Method of adjusting the weight of a character of an outline font

Abstract

Abstract A method is provided that adjusts the weight of a character (10) of an outline font to produce an adjusted character (18), the character (10) and adjusted character (18) being described by collections of control points (14,20) that guide the drawing of line or curve segments (12,26), with each line or curve segment being described by two end control points and each curve segment also being described by at least one middle control point. According to the method, first and second lines (22,24) are determined for each segment (12) of the character (10). The first line (22) is the line defined by the two end control points (14) of the segment, and the second line (24) is the line parallel to the first line (22) and offset from the first line (22) a predetermined distance in a predetermined direction. Next, first intersects (20) are determined for each segment (12) of the character (10). The first intersects (20) are the intersects between the associated second line (24) and the second lines (24) of adjoining character segments. The first intersects (20) are set as the end control points (20) of the associated segment of the adjusted character. Then third and fourth lines (28-1,28-2) and a second intersect (30) are determined for each curve segment (12-2) of the character. The third line is the line (28-1) defined by one end control point (14-2) of the character curve segment (12-2) and the associated end control point (20-2) of the associated adjusted character curve segment (26-2). The fourth line (28-2) is the line defined by the other end control point (14-5) of the character curve segment (12-2) and the associated end control point (20-5) of the associated adjusted character curve segment (26-2). The second intersect (30) is the intersect between the associated third and fourth lines (28-1.28-2). Fifth and sixth lines (32,36) are determined for each middle control point (14-3,14-4) of each curve segment (12-2) of the character. The fifth line (32) is the line defined by the middle control point (14-3,14-4) and the second intersect (30). The sixth line (36) is the line that passes through the adjoining end control point (14-2) of the associated curve segment (26-2) of the adjusted character (18) and that is parallel to a line defined by the character middle control point (14-3) and the adjoining character end control point (14-2). Finally, an associated middle control point (20-3,20-4) of the associated adjusted character (18) is determined for each middle control point (14-3,14-4). The associated middle control point (20-3,20-4) is the intersect between the associated fifth and sixth lines (32,36).

Inventors

• 👤 Chong Qing Cao

Bibliographic Details