Abstract: A difference of coordinate values stored adjacent to each other is compressed by means of a statistical coding system when reading out outline font data storing coordinate values necessary for drawing a contour of a character in order of drawing the contour in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction and also a category of a line connecting a pair of coordinates simultaneously, followed by compressing the coordinate values of the outline font data. A value of a result of subtracting “A?1” from a difference of coordinate values is determined to be a difference value of coordinates if the difference of coordinate value is equal to or greater than a certain value A, and a code expressing the difference value of “0” is added in front of the codes of difference values that are smaller than the value A in the case of a category of line connecting adjacent coordinates to each other being a straight line.

Abstract: Having an outline font data readout unit read a correction subject pixel and surrounding pixels thereof, referring to the already stored pre-correction and post-correction brightness value pattern data that are related to the read correction subject pixel and surrounding pixels, deriving a post-correction brightness value pattern uniquely from among candidates for a post-correction brightness value pattern of an appropriate value as post-correction brightness value, determining the optimal post-correction brightness value from the uniquely derived post-correction brightness value pattern and outputting correction data based on the determined optimal post-correction brightness value, thereby changing a brightness value of a pixel within a character image giving a look of unnaturalness automatically to a brightness value not giving a look thereof.

Abstract: A Bezier curve constituting outline font data represents a curve by four coordinate values of a start point, an end point, and two control points. The curve is represented by two coordinates of the start point and the end point in collinear approximation, and by three coordinates of the start point, an intersecting point of two lines, and the end point in bi-linear approximation. In curve pattern approximation, when 32 curve patterns are prepared, the curve is represented by 5-bit data of two coordinates of the start point and the end point, and a pattern number. By effectively employing these three kinds of processes, it is possible to represent a Bezier curve constituting the outline font data with a reduced data volume.

Abstract: Having an outline font data readout unit read a correction subject pixel and surrounding pixels thereof, referring to the already stored pre-correction and post-correction brightness value pattern data that are related to the read correction subject pixel and surrounding pixels, deriving a post-correction brightness value pattern uniquely from among candidates for a post-correction brightness value pattern of an appropriate value as post-correction brightness value, determining the optimal post-correction brightness value from the uniquely derived post-correction brightness value pattern and outputting correction data based on the determined optimal post-correction brightness value, thereby changing a brightness value of a pixel within a character image giving a look of unnaturalness automatically to a brightness value not giving a look thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is a character image generation system for generating outline font based on character information and displaying the outline font on a display with a prescribed number of pixels. The character image generation system subdivides a curve expressed by character outline information corresponding to inputted character information, calculates the difference between coordinates at each end of the subdivided curve, compares the difference with a predetermined threshold value and sequentially calculates coordinates for each pixel, based on this comparison result.

Abstract: A difference of coordinate values stored adjacent to each other is compressed by means of a statistical coding system when reading out outline font data storing coordinate values necessary for drawing a contour of a character in order of drawing the contour in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction and also a category of a line connecting a pair of coordinates simultaneously, followed by compressing the coordinate values of the outline font data. A value of a result of subtracting “A?1” from a difference of coordinate values is determined to be a difference value of coordinates if the difference of coordinate value is equal to or greater than a certain value A, and a code expressing the difference value of “0” is added in front of the codes of difference values that are smaller than the value A in the case of a category of line connecting adjacent coordinates to each other being a straight line.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a character image generating apparatus. The apparatus comprises a plurality of types of partial base line generating units, a vector font data storing unit, a partial base line length calculating unit for calculating a line length of a partial base line of a character, a partial base line generating unit selecting unit for selecting one of the plurality of types of partial base line generating units on the basis of threshold information and the calculated partial base line length, a character form generating unit for generating a character form of the character image, and a character image generating unit for generating the character image on the basis of the generated character form. This can shorten the processing time needed for the generation of the vector font character image.

Abstract: In order to generate a character main body including a character outline from data in which character shape information is stored as a character outline and generate a character with a design, this method comprises steps of generating the outline of the character main body, setting decoration process contents to be applied to the character main body, operating in such a way that the lower-order bits of the character gradation of the generated outline can be outline end information, setting a decoration position in a character outer fringe on the basis of the outline end information for determining on which side of the main body is located the pixel, on the left or right side, generating character decoration by controlling the gradation value of a pixel in which the flag is set and painting out the character main body excluding the generated character decoration.

Abstract: A Bezier curve constituting outline font data represents a curve by four coordinate values of a start point, an end point, and two control points. The curve is represented by two coordinates of the start point and the end point in collinear approximation, and by three coordinates of the start point, an intersecting point of two lines, and the end point in bi-linear approximation. In curve pattern approximation, when 32 curve patterns are prepared, the curve is represented by 5-bit data of two coordinates of the start point and the end point, and a pattern number. By effectively employing these three kinds of processes, it is possible to represent a Bezier curve constituting the outline font data with a reduced data volume.

Abstract: The present invention is a character image generation system for generating outline font based on character information and displaying the outline font on a display with a prescribed number of pixels. The character image generation system subdivides a curve expressed by character outline information corresponding to inputted character information, calculates the difference between coordinates at each end of the subdivided curve, compares the difference with a predetermined threshold value and sequentially calculates coordinates for each pixel, based on this comparison result.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a character image generating apparatus. The apparatus comprises a plurality of types of partial base line generating units, a vector font data storing unit, a partial base line length calculating unit for calculating a line length of a partial base line of a character, a partial base line generating unit selecting unit for selecting one of the plurality of types of partial base line generating units on the basis of threshold information and the calculated partial base line length, a character form generating unit for generating a character form of the character image, and a character image generating unit for generating the character image on the basis of the generated character form. This can shorten the processing time needed for the generation of the vector font character image.