Method for phase aligned nth bitting of graphics applications

Claim 1

A method for constructing a first group of edge patterns for use on a first edge in an image and a second group of edge patterns for use on a second edge in the image, each edge pattern being divided into at least two equal portions of pixels with n pixels in each portion, each of the pixels possessing a selected one of at least a first output state and a second output state, said method comprising the steps of: providing first and second edge patterns to the first group of edge patterns and third and fourth edge patterns to the second group of edge patterns, the first, second, third and fourth edge patterns being characterized by a first slope, second slope, third slope and fourth slope, respectively, with each of the first slope, second slope, third slope and fourth slope assuming the same value; setting a first selected number of pixels in the first edge pattern to the second output state so that the first edge pattern is characterized by a first intensity; setting a first selected number of pixels in the third edge pattern to the second output state so that the third edge pattern is characterized by a first intensity, the pixels with the second output state in the first edge pattern being offset relative to the pixels with the second output state in the third edge pattern; setting a second selected number of pixels in the second edge pattern to the second output state so that the second edge pattern is characterized by a second intensity; and setting a second selected number of pixels in the fourth edge pattern to the second output state so that the fourth edge pattern is characterized by a second intensity, the second selected number of pixels being different than the first selected number of pixels and the first intensity being different from the second intensity.

Claim 2

A method for constructing a first group of edge patterns for use on a first edge in an image and a second group of edge patterns for use on a second edge in the image, each edge pattern being divided into at least two equal portions of pixels with n pixels in each portion, each of the pixels possessing a selected one of at least a first output state and a second output state, said method comprising the steps of: providing first and second edge patterns to the first group of edge patterns and third and fourth edge patterns to the second group of edge patterns, the first, second, third and fourth edge patterns being characterized by a first slope, second slope, third slope and fourth slope, respectively, with each of the first slope, second slope, third slope and fourth slope assuming the same value; setting a first selected number of pixels in the first edge pattern to the second output state so that the first edge pattern is characterized by a first intensity; setting a first selected number of pixels in the third edge pattern to the second output state so that the third edge pattern is characterized by a first intensity, the pixels with the second output state in the first edge pattern being offset relative to the pixels with the second output state in the third edge pattern; setting a second selected number of pixels in the second edge pattern to the second output state so that the second edge pattern is characterized by a second intensity; and setting a second selected number of pixels in the fourth edge pattern to the second output state so that the fourth edge pattern is characterized by a second intensity, the second selected number of pixels being different than the first selected number of pixels and the first intensity being different from the second intensity.

Claim 3

A method for constructing a first group of edge patterns for use on a first edge in an image and a second group of edge patterns for use on a second edge in the image, each edge pattern being divided into at least two equal portions of pixels with n pixels in each portion, each of the pixels possessing a selected one of at least a first output state and a second output state, said method comprising the steps of: providing first and second edge patterns to the first group of edge patterns and third and fourth edge patterns to the second group of edge patterns; setting a first selected number of pixels in the first edge pattern to the second output state; setting a first selected number of pixels in the third edge pattern to the second output state, the pixels with the second output state in the first edge pattern being offset relative to the pixels with the second output state in the third edge pattern; setting a second selected number of pixels in the second edge pattern to the second output state; setting a second selected number of pixels in the fourth edge pattern to the second output state, the second selected number of pixels being different than the first selected number of pixels; and wherein each of said setting steps includes setting the pixels in a manner which causes the second output state to occur periodically along each edge.

Claim 4

A method for constructing a first group of edge patterns for use on a first edge in an image and a second group of edge patterns for use on a second edge in the image, each edge pattern being divided into at least two equal portions of pixels with n pixels in each portion, each of the pixels possessing a selected one of at least a first output state and a second output state, said method comprising the steps of: providing first and second edge patterns to the first group of edge patterns and third and fourth edge patterns to the second group of edge patterns; setting a first selected number of pixels in the first edge pattern to the second output state; setting a first selected number of pixels in the third edge pattern to the second output state, the pixels with the second output state in the first edge pattern being offset relative to the pixels with the second output state in the third edge pattern; setting a second selected number of pixels in the second edge pattern to the second output state; setting a second selected number of pixels in the fourth edge pattern to the second output state, the second selected number of pixels being different than the first selected number of pixels; and wherein each of said setting steps includes setting the pixels in a manner which causes the second output state to occur periodically along each edge.

Claim 15

A method for at least partially superposing an edge of a first object with the edge of a second object in a system for displaying at least the first and second objects against a background with the objects and the background being defined by a plurality of pixels, each pixel possessing a selected one of at least a first output state and a second output state, comprising the steps of: setting a first set of pixels disposed along the edge of the first object to the second output state; at least some of the pixels in the first set being spaced with respect to one another; setting a second set of pixels disposed along the edge of the second graphic object to the second output state, and at least some of the pixels in the second set being spaced with respect to one another; and superposing the edge of the first object with the edge of the second object so that the first set of pixels is intermeshed with the second set of pixels to form a partial pixel boundary between the first object and the second boundary.

Claim 16

A method for at least partially superposing an edge of a first object with the edge of a second object in a system for displaying at least the first and second objects against a background with the objects and the background being defined by a plurality of pixels, each pixel possessing a selected one of at least a first output state and a second output state, comprising the steps of: setting a first set of pixels disposed along the edge of the first object to the second output state; at least some of the pixels in the first set being spaced with respect to one another; setting a second set of pixels disposed along the edge of the second graphic object to the second output state, and at least some of the pixels in the second set being spaced with respect to one another; and superposing the edge of the first object with the edge of the second object so that the first set of pixels is intermeshed with the second set of pixels to form a partial pixel boundary between the first object and the second boundary.

Claim 21

A method for reducing aliasing along an edge of an object, the edge including first, second and third pixels being positioned substantially adjacent one another along a common axis, said method comprising the steps of: dividing each of the first, second and third pixels into respective first, second and third grids, each of the grids comprising a matrix of n×n subpixels, each subpixel possessing a selected one of at least a first output state and a second output state; providing an edge pattern of n subpixels, c of the n subpixels in the edge pattern being set to the second output state; setting d subpixels in the first and second grids to the second output state so that respective edges are formed by the d subpixels in the first and second grids; setting e subpixels in the third grid to the second output state; and using the edge pattern for setting c subpixels along the edge in the second grid to the second output state so that the second pixel serves as a transitional pixel between the first pixel and the third pixel to facilitate antialiasing.

Claim 22

A method for reducing aliasing along an edge of an object, the edge including first, second and third pixels being positioned substantially adjacent one another along a common axis, said method comprising the steps of: dividing each of the first, second and third pixels into respective first, second and third grids, each of the grids comprising a matrix of n×n subpixels, each subpixel possessing a selected one of at least a first output state and a second output state; providing an edge pattern of n subpixels, c of the n subpixels in the edge pattern being set to the second output state; setting d subpixels in the first and second grids to the second output state so that respective edges are formed by the d subpixels in the first and second grids; setting e subpixels in the third grid to the second output state; and using the edge pattern for setting c subpixels along the edge in the second grid to the second output state so that the second pixel serves as a transitional pixel between the first pixel and the third pixel to facilitate antialiasing.