JPH06274142A - Outline font cache method - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Object] The present invention relates to a cache method for expanding and caching outline fonts, in which a contour pattern expanded from outline data and a white pattern in which the inside is filled are cached, and the next and subsequent ones are cached. The purpose is to quickly display the outline of a desired character, a blank pattern, and a black-painted pattern. [Structure] A cache buffer 4 is provided for storing a white pattern 6 in which the outline pattern 5 developed based on an outline font is filled with white and the outside is filled with black, and corresponds to a character display (or print) instruction. Then, when the white pattern 6 is stored in the cache buffer 4, the white pattern 6 is used. When the white pattern is not stored, the white pattern 6 is generated and stored. 6 is AND-developed and outlined is drawn.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cache system for expanding and caching outline fonts.

With the diversification of display methods of display or printing devices in recent years, abundance of character types, typeface types, and character size types is required. For this reason, these devices are equipped with a large number of font files, but there are many variations of character fonts.
Requires a lot of storage capacity. In particular, if the dot font has font data, it is necessary to have font data for each character size even with the same typeface, which requires a huge storage capacity. In order to reduce the storage capacity, an outline font has recently been used to allow one font data to represent characters of various sizes.

However, when a character is displayed in an outline font, complicated processing such as filling the inside of the character from the outline data of the character is required, so it takes time to display the character, leading to performance degradation. I will end up. For this reason, it is desired to rationally cache the data once expanded to the dot phantom and then use this to display at high speed.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a character is drawn by expanding an outline font, the following procedure has been performed.

(A) For drawing vector characters: FIG.
(A-1) to (a-4). (A-1) Start drawing the outline.

(A-2) Draw an outline and close it. (A-3) Start painting the drawn interior. (A-4) The painted inside is completed.

As described above, the outline (outline) of the vector character is drawn and the interior is filled, and the character is drawn. (B) In the case of drawing vector characters: (b-1) in FIG.
Drawing was performed according to the procedure of (b-2).

(B-1) Filling the inside is started without drawing an outline. (B-2) Complete the filling.

As described above, the interior of the character is directly painted without drawing the outline (outline) of the vector character, and the character is drawn. (C) In the case of drawing vector characters (white characters): Drawing was performed in the procedure of (c-1) to (c-4) in FIG.

(C-1) Outline drawing is started. (C-2) Draw an outline and close it. (C-3) Start painting the drawn inside with white.

(C-4) Filling the drawn interior with white is completed. When the background is white, it is meaningless, but when there is a pattern or image in the background, it has an effect of painting in white (see (d-1) to (d-4) in FIG. 4).

As described above, the outline (outline) of the vector character is drawn, the inside is filled with white, and the outline character is drawn. (D) In the case of drawing vector characters (white characters): Drawing was performed in the procedure of (d-1) to (d-4) in FIG.

(D-1) Outline drawing is started. (D-2) Draw an outline and close it. (D-3) Filling the drawn interior with white is started.

(D-4) Filling the drawn interior with white is completed. Since there are patterns and images on the base, (c
Compared with the cases of (-1) to (c-4), the effect of filling the inside with white is better understood.

As described above, the outline (outline) of the vector character is drawn, the inside is filled with white, and the outline character is drawn. (E) When caching drawing results: (e-1) (a-4), (b-2), (c-4),
The dot data after expanding the outline phantom of (d-4) is cached and stored.

(E-2) When the cached dot data of (e-1) is MOV expanded (expanded by AND on the background), the image of (e-1) is displayed as it is on the background as shown in the figure. It will be.

(E-3) When the cached dot data of (e-1) is OR expanded (expanded by OR on the background),
As shown in the figure, the image is such that a contour line is written on the base.

(E-4) It is desired to obtain white characters on the background, but it is an image that cannot be obtained by MOV expansion or OR expansion if the conventional dot data is cached as it is.

[0019]

As described above, even if the dot data as a result of expanding the conventional outline data and completing it is cached and saved, the cached dot data is used to eliminate white spots and the like. There was a problem that characters could not be drawn.

The present invention solves these problems.
The outline pattern developed from the outline data and the white outline pattern filled in the inside are cached, and from this time onward, it is possible to quickly display the outline, white outline pattern, and black outline pattern of the desired character. Has an aim.

[0021]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the cache buffer 4 is
The contour pattern 5 and the outline pattern 6 are stored.

The contour pattern 5 is a contour pattern of a character developed based on the outline font. The outline pattern 6 is a pattern in which the inside of the outline pattern 5 developed based on the outline font is filled with white and the outside is filled with black.

