GB2171279A - English and Chinese characters:- video signal generation - Google Patents

Abstract

Character codes are input to a buffer (12) via keyboard (11), including attribute codes to differentiate English and Chinese characters. The buffer (12) is scanned by CRT controller (100), the output being examined by the logic of means (13) to distinguish between English and Chinese characters. The codes are passed to the corresponding English (18) or Chinese (17) character generator. The Chinese characters may be generated on a 24 x 24 dot matrix, being stored in a memory arranged in blocks of e.g. 8 x 16 rows, each of three bytes. The English character generator is conventional. The generated characters, in whichever language, are processed (15) and displayed (16). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A computer Chinese/English video character signal generating system The present invention is related to a computer Chinese/English video character signal generating system, and more particularly to a video character signal generating system which utilizes a 24x24 dot matrix Chinese character generator which memory is arranged in a 24+23 (16+8) type, a general English character generator, and means for recognizing the attribute of the keyed-in character, whereby the space of memory is completely utilized, the speed of generating a 24x24 dot matrix Chinese character is high, and both the Chinese and English characters can be generated by the system.

Nowadays, the Chinese video character signal generating system used in a computer, for the most part, is one of two types: (a). The first type is generally called a graphic bit map type as shown in Figure 1. In such a system, the Chinese characters are first drawn in a dynamic random access memory (dynamic RAM) by way of dot by dot method, each dot represents a dot cell of a screen. A video signal generator of the system also has a corresponding memory in which the dotted character desired to be displayed is written from the dynamic RAM by utilizing the software program.Therefore, the center processing unit (CPU) must do a great deal of extra work, which is costly, to process the Chinese character generation and display, in addition to processing the operating system (O.S.) and the application software program, so conse quently, the displaying speed is low. Moreover, the storage of the Chinese characters occupies a large amount of memory, adding greatly to the cost. Furthermore, a Chinese character in this system is formed by a 24 x 24 dot matrix. However, 24 is not a power of 2, and therefore a character must occupy a memory space of 2a, bits x 32 lines, causing much wasted space in the memory.

The graphic bit map type also includes two kinds as follows: (awl). Referring to Figure 2, the system utilizes a Chinese character generator which stores a lot of basic patterns of Chinese characters, and a character generating software to compose a Chinese charac ter with several basic patterns. The main drawback of the system is that the generating speed is merely 30 to 60 characters per second, and that the composed Chinese character has to be stored in a corre sponding display memory. Thus, the CPU must do extra work to process the character generation, and the user must pay for the time it takes to display the characters.

(a2). Referring to Figure 3, the system utilizes a read only memory (ROM) in which the Chinese char acters have been written for the CPU to retrieve a character and store into a display memory. Such a system wastes a large amount of memory to store the Chinese characters, wastes many hours retrieving the characters, and the number of the characters capable of being stored for display is insufficient.

(b). The second type is generally called a character generator type. In a video character signal gener ating system as such, the patterns of the characters are first stored in the character storage memory and each character is represented by a corresponding code. When the user keys in a character, the code rep resenting that keyed-in character is actuated by a cathode-ray tube controller automatically scanning a code buffer, and then outputting at the output port of the code buffer in which the codes are stored.

Subsequently, the code is transmitted to the character storage memory via the hardware circuit, and there actuates the pattern of the keyed-in character stored in the character storage memory so that it is converted to be displayed on a screen by a video processor. In this case, the CPU is needed only for storing the code of the keyed-in character in the code buffer, while the character generating procedures are accomplished by the hardware circuit, so that the generating speed is high, and the patterns of the characters displayed on the screen can be made more beautiful.

A computer video character signal generating system according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention intends to improve on the above-described video Chinese character signal generating system.

In accordance with the present invention, a computer Chinese/English video character signal generat ing system comprises a keyboard input/output device adapted to be coupled to a keyboard for transpos ing a keyed-in Chinese/English character signal into a code; a code buffer coupled to the keyboard input/ output device for receiving the code and storing it therein; a cathode-ray tube controller coupled to the code buffer for scanning the code buffer so as to output the code at the output port of the code buffer; means for recognizing the attributes of the keyed-in character, having first and second output ports, and coupled to the code buffer for receiving the outputted code in order to output the code at the first output port when the keyed-in character is English, and at the second output port when the keyed-in character is Chinese; an English character generator coupled to the first output port of the recognizing means for receiving the code to generate a pattern signal of the keyed-in character at its output port; a Chinese character generator with a memory coupled to the second output port of the recognizing means for re Receiving the code to generate a pattern signal of the keyed-in character at its output port; and a video processor adapted to be coupled to a displayer, respectively coupled to the English and Chinese charac ter generators for converting the pattern signal of the keyed-in character into a video character signal.

