JPS6364086A - Output unit - Google Patents

Abstract

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

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an output device that converts characters into character patterns and outputs them dot by dot.

For example, in output devices such as display devices such as CRT display devices, printing devices such as liquid crystal printers and laser printers, output characters are converted into character patterns and output (displayed or printed) in dot units. ing.

By the way, for example, some printing devices have character modification functions such as bold, shadow, halftone, enlargement, and underline.

However, with only such a character modification function, it is not possible to express the content displayed on the display device as it is in print1.
There is a disadvantage that it cannot be expressed in print.

Purpose This invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to express medium 111ff style characters as character decorations.

Construction: In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has an improved function of synthesizing a halftone pattern with a single character pattern.

Hereinafter, a detailed explanation will be given based on one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control section of a laser printer as an output device embodying the present invention.

This control unit 1 processes data sent from a host machine 2 and outputs dot data to a printer engine B for printing. This control unit 1 has a host interface 10. CPU11. Program ROM12. RAM1
B, font memory 14, halftone pattern memory 15.
It consists of an image memory 16, an engine interface 17, etc.

The host interface 10 receives character codes, control codes, and control commands from the host machine 2.

This is an interface for receiving various data such as dot data and commands, and for transmitting control information such as printer status to the host machine 2.

CPUI 1 consists of a microcomputer consisting of a CPU, ROM, RAM, and Ilo, and a program ROM.
12 stores various control programs, and RA to 113
is used as the working area of CPU II, and these CPU 1l, program ROM 12 and RAM 1
A microcomputer system consisting of 3 controls the entire control section.

A font memory (character generator) 14 stores dot patterns (hereinafter referred to as "font patterns") of each character for converting character codes into character pattern (dot pattern) data. Note that the character code also includes a figure code that defines a figure segment, and it is possible to print not only characters in the narrow sense but also figures. The halftone pattern memory 15 stores a plurality of halftone patterns, the details of which will be described later.

The image memory 16 stores image data to be printed, such as a character pattern (dot pattern) obtained by converting character codes etc. from the host machine 2 using the character font memory 14, or a dot pattern obtained by combining this dot pattern with a halftone pattern. is stored.

The engine interface 17 checks the status of the printer engine 3 and sends a print request to the printer engine B.

Next, the operation of this embodiment configured as described above will be explained with reference to FIG. 2 and subsequent figures.

First, the halftone patterns stored in the halftone pattern memory 15 will be explained.

The halftone pattern has a rectangular pattern configuration of 8 bits x 8 lines as shown in FIG. Specific examples of this halftone pattern include, for example, a pattern in which "1" is stored in all bits as shown in FIG. 3, and a pattern in which "1" is stored in every bit as shown in FIG.

It is possible to create a pattern in which "0" is stored, or a pattern in which one bit "1" is stored for every three bits "0" as shown in FIG. Needless to say, examples of halftone patterns are not limited to these.

Next, the processing of the control section 1 will be explained with reference to FIG.

It waits for input data from the host machine 2, and when data is input from the host machine 2, it sequentially determines whether the input data is a character code, a halftone selection command, a print start command, etc.

Then, when the input data is a halftone selection command,
The halftone pattern selected by the halftone selection command is read from the halftone pattern memory 15 and stored in the internal RAM.

When the input data is a character code, the font pattern corresponding to the character of the character code is retrieved from the font memory 14, the read halftone pattern is retrieved, and the logic between the retrieved font pattern and the halftone pattern is extracted. The products are combined and stored in the image memory for one day.

In this case, to synthesize the font pattern and the halftone pattern, one line of the halftone pattern is synthesized for one byte of the font pattern. At this time, which line pattern among lines O to 7 of the halftone pattern is to be synthesized is determined by line number=Y coordinate of font MOD8. Note that the Y-coordinate frame of a font refers to the Y-coordinate value at which the extracted font is inserted within one page.

Therefore, for example, in the synthesized pattern, the bits of the font pattern and the corresponding halftone pattern are both r
When the bit of the halftone pattern is rOJ, it becomes "l" (black), and when the bit of the halftone pattern is rOJ, it becomes "0" (white).For example, when the halftone pattern shown in Figure 3 is selected, it is the same as the font pattern. The pattern is obtained and the fourth
When a halftone pattern as shown in FIG. 5 is selected, a font pattern with fewer black bits is obtained.

Further, when the input data is a print start command, the pattern stored in the image memory 16 is sequentially read bit by bit and transferred to the printer engine 3 to be printed (output).

In this manner, this printing apparatus outputs a pattern by combining a halftone pattern with a character pattern, so that it is possible to impart shading to printed characters in accordance with the selected halftone pattern.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, an example was described in which the present invention was implemented in a laser printer, but it can also be implemented in a printing device such as a liquid crystal printer, and a display device such as a CRT display device.

As explained above, according to the present invention, halftone characters can be expressed as character decorations.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 2 to 5 are explanatory views for explaining the halftone pattern, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing of the control section. 1...Control unit 2...Host machine 3...
Printer engine 14... Font memory 15... Halftone pattern memory Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Leap

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an output device that converts characters into character patterns and outputs them dot by dot, a halftone pattern storage means that stores a halftone pattern, and a combination of the character pattern and the halftone pattern stored in the halftone pattern storage means. and a pattern output means for outputting a pattern.