Method and system for streaming documents, e-mail attachments and maps to wireless devices

• US 20060103665A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synchronica PLC (Myriad Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Synchronica PLC (Myriad Group AG)
• Inventors: Ziegler, Rudy, Opala, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,878,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/04 Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller

Abstract

A method for streaming vector images to wireless devices, including receiving a request from a wireless device for a portion of a vector image and a target display width and height, the vector image including a plurality of vector primitives, determining which of the vector primitives are positioned so as to overlap the requested portion, clipping the overlapping vector primitives with the portion, and transmitting the clipped vector primitives that overlap the portion. A system and a computer readable storage medium are also described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method for streaming vector images to wireless devices, comprising:

receiving a request from a wireless device for a portion of a vector image and a target display width and height, the vector image including a plurality of vector primitives;

determining which of the vector primitives are positioned so as to overlap the requested portion;

clipping the overlapping vector primitives with the portion; and

transmitting the clipped vector primitives that overlap the portion.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the requested portion is a rectangular portion.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the requested portion is a non-rectangular portion.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the non-rectangular portion is a polygonal portion.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the non-rectangular portion is a circular portion.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the non-rectangular portion is an elliptical portion.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein vector primitives have associated therewith a range of magnification levels for visibility, wherein the requested portion and the target display width and height correspond to a level of magnification for display, and wherein said transmitting transmits vector primitives for which their associated range of magnification levels for visibility includes the level of magnification for display.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the vector image also includes a display order for the vector primitives, and wherein said determining determines an induced display order for the vector primitives that are positioned so as to overlap the requested portion, and wherein said transmitting transmits the induced display order.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating, for each tile region from among a plurality of tile regions of the vector image, a list of the vector primitives that are positioned so as to overlap such tile region, and wherein said determining uses the lists to determine the vector primitives that are positioned so as to overlap the requested portion.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein vector primitives include points, and wherein said determining determines whether a point is positioned inside of the requested portion.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein vector primitives include line segments, and wherein said determining determines whether a line segment cuts through the requested portion.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein vector primitives include curves, and wherein said determining determines whether a curve cuts through the requested portion.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein vector primitives include Bezier curves.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein vector primitives include circular arcs.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein vector primitives include elliptical arcs.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein vector primitives include areas, and wherein said determining determines whether an area intersects the requested portion.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein vector primitives include polygonal areas.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein vector primitives include circular areas.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein vector primitives include elliptical areas.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein vector primitives include alphanumeric fonts, and wherein said determining determines whether an alphanumeric font is positioned so as to overlap the requested portion.

21. A method for streaming vector images to wireless devices, comprising:

receiving a request from a wireless device for a portion of a vector image and a target display width and height, the vector image comprising a plurality of vector primitives;

determining, for each vector primitive that is positioned so as to overlap the requested portion, the clipped vector primitive when such vector primitive is clipped with the requested portion;

further determining if the data required to specify the clipped vector primitives requires more bytes than a threshold byte size; and

if said further determining is affirmative, then;

rasterizing the requested portion of the vector image to generate a raster image portion; and

transmitting the raster image portion;

else;

transmitting the clipped vector primitives.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the requested portion is a rectangular portion.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the requested portion is a non-rectangular portion.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the non-rectangular portion is a polygonal portion.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the non-rectangular portion is a circular portion.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the non-rectangular portion is an elliptical portion.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein the threshold byte size is based on a specified number of bits per pixel.

28. The method of claim 21 wherein the threshold byte size is based on the level of magnification corresponding to the requested portion and the display width and height.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein the threshold byte size is based on the dimensions of the portion.

30. A system for streaming vector images to wireless devices, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a request from a wireless device for a portion of a vector image and a target display width and height, the vector image comprising a plurality of vector primitives;

a graphics processor for;

(i) determining which of the vector primitives are positioned so as to overlap the requested portion; and

(ii) clipping the overlapping vector primitives with the portion; and

a transmitter for transmitting the clipped vector primitives that overlap the portion.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the requested portion is a rectangular portion.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the requested portion is a non-rectangular portion.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the non-rectangular portion is a polygonal portion.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein the non-rectangular portion is a circular portion.

