Abstract: A method of compositing a set of ordered image layers in which a compound layer contains a plurality of image layers. The compound layer has a compound layer effect. Any image layers under the compound layer are composited to generate a first intermediate image, the first intermediate image is composited with each image layer in the compound layer to generate a second intermediate image, the first intermediate image is composited with the second intermediate image according to the compound layer effect to generate a third intermediate image, and the third intermediate image is composited with any remaining image layers to generate a final image.

Abstract: A method of displaying predefined characters contained in a font which maintain their artistically pleasing shapes as font design properties change over a font design axis (which defines a variable font design property) including the steps of:(1) including within each character definition a character-specific transition point which will be used to select a predefined character attribute of the character when it is displayed, the transition point lying along the font design axis;(2) selecting a value for the variable font design property of the character along the font design axis, and then determining a predefined character attribute for the character based upon the location of the selected value in relation to the character-specific transition point along the font design axis; and(3) displaying the character using the selected value of the variable font design property and the determined, predefined character attribute.

Abstract: A method for creating anti-aliased characters on a computer output device includes the steps of generating a call from a client process for a character to be rendered, rendering the character at a high resolution, and aligning stems of the character with a coarse grid corresponding to the resolution of an output device. The step of aligning the high resolution rendered stems to the coarse grid provides for an anti-aliased output with balanced stems. A method for rendering a character includes the steps of determining a device resolution and a number of greyscales to be displayed by a digital output device, determining a coarse grid and a high-resolution grid, developing character information concerning a character to be rendered, creating an initial bitmap of the character from the character information at the resolution of the high-resolution grid, and aligning stems of the initial bitmap with the coarse grid to create a coarse grid aligned high-resolution bitmap.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a character for anti-aliased display on a raster output device. A set of density values is computed for a set of raster positions to represent the character and the density values of the set are scaled to extend their range upward toward a maximum density value, whereby generally at least one of the density values of the set becomes the maximum density value. In one embodiment, the set of density values is computed from a rendering of the character at resolution higher than the resolution of the output device. In another embodiment, the character is created by a font having font metrics including a reference dimension, and the density values are scaled by computing adjusted values as a non-decreasing function of the original values, the function being defined to compute a maximum adjusted density value for at least one non-maximum density value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus convert font outlines to rasterized bitmaps. The method accesses stored outline data representing an object in a first coordinate space and transforms the outline data to corresponding data representing the object in a second corrdinate space. Regional relationship information is maintained in both corrdinate spaces through a non-linear transformation expressed as a plurality of linear transformation matrices, and a bit map, suitable for displaying the object, is generated as a result of the transformation. The apparatus of the invention analyzes Bezier curves and subdivides them as necessary until each portion is sufficiently flat to be approximated as a straight line, and calculates where line segments cross pixel midlines in order to fill the outline, and then generates the bit map.

Abstract: A method implemented in a computer peripheral having an IEEE 1284 interface controller for managing the transfer of data to the interface controller includes detecting a condition requiring the computer peripheral to control the flow of transfer of data to the interface controller and if a run length encoded data transfer to the interface controller is pending, delaying the control of flow of the transfer of data until a RLE data byte associated with the end of the pending run length encoded data transfer is received by the interface controller.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for adjusting the text height within a displayed image. A preferred absolute text height is input to the computer system by a user and is stored. When text images are displayed by the computer system, a selected section of text is determined. The stored preferred absolute text height is then retrieved, and the displayed text images are scaled by a scale factor such that the selected text section is displayed at the preferred absolute text height.

Abstract: A system for producing a raster image derived from a data structure including a data processing apparatus, a recognizer which performs recognition on an input bitmap to the data processing apparatus to detect identifiable objects within the input bitmap, a mechanism for producing a hybrid data structure including coded data corresponding to the identifiable objects and to non-identifiable objects and the input bitmap, and an output device capable of developing a visually perceptible raster image derived from the input bitmap in the hybrid data structure. The raster image is derived from the input bitmap and thus includes no misrecognition errors.

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.

Abstract: A method for rendering a graphics image of a three-dimensional graphics model is described.

Abstract: A two-dimensional page representation to be printed has a combination of text, graphic and image representation types. A data memory stores data representative of the page representation. A program memory stores program instructions including a plurality of different algorithms for compressing data associated with corresponding different representation types and their combinations.

Abstract: A two-dimensional page representation to be printed has a combination of text, graphic and image representation types. A data memory stores data representative of the page representation. A program memory stores program instructions including a plurality of different algorithms for compressing data associated with corresponding different representation types and their combinations.

Abstract: A computer-based video editing system provides software controlled wipes between scenes. These wipes may be the conventional horizontal, vertical, or clock type wipes used in video to transition from one scene to the next. Instead of being generated by conventional digital wave form generators, the wipes are generated as a bit map in computer memory, thus allowing the editor to design his own wipes as desired. The wipes are generated by comparators which have as their inputs line-by-line video data and computer controlled threshold data so as to control a video switcher to select between scenes as determined by the wipe pattern.

Abstract: A two-dimensional page representation to be printed has a combination of text, graphic and image representation types. A data memory stores data representative of the page representation. A program memory stores program instructions including a plurality of different algorithms for compressing data associated with corresponding different representation types and their combinations.

Abstract: A two-dimensional page representation to be printed has a combination of text, graphic and image representation types. A data memory stores data representative of the page representation. A program memory stores program instructions including a plurality of different algorithms for compressing data associated with corresponding different representation types and their combinations.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for selecting the intensity level of each of the primary colors for displaying or printing a predetermined, desired color to be composed of a specified percent of each of the primary colors. Each primary color has available a predetermined number of discrete intensity levels ranging from minimum to maximum and is to be displayed on a matrix having a predetermined number of cells. The first step in the method is to determine a desired intensity level for each primary color and to select the number of cells of the matrix which are to display that color at that intensity level. These cells of each primary color are then arranged in the matrix in a predetermined ordering to display the desired color. The sequence of the ordering is predetermined and the same for each primary color.