Dynamically anti-aliased graphics
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorJames W. Barmettler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An alpha channel layer is generated by an opacity value that is assigned to each pixel of the image layer. The opacity value is represented by N bits/pixel and is generated by the expression j/(2N−1) where j is a value that represents the binary value of the N bits. When the image is to be rendered on the new background, the background layer is combined with the image and alpha channel layers to generate the updated, final RGB values for each pixel. These updated RGB components are expressed as Rfinal=R(p)*O+R(pbackground)*(1−O), Gfinal=G(p)*O+G(pbackground)*(1−O), and Bfinal=B(p)*O+B(pbackground)*(1−O) where O is the opacity value of image pixel p and pbackground is the background pixel associated with the image pixel p.
Claims21
A method for anti-aliasing a graphic image comprising the steps of:
- generating an image layer for the graphic image, the image layer comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a red, a green, and a blue component;
- assigning an opacity value to each pixel of the plurality of pixels in order to generate an alpha channel layer;
- and
- storing the alpha channel layer with the image layer.
A method for anti-aliasing a graphic image comprising the steps of:
- generating an image layer for the graphic image, the image layer comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a red, a green, and a blue component;
- assigning an opacity value to each pixel of the plurality of pixels in order to generate an alpha channel layer;
- generating updated red, green, and blue components of each pixel of the image layer in response to the alpha channel layer and a background layer;
- and
- rendering each pixel in response to its updated red, green, and blue components.
A method for rendering an anti-aliased graphic over a background layer, the graphic being stored with an image layer including red, green, and blue components and an alpha channel layer including opacity information for each pixel of the image layer, the method comprising the steps of:
- retrieving the image layer;
- retrieving the alpha channel layer;
- generating updated red, green, and blue components of each pixel of the image layer in response to the alpha channel layer and the background layer;
- and
- rendering each pixel in response to its updated red, green, and blue components.
A computer that generates an anti-aliased graphic image, the computer comprising:
- a monitor that displays the anti-aliased graphic image on a background layer;
- a storage media that stores the anti-aliased graphic image in a format that comprises an image layer and an alpha channel layer, the image layer comprising a plurality of pixels each including an original red, green, and blue component, the alpha channel layer comprising an opacity value assigned to each pixel of the image layer, the opacity value being between 0 and 1 inclusive;
- and
- a controller, coupled to the monitor and the storage media, that renders the graphic image on the monitor by generating updated red, green, and blue components for a pixel to be rendered, the updated red, green, and blue component for each pixel being generated in response to the alpha channel layer, the background layer, and the original red, green, and blue components.
A system for generating an anti-aliased graphic image, the system comprising:
- means for generating an image layer for the graphic image, the image layer comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel including a red, a green, and a blue component;
- means for assigning an opacity value to each pixel of the plurality of pixels in order to generate an alpha channel layer;
- and
- means for storing the alpha channel layer with the image layer.
A system for rendering an anti-aliased graphic over a background layer, the graphic being stored with an image layer including red, green, and blue components and an alpha channel layer having opacity information for each pixel of the image layer, the method comprising the steps of:
- means for retrieving the image layer;
- means for retrieving the alpha channel layer;
- means for generating updated red, green, and blue components of each pixel of the image layer in response to the alpha channel layer and the background layer;
- and
- means for rendering each pixel in response to its updated red, green, and blue components.
A printing system that generates an anti-aliased graphic image, the printing system comprising:
- memory that stores the anti-aliased graphic image in a format that comprises an image layer and an alpha channel layer, the image layer comprising a plurality of pixels each including an original red, green, and blue component, the alpha channel layer comprising an opacity value assigned to each pixel of the image layer, the opacity value being between 0 and 1 inclusive;
- and
- a controller, coupled to the memory, that renders the graphic image on print media by generating updated red, green, and blue components for a pixel to be printed, the updated red, green, and blue component for each pixel being generated in response to the alpha channel layer, the background layer, and the original red, green, and blue components.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.