35. The system of claim 32 wherein the non-rectangular portion is an elliptical portion.

36. The system of claim 30 wherein vector primitives have associated therewith a range of magnification levels for visibility, wherein the requested portion and the target display width and height correspond to a level of magnification for display, and wherein said transmitter transmits vector primitives for which their associated range of magnification levels for visibility include the level of magnification for display.

37. The system of claim 30 wherein the vector image also includes a display order, and wherein said graphics processor determines an induced display order for the vector primitives that are positioned so as to overlap the requested portion, and wherein said transmitter transmits the induced display order.

38. The system of claim 30 wherein said graphics processor generates, for each tile region from among a plurality of tile regions of the vector image, a list of the vector primitives that are positioned so as to overlap the tile region, and wherein said graphics processor uses the lists to determine the vector primitives that are positioned so as to overlap the requested portion.

39. The system of claim 30 wherein vector primitives include points, and wherein said graphics processor determines whether a point is positioned inside of the requested portion.

40. The system of claim 30 wherein vector primitives include line segments, and wherein said graphics processor determines whether a line segment cuts through the requested portion.

41. The system of claim 30 wherein vector primitives include curves, and wherein said graphics processor determines whether a curve cuts through the requested portion.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein vector primitives include Bezier curves.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein vector primitives include circular arcs.

44. The system of claim 41 wherein vector primitives include elliptical arcs.

45. The system of claim 30 wherein vector primitives include areas, and wherein said graphics processor determines whether an area intersects the requested portion.

46. The system of claim 45 wherein vector primitives include polygonal areas.

47. The system of claim 45 wherein vector primitives include circular areas.

48. The system of claim 45 wherein vector primitives include elliptical areas.

49. The system of claim 30 wherein vector primitives include alphanumeric fonts, and wherein said graphics processor determines whether an alphanumeric font is positioned so as to overlap the requested portion.

50. A system for streaming vector images to wireless devices, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a request from a wireless device for a portion of a vector image and a target display width and height, the vector image comprising a plurality of vector primitives;

a graphics processor coupled to said receiver for;

(i) determining, for each vector primitive that is positioned so as to overlap the requested rectangular portion, the clipped vector primitive when such vector primitive is clipped with the requested portion;

(ii) further determining if the data required to specify the clipped vector primitives requires more bytes than a threshold byte size; and

(iii) if the further determining is affirmative, then rasterizing the requested portion of the vector image to generate a raster image portion; and

a transmitter coupled to said graphics processor for transmitting the raster image portion or the clipped vector images, based on whether or not said further determining is affirmative, respectively.

51. The system of claim 50 wherein the requested portion is a rectangular portion.

52. The system of claim 50 wherein the requested portion is a non-rectangular portion.

53. The system of claim 52 wherein the non-rectangular portion is a polygonal portion.

54. The system of claim 52 wherein the non-rectangular portion is a circular portion.

55. The system of claim 52 wherein the non-rectangular portion is an elliptical portion.

56. The system of claim 50 wherein the threshold byte size is based on a specified number of bits per pixel.

57. The system of claim 50 wherein the threshold byte size is based on the level of magnification corresponding to the requested portion and the display width and height.

58. The system of claim 50 wherein the threshold byte size is based on the dimensions of the rectangular portion.

59. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving a request from a wireless device for a portion of a vector image and a target display width and height, the vector image including a plurality of vector primitives;

determining which of the vector primitives are positioned so as to overlap the requested portion;

clipping the overlapping vector primitives with the portion; and

transmitting the clipped vector primitives that overlap the portion.

60. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving a request from a wireless device for a portion of a vector image and a target display width and height, the vector image comprising a plurality of vector primitives;

determining, for each vector primitive that is positioned so as to overlap the requested portion, the clipped vector primitive when such vector primitive is clipped with the requested portion;

further determining if the data required to specify the clipped vector primitives requires more bytes than a threshold byte size; and

if said further determining is affirmative, then;

rasterizing the requested rectangular portion of the vector image to generate a raster image portion; and

transmitting the raster image portion;

else;

transmitting the clipped vector primitives.

