Method and apparatus for generating bitmaps from outlines containing bezier curves
First Claim
1. A system for generating a multi-dimensional image on an output device from an image description comprising:
- a digital processor which receives an image description describing a multi-dimensional image and produces image rendering information from said image description, said image rendering information being associated with Bezier curve information describing at least one Bezier curve of said image;
a rendering device coupled to said digital processor to develop image information, said rendering device being capable of performing at least one subdivision on said Bezier curve of said image to produce a plurality of subdivided Bezier curves until all subdivided Bezier curves cross no more than one boundary between cells of a pixel grid, said rendering device developing said image information from said image rendering information, said associated Bezier curve information and said subdivided Bezier curves; and
the output device being coupled to said rendering device to create said multi-dimensional image derived from said image information.
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Abstract
A rendering device for converting input information into a bit map including a Bezier subdivision processor responsive to Bezier curve information describing a Bezier curve of an image. The Bezier subdivision processor performs at least one subdivision on the Bezier curve if the Bezier curve is greater than a desired resolution of a bit map to produce subdivided Bezier curves until all subdivided Bezier curves are at about the resolution of the bit map. The Bezier subdivision processor produces cross information from each Bezier curve which makes one crossing of a grid having the resolution of the bit map. The rendering device also includes a digital processor responsive to the cross information and operative to produce a bit map of the image from the cross information. A method for producing cross positions of Bezier curves with a grid of the present invention includes receiving a Bezier curve, sequentially subdividing the Bezier curve into a plurality of subdivided Bezier curves until each Bezier curve crosses less than a plurality of times with cell boundaries of a grid of a desired resolution, and developing the Cartesian coordinates and direction of each of the crosses of a Bezier curve with a boundary.
29 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A system for generating a multi-dimensional image on an output device from an image description comprising:
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a digital processor which receives an image description describing a multi-dimensional image and produces image rendering information from said image description, said image rendering information being associated with Bezier curve information describing at least one Bezier curve of said image; a rendering device coupled to said digital processor to develop image information, said rendering device being capable of performing at least one subdivision on said Bezier curve of said image to produce a plurality of subdivided Bezier curves until all subdivided Bezier curves cross no more than one boundary between cells of a pixel grid, said rendering device developing said image information from said image rendering information, said associated Bezier curve information and said subdivided Bezier curves; and the output device being coupled to said rendering device to create said multi-dimensional image derived from said image information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A rendering device for converting input information to a bit map comprising:
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a Bezier subdivision processor which receives Bezier curve information describing a Bezier curve of an image, said Bezier subdivision processor performing at least one subdivision on said Bezier curve to produce subdivided Bezier curves until all subdivided Bezier curves cross no more than one boundary between cells of a pixel grid, said Bezier subdivision processor producing cross information from each of said Bezier curves which makes one crossing of a grid having said resolution; and a digital processor which receives said cross information and produces a bit map of said image from said cross information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A Bezier subdivision processor comprising:
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a boundary crossings detector for detecting crossings of Bezier curves with a grid having cells of a predetermined resolution, said grid defining the boundaries of said cells; and a Bezier subdivision unit producing a plurality of subdivided Bezier curves for each Bezier curve that has a plurality of crossings of cell boundaries. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for determining crossings of Bezier curves with a grid, the method comprising:
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receiving a Bezier curve; sequentially subdividing said Bezier curve into a plurality of subdivided Bezier curves until each received or subdivided Bezier curve crosses less than a plurality of times with cell boundaries of a grid of a desired resolution; and developing a cross associated with each of said received or subdivided Bezier curves which crosses one of said boundaries, said cross including Cartesian coordinates and direction. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification