Character pattern generator
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorAkihiro Shimura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A character pattern generator which is detachably connected to an output device for outputting a pattern as a set of dots, includes a memory for storing a character or figure pattern in a format other than a dot image format, a CPU for converting the character or figure pattern stored in the memory into a dot image in accordance with a pattern request from the output device, and an interface for sending the dot image of the character or figure converted by the CPU to the output device.
Claims29
An output apparatus which outputs a dot pattern, said output apparatus comprising:
- connection means for connecting, to said output apparatus, an external apparatus which comprises memory means for storing non-dot data and a program and a central processing unit for generating a dot pattern based on the stored non-dot data and the program;
- and
- reading means for, if the external apparatus is connected to said output apparatus by said connection means, reading the generated dot pattern from the external apparatus, and for, if the external apparatus is not connected to said output apparatus, obtaining a dot pattern from pattern information stored within said output apparatus;
- and
- output means for outputting the dot pattern read by said reading means,
- wherein the output apparatus and the external apparatus operate in parallel with each other.
An output method for output apparatus which outputs a dot pattern and to which an external apparatus is connectable comprising a memory for storing non-dot data and a program and a central processing unit for generating a dot pattern based on the stored non-dot data and the program, comprising the steps of:
- reading, if the external apparatus is connected to the output apparatus, the generated dot pattern from the external apparatus;
- obtaining, if the external apparatus is not connected to the output apparatus, a dot pattern from pattern information stored in the output apparatus;
- and
- outputting the dot pattern,
- wherein the external apparatus and the output apparatus execute operations in parallel.
A data processing apparatus to which a card comprising a memory for storing a program and a central processing unit for generating data based on the program can be connected, said apparatus comprising:
- connection means for connecting the card to said data processing apparatus;
- and
- reading means for, if the card is connected to said data processing apparatus, reading the generated data from the card, and for, if the card is not connected to said data processing apparatus, reading data stored within said data processing apparatus,
- wherein operations of the data processing apparatus and the card are executed in parallel.
A data processing method carried out in a data processing apparatus to which a card comprising a memory for storing a program and a central processing unit for generating data based on the program can be connected, said method comprising the steps of:
- reading, if the card is connected to the data processing apparatus, the generated data from the card;
- reading, if the card is not connected to the data processing apparatus, data stored in the data processing apparatus;
- and
- processing the read data,
- wherein the data processing apparatus and the card execute operations in parallel.
A computer usable medium for storing computer readable program code means executed in an output apparatus which outputs a dot pattern and to which an external apparatus is connectable comprising a memory for storing a non-dot data and a program and a central processing unit for generating a dot pattern based on the stored non-dot data and the program, with the computer readable program code means comprising:
- first computer readable program code instructions for causing, if the external apparatus is connected to the output apparatus, the generated dot pattern from the external apparatus to be read into the output apparatus, and for causing, if the external apparatus is not connected to the output apparatus, data stored in the output apparatus to be read;
- and
- second computer readable program code instructions for causing the read dot pattern to be outputted,
- wherein operations of the external apparatus and the output apparatus are executed in parallel.
A computer usable medium for storing computer readable program code means executed in a data processing apparatus to which a card comprising a memory for storing a program and a central processing unit for generating data based on the computer readable program can be connected, with the computer readable program code means comprising:
- first computer readable program code instructions for causing, if the card is connected to the output apparatus, the generated data from the card to be read into the output apparatus, and for causing, if the card is not connected to the output apparatus, data stored in the output apparatus to be read;
- and
- second computer readable program code instructions for causing the read data to be processed,
- wherein operations of the external apparatus and the output apparatus are executed in parallel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.