Course grid aligned counters

Abstract

Methods and apparatus implementing and using techniques for scaling a character having stems. A character including stems and having an associated output resolution and an associated bit depth can be received. The counters defined by the stems can be grouped into one or more chains of counters. The stems of the character can be aligned based on a stem alignment policy while the chains of counters are balanced based on the output resolution. A pixel map can be created at the output resolution and the output bit depth based on the aligned stems.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a method for scaling a character having stems.

FIG. 2A is an outline of an uppercase “I” having several horizontal stems and counters.

FIG. 2B is a high resolution bitmap of an uppercase “I”.

FIG. 2C is a grayscale bitmap at the output resolution of an uppercase “I”.

FIG. 3A is an outline of an uppercase “I” after stem alignment with a soft-edge policy (no counter balancing) according to conventional methods.

FIG. 3B is a high resolution bitmap of an uppercase “I” after stem alignment with a soft-edge policy (no counter balancing) according to conventional methods.

FIG. 3C is a grayscale bitmap at the output resolution of an uppercase “I” after stem alignment with a soft-edge policy (no counter balancing) according to conventional methods.

FIG. 4A is an outline of an uppercase “I” after counter balancing (without vertical alignment of the horizontal stems) according to conventional methods.

FIG. 4B is a high resolution bitmap of an uppercase “I” after counter balancing (without vertical alignment of the horizontal stems) according to conventional methods.

FIG. 4C is a grayscale bitmap at the output resolution of an uppercase “I” after counter balancing (without vertical alignment of the horizontal stems) according to conventional methods.

FIG. 5A is an outline of an uppercase “I” after concurrent stem alignment with a directional-edge policy and counter balancing.

FIG. 5B is a high resolution bitmap of an uppercase “I” after concurrent stem alignment with a directional-edge policy and counter balancing.

FIG. 5C is a grayscale bitmap at the output resolution of an uppercase “I” after concurrent stem alignment with a directional-edge policy and counter balancing.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a programmable computer that is a suitable host for the method and apparatus of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the use of an expansion factor to adjust alignment.

Claims

1. A method comprising: receiving a character including stems, the character having an associated output resolution and an associated output bit depth;grouping counters defined by the stems of the character into a chain of counters;aligning the stems of the character based on a stem alignment policy while balancing the chain of counters based on the output resolution; andcreating a pixel map of the character at the output resolution and the output bit depth based on the aligned stems.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the stem alignment policy comprises: a hard-edge policy, a soft-edge policy, a black-edge policy, a minimum-bias policy, or a directional-edge policy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the stem alignment policy comprises: a directional-edge policy.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein aligning the stems of the character based on a directional-edge policy comprises: aligning the stems of the character to the output resolution in a bias direction consistent with an orientation of the stems.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: adjusting the aligning of the stems and the balancing the chain of counters based on an expansion factor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting the aligning of the stems and the balancing the chain of counters based on an expansion factor comprises: adjusting the aligning of the stems and the balancing the chain of counters based on an expansion factor of from 5% to 7%.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the output resolution comprises: a vertical output resolution and a horizontal output resolution.

8. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising: receiving a character including stems, the character having an associated output resolution and an associated output bit depth;grouping counters defined by the stems of the character into a chain of counters;aligning the stems of the character based on a stem alignment policy while balancing the chain of counters based on the output resolution; andcreating a pixel map of the character at the output resolution and the output bit depth based on the aligned stems.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the stem alignment policy comprises: a hard-edge policy, a soft-edge policy, a black-edge policy, a minimum-bias policy, or a directional-edge policy.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the stem alignment policy comprises: a directional-edge policy.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein aligning the stems of the character based on a directional-edge policy comprises: aligning the stems of the character to the output resolution in a bias direction consistent with an orientation of the stems.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising: adjusting the aligning of the stems and the balancing the chain of counters based on an expansion factor.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein adjusting the aligning of the stems and the balancing the chain of counters based on an expansion factor comprises: adjusting the aligning of the stems and the balancing the chain of counters based on an expansion factor of from 5% to 7%.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the output resolution comprises: a vertical output resolution and a horizontal output resolution.

15. A system comprising: a processor; anda computer readable medium encoding a computer program product, including a document handling application, operable to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:receiving a character including stems, the character having an associated output resolution and an associated output bit depth;grouping counters defined by the stems of the character into a chain of counters;aligning the stems of the character based on a stem alignment policy while balancing the chain of counters based on the output resolution; andcreating a pixel map of the character at the output resolution and the output bit depth based on the aligned stems.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the stem alignment policy comprises: a hard-edge policy, a soft-edge policy, a black-edge policy, a minimum-bias policy, or a directional-edge policy.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the stem alignment policy comprises: a directional-edge policy.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein aligning the stems of the character based on a directional-edge policy comprises: aligning the stems of the character to the output resolution in a bias direction consistent with an orientation of the stems.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise: adjusting the aligning of the stems and the balancing the chain of counters based on an expansion factor.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein adjusting the aligning of the stems and the balancing the chain of counters based on an expansion factor comprises: adjusting the aligning of the stems and the balancing the chain of counters based on an expansion factor of from 5% to 7%.

21. The system of claim 19, -wherein the output resolution comprises: a vertical output resolution and a horizontal output resolution.