Abstract

In an information output device, character data is read from a font memory and temporarily stored in a data buffer circuit and then dot-expanded to a full-dot memory. A data character is read from the font memory in units of a word and is written into a stage of the data buffer circuit while being laterally shifted so as to selectively position the character. The character is expanded or reduced by duplicating or eliminating the write operation for selected words at the time of reading the data from the data buffer circuit into the full-dot memory. Thus, the data buffer circuit operates to perform both the functions of character positioning and character expansion/compression.