In one example the present invention provides a computer Chinese/English video character signal gen erating system which utilizes a Chinese character generator which memory is arranged in a 16+8 (24+23) type to display a Chinese character with a 24 x 24 dot matrix, so that the memory space is completely utilized.

The present invention provides a computer Chinese/English video character signal generating system which utilizes means for recognizing the attribute of the character keyed in by the user in order to respectively deal with the Chinese character generation and the English character generation.

The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which are an integral part of this application and in which: Figure 1 is a flow diagram of one conventional graphic bit map type Chinese character generating system of a computer; Figure 2 is a flow diagram of another conventional graphic bit map type Chinese character generating system; Figure 3 is a flow diagram of another conventional graphic bit map type Chinese character generating system; Figure 4 is a flow diagram of a computer Chinese/English video character signal generating system in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figures 5(a) to 5(i) are schematic views of a recognizing means of the present invention, showing the precessing steps of generating the characters;; Figure 6 is a schematic view of arranging four Chinese characters in memory with a 16+8 type; Figures 71awl to 7(c) are schematic views of other embodiments of types of arrangements of the memory of the character generator; and Figure 8 is a schematic view showing the method of arranging the memory of the conventional graphic type Chinese character generating system.

Referring now to Figure 4, the computer Chinese/English video character signal generating system utilizes a keyboard input/output device 11 coupled to a keyboard (not shown) for transposing a Chinese or English character signal keyed in by the user to a code which represents the keyed-in character, a code buffer 12 coupled to the keyboard input/output device 11 for receiving the code and storing it therein, and a cathode-ray tube controller 100 coupled to the code buffer 12 for automatically scanning the code buffer 12 so as to output the code at the output port of the code buffer 12.The system comprises means for recognizing the attribute of the keyed-in character 13 which has a first and a second output ports 110 & 120, and which is coupled to the code buffer 12 for receiving its outputted code in order to output the code at the first output port 110, if the keyed-in character is English, or at the second output port 120, if the keyed-in character is Chinese.

If the keyed-in character is English, the code outputted at the first port 110 is sent to a first character generator 18, which is a general English character generator, for generating a pattern signal of the keyedin character at its output port by way of the known method. If the keyed-in character is Chinese, the code outputted at the second output port 120 is sent to a second character generator 17 for generating a pattern signal of the keyed-in character at its output port. The second character generator 17 is a special Chinese character generator in which the Chinese characters are arranged in the memory with a 16+8 (24+23) type. A video processor 5 is coupled to the first and second character generators 18 & 17 respectively for converting the pattern signal outputted from the first or the second character generator 18 or 17 into a video character signal.A displayer 16 is coupled to the video processor 15 for showing the keyedin character on its screen in accordance with the received video character signal from the video processor 15.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the keyboard input/output device 11 transposes a keyed-in Chinese character into two units of code signal (wherein one unit is 8 bits), and an English character into a single unit of code signal. Therefore, if an English character is keyed in by the user, the code buffer 12 will send out a single code, and if a Chinese character is keyed in, the code buffer 12 will discontinuously send out two codes. Moreover, the recognizing means 13 is capable of supplementing a "" code (wherein the symbol "" represents zero in the field of computer) to the code for concurrently outputting the two codes at the first output port 110, if the keyed-in character is English.If the keyed-in character is Chinese, the recognizing means 13 is also capable of waiting until both of the codes for a Chinese character have reached and are stored therein before it actuates the two codes concurrently at the second output port 120.

In the recognizing means 13 and the video signal generating process, the data code and the attribute code are generated synchronously. The data code representing a specific character or figure is converted into a video signal by the hardware circuit, and then is shown on the screen. The attribute code represents the attributes, for example English or Chinese, of the character, or some special effects such as inverse or flash.

