gist of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to a laser printer, but it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a printer other than a laser printer.

In addition, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a device other than a printer that needs to convert outline data of characters such as characters and symbols into dot data.

[Effects of the Invention] As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a data conversion device that generates high-quality characters without converting only one dot when outline data is converted into dot data is provided. It has an industrially significant effect that it can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing dot data processed by a data converter, and FIG. 2 is equipped with a data converter. Block diagram of control circuit of laser printer, Fig. 3 shows CP
U is a block diagram showing the configuration of U, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a program for generating high-quality characters, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a position for performing curve correction, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram in which the alphabet is superimposed on the pixel screen, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing dot data when converted by the conventional method. In the figure, 1 is a dot, 1a and 1c are protruding dots, 2 is a character outline, 12 is a CPU, 14 is a character ROM, 16 is a program ROM, 18 is a text memory, 20 is a working memory, and 22 is a dot data memory. , 24 are a curve correction data memory, 32 is a data reading unit, 34 is a curve correction processing unit, and 36 is an outline conversion unit.

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-127689 (JP, A) JP-A-1-267598 (JP, A) JP-A-60-39280 (JP, A) JP-A-56-133789 (JP) , A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G09G 5/28 G09G 5/24 B41J 3/12 G06T 5/30

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] When the outline of a character represented by outline data is superimposed on a pixel screen that defines pixels by a plurality of definition lines parallel to each other in an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction that are orthogonal to each other, Data comprising data conversion means for setting dot data corresponding to pixels included in a character configuration line constituting the character configuration line in a state satisfying a certain criterion to data representing the presence of the character configuration line, and converting outline data into dot data In the conversion device, an outline font storage unit for storing outline font shape data, a curve correction data storage unit for storing data indicating a portion to be corrected, and the outline font data is converted into dot data. An outline conversion unit, and the correction data A curve correction processing means for adding a dot to at least one of the upper and lower sides or at least one of the left and right of the dot when there is no dot above or below or at the left and right of the dot at the point specified by the data. Conversion device.