Fast line scan-conversion

A major bottleneck in many graphics displays is the time required to scan-convert straight line segments. Most manufacturers use hardware based on Bresenham's [5] line algorithm. In this paper an algorithm is developed based on the original Bresenham scan-conversion together with the symmetry first noted by Gardner [18] and a recent double-step technique [31]. This results in a speed-up of scan-conversion by a factor of approximately 4 as compared to the original Bresenham algorithm. Hardware implementations are simple and efficient since the property of using only shift and increment operations is preserved.

[1]  Giovanni B Reggiori,et al.  Digital Computer Transformations for Irregular Line-Drawings , 1972 .

[2]  James D. Foley,et al.  Fundamentals of interactive computer graphics , 1982 .

[3]  Jack Bresenham,et al.  Incremental Line Compaction , 1982, Comput. J..

[4]  A. Smeulders,et al.  Discrete straight line segments: parameters, primitives and properties , 1991 .

[5]  Karl M. Guttag,et al.  The Texas Instruments 34010 Graphics System Processor , 1986, IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications.

[6]  M. L. V. Pitteway.  Algorithms of Conic Generation , 1985 .

[7]  Michael L. V. Pitteway,et al.  Algorithm for drawing ellipses or hyperbolae with a digital plotter , 1967, Comput. J..

[8]  Michael L. V. Pitteway,et al.  An Efficient Structural Technique for Encoding 'Best-fit' Straight Lines , 1987, Comput. J..

[9]  Henry Fuchs,et al.  Generating smooth 2-D monocolor line drawings on video displays , 1979, SIGGRAPH '79.

[10]  Jr . Bernard W. Jordan,et al.  An Improved Algorithm forthe Generation ofNonparametric Curves , 1973 .

[11]  Herbert Freeman,et al.  On the Encoding of Arbitrary Geometric Configurations , 1961, IRE Trans. Electron. Comput..

[12]  Xiaolin Wu,et al.  Double-step incremental generation of lines and circles , 1987, Comput. Vis. Graph. Image Process..

[13]  Jack Bresenham,et al.  Algorithm for computer control of a digital plotter , 1965, IBM Syst. J..

[14]  R. Brons,et al.  Linguistic Methods for the Description of a Straight Line on a Grid , 1974, Comput. Graph. Image Process..

[15]  Jack E. Bresenham,et al.  Run Length Slice Algorithm for Incremental Lines , 1985 .

[16]  Yasuhito Suenaga,et al.  A High-Speed Algorithm for the Generation of Straight Lines and Circular Arcs , 1979, IEEE Transactions on Computers.

[17]  Rae A. Earnshaw,et al.  Line Tracking for Incremental Plotters , 1980, Computer/law journal.

[18]  M. L. V. Pitteway,et al.  An Application of Euclid’s Algorithm to Drawing Straight Lines , 1985 .

[19]  Michael L. V. Pitteway,et al.  Bresenham's Algorithm with Run Line Coding Shortcut , 1982, Comput. J..

[20]  Frank Rubin.  Generation of Nonparametric Curves , 1976, IEEE Transactions on Computers.

[21]  Jon G. Rokne,et al.  On Properties of Discretized Convex Curves , 1989, IEEE Trans. Pattern Anal. Mach. Intell..

[22]  Karl Belser,et al.  Comment on "An Improved Algorithm for the Generation of Nonparametric Curves" , 1976, IEEE Trans. Computers.

[23]  M. D. McIlroy,et al.  A note on discrete representation of lines , 1985, AT&T Technical Journal.

[24]  J. Boothroyd,et al.  Exactly Reversible Plotter Paths , 1970, Australian Computer Journal.

[25]  X. Wu,et al.  Double-step generation of ellipses , 1989, IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications.

[26]  Robert F. Sproull,et al.  Using program transformations to derive line-drawing algorithms , 1982, TOGS.

[27]  Per E. Danielsson.  Incremental Curve Generation , 1970, IEEE Transactions on Computers.

[28]  Ernst Piller,et al.  Real-time raster scan unit with improved picture quality , 1980, COMG.