Claims
- 1. A font data processing system for displaying individual font patterns comprising:
- font pattern storing means having a plurality of font shape defining regions, each region storing a front pattern, wherein the plurality of font shape defining regions have equal memory widths and memory capacity;
- pattern width storing means having a plurality of font width defining regions, the plurality of font width defining regions corresponding to the font patterns stored int he plurality of font shape defining regions, respectively, and each font width defining region storing width data for defining a substantial font width of a corresponding font pattern, the plurality of font width defining regions set in separately accessible address spaces form the font shape defining regions;
- font pattern access parameter means for storing a start address of said font pattern storing means, size data common to the regions for defining the font patterns in said font shape defining regions and a start address of said pattern width storing means;
- controlling means for controlling whether reference is to be made to one of said font width defining regions on the basis of control data included in an external drawing command supplied to the controlling means;
- calculating means, coupled to said controlling means, for executing address calculation by use of the common size data stored in said font pattern access parameter means when reference is not made to said font width defining region, and for executing address calculation by use of the width data in said font width defining region when reference is made to said font width defining region; and,
- accessing means for accessing the font pattern storing means in accordance with the calculated address data from said calculating means, such that font pattern data represented by said drawing command is read out from said font pattern storing means.
- 2. The font data processing system according to claim 1 wherein said font pattern access parameter means is formed in a rewritable internal memory of a font data processor which includes said accessing means, said calculating means and said controlling means.
- 3. The font data processing system according to claim 2, further including transferring means for transferring font pattern access parameters from memory external to the font data processor through a local bus to said internal memory in which said font pattern access parameter means is formed, said font pattern access parameters including said start address of said font pattern storing means, said common size data and said start address of said pattern width storing means.
- 4. The font data processing system according to claim 1, wherein said font pattern storing means is formed in a predetermined region of an internal memory of a font data processor including said accessing means, said calculating means and said controlling means and in a predetermined region an external memory of said font data processor coupled with said internal memory through a local bus.
- 5. The font data processing system according to claim 4, further including means for mapping a predetermined region of said internal memory to function as said font pattern storing means, said font pattern storing means being a continuation of an arbitrary space of the internal address space allotted to said external memory, means for detecting the address sent to said mapping means and switch means for switching an access object between said internal memory and said external memory on the basis of the detection of a result of said detection means.
- 6. The font data processing system according to claim 1, wherein said accessing means, said calculating means and said controlling means are included in a font data processor and the font data processor further includes an internal memory having a region which is used as the pattern width storing means and wherein a region of a memory provided outside of the font data processor is used as the font pattern storing means.
- 7. The font data processing system according to claim 6, wherein said external drawing command is provided from a central processor coupled to said font data processor.
- 8. The font data processing system according to claim 7, wherein said width data includes first data for defining one side of the font pattern in a horizontal direction and second data for defining an other side of the font pattern in the horizontal direction so as to substantially equalize a distance between a font pattern and a font pattern adjacent thereto of a plurality of font patterns to be displayed in the horizontal direction.
- 9. The font data processing system according to claim 1, wherein said accessing means, said calculating means and said controlling means are included in a font data processor and wherein regions of a memory outside of the font data processor are used as the pattern width storing means and the font pattern storing means.
- 10. The font data processing system according to claim 9, wherein said external drawing command is provided from a central processor coupled to said font data processor.
- 11. The font data processing system according to claim 10, wherein said width data includes first data for defining one side of the font pattern in a horizontal direction and second data for defining an other side of the font pattern int he horizontal direction so as to substantially equalize a distance between a font pattern and a font pattern adjacent thereto of a plurality of font patterns to be displayed in the horizontal direction.
- 12. The font data processing system according to claim 1, further including inhibiting means for inhibiting the calculating means from calculating the address data on a basis of the width data.
- 13. The font data processing system according to claim 1, wherein said external drawing command is provided from a central processor.
- 14. The font data processing system according to claim 13, wherein said width data includes first data for defining one side of the font pattern in a horizontal direction and second data for defining an other side of the font pattern int he horizontal direction so as to substantially equalize a distance between a font pattern and a font pattern adjacent thereto of a plurality of font patterns to be displayed in the horizontal direction.
- 15. A font data processing system comprising:
- a font pattern storing means having a plurality of font shape defining regions, each region storing a font pattern, wherein the plurality of font shape defining regions have equal memory widths and memory capacity;
- a pattern width storing means having a plurality of font width defining regions, the plurality of font width defining regions corresponding to font patterns stored in the plurality of font shape defining regions, respectively, and each font width defining region storing width data for defining a variable font width of a corresponding font pattern; and
- a font data processor including,
- calculating means for calculating address data for indicating a predetermined font shape defining region i the font pattern storing means,
- font pattern access parameter means for storing a plurality of access data and means responsive t an externally provided pattern code which includes indication data for indicating one of, use of a variable font data and use of an original font data for causing the calculating means to include access data of the font pattern access parameter means and width data from the pattern width storing means in its calculating when the indication data indicates the use of the variable font data, and for causing the calculating means to include access data of the font pattern access parameter means in its calculating to avoid reference to the pattern width storing means when the indication data indicates the use of the original font data,
- wherein said font data processor further includes accessing means for accessing the font pattern storing means in accordance with the calculated address data, such that font pattern data corresponding to said pattern code is read out from said font pattern storing means, and, pattern drawing attribute indicating means for indicating a predetermined attribute of the font pattern to be drawn by font pattern data read out from said font pattern storing means on the basis of the externally provided pattern code.
