Efficient method for clipping numerous objects against an arbitrary clipping path
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Company
InventorsBarry D. Kurtz, Steven J. Claiborne
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for clipping a objects against a non-rectangular polygon. The present invention first defines a rectangular buffer with a height and width equal to the maximum height and width of the non-rectangular polygon. Next, each object is clipped against the rectangular buffer using a fast rectangular clipping method. After all the objects have been clipped, the rectangular buffer is converted to a pattern buffer. Finally, the pattern buffer is clipped against the non-rectangular polygon using an arbitrary clipping method.
Claims11
A method for clipping a plurality of objects against an arbitrary clipping path, said arbitrary clipping path having a height and width, said method comprising steps of:
- defining a rectangular buffer, said rectangular buffer having a height and width equal to the height and width of said arbitrary clipping path;
- rectangular clipping said plurality of objects against said rectangular buffer, said rectangular clipping being performed by a rectangular clipping method;
- and
- arbitrarily clipping said rectangular buffer against said arbitrary clipping path, said step of arbitrarily clipping being performed by a raster operation method.
A method for clipping a plurality of objects against a non-rectangular polygon, said non-rectangular polygon having a maximum height and maximum width, said method comprising steps of:
- defining a rectangular buffer, said rectangular buffer having a height equal to the maximum height of said non-rectangular polygon and a width equal to the maximum width of said non-rectangular polygon;
- first clipping said plurality of objects against said rectangular buffer;
- converting said rectangular buffer to a pattern buffer;
- and
- second clipping said pattern buffer against said non-rectangular polygon.
An apparatus for clipping a plurality of objects against a non-rectangular polygon, said apparatus comprising:
- a memory;
- a processor connected to said memory, said processor executes a sequence of instructions stored in said memory;
- a means for defining a rectangular buffer, where said rectangular buffer encompasses said non-rectangular polygon;
- a means for rectangular clipping said plurality of objects against said rectangular buffer, said processor storing said clipped plurality of objects in said memory;
- a means for transforming said rectangular buffer into a pattern buffer, said pattern buffer being stored in memory;
- and
- a means for clipping said pattern buffer against said non-rectangular polygon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.