Abstract: In a method of compositing graphic elements in a pixel-based renderer, a first graphic element is received having a first color and a first opacity, and a second graphic element is received having a second color and a second opacity. A blend output is obtained from a blend function dependent on the first color and the second color, and a resultant color is determined of a compositing operation on the first and second graphic elements, with the resultant color being dependent on the blend output and otherwise being independent of the second color.

Abstract: A mixed text and image layout algorithm capable of supporting Unicode text and arbitrary content definitions for geometric layout with worst case two-pass layout placement procedure. Layout of Unicode text requires a number of distinct processing steps commencing with classification of input characters into contiguous groups of identical directionality, writing system and possibly script (and language) followed by mapping of character groups to glyphs for display purposes followed by a layout taking into account font display characteristics, embedded directionality level and shape of container for layout contents. Layout is best-case achieved in a single layout pass and worst-case in two passes. During layout information is cached to facilitate incremental changes to an existing layout in order to minimize refresh operations for editing display purposes. An optional two-pass operation on the layout result may be used to generate ordered rendering operation to support so-called Z-index display.

Abstract: A method (200) for generating a device driver in an information processing apparatus (101) for a device connected thereto, such as a printer (115), is disclosed. The method (100) obtains a Printer Characterization File (PCF) which contains a characterization of the device (115) or a group of devices. The device driver is then generated by using the PCF to configure a Device Model Independent Printer Driver (DMIPD) stored with an application on an unchangeable memory, such as a CD-ROM.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for activating the filling of a graphical object. The method generates, for a current scanline, a plurality of edge records associated with an edge of the object from a previously generated edge record for a previous scanline. One of these edge records comprises fractional data which defines a minimum position of the edge within the current scanline or on a border thereto with respect to a direction along said current scanline. Another of these edge records comprises fractional data which defines a maximum position of the edge within the current scanline or on a border thereto with respect to a direction along the current scanline. One of these edge records comprises fractional data which defines an exit position of the edge from the current scanline. The previously generated edge record comprises fractional data defining an exit point of the edge from the previous scanline.

Abstract: A method (40) and apparatus (30) is described for performing image rendering of high resolution computer generated images using limited memory and constrained rendering architectures. An image is segmented into a plurality of tiles (110). A graphics renderer (17), which is usually used for rendering low resolution images onto a display device (19), is used to render one tile (110) at a time. The rendered tile images are combined to form a band of the image (101) and the image data of the band (101) is transferred to a printer engine (20) for printing. Each band (101) is rendered and transferred to the printer engine (20) until the whole image is printed.

Abstract: A method of printing an image is disclosed. The method comprises generating at a host (102), from an image (600) to be printed, a display list representation (312) of a visually equivalent image (1100) comprising non-overlapping graphic objects (614′, 616′); and scan-line rendering (510), using the display list representation (312), the visually equivalent image (1100) at a printer (108) communicating with the host (102), without performing overlap detection at the printer (108).

Abstract: A method is disclosed for activating the filling of a graphical object. The method generates (2440, 2442, 2446, 2448, 2452, 2454, and 2456), for a current scanline, a plurality of edge records associated with an edge of the object from a previously generated edge record for a previous scanline. One of these edge records comprise fractional data which defines a minimum position of the edge within the current scanline or on a border thereto with respect to a direction along said current scanline. Another of these edge records comprise fractional data which defines a maximum position of the edge within the current scanline or on a border thereto with respect to a direction along the current scanline. One of these edge records comprises fractional data which defines an exit position of the edge from the current scanline. The previously generated edge record comprises fractional data defining an exit point of the edge from the previous scanline.

Abstract: A method (40) and apparatus (30) is described for performing image rendering of high resolution computer generated images using limited memory and constrained rendering architectures. An image is segmented into a plurality of tiles (110). A graphics renderer (17), which is usually used for rendering low resolution images onto a display device (19), is used to render one tile (110) at a time. The rendered tile images are combined to form a band of the image (101) and the image data of the band (101) is transferred to a printer engine (20) for printing. Each band (101) is rendered and transferred to the printer engine (20) until the whole image is printed.

Abstract: A method (200) for generating a device driver in an information processing apparatus (101) for a device connected thereto, such as a printer (115), is disclosed. The method (100) obtains a Printer Characterization File (PCF) which contains a characterization of the device (115) or a group of devices. The device driver is then generated by using the PCF to configure a Device Model Independent Printer Driver (DMIPD) stored with an application on an unchangeable memory, such as a CD-ROM.