Document processing apparatus that magnifies only black portions of characters

A dot pattern processing apparatus comprising:

• storage means for storing dot patterns, said dot pattern having matrix structure;
• check means for checking whether one column of said matrix consists of all 0's;
• magnification means for magnifying the dot patterns stored in said storage means in a first direction in response to said check means, without magnifying in the first direction a dot string extending in a second direction and consisting entirely of blank dots while magnifying in the first direction a dot string extending in the second direction and including at least one non-blank dot;
• and
• output means for outputting the dot patterns magnified by said magnification means.

A method for processing a dot pattern comprising the steps of:

• reading a dot pattern from a memory in which the dot pattern is stored;
• checking whether one string of said dot pattern consists of all 0's;
• magnifying the dot pattern from the memory in a first direction in response to said checking step, without magnifying in the first direction a dot string extending in a second direction and consisting entirely of blank dots, while magnifying in the first direction a dot string extending in the second direction and including at least one non-blank dot;
• and
• outputting the dot pattern magnified in said magnifying step.