[0023]

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, in response to a character display (or print) instruction, the white pattern 6 is used when the character is stored in the cache buffer 4, and when the character is not stored. Is generated and stored, and a white pattern 6 is AND-developed with respect to an area to be displayed (or printed) to draw a white pattern.

Further, in response to a character display (or print) instruction, the outline pattern 5 and the outline pattern 6 are used when stored in the cache buffer 4,
If not stored, both are generated and stored, and the contour pattern 5 is OR-developed to draw a contour line and the white-space pattern 6 is ANDO-developed to the area to be displayed (or printed). Either white-out drawing or bit-inversion of the white-out pattern 6 is OR-expanded to perform black-out drawing.

Therefore, by caching the outline pattern 5 developed from the outline data and the outline pattern 6 with the inside filled, the outline, the outline pattern, and the outline pattern of the desired character can be used from the next time onward. It is possible to quickly draw and display or print.

[0026]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the construction and operation of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the present invention. Figure 1
In the above, the control unit 1 controls the whole, and here, in response to a character drawing instruction from the keyboard 11, the drawing management unit 2 and the like are activated to sequentially perform processing.

The drawing management unit 2 manages drawing, and activates the contour drawing unit 3, the filling control unit 7, the drawing unit 8 and the like to sequentially execute drawing processing. The contour drawing unit 3 takes out the outline font of the character instructed to draw, and draws the outline pattern (contour pattern 5).
Is to be drawn. This drawn contour pattern 5
Are stored in the cache buffer 4.

The cache buffer 4 has a contour pattern 5
The white pattern 6 is stored (cached). The contour pattern 5 is a pattern of a contour line of a character drawn by an outline font.

The outline pattern 6 is a pattern in which the inside of the contour pattern 5 is drawn in white and the outside is drawn in black.
The filling control unit 7 fills the inside of the contour pattern 5 with white and fills the outside with black to generate a white pattern 6.

The drawing unit 8 uses the contour pattern 5 and the outline pattern 6 to draw an outline pattern on the base, draw an outline pattern, draw a black paint pattern, and the like. Yes (described later with reference to FIG. 3).

The output buffer 9 stores the output contents drawn by the drawing unit 8. Display 10
Is for displaying characters and the like stored in the output buffer 9.

The keyboard 11 is used to input a character drawing instruction. The printer 12 prints characters and the like stored in the output buffer 9.

Next, the operation of the configuration of FIG. 1 will be described in detail according to the order shown in the flowchart of FIG. In FIG. 2, S1 determines whether or not there is a character display instruction. For example, as described on the right side, it is determined whether or not there is an instruction to display an "a" code, a blank display, and a character with a specified size. Here, YE
Since it is S, the process proceeds to S2. On the other hand, if NO, S
Wait until 1 is instructed.

In step S2, it is determined whether the cache buffer 4 exists. This determines whether or not the outline pattern 5 and the outline pattern 6 of the character (character code) for which the display instruction is given in S1 are stored in the cache buffer 4. Yes
In the case of, since the outline pattern 5 and the outline pattern 6 have already been created and stored, the process proceeds to S10.
On the other hand, in the case of NO, it has not been saved, so S
The contour pattern 5 and the outline pattern 6 are generated by the processing from 3 to S9 and stored in the cache buffer 4.

In step S3, outline font data is extracted. This extracts outline font data of a character (character code) for which a display instruction is given in S1 from a dictionary (not shown).

In step S4, the outline of the outline font is developed to generate the outline pattern 5. As a result, for example, as shown on the right side, the contour pattern (dot pattern) 5 of the character "A" is generated.

In step S5, the cache buffer 4 is saved. As a result, the character outline pattern 5 is stored in the cache buffer 4. In S6, a rectangle of a predetermined size is generated. This is, for example,
A rectangle of a predetermined size for generating the outline pattern 6 is generated.

In step S7, a contour is drawn inside. This is S
The contour pattern 5 is drawn in the rectangle of the predetermined size generated in 6 as shown on the right side. In S8, the outline is filled with white and the outside is filled with black to generate a white pattern 6. As a result, as shown on the right side, the white pattern 6 is generated in the rectangle.

In step S9, the data is saved in the cache buffer.
This saves the blank pattern 6 generated in S8 in the cache buffer 4. By the processes of S3 to S9, the outline pattern 5 and the outline pattern 6 of the character can be generated from the outline font data and stored in the cache buffer 4.

In step S10, the halftone pattern is developed in the output buffer. For example, a halftone pattern serving as a background is expanded in the output buffer 9. In S11, the white pattern 6 is developed in the output buffer 9 by AND. As a result, as described on the right side, the white pattern 6 is developed as shown in the underlying net pattern.

