Character resource management system for effectively managing character resources to be loaded into an output device

A character resource management system for managing character resources to be down loaded into a selected output device, said character resource management system comprising:

• first management means for managing character styles of the character resources to be down loaded into the selected output device;
• second management means, coupled to said first management means, for managing character pattern sets used for the character styles managed by said first management means, each of said character pattern sets corresponding to one of a plurality of characteristics of output devices selectable for coupling to said character resource management system;
• third management means, coupled to said second management means, for managing information regarding character patterns identified by the character pattern sets and by a plurality of code systems which are usable for the character pattern sets, said plurality of code systems having the same code length, and for managing character code pattern information corresponding to each code in each of the code systems without duplication of said character code pattern information;
• and
• fourth management means, coupled to said third management means, for managing sharing relationships between said plurality of code systems, each of said sharing relationships representing whether a character code in a code system is usable for a character pattern corresponding to a character code in another code system, such that a character resource formed of character styles, character pattern sets, information regarding character patterns and sharing relationships managed by the first, second, third and fourth management means, respectively, is loaded down into the selected output device.