Referring to Figure 5(a), the recognizing means 13 utilizes a set of registers 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 to transiently store the data codes, and a state recognizer which includes a set of state registers 1, 2, & 3, and a programmable array logic (PAL) 70 for transiently storing the attribute code and for recognizing the attribute of the keyed-in character for actuating the code stored in the set of registers and outputting the attribute code at the first or the second output port properly. The state recognizer is coupled to the code buffer 12 via two lines, or two recognizing bits AT and AT1 to achieve the function of recognition (referring to Table I). In this embodiment, the state register 2 will actuate the register 30 if it is set to "1", or will actuate the register 40 if it is set to "".The programmable array logic 70 has two output ports CS (Chinese Start) connected to the register 60 and ES (English Start) connected to the register 50, and is connected to all the outputs of the state registers 1, 2, & 3 for actually starting the Chinese character generation or the English character generation (referring to Table II). The detail of the functions of the recognizing means 13 will be fully described in connection with one example hereinafter.

TABLE I AT# = # AT# = 1 AT1= ENGLISH The first code of CHINESE AT1= 1 ENGLISH The second code of CHINESE TABLE II state register state register state register CS ES (1) (2) (3) X 1 I 1 x 1 1 # X x 1 s # X x 1 # 1 x The example is to key in five characters: "A"; "o"; " "; "B"; and "C". Referring to Figure 5(b) and Table I & II, the code 81 of the "A" character first reaches the fronts of the registers 10 and 30. Since the "A" is a English character, the recognizing bits AT# = #, AT=, AT1=, and the state register 1 is set to .

Referring to Figure 5(c), when the first code 82 of the next Chinese character "o" (which has two codes) reaches the fronts of the registers 10 and 30, the previous code 81 is pushed to the front of the register 20, and is concurrently pushed into the register 30. Since the code 82 is the first code of the Chinese "o", the recognizing bits AT=1, AT1=, the state register 1 is set to 1, and the state register 2 is set to . The state register 2 actuates the register 40 to supplement a "" code 83 into the register 40.

Referring to Figure 5(d), when the second code 84 of the Chinese "z" reaches the fronts of the registers 10 and 30, the code 81 of the "A" character and the "" code 83 are concurrently stored in the register 50. Since "A" is an English character, from Table II, the programmable array logic 70 actuates the register 50 to start the English character generation, and thus two codes 81 and 83 are sent to the general English character generator 18, and then, the "A" character is shown on the screen of the displayer 16 through the video processor 15. At this time, the code 82 is also pushed to the front of the register 20, and concurrently into the register 30.Since the code 84 is the second code of the "o" character, the recognizing bits AT=1, AT1=1, the state register 1 =, the state register 2 =1, and the state register 3 =. The state register 2 will actuate the register 30 to send out the data code.

Referring to Figure 5(e), when the first code 85 of the next Chinese character " " (which has two codes) reaches the fronts of the registers 10 and 30, both the first and second codes 82 and 84 of the "o" character are stored in the register 60. Since the "z" is a Chinese character, from Table II, the programmable array logic 70 will actuate the register 60 to start the Chinese character generation, and thus the codes 82 and 84 are sent to the special Chinese character generator 17 which arranges its memory with a 16+8 (24+23) type, and then, the "o" character is shown on the screen of the displayer 16 via the video processor 15.Since the code 85 is the first code of the character " ",the recognizing bits AT# =1, AT1=, the state register 1 =1, the state register 2 =(ZI, and the state register 3 =1.

Referring to Figure 5(f), when the second code 86 of the character " " reaches the fronts of the registers 10 and 30, the first code 85 of the " " is pushed to the front of the register 20, and concurrently into the register 30. Since the code 86 is the second code of the " ", the recognizing bits AT=1, AT1=1, the state register 1 =, the state register 2=1, and the state register 3=. The state register 2 will actuate the register 30 to send out the data code.

Referring to Figure 5(g), when the code 87 of the "B" character reaches the fronts of the registers 10 and 30, the first and second codes 85 and 86 are stored in the register 60, and the Chinese character generation is started by the programmable array logic 70 by the method mentioned above. Since the "B" is a English character, the recognizing bits AT# = #, AT=, AT1=, the state register 1 =, and the state regis- ter 2=.

Referring to Figure 5(h), when the code 88 of the "C" character reaches the fronts of the registers 10 and 30, the code 87 of the "B" is pushed to the front of the register 20, and concurrently into the register 30. Since the "C" is an English character, the recognizing bits AT=, AT1 =, the state register 1=m, the state register 2=, and the state register 3=1. The state register 2 will actuate the register 40 and supplement a "" code 89 into the register 40.