61. A method for pre-processing a vector image, comprising:

receiving data for a vector image, the vector image data including a list of descriptions of global vector objects that can be rasterized for display at arbitrary levels of resolution;

for each local region from among a plurality of local rectangular regions of the vector image, the local rectangular regions being associated with levels of resolution, determining local vector objects that correspond to intersections of global vector objects with such local region; and

for each local region from among the plurality of local rectangular regions, storing descriptions of its local vector objects within a computer memory.

62. The method of claim 61 wherein the plurality of local rectangular regions correspond to tiles within partitions of an image, for multiple partitions ranging from a relatively fine to a relatively coarse partition, each partition corresponding to a level of resolution.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein global vector objects are specified in terms of attributes, the attributes including an optional designator for levels of resolution at which a global vector object should be visible within the vector image, and wherein the local vector objects for a local rectangular portion include only intersections of those global vector objects that are to be visible at the level of resolution corresponding to the local rectangular region.

64. The method of claim 61 wherein global vector objects and local vector objects are specified in terms of attributes, the attributes including inter alia a color, a style and at least one control point.

65. The method of claim 61 further comprising eliminating duplicate local vector objects prior to said storing.

66. The method of claim 61 further comprising specifying a local vector object of a local rectangular region as a single pixel, if the local vector object is confined within a single pixel for the level of resolution corresponding to the local rectangular region.

67. The method of claim 61 wherein the vector image is a document.

68. The method of claim 61 wherein the vector image is a map.

69. A method for pre-processing vector images, comprising:

receiving data for a plurality of vector images, the plurality of vector images corresponding to an animation sequence, and the data for each vector image including a list of descriptions of global vector objects that can be rasterized for display at arbitrary levels of resolution;

for each local region from among a plurality of local rectangular regions of the first vector image, the local rectangular regions being associated with levels of resolution, determining local vector objects that correspond to intersections of global vector objects of the first vector image with such local region;

recording hash values of the local vector objects within an indexed look-up table;

storing the indexed look-up table within a computer memory;

for at least one successive vector image after the first vector image, and for each local region from among the plurality of local rectangular regions, determining local vector objects that correspond to intersections of global vector objects of such successive vector image with such local region;

determining which of the local vector objects for the successive vector image are already stored in the look-up table;

for those local vector objects that are already stored in the look-up table, storing their look-up table index within a computer memory; and

for those local vector objects that are not already stored in the look-up table, storing descriptions of the local vector objects within the computer memory.

70. The method of claim 69 further comprising periodically updating the indexed look-up table for vector images designated as key images.

71. A system for pre-processing a vector image, comprising:

a vector image processor that pre-processes vector image data, the vector image data including a list of descriptions of global vector objects that can be rasterized for display at arbitrary levels of resolution, comprising;

a local vector object generator that determines, for each local region from among a plurality of local rectangular regions of the vector image, the local rectangular region being associated with levels of resolution, local vector objects that correspond to intersections of global vector objects with such local region; and

a data recorder that stores descriptions of the local vector objects within a computer memory, for each local portion.

72. The system of claim 71 wherein the plurality of local rectangular regions correspond to tiles within a partition of an image, for multiple partitions ranging from a relatively fine to a relatively coarse partition, each partition corresponding to a level of resolution.

73. The system of claim 72 wherein global vector objects are specified in terms of attributes, the attributes including an optional designator for levels of resolution at which a global vector object should be visible within the vector image, and wherein the local vector objects for a local rectangular region include only intersections of those global vector objects that are to be visible at the level of resolution corresponding to the local rectangular region.

74. The system of claim 71 wherein global vector objects and local vector objects are specified in terms of attributes, the attributes including inter alia a color, a style and at least one control point.

75. The system of claim 71 wherein said data recorder eliminates duplicate local vector objects prior to said storing.

76. The system of claim 71 wherein said local vector object generator specifies a local vector object of a local rectangular region as a single pixel, if the local vector object is confined within a single pixel for the level of resolution corresponding to the local rectangular region.

