Method and system using variable line width adjustment with reduced scan buffering that is compatible with antialiasing

A system for performing variable line width adjustment located in an image path after halftoning and antialiased rendering is performed on image data, the system comprising:

• a pixel buffer that receives and stores high-addressability image data;
• a leading edge identifier, coupled to the pixel buffer, that identifies a leading edge of a horizontal or diagonal line within the high-addressability image data in the pixel buffer;
• a leading edge adjustment amount module that determines an adjustment amount for a leading edge based in part on the identification of the leading edge by the leading edge identifier;
• a trailing edge identifier, coupled to the pixel buffer, that identifies a trailing edge of a horizontal or diagonal line within the high-addressability image data in the pixel buffer;
• a trailing edge adjustment amount module that determines an adjustment amount for a trailing edge based in part on the identification of the trailing edge by the trailing edge identifier;
• and
• an image data renderer that renders the high-addressability image data based in part on the adjustments determined by the leading edge adjustment amount module and the trailing edge adjustment amount module.

A method for performing image adjustment, the method comprising:

• sequentially inputting image data into a pixel buffer, the pixel buffer holding a plurality of scan lines of the image data at any time;
• identifying a leading edge scan line of the plurality of scan lines in the buffer;
• identifying a trailing edge scan line of the plurality of scan lines in the buffer;
• adjusting at least one pixel value of a first pixel on or near the leading edge scan line in the pixel buffer according to properties of the image data behind the leading edge scan line;
• and
• simultaneously adjusting at least one pixel value of a second pixel on or near the trailing edge scan line in the pixel buffer according to properties of the image data on or before the trailing edge scan line.