Superposing graphic patterns

The method for expanding while maintaining typographic quality of a graphic-generating pattern array using a digital computer wherein the pattern array is represented as a rectangular array of pattern digital signals and background digital signals, said pattern array consisting of a plurality of signal positions, each signal position being capable of storing either a pattern or a background signal;

• characterized in that the method includes the automatic steps of:
• selecting an expansion value defined in signal positions of the pattern array;
• and
• for each pattern digital signal adjacent a background digital signal in the pattern array, defining a circle equal to the expansion value and within said circle for each of said adjacent pattern digital signals changing any background digital signals to pattern digital signals.

A graphic pattern generator comprising a programmed digital computer having allocatable digital signal storage and a library storage of graphic-generating patterns stored as rectangular arrays of first binary signals indicating foreground pels and second binary signals indicating background pels, means coupled to said digital computer for transferring said arrays;

• between said library storage and said signal storage, said digital signal arrays being capable of enabling a graphics presentation device to generate graphics having configurations in accordance with said first binary signals;
• the improvement, including in combination:
• first program indicia in said signal storage for enabling said digital computer to select first and second generating patterns respectively as dominant and recessive patterns and for transferring such selected patterns from said library storage to said signal storage;
• second program indicia in said signal storage for enabling said digital computer to generate an occlusion array of said first binary signals by adding a circular array having a predetermined radius of said first binary signals around each and every one of said first binary signals in said first generating pattern;
• third program indicia in said signal storage for enabling said digital computer to mask said occlusion array of first digital signals into said second generating pattern for deleting all first digital signals from said second pattern that coincide with first digital signals in said occlusion array for generating a fragmented array;
• and
• fourth program indicia in said signal storage for enabling said digital computer to merge said fragmented array into said first generating pattern for creating a superposed graphic-generating pattern from said first and second generating patterns and having a separation between the first generating pattern and said fragmented pattern equal to said predetermined radius, and for storing said superposed graphic-generating pattern in said library storage.