JPH025095A - Character output system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a method for outputting character strings, and particularly to improvements in methods for printing and displaying Japanese character strings.

[Conventional technology]

In conventional printing systems and word processors, the size and position of the character pattern relative to the character frame are determined for each character.
The size and position of the font (this is called a font) is determined when designing the font, which is a character set that includes the character pattern, taking into account the nature of each character pattern and the balance of multiple characters in the same font. The selected font pattern is confirmed.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the above-mentioned conventional technology, the size and position of each character pattern in the same font are designed so that the characters of the font will feel well-balanced when they are arranged side by side. In some cases, it is actually difficult to define a character pattern that feels well-balanced. In other words, letters with the exact same pattern may be perceived as having the appropriate size depending on the letters adjacent to it,
In other cases, it may feel thicker, and in other cases, it may feel smaller. Figure 3 (a) and (b)
The character patterns for ``田'' are the same, but the character string in (a) feels like an appropriate size, and the character string in (b) feels small.

To solve this problem, it is not possible to use character patterns of different sizes. This is because characters of different sizes have different character frame widths, which impairs their layout as character strings. FIG. 5 is an example of this. Character pattern 5 for “田” in Figure 5(a)
(b) is an example in which a larger size character pattern is used to solve the problem that 01 is too small.

The character pattern 502 for "田" in (b) has a good balance with other characters when only its size is compared, but since the character size itself is large, the next character "
The placement position of "Sa" has shifted to the right. In other words, it is not possible to use a character pattern of a different size as is to solve the above problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to make it possible to change the size and position of a character pattern within the character frame when outputting a character pattern string in a character frame of a specified size, and to It is an object of the present invention to provide a character output method that can perform this change according to conditions such as character arrangement, etc., and can always provide a well-balanced character pattern output regardless of conditions such as character arrangement.

[Means to solve the problem]

The above purpose is to store character patterns in a character font, provide means for enlarging and reducing the size of the character, and when outputting a character in a character string to be output, extract the character pattern of the character from the font, and adjust the character pattern to a specified size. After obtaining a character pattern, it is determined whether it is necessary to further enlarge or reduce the character pattern, and if necessary, it is performed using the above-mentioned enlarging/reducing means, and the layout position information of the pattern in the character book is enlarged. This is achieved by arranging the area of the output character pattern according to the reduction ratio.

[Effect]

The character writing stores a code representing the type of character for each character, a coordinate group of the skeleton points or outline points of the character stroke representing the display pattern, and position information of the arrangement reference point of the character pattern within the character frame. .

It is also possible to hold this for each character size. The means for enlarging/reducing the character pattern is to transform the character pattern read from the character book using conventional graphic processing. The character code is used to search and extract the character pattern to be processed from among the character patterns stored in the character font, while the font size determines the size of the output character frame and also Used to select character patterns. The positional information of the character pattern arrangement reference point in the character book determines where in the character line of the specified size the character frame is positioned.

The means for determining the correction value for the arrangement position of the character pattern determines the amount of movement when moving the character pattern so that the character pattern after scaling can be arranged in a well-balanced manner within the character frame of the output size. The conditions for changing the character pattern determine the method of change and whether or not to change it.

This condition includes the code of adjacent characters and characters to be output,
There are characteristics of character patterns, character sets to be changed, etc.

The reference value information of character pattern properties used as a change condition is information that serves as a standard for determining a character pattern change method for the character by comparing this with the properties of the character pattern to be output.

As a result of the above, changes made when outputting characters are limited to changing the character pattern within the character frame, so the character frame itself can be placed in a predetermined position, thereby maintaining the layout as a character string and making it more beautiful. A balanced output result is obtained.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail using the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a Japanese word processor. In the figure, 201 is a processing device, 202 is a keyboard, 203 is a display, 204 is a printer, 205 is a disk storage device, and 206 is a main memory. The disk storage device 205 stores a character output program and a character book containing the basic character pattern of each character. The character output program is read into the main memory 206 from the disk storage device t205 and executed by the processing device 201. This program uses the output character size for the character string to be output.

Character code string and various commands 1- to keyboard 20
2 and displays the input value on the display 203. This program reads the character pattern of the specified character code from the disk storage device 205. At this time, if character patterns for each character size are held in the handwriting, a character pattern of the specified size is extracted. On the other hand, if the character pattern of the reference size is held in the handwriting, a character pattern of the specified size is created based on this. In this way, after obtaining the character pattern of the specified size, this program will actually, depending on the conditions,
Only the character pattern within the character frame is changed to generate a changed character pattern, placed on the output character pattern string, and output to the display 203 or printer 204.