Referring to Figure 5(i), no matter what attribute the next code 90 has, both the code 87 of the "B" and the code "" 89 are stored in the register 50 for showing the "B" on the screen by the same method described above.

In this embodiment, the second character generator 17 is a special 24 dots x 24 lines Chinese character generator. In general, the arranging method of the memory of the conventional 24x24 Chinese character generator is that 24 dots occupy three bytes of the memory, and 24 lines must occupy 32 (26) lines of the memory because 32 is one of the power of 2 most near 24. Referring to Figure 8, there is shown in a situation of three Chinese characters "c3", " ", and " " occupying the memory of a conventional graphic type 24x24 dot matrix character generator. Each character uses merely 24 lines of the memory, and leaves 8 lines blank, therefore only 75 % of the memory space is occupied.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the 24 lines are divided into two parts 16 (24) lines plus 8 (23) lines, i.e. a 24+23 memory arranging type. For example, referring to Figure 6, there are shown four Chinese characters "z", " ", " " and " " occupying six memory sections 11 to 16, each memory section having 16 lines, and each line having 3 bytes. The memory sections 15 and 16 are further divided into two parts respectively, 151 Et 152, 161 & 162 as shown. The upper two-third portions of every character E) ' '," ", and " respectively occupies the memory sections 11, 12, 13, and 14, and their lower one-third portions respectively occupy the memory parts 151, 152, 161, and 162. Therefore, the rate of the memory space occupation is 100 %, and the memory space is completely utilized.

Referring to Figures 7(a) to 7(c), there are shown other embodiments of the memory arrangement types of the 24 dots x 24 lines Chinese character generator in accordance with the present invention. In Figure 7(a), the memory is arranged with a 8+16 (23+24) type, and the rate of the memory space occupation is also 100%. In Figure 7(b), the memory is arranged with a 8+8+8 (23+23+23) type, and the rate of the memory space occupation is also 100%. In Figure 7(c), the memory is arranged with a 8+8+4+4 (23 +22+22+22) type, and the memory space occupying rate is also 100%. Similarly, any assembly of numbers which are the power of 2 and are capable of constituting 24 lines will all result in a memory space occupation rate of 100%.

Claims (11)

1. A computer Chinese/English video character signal generating system comprising: a keyboard input/output device adapted to be coupled to a keyboard for transposing a keyed-in Chinese/English character signal into a code; a code buffer coupled to the keyboard input/output device for receiving the code and storing it therein; a cathode-ray tube controller coupled to the code buffer for scanning the code buffer so as to output the code at the output port of the code buffer; means for recognizing the attributes of the keyed-in character, having first and second output ports, and coupled to the code buffer for receiving the outputted code in order to output the code at the first output port when the keyed-in character is English, and at the second output port when the keyed-in character is Chinese;; an English character generator coupled to the first output port of the recognizing means for receiving the code to generate a pattern signal of the keyed-in character at its output port; a Chinese character generator with a memory coupled to the second output port of the recognizing means for receiving the code to generate a pattern signal of the keyed-in character at its output port; and a video processor adapted to be coupled to a displayer, respectively coupled to the English and Chinese character generators for converting the pattern signal of the keyed-in character into a video character signal.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recognizing means includes a set of registers coupled to the code buffer, and a state recognizer coupled to the code buffer and the set of registers respectively, the set of registers receiving the code from the code buffer and transiently storing the code therein, and the state recognizer recognizing the attributes of the keyed-in character for actuating the code stored in the set of registers outputting at the first/second output port.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the keyboard input/output device transposes a keyed-in Chinese character into two units of code, and a keyed-in English character into a single unit of code.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the state recognizer is capable of supplementing a "0(a" code to the code when the keyed-in character is English.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein when the keyed-in character is Chinese, the state recognizer is capable of waiting until both units of the code have reached and are stored in the set of registers, before it actuates the code outputting at the second output port.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3, or 5, wherein the second character generator is a 24x24 dot matrix character generator.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the memory of the 24x24 dot matrix character generator is arranged in a 8+16 (23+24) type.

8. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the memory of the 24x24 dot matrix character generator is arranged in a (23+23+23) type.

9. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the memory of the 24x24 dot matrix character generator is arranged in a (23+23+22±22) type.

10. A system according to claim 6, wherein the second character generator is a 16+8 type.

11. A computer Chinese/English video character signal generator system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.