77. The system of claim 71 wherein the vector image is a document.

78. The system of claim 71 wherein the vector image is a map.

79. A system for pre-processing vector images, comprising:

a vector image processor that pre-processes data for a plurality of vector images, the plurality of vector images corresponding to an animation sequence, and the data for each vector image including a list of descriptions of global vector objects that can be rasterized for display at arbitrary levels of resolution;

a local vector object generator that;

(i) determines, for each local region from among a plurality of local rectangular regions of the first vector image, the local rectangular regions corresponding to levels of resolution, local vector objects that correspond to intersections of global vector objects of the first vector image with such local region; and

(ii) determines, for at least one successive vector image after the first vector image, and for each local region from among the plurality of local rectangular regions, local vector objects that correspond to intersections of global vector objects of such successive vector image with such local region;

a look-up table generator that records hash values of the local vector objects within an indexed look-up table; and

a data recorder that;

(i) stores the indexed look-up table within a computer memory;

(ii) determines which of the local vector objects for the successive vector image are already stored in the look-up table;

(iii) for those local vector objects that are already stored in the look-up table, stores their look-up table index within a computer memory; and

(iv) for those local vector objects that are not already stored in the look-up table, stores descriptions of the local vector objects within the computer memory.

80. The system of claim 79 further wherein said local vector object generator and said look-up table generator periodically update the indexed look-up table for vector images designated as key images.

81. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving data for a vector image, the vector image data including a list of descriptions of global vector objects that can be rasterized for display at arbitrary levels of resolution;

for each local region from among a plurality of local rectangular regions of the vector image, the local rectangular regions being associated with levels of resolution, determining local vector objects that correspond to intersections of global vector objects with such local region; and

for each local region from among the plurality of local rectangular regions, storing descriptions of its local vector objects within a computer memory.

82. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving data for a plurality of vector images, the plurality of vector images corresponding to an animation sequence, and the data for each vector image including a list of descriptions of global vector objects that can be rasterized for display at arbitrary levels of resolution;

for each local region from among a plurality of local rectangular regions of the first vector image, the local rectangular regions being associated with levels of resolution, determining local vector objects that correspond to intersections of global vector objects of the first vector image with such local portion;

recording hash values of the local vector objects within an indexed look-up table;

storing the indexed look-up table within a computer memory;

for at least one successive vector image after the first vector image, and for each local region from among the plurality of local rectangular regions, determining local vector objects that correspond to intersections of global vector objects of such successive vector image with such local region;

determining which of the local vector objects for the successive vector image are already stored in the look-up table;

for those local vector objects that are already stored in the look-up table, storing their look-up table index within a computer memory; and

for those local vector objects that are not already stored in the look-up table, storing descriptions of the local vector objects within the computer memory.

83. A method for streaming a vector image to a client computer, comprising:

accessing a pre-processed vector image that was generated from a vector image, the pre-processed vector image including a plurality of local rectangular regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the local rectangular regions;

receiving a request from a user of a client computer for a desired portion of the vector image, for display at a desired pixel display resolution;

identifying at least one local rectangular region from among the plurality of local rectangular regions of the pre-processed vector image, which is appropriate for generating the desired portion of the vector image at the desired display resolution; and

transmitting the local vector objects associated with the at least one local rectangular region to the client computer.

84. The method of claim 83 wherein said transmitting bundles local vector objects in packets that can be sent within a single network request.

85. A method for streaming a vector image to a client computer, comprising:

accessing a pre-processed vector image that was generated from a vector image, the pre-processed vector image including a plurality of local rectangular regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the local rectangular regions;

receiving a request from a user of a client computer for a desired portion of the vector image, for display at a desired pixel display resolution;

identifying at least one local rectangular region from among the plurality of local rectangular regions of the pre-processed vector image, which is appropriate for generating the desired portion of the vector image at the desired display resolution;

generating the desired portion of the vector image at the desired display resolution, from the local vector objects associated with the at least one local rectangular region; and

transmitting the desired portion of the vector image to the client computer.

86. A method for streaming a vector image to a client computer, comprising:

accessing a pre-processed vector image that was generated from a vector image, the pre-processed vector image including a plurality of local rectangular regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the local rectangular regions;

receiving a request from a user of a client computer designating at least one rectangular region, from among the plurality of local rectangular portions; and

transmitting the local vector objects associated with the at least one local rectangular region to the client computer.

87. The method of claim 86 wherein said transmitting bundles local vector objects in packets that can be sent within a single network request.

