Outputting method and apparatus which reuses already-developed output patterns
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorAtsushi Shoji
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An outputting apparatus comprises: a discriminating circuit to discriminate whether the same pattern as the pattern to be developed at a predetermined position has already been developed in an outputting memory or not; a copying device to copy the same pattern to the predetermined position when the same pattern which has already been developed exists; a memory to store code information, decoration information, and developing position information of the pattern developed in the outputting memory; a cache memory to store patterns whose use frequencies are high; and a deciding circuit to decide whether the pattern in the outputting memory doesn't overlap another pattern or not. A process to develop a character symbol pattern into the outputting memory can be efficiently executed.
Claims36
An output apparatus comprising:
- memory means for storing character pattern information;
- pattern generating means for generating character pattern information based on vector font data;
- and
- writing means for writing new character pattern information at a desired position in said memory means using character pattern information previously stored in said memory means if identical character pattern information has already been stored elsewhere in said memory means, and for writing new character pattern information at the desired position in said memory means using character pattern information generated by said pattern generating means in said memory means if no such identical character pattern information is stored elsewhere in said memory means;
- and
- discriminating means for discriminating whether previously stored character pattern information is already stored at the desired position;
- wherein when said writing means executes a subsequent writing operation for further character pattern information, said writing means executes the subsequent writing operation without using the new character pattern information written at the desired position if said discriminating means discriminates that character pattern information was already stored at the desired position.
An output method in which memory means is used for storing character pattern information generated from vector font data, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining whether character pattern information which is identical to new character pattern information has previously been stored at a first position in said memory means;
- discriminating whether additional character pattern information has additionally been stored at the first position;
- writing the new character pattern information at a desired position in said memory means using the previously stored identical character pattern information from the first position if both (a) said determining step determines that identical character pattern information has previously been stored at the first position in said memory means, and (b) said discriminating step discriminates that additional character pattern information has not additionally been stored at the first position;
- and
- writing the new character pattern information at the desired position using character pattern information generated based on vector font data if either (a) said determining step determines that no such identical character pattern information has been stored elsewhere in said memory means, or (b) said discriminating step discriminates that additional character pattern information has already been stored at the first position.
Computer-executable process steps stored in a computer-readable memory medium, the process steps for storing character pattern information generated from vector font data in a memory means, said process steps comprising:
- a determining step to determine whether character pattern information which is identical to new character pattern information has previously been stored at a first position in said memory means;
- a discriminating step to discriminate whether additional character pattern information has additionally been stored at the first position;
- a first writing step to write the new character pattern information at a desired position in said memory means using the previously stored identical character pattern information from the first position if both (a) said determining step determines that identical character pattern information has previously been stored at the first position in said memory means, and (b) said discriminating step discriminates that additional character pattern information has not additionally been stored at the first position;
- and
- a second writing step to write the new character pattern information at the desired position using character pattern information generated based on vector font data if either (a) said determining step determines that no such identical character pattern information has been stored elsewhere in said memory means, or (b) said discriminating step discriminates that additional character pattern information has already been stored at the first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.