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Anti-aliasing apparatus and method with automatic snap fit of horizontal and vertical edges to target grid

  • US 6,101,514 A
  • Filed: 05/28/1996
  • Issued: 08/08/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for converting outline data into bit-mapped image data having anti-aliasing attributes, where the bit-mapped image data is to be rendered by a pre-specified bit-mapped rendering unit at a pre-specified resolution, said apparatus comprising:

  • (a) data storage means for storing data, wherein the stored data includes;

    (a.1) plot instruction data for plotting a desired outline of an image to be rendered,(a.2) target outline data defining a first plot of the desired outline, scaled and grid fitted onto a target grid,(a.3) mezzanine outline data defining a second plot of the desired outline, upwardly scaled from the target grid onto a mezzanine grid, and(a.4) the bit-mapped image data with said anti-aliasing attributes; and

    (b) data processing means, operatively coupled to and in cooperation with the data storage means, for;

    (b.1) identifying as a target resolution the resolution at which the pre-specified bit-mapped rendering unit is to render the bit-mapped image data;

    (b.2) establishing within said storage means, a target data buffer representing a target grid having a gridwork of pixels and coordinates corresponding to the identified target resolution;

    (b.3) fetching from said storage means, plot instruction data for plotting a desired outline;

    (b.4) scaling and grid fitting the fetched plot instruction data to the coordinates of the target grid and thereby creating target outline data representing a corresponding target grid outline;

    (b.5) establishing within said storage means a mezzanine buffer representing a mezzanine grid having a gridwork of pixels and coordinates corresponding to a mezzanine resolution that is higher than the resolution of the target grid;

    (b.6) upwardly scaling the coordinates of the target outline data to the mezzanine resolution of the mezzanine grid and thereby creating mezzanine level outline data representing the scaled-up target outline data;

    (b.7) filling in the pixels of the mezzanine level outline by setting representative bits in the mezzanine buffer; and

    (b.8) assigning, based on the bits set in the mezzanine buffer, one or more anti-aliasing attributes to each pixel of the target display grid by writing to the target data buffer for thereby producing bit-mapped image data having a desired anti-aliasing effect.

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