The details of the operation of this program will be explained below with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the operation of the character output program of the present invention executed by the processing device 201 of FIG.

The character pattern retention format of the character script in this embodiment is as follows:
This is a so-called skeleton character system in which a character pattern is a combination of three types of information: the type of each stroke of a character, the skeleton point sequence of the stroke, and parameters such as thickness. An example of this method is described in Japanese Patent Application No. 59-58263. The skeleton character system will be explained with reference to FIG. In the skeletal character system, a character pattern is expressed by a combination of several basic patterns, and these basic patterns are called strokes. In the case of kanji, it is said that if there are about 16 types of strokes, all character patterns can be expressed by combining them. The pattern in FIG. 7 represents ``left hand'', which is one of the strokes that make up the kanji. [Left-handling J is a stroke that moves the brush from the top to the bottom left, for example, "Kyu"
It is used for the first stroke of the entry side of the character ``i''. Three types of information are held as character information: the type of each stroke that constitutes a character, the skeleton point sequence of the stroke, and parameters such as thickness. Si, Sx, and S8 in the figure indicate skeleton points. The skeleton points are represented by orthogonal coordinates (x, y) with the origin at the lower left corner of the character frame.

The position and thickness parameter W 1 + W of each of these skeleton points
21W8 and contour feature points P specific to the stroke type.
f, P 21 P sr P 41 P 5, and P6 are generated. A stroke outline is created by connecting these outline feature points with a line such as a straight line, a spline curve, or a Bezier curve depending on the stroke type, and an outline pattern is generated by filling the inside. The contour patterns of the strokes generated in this way are combined to create a pattern for one character. As a method for enlarging and reducing character patterns in the skeleton character system, a method of first enlarging and reducing the skeleton pattern and then generating an axis pattern can be considered.

That is, the coordinates are scaled by multiplying the locus m (X, Y) of each skeleton point by the scale ratio of the character pattern,
As a result, (nX, nY) is obtained as the skeleton point coordinates, and skeleton pattern information of a desired size is obtained. Further, as for the thickness parameter, the thickness of a character of a desired size can be obtained by multiplying it by a constant determined by the enlargement/reduction ratio n of the character pattern in the same manner as described above.

In FIG. 1, numeral 101 is a process of reading the code of the output character, the code of the adjacent character, and the character size S of the output character, and the numeral 102 is the process of reading the character size and character code of the output character into the character reading section. The coordinates of each skeleton point of the given character pattern P+(Xl, Yl) (where 1
≦i≦skeleton score) and the character arrangement position r. Reference numeral 103 is a process of searching the character script using the output character code as a key, and reading the black background density B of the output character pattern. Reference numeral 104 is the process of calculating the character arrangement position r. A process 105 that determines whether or not the code is included in the character pattern change table and branches according to the result is a process in which the determination result of process 104 is 'Yes.
”, the character script is searched using the adjacent character code as a key, and the black background density C of the adjacent character pattern is read. Reference numeral 106 refers to the character pattern black background density B of the output character and the character pattern black background density C of the adjacent character. The process of finding the ratio m of
Reference numeral 107 is a process of reading the minimum value K of the character pattern scaling conditions, and reference numeral 108 is a process of determining whether or not it is necessary to scale the output character pattern based on m and K determined above. , reference numeral 109 indicates a process of determining the character pattern enlargement/reduction ratio n of the output character based on the black ground density ratio m determined in process 106 when the determination result of process 108 is 'Yes'; reference numeral 110 indicates a process of determining the character pattern enlargement/reduction ratio n of the output character. 111 is a process for temporarily saving the coordinates of the skeleton point of the character pattern. Reference numeral 111 is a process for enlarging or reducing the coordinates of the character pattern skeleton point by the magnification n determined in process 109. Reference numeral 112 is a process for moving the character pattern as the character pattern is enlarged or reduced. A process of determining a necessary arrangement position correction value dx in the X-axis direction based on the character size S and the character pattern scaling ratio n determined in process 109, code 1
13 is a process of determining the arrangement position correction value dy in the Y-axis direction based on the character arrangement position r and the character pattern enlargement/contraction rate n, similar to process 112; and 114 is the process determined in process 112 and process 113. The process of moving the skeleton point coordinates of the character pattern by the amount of the correction value, reference numeral 115, is the process of determining whether even one skeleton point has protruded from the output character frame due to the movement in process 114, and the reference numeral 116 is, Processing 1
117 is a process of restoring the skeleton point coordinates of the character pattern to the values saved in process 110 when the determination result of process 104 is 'NO'. If the determination result of step 108 is +NO', if the determination result of step 115 is 'No',
This process is executed after the process 116 and generates a character pattern by generating an outline based on the coordinates P r (X i , Y I) of the respective skeleton points, and arranges it within the output character frame. .

The character size read in process 101 gives the output character frame size. Processing 102 provides the character size and character code to the character reading section. The document reading unit returns a character pattern of the relevant size if there is one in the text, and if not, scales the character pattern to the relevant character size and returns it. The character pattern returned here is a series of skeleton point coordinates P+(Xt, Yl) of character strokes expressed in orthogonal coordinates with the lower left corner of the character frame as the origin. Patent application No. 59-58263 describes how to generate stroke outlines and character appearance patterns from this.
This is possible using methods such as No. Next, the character placement position r in process 102 is placement information necessary when allocating a character frame to a line. Here, assuming horizontal writing output, the line Y-r on the character frame is placed on the baseline of the output line. This shall indicate what should be placed. The black background density of the next character pattern will be described later. In process 104, the character pattern change table is referred to, and only when the character code exists therein, it is determined to enlarge or reduce the character pattern. If the character font has undergone a normal design, the types of characters that require the character pattern transformation that is the object of this patent are only a small portion of the characters in the character font.

The change table contains, for example, characters whose character designs are relatively simple, such as ``1日'', ``目'', and ``田j'', so that the size of the character pattern changes depending on the relationship with adjacent characters. One method is to have a code group.This table can be updated separately.The following processes 105 to 1
The steps up to No. 16 are the main parts of the character pattern changing process, and will be explained in detail later. Processing 117 generates a character pattern using a conventional skeleton method character pattern generation technique,
Place it on the output line.

Here, a specific example of the character pattern changing method will be shown using FIG. The necessity of this change has already been explained with reference to FIG. The character pattern ``田'' appearing in each of Figures 3 (,) and (b) is exactly the same character pattern, but because the adjacent characters are different, it is the appropriate size in (a), and in (b). It feels too small. Therefore, the third
The character pattern 401 for "田" in FIG. 4(b) is obtained by enlarging the character pattern 301 for "田" in FIG. 4(b) while preserving the character frame size. The other three character patterns in FIG. 4 are the same as the corresponding character patterns in FIG. Here, the magnification rate of the character pattern 401 for "Ta" in FIG. 4(b) is the value of the black background density of the character pattern 303 for "Take" and the character pattern 301 for "Ta" in FIG. 3(b). It was calculated using the ratio of Now, when a character pattern is enlarged or reduced, the character placement position, which is the position where the character should be placed in accordance with the baseline on the output line, is also usually enlarged or reduced accordingly. However, here, we want to preserve the character frame size and scale only the character pattern within it, so it is necessary to adjust the character placement position after scaling. This adjustment amount is the placement position correction value.

A method for determining this value will be described later.

Next, the character pattern changing process from process 105 to process 116 in FIG. 1 will be explained in more detail.

In FIG. 1, the character pattern is changed based on the black background density, which is one of the information representing the properties of the character pattern. The black density of a character pattern is expressed as the ratio of the number of dots on the pattern of the character to the total number of dots in the character frame. By storing this black ground density in advance in a character book, it can be searched by character code as in the process 102 described above. Assume that as a result obtained in process 102, the black background density B of the character pattern "田" is 31%.

On the other hand, it is assumed that the black background density C of the adjacent character "BU" 303, which has already been output, is determined as 32.8% in the process 105. As a result, the ratio m of the black background density of the adjacent character and that character is 32.8/39, so m '41,05
8 is required. In this example, the absolute value of m-1,
That is, when 1m-11 exceeds a certain range, the character pattern is enlarged/reduced. The threshold value K is stored in the text and is read in step 107. In process 108, it is determined that (black background density ratio-1)l>'. For example, assume that K=0.04. Then m
Since -141,058-1=0.058>0.04, the determination in step 108 is established, and it is necessary to perform enlargement/reduction processing for the character pattern, and the process proceeds to step 109. In process 109, the scaling ratio n of the character pattern is determined. In this embodiment, this is determined as the square root of the black background density ratio. In other words, n = m2. In the next process 110, the skeleton point coordinates P i (X 1. Y I) of the character pattern are saved for all the skeleton points in preparation for the subsequent process 116.

