System and method for sequencing media objects

• US 20050104886A1
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Wireless Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Rao, Sumita
• Granted Patent: US 7,593,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents

Abstract

A method of displaying a long animation is provided. The animation is defined in an animation file, which identifies a set of images that form the animation when sequentially displayed. A batch processor segments the set of images into sequential subsets, with each subset sized smaller than a maximum size. In this way, all of the images identified in a particular subset may be loaded into memory. Each subset of images is associated with a respective segment identifier, and an instruction is provided along with the images to order the subsets. In this way, a first subset of images provides for the loading of a second subset of images, thereby enabling the display of long animations.

Claims

1. A method for displaying an animation, comprising:

receiving an instruction to display an animation, the animation comprising a plurality of images ordered for sequential display;

retrieving an animation file responsive to the instruction, the animation file providing an ordering of the images;

determining a first set of the images, which in display order, aggregate to a size less than a maximum size, the first set of images having a final image;

determining a second set of the images, which in display order, aggregate to a size less than a maximum size, an image in the second set being in sequence behind the final image;

generating a first segment file indicative of the first set of images;

generating a second segment file indicative of the second set of images;

associating a callback identifier with the second segment file;

providing the callback identifier along with the first segment file;

loading the first set of images into an animation processor memory according to the first segment file;

displaying sequentially each image in the first set as a first animation segment;

retrieving the callback identifier from the first segment file;

using the callback identifier to load the second set of images into the animation processor according to the second segment file; and

displaying sequentially each image in the second set as a second animation segment.

2. The method for displaying an animation according to claim 1, wherein each of the images are stored as individual graphics files.

3. The method for displaying an animation according to claim 1, wherein the animation file further comprises information indicative of the size of individual ones of the images, and the size information is used in determining the first set of images.

4. The method for displaying an animation according to claim 1, wherein the maximum size is set at a number of images.

5. The method for displaying an animation according to claim 1, wherein the maximum size is set at a memory size.

6. The method for displaying an animation according to claim 1, wherein the maximum size is generated responsive to an inquiry regarding available memory.

7. The method for displaying an animation according to claim 1, wherein the first segment file provides a file identifier for each of the images in the first set.

8. The method for displaying an animation according to claim 1 wherein the associating step includes using the callback identifier as a name for the second segment file.

9. The method for displaying an animation according to claim 1 wherein the associating step includes placing the callback identifier as data in the second segment file.

10. The method for displaying an animation according to claim 1 wherein providing the callback identifier includes using the callback identifier as part of a name for the first segment file.

11. The method for displaying an animation according to claim 1 wherein providing the callback identifier includes placing the callback identifier as data in the first segment file.

12. The method for displaying an animation according to claim 1 wherein the second set of images are being loaded into the animation processor while the images in the first set are being displayed.

13. A method of generating animation segment files, comprising:

receiving an animation file that identifies and orders a set of images;

dividing the set of images into sequential subsets of images, each subset smaller than a maximum size and indicative of an animation segment;

associating a subset identifier with each respective subset;

associating an action instruction with each respective segment; and

wherein the action instruction associated with one subset identifies another one of the subsets.

14. The method of generating animation segment files according to claim 13, wherein the maximum size is set to a number of images.

15. The method of generating animation segment files according to claim 13, wherein the maximum size is set to a memory size.

16. The method of generating animation segment files according to claim 13, wherein an action instruction is used to identify the last subset.

17. A method of displaying an animation, comprising:

receiving an instruction to display the animation, the animation comprising a set of sequential images;

retrieving a first segment file, the first segment file identifying a first subset of the images;

loading the first subset of images and sequentially displaying the images in the first subset of images;

extracting a callback instruction using the first segment file, the callback instruction identifying a second segment file;

retrieving the second segment file, the second segment file identifying a second subset of the images; and

loading the second subset of images and sequentially displaying the images in the second subset of images.

18. The method of displaying an animation according to claim 17, wherein loading the second subset is initiated before all the images in the first subset have been displayed.

19. The method of displaying an animation according to claim 17, further including generating a release-memory instruction after displaying the images in the first subset of images, and releasing the memory holding the images in the first subset of images.

20. A set of animation segment files, in computer readable format, comprising:

a first segment file identifying a first subset of images;

a callback instruction associated with the first segment file;

a second segment file identifying a second subset of images;

a file identifier associated with the second segment file; and

wherein the callback instruction is indicative of the file identifier.

21. The set of animation segment files according to claim 20, further comprising:

a third segment file identifying a third subset of images;

an action instruction associated with the third segment file; and

wherein the action instruction indicates the third segment file is the last segment file.

22. The set of animation segment files according to claim 20, further including a graphics file storing the first subset of images and the second subset of images.

23. The set of animation segment files according to claim 20, further including a plurality of graphics file storing the first subset of images and the second subset of images.

24. A method for sequencing a plurality of media objects into a presentation, comprising:

receiving a media file providing an ordering of the media objects so that a first one of the media objects is presented before a second one of the media objects;

associating a callback identifier with the second media object;

providing the callback identifier along with the first media object;

loading the first media object into a media processor memory presenting the first media object;

retrieving the callback identifier that was provided along with the first media object;

using the callback identifier to load the second media object into the media processor memory; and

presenting the second media object.

25. The method for sequencing according to claim 24, wherein at least one of the media objects is a sound file and at least another one of the media objects is an animation file.

26. The method for sequencing according to claim 24, wherein all the media objects are sound files.

27. The method for sequencing according to claim 24, wherein all the media objects are image files.

28. The method for sequencing according to claim 24, further including a third one of the media objects, the third media object having an action instruction indicative of a duration to present the third media object.

29. The method for sequencing according to claim 24, wherein the first media object has an action instruction for loading and presenting a third one of the media objects, the third media object being presented concurrently with the first media object.

30. The method for sequencing according to claim 29, wherein the third media object continues to be presented after the second media object has started to be presented.