Optimizing the advantages of multi-level rendering

• US 7,046,863 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chang, Ching-Wei, Hurtz, Robert William
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Seth, Manav
• Application Number:
  US10/106,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20030179954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,513 Days
• Field of Search: 382298-300, 345/611, 358 301- 303, 358 306- 309, 358/3.1, 358/3.3, 358 313- 316, 358/3.21, 358/429, 358/456, 358/457, 358/298
• US Class Current: 382/299
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/02 using printers
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/12 involving antialiasing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4023 based on decimating pixels or lines of pixels; based on inserting pixels or lines of pixels

Abstract

Systems and methods for optimizing the advantages of multi-level rendering of text and/or graphics at an output device by providing an alternate manner to perform multi-level rendering. A computer device, employed to render an image or graphical entity, is connected to an output device, and a request is received at the computer device to render a graphical entity at the output device. The resolution of the output device is identified and the data corresponding to graphical entity is translated to a resolution that is higher than the resolution of the output device. A conversion or translation is then performed to scale the image data from the higher resolution to the resolution of the output device. Optionally, a halftone matrix is employed to eliminate aliasing. The graphical entity is then more accurately rendered at the output device than by utilizing traditional techniques.

Claims

1. A method for rendering a graphical entity, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the graphical entity for output by a printer, wherein the printer is adapted to output multi-bit data pixels and wherein the printer is configured to render at a printer resolution;

translating the graphical entity into a first raster graphical entity comprising a plurality of single-bit pixels, the first graphical entity at a first resolution, wherein the first resolution is higher than the printer resolution;

performing a halftone process on the first graphical entity by employing a halftone matrix based on an intermediate halftone matrix at the printer resolution comprising a plurality of multi-bit halftone pixels and wherein each of the multi-bit halftone pixel in the intermediate halftone matrix is expanded to create the halftone matrix at the first resolution; and

translating the first graphical entity into a second raster graphical entity by dividing the plurality of single-bit pixels of the first graphical entity into grids of pixels, the second graphical entity is scaled down from the first graphical entity by mapping each grid of the grids of pixels of the first graphical entity into a corresponding multi-bit pixel of the second graphical entity, and wherein the second raster graphical entity is at the printer resolution;

wherein the step of performing the halftone process is prior to the step of translating the first graphical entity into the second graphical entity;

wherein the step of translating the first graphical entity into the second graphical entity is based on the haiftoned first graphical entity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises the step of:

performing a halftone process on the second graphical entity.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first resolution is four times the printer resolution.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the mapping of each grid of the grids of pixels into a corresponding multi-bit pixel is based on a weighting factor.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sending the second graphical entity to a printer for rendering.

6. A rendering system configured to enhance the rendering of a graphical entity, the system comprising:

a printer configured to render the graphical entity at a printer resolution and wherein the printer is configured to output multi-bit data pixels; and

a processor operably coupled to the printer, the processor adapted to;

translate the graphical entity into a first raster graphical entity comprising a plurality of single-bit pixels, the first graphical entity at a first resolution, wherein the first resolution is higher than the printer resolution;

perform a halftone process on the first graphical entity by employing a halftone matrix based on an intermediate halftone matrix at the printer resolution comprising a plurality of multi-bit halftone pixels and wherein each of the multi-bit halftone pixel in the intermediate halftone matrix is expanded to create the halftone matrix at the first resolution of the first raster graphical entity;

translate the first graphical entity into a second raster graphical entity by dividing the plurality of single-bit pixels of the first graphical entity into grids of pixels, wherein the processor is further adapted to scale down the second graphical entity from the first graphical entity by mapping each grid of the grids of pixels of the first graphical entity into a corresponding multi-bit pixel of the second graphical entity, and wherein the second raster graphical entity is at the printer resolution;

wherein the processor is further adapted to perform the halftone process prior to the step of translating the first graphical entity into the second graphical entity;

wherein processor is further adapted to translate the first graphical entity into the second graphical entity based on the haiftoned first graphical entity; and

send the second graphical entity to the printer.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the processor is further adapted to perform a halftone process on the second graphical entity.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the first resolution is four times the printer resolution.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the mapping of each grid of the grids of pixels into a corresponding multi-bit pixel is based on a weighting factor.

10. A computer program product for implementing within a computer system a method for rendering a graphical entity, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium for providing computer program code means for rendering the graphical entity, wherein the computer program code means comprises executable code for implementing the steps of;

receiving the graphical entity for output by a printer, wherein the printer is adapted to output multi-bit data pixels and wherein the printer is configured to render at a printer resolution;

translating the graphical entity into a first raster graphical entity comprising a plurality of single-bit pixels, the first graphical entity at a first resolution, wherein the first resolution is higher than the printer resolution;

performing a halftone process on the first graphical entity by employing a halftone matrix based on an intermediate halftone matrix at the printer resolution comprising a plurality of multi-bit halftone pixels and wherein each of the multi-bit halftone pixel in the intermediate halftone matrix is expanded to create the halftone matrix at the first resolution of the first raster graphical entity; and

translating the first graphical entity into a second raster graphical entity by dividing the plurality of single-bit pixels of the first graphical entity into grids of pixels, the second graphical entity is scaled down from the first graphical entity by mapping each grid of the grids of pixels of the first graphical entity into a corresponding multi-bit pixel of the second graphical entity, and wherein the second raster graphical entity is at the printer resolution;

wherein the step of performing the halftone process is prior to the step of translating the first graphical entity into the second graphical entity;

wherein the step of translating the first graphical entity into the second graphical is based on the halftoned first graphical entity.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the computer program code means further comprises executable code for further implementing the step of performing a halftone process on the second graphical entity.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the first resolution is four times the printer resolution.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the mapping of each grid of the grids of pixels into a corresponding multi-bit pixel is based on a weighting factor.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer program code means further comprises executable code for further implementing the step of sending the second graphical entity to the printer for printing.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer program product is via a communication connection.