Now, in process 111, each skeleton point coordinate P + (X
s, Yt) is multiplied by n. In the next process 112 and process 113, arrangement position correction values in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are determined, respectively.

Here, the necessity of the arrangement position correction will be specifically explained. FIG. 6 explains the relationship between character patterns held in a character book and arrangement position information. Figure 6 (a
) indicates that this arrangement position r indicates a position on the baseline in the character string area. (b) is "田"
The relationship between the character frame, character pattern, and placement position Wr of the character is shown. In (b), one point P+(X+, Y+) is displayed as a representative of the skeleton points in the character pattern of "田". This indicates that the coordinates of the skeleton point P+ are (xt, yt). The coordinates are expressed in an orthogonal coordinate system with the origin at the lower left corner of the character frame, with the right direction being the positive direction of the X axis and the upward direction being the positive direction of the Y axis. Let Pl indicate the j-th skeleton point of the character. Now, when outputting a character pattern, set a baseline on the output line area, and align the line of Y = r (r is the value of the placement position) of the character frame of the character on top of it. . Each character pattern is designed within the character frame with this in mind. An example in which a character pattern 601 is arranged on an output line is shown in FIG. 6(e).

Next, the relationship between enlargement/reduction of character patterns and changes in arrangement position will be explained with reference to FIG. 6 as well.

When the character pattern 601 is enlarged by a scaling factor n, an arbitrary skeleton point Pl(xt, yt) of the character is moved to Pt(n x, , n Yt) by processing 111 in FIG.

The resulting character pattern is as shown in FIG. 6 (Q).

The character frame size is also multiplied by n, and the arrangement position r is also multiplied by r1. As mentioned above, it is inconvenient to arrange the output character string by n times the character frame size. Therefore, the broken line portion in (c) shows the character frame before transformation as the character frame in question. This character frame size is suitable for the purpose of output, and the size of the character pattern portion within it should also be appropriate, but the position of the character pattern within the character frame is not appropriate. Therefore, correcting the position of the character pattern within this character frame is arrangement position correction, and the value representing the magnitude of correction in the X-axis direction and Y-axis direction is the arrangement position correction value. According to this arrangement position correction value, the character pattern, that is, each skeleton point, is
By moving the character pattern in parallel in the axial direction, the character pattern is accommodated in the appropriate position on the character frame of the relevant size (Fig. 6).
The pattern d) is obtained. The result of placing this on the output line is shown in (f).

Here, the method of determining the arrangement position correction value in processes 112, 113, and 114 and the arrangement position correction based on the method will be explained. Assuming that the character size is S, the arrangement position correction value dx in the X-axis force direction is calculated as follows: dx=s(n-1)/2. Here, n is the enlargement/reduction ratio obtained in process 109. Further, the Y-axis direction correction value dy is dy=p(n−
1) Find as. Using these correction values dx and dy, processing 1
In step 14, the character pattern is actually translated in parallel. In determining the above correction value, the X-axis direction is determined from the character size S, and the Y-axis direction is determined from the character arrangement position r.
There is also a method in which the correction value in the Y-axis direction is obtained from the character size S in the same way as in the X-axis direction. In this case, it is determined by dy = S (n -1)/2. According to this method, the enlarged/reduced character pattern is arranged at the center of the output character frame in both the X-axis and Y-axis directions after the arrangement position is corrected. One way to output a string of character patterns centered in the output character frame is to set the vertical (for vertical writing, etc.) or horizontal bisector of the output character frame to the baseline on the output line area. There is a way to place them on top of each other. FIG. 6(g) is an example of this, and shows the result of arranging the horizontal bisector of the output character frame so as to overlap the baseline of the output line.

This completes the explanation up to process 114 in FIG. Next, how this embodiment handles the case where the character pattern exceeds the character frame size due to the above-mentioned enlargement/reduction process (in the case of enlargement) will be described. It is easy to handle, and the character pattern before scaling is used as is. Process 115 determines whether the character protrudes from the character frame.

