Patent ID: 8854375
Filing Date: 2014-10-07
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of transforming a binary dot-matrix font to a gray dot-matrix font on a computer including one or more processors, a memory device, a display screen, and a user input device, the method comprising: (a) receiving in the memory device a binary dot-matrix outline shape that is designed to render a binary dot-matrix character image on a binary dot-matrix display, the binary dot-matrix outline shape comprising one or more curve segments; (b) the one or more processors placing the received dot-matrix outline shape and the binary dot-matrix character image based thereon on a lattice coordinate system composed of a plurality of dots in the memory device; (c) for each of the one or more curve segments, the one or more processors recording in the memory device intersecting points between the curve segment and the plurality of dots in the lattice coordinate system, wherein the intersecting points are locations on horizontal and vertical sides of the dots that are intersected by the one or more curve segments; (d) the one or more processors performing an anti-aliasing operation on the binary dot-matrix outline shape placed on the lattice coordinate system in the memory device to obtain a target gray value for each of the intersected dots; (e) the one or more processors recording in the memory device the target gray value as part of a collection of target gray values for all of the intersected dots, respectively, as a gray dot-matrix image font; and (f) the one or more processors moving the intersecting points in the lattice coordinate system in the memory device to achieve the target gray value for each of the intersected dots obtained in step (d), by (i) formulating an equation that defines a covered area for each of the intersected dots on the right-hand side of the equation and entering the target gray value for the intersected dot on the left-hand side of the equation, and (ii) solving equations for all of the intersected dots, formulated in (i) above, simultaneously using a least square solution to obtain moved intersecting points for all of the intersected dots, respectively; wherein step (d) includes the one or more processors performing an anti-aliasing operation by applying a Gaussian operator consisting of a matrix of weights to each of the intersected dots and dots that surround said intersected dot, respectively, the matrix of weights being selected based on the topography of the intersecting points on said intersected dot; and wherein step (f) further formulates the equations for all of the intersected dots such that moved horizontal and moved vertical intersecting points remain horizontal and vertical intersecting points, respectively.