Method and system for displaying an image at a desired level of opacity
US6104377A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 30, 1998 |
| Grant date | Aug 15, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 30, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T11/00
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Displaying an image at a particular level of opacity on a pixel-oriented output device by selecting a dithered pattern corresponding to the desired opacity level. The image is divided into tiles of a predetermined pixel width and height. The dither pattern comprises a predetermined number of bits, each bit corresponding to a pixel in a tile. When a bit in the dither pattern is set to a binary 1 value, the corresponding pixel is displayed opaque. In contrast, if a bit in the dither pattern is set to a binary 0 pattern, the corresponding bit is displayed transparent. The pixels in each tile in a row are displayed according to the dither pattern. A new dither pattern is then created by shifting the dither pattern by a random number of bits. The pixels of another row are displayed according to the new dither pattern. New dither patterns can be created for each row in the image, thereby generating an image having a desired opacity level.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.