If it is determined that there is a protrusion, the process proceeds to process 116, and the process 110
The character pattern saved in step 1 is recovered and used as an output character pattern, and the process proceeds to step 117. On the other hand, if the determination of protrusion is No', the character pattern resulting from the process 114 is used as the output character pattern and the process proceeds to process 117.

In process 117, based on the output character pattern obtained above, the skeleton points are converted into an actual output pattern by the above-mentioned patent application No. 59-58263, and the placement position is superimposed on the baseline in the output character pattern area. I'll come out.

This concludes the explanation of FIG. An alternative method to the method illustrated in FIG. 1 will be briefly described below.

FIG. 1 shows an example in which the black background density ratio of the character pattern is used as a condition for changing the character pattern. In reality, the following various cases can be considered as criteria for this change condition.

(1) Determine whether or not to change the character pattern of the adjacent character depending on the type of adjacent character. Combinations of character codes to be changed in the character pattern are set, and by referring to the combinations, the character pattern change is determined.

(2) Determined by the nature of the pattern of adjacent characters.

The properties include the size of the smallest convex polygon surrounding the character pattern. The size of the minimum convex polygon of an adjacent character is calculated and compared with the value of the character in question to determine whether or not to change the character pattern.

(3) A method that uses the same properties as (2) for adjacent characters, but uses pre-stored values instead of calculating them at the time of output.

(4) A character pattern change necessity flag is set in advance in the character for the character, and the determination is made based on the flag.

(5) A character code group whose character pattern is to be changed is stored in advance, and if the character code is included in the group, the character code is changed. Conversely, it is also possible to store a group of character codes that are not allowed to be changed.

(6) Using preset information (for example, the value of black background density) as a reference value, compare this with the value of the relevant property of the character in question, and determine whether the character pattern needs to be changed or changed depending on the size relationship. Determine.

(7) Deciding to change the character pattern according to the mode (vertical writing mode, variable pitch mode, etc.) set before outputting the character pattern.

The above alternative method will be explained using figures.

However, since there are many common parts between the alternative method and the processing shown in Figure 1, the following explanation will focus on the processing unique to the alternative method, and will also add the corresponding processing shown in Figure 1 as processing before and after it. It was to be.

In the following, the same reference numbers as in FIG. 1 refer to the same processes.

An example of alternative method (1) is shown in FIG. This process is an alternative to processes 103 to 109 in FIG. code 8
01 is a process of determining whether the combination of the code of an output character and the code of an adjacent character is included in the character pattern change table, and branching to 'C' according to the result, and code 802 is a process in which the determination result of process 801 In the case of 'Yes', this is a process of reading the character pattern enlargement/reduction ratio n of the output character from the change table. In process 801, a change table containing combinations of character codes to be changed and character pattern enlargement/reduction ratios for the character code combinations to be changed is referred to, and if there is a code combination of the character and an adjacent character in the change table, only then, it is decided to scale the character pattern.

An example of alternative method (2) is shown in FIG. This process is an alternative to processes 103 to 106 in FIG. code 9
01 is a process for calculating the size B of the minimum convex polygon surrounding the character pattern of an output character, 902 is a process for calculating the size C of the minimum convex polygon surrounding the character pattern of adjacent characters, and 903 is the output This process calculates the ratio m of the minimum convex polygon in the character pattern between a character and an adjacent character. Processing 901
Now, the minimum convex polygon surrounding the output character pattern is determined from the coordinates of each skeleton point of the output character read in step 102, and its size B is calculated. The size here refers to the area of a convex polygon. In process 902, the size C of the minimum convex polygon surrounding the adjacent character pattern is determined from the skeleton point coordinates of the adjacent character.
Calculate. In this case, the skeleton point coordinates of the adjacent characters can be obtained from information stored in advance when outputting the adjacent characters.

An example of alternative method (3) is shown in FIG. This process is an alternative to processes 103 to 106 in FIG. code 1
001 is a process of searching a character script using the code of an output character as a key, and reading the size B of the minimum convex polygon of the output character pattern. Code 1002 is a process of searching a character script using the code of an adjacent character as a key. , a process of reading the size C of the minimum convex polygon of the adjacent character pattern, and reference numeral 1003 is a process of calculating the ratio m of the minimum convex polygon of the character pattern of the output character and the adjacent character.

