Character generating method and apparatus using discrimination of stored font data

An apparatus for generating a character comprising:

• memory means for storing, as font data, area ratios for respective first areas obtained by dividing one character area;
• dividing means for dividing each of the first areas into a second area corresponding to a dot to be output;
• deriving means for deriving area ratio for the second area by interpolating the area ratio for the first area stored in said memory means;
• discriminating means for discriminating whether or not the area ratio for the second area derived by said deriving means is equal to or larger than a prescribed value;
• and
• writing means for writing a dot into the second area in response to said discriminating means discriminating that the area ratio for the second area derived by said deriving means is equal or larger than the prescribed value, and writing no dot into the second area in response to said discriminating means discriminating that the area ratio for the second area derived by said deriving means is not equal to or larger than the prescribed value.

A method, to be performed using either hardware specific to the method or a computer programmed to perform the method, of generating a character using a memory which stores, as font data, volume ratios for respective elements obtained by dividing one space area including a solid character by a cubic lattice, said method comprising the steps of:

• deriving volume ratios for respective first areas obtained by dividing an area in which a character is to be output obtained when the stored font data is cut at a desired plane;
• dividing each of the first areas into a second area corresponding to a dot to be output;
• deriving a volume ratio for the second area by interpolating the volume ratio for the first area stored in the memory;
• discriminating whether or not the derived area ratio for the second area is equal to or larger than a prescribed value;
• and
• writing a dot into the second area in response to said discriminating step discrimination that the derived area ratio for the second area is equal to or larger than the prescribed value, and writing no dot into the second area in response to said discriminating step discriminating that the derived area ratio for the second area is not equal to or larger than the prescribed value.

An apparatus for generating a character comprising:

• memory means for storing, as font data, volume ratios for respective elements obtained by dividing one space area including a solid character by a cubic lattice;
• first deriving means for deriving volume ratios for respective first areas obtained by dividing an area in which a character is to be output obtained when the stored font data is cut at a desired plane;
• dividing means for dividing each of the first areas into a second area corresponding to a dot to be output;
• second deriving means for deriving a volume ratio for the second area by interpolating the volume ratio for the first area stored in said memory means;
• discriminating means for discriminating whether or not the volume ratio for the second area derived by said second deriving means is equal to or larger than a prescribed value;
• and
• writing means for writing a dot into the second area in response to said discriminating means discriminating that the volume ratio for the second area derived by said deriving means is equal to or larger than the prescribed value, and writing no dot into the second area in response to said discriminating means discriminating that the volume ratio for the second area derived by said second deriving means is not equal to or larger than the prescribed value.