- 16. The font data processing system according to claim 15, wherein said pattern drawing attribute indicating means is formed in an internal memory, included in the font data processor, for storing rewritable pattern drawing attribute defining parameters.
- 17. The font data processing system according to claim 16, wherein said pattern drawing attribute defining parameters include drawing distance between the patterns and numeric data relating t enlargement, reduction and inclination of said pattern.
- 18. The font data processing system according to claim 15, wherein said pattern drawing attribute indicating means is a control register for rewritably holding control data for giving a switch instruction of a pattern drawing operation to microprogram control means included in the font data processor.
- 19. The font data processing system according to claim 18, wherein said control data are the data which indicate drawing of a pattern for clipping region in a pixel unit, a pattern unit or a pattern sequence unit.
- 20. The font data processing system according to claim 15, wherein said pattern drawing attribute indicating means includes store means for storing information for selecting a pattern drawing operation, said information being provided from a drawing command.
- 21. The font data processing system according to claim 15, wherein said pattern drawing attribute indicating means includes code data for instructing a rotation movement quantity for a font pattern.
- 22. A font data processing system comprising:
- pattern width storing means having a plurality of font width defining regions, the plurality of font width defining regions corresponding to a plurality of font patterns, respectively, and each font width defining region storing width data for defining a variable font width of a corresponding font pattern;
- font pattern access parameter means for storing a plurality of access data;
- calculating means for calculating address data indicating a predetermined shape defining region in a font pattern storing means which is external to the font data processor;
- controlling means, coupled to said calculating means, responsive to a drawing command which is provided from a central processor and which includes indication data for indicating at least one of, use of a variable font data and use of an original font data, for causing the calculating means to include access data of the font pattern access parameter means and the width data from the pattern width storing means in its calculating when the indication data indicates the use of the variable font data, and for causing the calculating means to include access data of the font pattern access parameter means in its calculating without reference to the pattern width storing means when the indication data indicates the use of the original font data; and
- accessing means for accessing the external font pattern storing means in accordance with the calculated address data, such that the font pattern corresponding to the drawing command is read out from the external font pattern storing means;
- wherein the external font pattern storing means includes a plurality of font shape defining regions which store the plurality of font patterns, wherein the plurality of font shape defining regions have equal memory widths and capacity.
- 23. The font data processor according to claim 22, further including a pattern drawing attribute indicating means for indicating an attribute of a font pattern to be drawn according to font pattern data read out from the external font pattern storing means.
- 24. The font data processor according to claim 23, wherein said width data includes first data for defining one side of the font pattern in a horizontal direction and second data for defining an other side of the font pattern in the horizontal direction so as to substantially equalize a distance between a font pattern and a font pattern adjacent thereto of a plurality of font patterns to be displayed in the horizontal direction.
- 25. A font data processing system comprising:
- font pattern storing means having a plurality of font shape defining regions, each region storing a font pattern, wherein the plurality of font shape defining regions have equal memory widths and memory capacity;
- pattern width storing means having a plurality of font width defining regions, the plurality of font width defining regions corresponding to a plurality of font patterns, respectively, and each font width defining region storing width data for defining a variable font width of a corresponding font pattern; and
- a font data processor including,
- calculating means for calculating address data indicating a predetermined font shape defining region in the font pattern storing means,
- font pattern access parameter means for storing a plurality of access data, and
- controlling means coupled to said calculating means, responsive to a command including indication data for at least one of, use of a variable font data and use of an original font data, for causing the calculating means to include access data of the font pattern access parameter means and the width data from the pattern width storing means in its calculating if the indication data indicates the use of the variable font data, and for causing the calculating means to include access data of the font pattern access parameter means in its calculating without reference to the pattern width storing means when the indication data indicates the use of the original font data,
- accessing means for accessing the font pattern storing means in accordance with the calculated address data, such that a font pattern corresponding to said command is read out from said font pattern storing means.
- 26. The font data processing system according to claim 25, further including a central processor which provides said command.
- 27. The font data processing system according to claim 26, wherein said width data includes first data for defining one side of ht font pattern in a horizontal direction and second data for defining an other side of the font pattern in the horizontal direction so as to substantially equalize a distance between a font pattern and a font pattern adjacent thereto of a plurality of font patterns to be displayed in the horizontal direction.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
62-123558 |
May 1987 |
JPX |
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Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/595,790, now abandoned, filed Oct. 9, 1990, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/194,890, filed May 17, 1988, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (15)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0196656 |
Oct 1986 |
EPX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
"LSI Handbook", OHM Co., Ltd., Nov. 30, 1984, pp. 555-556 (English translation also provided). |
Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
592790 |
Oct 1990 |
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Parent |
194890 |
May 1988 |
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