An example of alternative method (4) is shown in FIG. This process is an alternative to process 104 in FIG. The code 1001 is.

A process of searching a character script using the code of an output character as a key and reading a character pattern change necessity flag F of the output character, reference numeral 1102, searches the output character pattern using the change necessity flag F read in process 1101. Determine whether or not there is a need to change, and if F = 'l', it is determined that change is necessary and branch to 'Yes', and if FI: '1', no change is necessary. This is a process in which the process branches to 'No'.

An example of alternative method (5) is shown in FIG. This process is an alternative to process 104 in FIG. Reference numeral 1201 is a process of determining whether the code of the output character is not included in the character pattern change prohibition table and branching depending on the result. In process 1201, if the output character code is not included in the change prohibition table, it is determined that the character pattern should be changed, and the process branches to 'Yes'; on the other hand, if the output character code is included in the change prohibition table, the character pattern is not changed. It is determined that there is no such file and branches to INo'.

An example of alternative method (6) is shown in FIG. This process is an alternative to processes 104 to 106 in FIG. code 1
301 is a process of reading the standard value of black background density; numeral 13;
02 is a process for calculating the ratio m between the character pattern black background density B of the output character and the reference value of the black background density. Processing 1301
As the black ground density reference value referred to in , there are methods of using the average value of all characters included in the character set, or using the average value obtained from a group of characters that have been output before processing the output character.

An example of alternative method (7) is shown in FIG. This process is an alternative to process 104 in FIG. Reference numeral 1401 indicates the process of reading character pitch mode E, and reference numeral 1402 indicates the process 14.
This process determines whether the character pitch mode E read in step 01 is in variable pitch mode or not, and branches depending on the result. In process 1402, character pitch mode E
If the character pitch mode E is in the variable pitch mode, it is determined that the character pattern should be changed and the process branches to 'Yes'; conversely, if the character pitch mode E is in the fixed pitch mode, it is determined that the character pattern is not to be changed. branch to 'No'.

In the example shown in Figure 1, it is assumed that character patterns of standard size or various sizes are held in the character book, and multiple character patterns of the same character code are not held for the same character frame size. It is assumed that

However, other embodiments are possible in this regard. That is, a plurality of patterns with the same character frame size and different font sizes are held in advance in the character book. It has means for selecting one of these patterns depending on conditions. In this case, the object of the present invention can be achieved by reading the desired character pattern from the character book and using it without performing the scaling process of the character pattern shown in FIG. This method is possible with a character output device that employs a character pattern retention system using dot characters.