88. A method for interactively viewing a vector image, comprising:

indicating a request for a desired portion of a vector image, for display at a specified resolution;

determining local rectangular regions of a pre-processed vector image that was generated from the vector image, from among a plurality of local rectangular regions, that are appropriate for generating the desired portion of the vector image therefrom, wherein the pre-processed vector image includes a plurality of local rectangular regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the local rectangular regions;

requesting at least one rectangular region of the pre-processed vector image from a server computer;

receiving local vector objects associated with the requested at least one rectangular region of the pre-processed vector image from the server computer; and

generating the desired portion of the vector image using the received local vector objects.

89. The method of claim 88 wherein said receiving comprises:

receiving local vector objects bundled in packets within a single network request; and

unpacking the packets to extract the local vector objects.

90. The method of claim 88 further comprising storing local vector objects in a vector object cache, and wherein said requesting only requests local rectangular portions if their associated local vector objects do not reside in the vector object cache.

91. A system for streaming a vector image to a client computer, comprising:

a receiver that receives a request from a user of a client computer for a desired portion of a vector image, for display at a desired pixel display resolution;

a vector image adapter that;

(i) accesses a pre-processed vector image that was generated from the vector image, the pre-processed vector image including a plurality of local rectangular regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the local rectangular regions; and

(ii) identifies at least one local rectangular region from among the plurality of local rectangular regions of the pre-processed vector image, which is appropriate for generating the desired portion of the vector image at the desired display resolution; and

a transmitter that transmits the local vector objects associated with the at least one local rectangular region to the client computer.

92. The system of claim 91 wherein said transmitter bundles local vector objects in packets that can be sent within a single network request.

93. A system for streaming a vector image to a client computer, comprising:

a receiver that receives a request from a user of a client computer for a desired portion of a vector image, for display at a desired pixel display resolution;

a vector image adapter that;

(i) accesses a pre-processed vector image that was generated from the vector image, the pre-processed vector image including a plurality of local rectangular regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the local rectangular regions; and

(ii) identifies at least one local rectangular region from among the plurality of local rectangular regions of the pre-processed vector image, which is appropriate for generating the desired portion of the vector image at the desired display resolution;

a vector image processor that generates the desired portion of the vector image at the desired display resolution, from the local vector objects associated with the at least one local rectangular region; and

a transmitter that transmits the desired portion of the vector image to the client computer.

94. A system for streaming a vector image to a client computer, comprising:

a receiver that receives a request from a user of a client computer designating at least one rectangular region, from among a plurality of local rectangular regions;

a vector image adaptor that accesses a pre-processed vector image that was generated from a vector image, the pre-processed vector image including a plurality of local rectangular regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the local rectangular regions; and

a transmitter that transmits the local vector objects associated with the at least one local rectangular region to the client computer.

95. The system of claim 94 wherein said transmitter bundles local vector objects in packets that can be sent within a single network request.

96. A system for interactively viewing a vector image, comprising:

a user interface that interprets a request for a desired portion of a vector image, for display at a specified resolution;

a transmitter that requests at least one rectangular region of a pre-processed vector image from a server computer, the pre-processed vector image having been generated from the vector image, the pre-processed image including a plurality of local rectangular regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the local rectangular regions;

a receiver that receives local vector objects associated with the requested at least one rectangular region of the pre-processed vector image from the server computer; and

a vector image processor that;

(i) determines local rectangular regions of the pre-processed vector image, from among the plurality of local rectangular regions, that are appropriate for generating the desired portion of the vector image therefrom; and

(ii) generates the desired portion of the vector image using the received local vector objects.

97. The system of claim 96 wherein said receiver receives local vector objects bundled in packets within a single network request, and unpacks the packets to extract the local vector objects.

98. The system of claim 96 further comprising a vector object cache that stores local vector objects, and wherein said transmitter only requests local rectangular portions if their associated local vector objects do not reside in the vector object cache.

99. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

accessing a pre-processed vector image that was generated from a vector image, the pre-processed vector image including a plurality of local rectangular regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the local rectangular regions;

receiving a request from a user of a client computer for a desired portion of the vector image, for display at a desired pixel display resolution;

identifying at least one local rectangular region from among the plurality of local rectangular regions of the pre-processed vector image, which is appropriate for generating the desired portion of the vector image at the desired display resolution; and

transmitting the local vector objects associated with the at least one local rectangular region to the client computer.

100. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

accessing a pre-processed vector image that was generated from a vector image, the pre-processed vector image including a plurality of local rectangular regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the local rectangular regions;

receiving a request from a user of a client computer for a desired portion of the vector image, for display at a desired pixel display resolution;

identifying at least one local rectangular region from among the plurality of local rectangular regions of the pre-processed vector image, which is appropriate for generating the desired portion of the vector image at the desired display resolution;

generating the desired portion of the vector image at the desired display resolution, from the local vector objects associated with the at least one local rectangular region; and

transmitting the desired portion of the vector image to the client computer.

101. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

accessing a pre-processed vector image that was generated from a vector image, the pre-processed vector image including a plurality of local rectangular regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the local rectangular regions;

receiving a request from a user of a client computer designating at least one rectangular region, from among the plurality of local rectangular regions; and

transmitting the local vector objects associated with the at least one local rectangular region to the client computer.

102. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

indicating a request for a desired portion of a vector image, for display at a specified resolution;

determining local rectangular regions of a pre-processed vector image that was generated from the vector image, from among a plurality of local rectangular regions, that are appropriate for generating the desired portion of the vector image therefrom, wherein the pre-processed vector image includes a plurality of local rectangular regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the local rectangular regions;

requesting at least one rectangular region of the pre-processed vector image from a server computer;

receiving local vector objects associated with the requested at least one rectangular region of the pre-processed vector image from the server computer; and

generating the desired portion of the vector image using the received local vector objects.

103. A method for interactively viewing a vector animation sequence, comprising:

receiving an indexed look-up table that stores a plurality of local vector objects associated with tile regions of a first vector image;

indicating a request for a desired portion of a second vector image, for display at a specified resolution;

determining tile regions of a pre-processed vector image that was generated from the second vector image, from among a plurality of tile regions, that are appropriate for generating the desired portion of the second vector image therefrom, wherein the pre-processed vector image includes a plurality of tile regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the tile regions;

requesting at least one tile region of the pre-processed vector image from a server computer;

receiving local vector objects and local vector object indices associated with the requested at least one tile region of the pre-processed vector image from the server computer;

extracting local vector objects from the indexed look-up table according to the local vector object indices received from the server computer; and

generating the desired portion of the second vector image using the received local vector objects and the extracted local vector objects.

104. A system for interactively viewing a vector animation sequence, comprising:

a receiver that;

(i) receives an indexed look-up table that stores a plurality of local vector objects associated with tile regions of a first vector image; and

(ii) receives local vector objects and local vector object indices associated with at least one requested tile region of a pre-processed vector image from a server computer, the pre-processed vector image being generated from a second vector image, and the pre-processed vector image including a plurality of tile regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the tile regions;

a vector image adapter that extracts local vector objects from the indexed look-up table according to local vector object indices received from the server computer;

a user interface that indicates a request for a desired portion of the second vector image, for display at a specified resolution;

a vector image processor that;

(i) determines tile regions of the pre-processed vector image that are appropriate for generating the desired portion of the second vector image therefrom; and

(ii) generates the desired portion of the second vector image using the received local vector objects and the extracted local vector objects; and

a transmitter that requests at least one tile region of the pre-processed vector image from the server computer.

105. A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving an indexed look-up table that stores a plurality of local vector objects associated with tile regions of a first vector image;

indicating a request for a desired portion of a second vector image, for display at a specified resolution;

determining tile regions of a pre-processed vector image that was generated from the second vector image, from among a plurality of tile regions, that are appropriate for generating the desired portion of the second vector image therefrom, wherein the pre-processed vector image includes a plurality of tile regions and a plurality of local vector objects, each local vector object being associated with one of the tile regions;

requesting at least one tile region of the pre-processed vector image from a server computer;

receiving local vector objects and local vector object indices associated with the requested at least one tile region of the pre-processed vector image from the server computer;

extracting local vector objects from the indexed look-up table according to the local vector object indices received from the server computer; and

generating the desired portion of the second vector image using the received local vector objects and the extracted local vector objects.