In step S12, the contour pattern 5 is set to O at the same location.
Deploy with R. As a result, as described on the right side, S
A contour line is drawn in the contour portion of the outline pattern 6 developed in 11.

S13 is displayed. This causes the data expanded in the output buffer 9 by the processing from S10 to S12 to be displayed on the display 10 as described on the right side of S12.

By the above steps S10 to S13, the outline pattern 5 and the outline pattern 6 stored in the cache buffer 4 are taken out, and the outline pattern 6 is developed by AND on the base and the outline pattern 5 is developed by OR. Thus, it becomes possible to quickly draw a blank character in the background. As a result, it has become possible to quickly draw an outline pattern on the background, which was impossible in the past when only the development result was stored.

Next, the contour pattern 5 stored in the cache buffer 4 is followed in the order shown in the flowchart of FIG.
And outline drawing, outline drawing using the outline patterner 6,
The operation for black drawing will be described in detail.

FIG. 3 shows a drawing flowchart of the present invention. In FIG. 3, in S21, it is determined whether or not there is a display instruction of characters. If YES, the process proceeds to S22. If NO, wait.

In step S22, it is determined whether the cache buffer 4 exists. This determines whether or not the outline pattern 5 and the outline pattern 6 of the character (character code) for which the display of the character is instructed in S21 are stored. If yes,
Since there were outline pattern 5 and outline pattern 6,
Any one of the drawing processes instructed in S23, S24, and S25 is performed. On the other hand, in the case of NO, since the contour pattern 5 and the outline pattern 6 are not stored, vector data is acquired in S28, the font is expanded in S29, and displayed in S27. At this time, the contour pattern 5 and the outline pattern 6 created by development are stored in the cache buffer 4, and the next time and after, YE of S22 will be performed.
It becomes S and is drawn out from the cache buffer 4.

In S23, when the contour display instruction is given,
The contour pattern 5 is expanded in the output buffer 9 by OR. As a result, as described in the lower right, the contour line of the character "a" is drawn in the background as illustrated. Then, it is displayed on the display 10 in S27.

In step S24, when the black-and-white inversion instruction (white drawing instruction) is given, the white pattern 6 is developed in the output buffer 9 by MOV. As a result, the white pattern 6
Is expanded on the base by AND, as shown in the lower right, a white character "a" is drawn in the base (here, black) as shown. Then, it is displayed on the display 10 in S27.

In S25, black display (black paint drawing instruction)
When there is, the white pattern 6 is inverted by bit and converted into a black-painted pattern. Next, in S26, this pattern (black painting pattern) is expanded in the output buffer 9 by OR. As a result, the black-painted pattern is OR-developed on the background, and as shown in the lower right, the black character "A"
Will be drawn as shown.

As described above, by using the outline pattern 5 and the outline pattern 6 of the character fetched from the cache buffer 4, any of the outline pattern, the outline pattern, and the black paint pattern can be drawn and displayed at high speed. It will be possible.

[0052]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the outline pattern 5 developed from the outline data and the outline pattern 6 with the inside filled in are cached, the outline pattern 5 and the outline pattern 6 cached from the next time onward are used to extract the outline of the character, Both an outline pattern and a black-painted pattern can be drawn and displayed or printed at high speed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart of the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a drawing flowchart of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Control unit 2: Drawing management unit 3: Contour drawing unit 4: Cache buffer 5: Contour pattern 6: Outline pattern 7: Fill control unit 8: Drawing unit 9: Output buffer 10: Display 11: Keyboard 12: Printer

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A cache method for expanding and caching outline fonts, wherein an outline pattern (5) expanded on the basis of an outline font is filled with white, and the outside is filled with black. Equipped with a cache buffer (4) for saving, in response to a character display (or print) instruction, the white pattern (6) is used when saved in the cache buffer (4), and not saved The outline font cache is characterized in that it is generated and stored, and that the outline pattern (6) is AND-expanded to draw an outline in the area to be displayed (or printed). method. 2. In a cache method for expanding and caching outline fonts, a contour pattern (5) expanded based on the outline font and the inside of the contour pattern (5) are filled with white and the outside is filled with black. A cache buffer (4) for storing the white outline pattern (6) and a contour pattern (5) corresponding to a character display (or printing) instruction when the outline pattern (5) is stored in the cache buffer (4). ) And an outline pattern (6) are used, both are generated and saved, and the outline pattern (5) is OR-expanded to the outline for the area to be displayed (or printed). Line drawing, AND expansion of white pattern (6) and white drawing, or bit reversal of white pattern (6) and OR expansion to black Outline font cache method, characterized by being configured to perform any of the drawing Ri.