According to this embodiment, the font size of the output target character pattern can be changed according to the ratio of the values of properties such as black background density between the output target character pattern and the adjacent character pattern, and the font size can be appropriately arranged in the output line. can.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, since the size of the character pattern and its associated position can be adjusted according to the conditions, it is possible to obtain a more balanced arrangement of character strings than in the prior art. At this time, since the method of arranging character frames is not affected, existing arrangement programs and functions of the output device can be used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a flowchart showing the operation of a character output program according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a configuration diagram of an output device that executes the character output program of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an output before changing the character pattern. For example, Fig. 4 is an example improved by changing the character pattern in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the character pattern output line and the arrangement of character frames, and Fig. 6 is a detailed explanation of the character pattern arrangement position. Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram of the skeleton character system, and Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 show alternative processing for changing character patterns. It is a flowchart. 101... Reading of character code, etc., 102... Reading of skeleton point coordinates, etc., 103... Reading of black background density of output character, 104... Judgment by reference to character pattern change table, 105... Reading of black background density of adjacent characters, 106...Calculation of black background density ratio, 107...Reading of threshold value of scaling conditions, 108...Determination of necessity of scaling, 109...Character pattern Determination of enlargement/reduction ratio, 110... Saving of skeleton point coordinates, 11... Enlargement/reduction processing, 112... Determination of X-direction correction value, 113
...Determination of Y direction correction value, 114...Character pattern movement, 115...7 Check for protrusion, 116...
Recovery of skeleton point coordinates, 117...Character pattern generation/
Placement.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. From the reference character pattern information for generating an enlarged or reduced character pattern for a character pattern of a standard size, a character pattern beyond the character frame defined for the character pattern of the standard size is The method is characterized by generating an enlarged or reduced character pattern of the reference character pattern, which has a size that is not larger than that of the reference character pattern, and outputs the enlarged or reduced character pattern within a character frame of the same size as the character frame of the reference size. Character output method. 2. From the standard pattern information representing the standard character pattern,
Generates a specified enlarged or reduced character pattern that has an enlargement or reduction ratio that is different from the ratio of the character frame size of the reference pattern to the size of a character frame of a specified size different from that, and generates the specified enlarged or reduced character pattern, and A character output method characterized by outputting the enlarged or reduced character pattern within a character frame of the same size as a character frame of the same size. 3. When outputting the enlarged or reduced character pattern generated above into the output character frame, its horizontal position is determined so that the point located on the line that vertically bisects the character frame of the reference character pattern corresponds to the output character frame. 3. The character output method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the character output method is determined to be located on a line that vertically bisects the output character frame. 4. When outputting the enlarged or reduced character pattern generated above within the output character frame, its vertical position is determined by the point located on the line that horizontally bisects the character frame of the reference character pattern. 3. The character output method according to claim 1, wherein the character output method is determined to be located on a line that horizontally bisects the output character frame. 5. The above reference pattern information shall hold placement position information that gives the position of the placement line, which is a horizontal line segment of the character frame, and the position of the placement line of the output character frame is determined by the position of the placement line in the reference character frame. The height of the layout line shall be determined by multiplying the height of the output character frame by the same ratio as the size of the reference character frame, and the enlarged or reduced character pattern generated above shall be When outputting within the output character frame, the position in the vertical direction is determined such that a point on the arrangement line of the reference character pattern is located on the arrangement line of the output character frame. Character output method described in item 1 or 2. 6. In a device that outputs a character pattern string according to a specified character size and character code string, a reference line is set in the area where the character pattern string is output, and the vertical or horizontal direction of the output character frame is Claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the position of the output character frame is set so that the dividing line overlaps the reference line, and an enlarged or reduced character pattern is output within the output character frame. Character output method described. 7. In a device that outputs a character pattern string according to a specified character size and character code string, a reference line is set in the area where the character pattern string is output, and the alignment line of the output character frame is aligned with the reference line. Claim 5 characterized in that the positions of the output character frames are set so that they overlap, the positions of the output character frames are set, and an enlarged or reduced character pattern is output within the output character frames. character output method. 8. In a device that outputs a character pattern string according to a specified character size and character code string, when generating the character pattern of the character to be output, simply use the character frame size determined by the specified character size of the character and the corresponding A patent characterized in that, unlike the enlargement/reduction ratio determined by the ratio of the reference character pattern to the character frame size, a condition for generating and outputting an enlarged or reduced character pattern of the reference character pattern is detected based on the enlargement/reduction ratio. A character output method according to claim 1 or 2. 9. The detection described in item 8 above stores a set of a pair of character codes in advance, and detects the condition based on whether or not the code combination of the character and an adjacent character is included in the set. A character output method according to claim 8, characterized in that: 10. Detection of the conditions described in item 8 above can be achieved by retaining characteristic values representing the properties of each character pattern in the standard character pattern information in advance, or by calculating them before generating the output character pattern of the character, and Claim 8, characterized in that the characteristic value of a character is compared with the characteristic value of a character adjacent to the character, and the condition is detected based on whether or not the difference is large.
Character output method described in section. 11. The condition described in claim 8 above is detected based on information indicating whether or not a character pattern change is necessary, which is stored for each character code on a reference character pattern. Character output method described. 12. The condition set forth in claim 8 is detected based on whether or not the character code is included in a pre-stored set of character codes. Character output method described. 13. Detection of the condition described in item 8 above is performed by comparing the characteristic value of the character pattern with a preset limit value of the characteristic value representing the character pattern, and based on the comparison result, it is determined that the condition is met. 9. The character output method according to claim 8, wherein the character output method determines whether or not the character is output. 14. The character output method according to claim 8, wherein the condition described in claim 8 is detected based on status information set before outputting the character pattern. 15. In addition to the standard character pattern, store multiple types of character pattern information with the same character frame size and different character pattern sizes, and select from among the character patterns according to the conditions detected when outputting the character pattern. A character generation method characterized by selecting one character pattern and generating an output character pattern. 16. A character string output device comprising a computer programmed to execute the character output method according to any one of claims 1 to 15. 17. A character pattern storage device characterized in that characteristic values representing the properties of each character pattern and information indicating whether or not to change the character pattern are held in reference character pattern information.