Ink thickness rendering for electronic annotations

• US 7,730,391 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2006
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Madam, Vikram
• Primary Examiner(s): RIES, LAURIE ANNE
• Application Number:
  US11/563,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20070089051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 715/234, 715/233, 715/230, 715/231, 715/232, 715/268, 345/470
• US Class Current: 715/233
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/171 by use of digital ink

Abstract

A system and method for rendering ink annotations for a displayed image is disclosed. The invention adjusts the thickness of rendered lines for ink annotations when rendered. Ink annotations are created by capturing and connecting a set of data points input by a user. The invention outlines various pixels and weights saturation of anti-aliasing pixels to improve a user'"'"'s viewing experience.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for annotating a system having a display for displaying a page, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an annotation;

applying one of outline pixels and anti-aliased pixels to at least some pixels surrounding said annotation;

applying the other one of said outline pixels and said anti-aliased pixels; and

displaying said annotation with a first displayable thickness and said outline pixels with a second displayable thickness and said anti-aliased pixels with a third displayable thickness on said display, wherein said outline pixels extend beyond said annotation.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

applying an anti-aliasing filter so as to create said anti-aliased pixels for said annotation prior to said outline applying step.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, wherein the outline applying step further comprises the step of:

adding an outline pixel juxtaposed to one of a pair of anti-aliased pixels, wherein said one of said pair is darker than the other of said pair.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, wherein the outline applying step further comprises the step of:

adding an outline pixel to each one of a pair of anti-aliased pixels, when the color of each one of said pair of anti-aliased pixels are equal.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

applying an anti-aliasing filter so as to create said anti-aliased pixels for said annotation subsequent to said outline applying step.

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, wherein the outline applying step further comprises the step of:

adding an outline pixel juxtaposed to one of a pair of anti-aliased pixels, wherein said one of said pair is darker than the other of said pair.

7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, wherein the outline applying step further comprises the step of:

adding an outline pixel to each one of a pair of anti-aliased pixels, when the color of each one of said pair of anti-aliased pixels are equal.

8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein colors resulting from the anti-alias applying step are no lighter than the outline color of said annotation.

9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein said outline applying step further comprises the steps of:

determining an original color of a pixel of said pixels;

determining a color of said annotation;

determining the outline color to which to set said pixel as based on a combination of said original color and said annotation color.

10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the outline applying step further comprises the step of:

adding at least two outline pixels to each pixel of said annotation.

11. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein said receiving step includes capturing an annotation from user input.

12. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein said receiving step includes retrieving said annotation from a memory.

13. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein at least two of said first displayable thickness, said second displayable thickness, and said third displayable thickness are the same.

14. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein said first displayable thickness, said second displayable thickness, and said third displayable thickness are different from each other.

15. A computer-readable medium having a program stored thereon, said program used in conjunction with a system having a display for displaying a page, said program comprising the steps of:

receiving an annotation;

applying one of a group of some pixels forming outline pixels and a group of some pixels forming anti-aliased pixels to at least some pixels surrounding said annotation;

applying the other of said group of some pixels forming outline pixels and said group of some pixels forming anti-aliased pixels; and

displaying said annotation with a first displayable thickness and said outline pixels with a second displayable thickness and said anti-aliased pixels with a third displayable thickness on said display, such that said outline pixels are visible at least next to said annotation.

16. The computer-readable medium having said program according to claim 15, further comprising the step of:

applying an anti-aliasing filter to said annotation prior to said outline pixel applying step.

17. The computer-readable medium having said program according to claim 16, wherein the outline applying step further comprises the step of:

adding an outline pixel juxtaposed to one of a pair of anti-aliased pixels, wherein said one of said pair is darker than the other of said pair.

18. The computer-readable medium having said program according to claim 16, wherein the outline applying step further comprises the step of:

adding an outline pixel to each one of a pair of anti-aliased pixels, when the color of each one of said pair of anti-aliased pixels are equal.

19. The computer-readable medium having said program according to claim 15, further comprising the step of:

applying an anti-aliasing filter to said annotation subsequent to said outline pixel applying step.

20. The computer-readable medium having said program according to claim 19, wherein the outline applying step further comprises the step of:

adding an outline pixel juxtaposed to one of a pair of anti-aliased pixels, wherein said one of said pair is darker than the other of said pair.

21. The computer-readable medium having said program according to claim 19, wherein the outline applying step further comprises the step of:

adding an outline pixel to each one of a pair of anti-aliased pixels, when the color of each one of said pair of anti-aliased pixels are equal.

22. The computer-readable medium having said program according to claim 15, wherein a color of the anti-aliased pixels to be applied is no lighter than the outline color of said annotation.

23. The computer-readable medium having said program according to claim 15, wherein said outline applying step further comprises the steps of:

determining an original color of a pixel of said pixels;

determining a color of said annotation;

determining the color of anti-aliased pixels;

determining a color to which to set said anti-aliased pixels as based on a combination of outline color and said annotation color.

24. The computer-readable medium having said program according to claim 23, wherein the outline applying step further comprises the step of:

adding at least two outline pixels to each pixel of said annotation.

25. The computer-readable medium having said program according to claim 23, wherein said receiving step includes capturing an annotation from user input.

26. The computer-readable medium having said program according to claim 23, wherein said receiving step includes retrieving said annotation from a memory.

27. The computer-readable medium having said program according to claim 15, wherein at least two of said first displayable thickness, said second displayable thickness, and said third displayable thickness are the same.

28. The computer-readable medium having said program according to claim 15, wherein said first displayable thickness, said second displayable thickness, and said third displayable thickness are different from each other.