System and method of converting edge record based graphics to polygon based graphics

• US 7,999,805 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2009
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Whatmough, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): BROOME, SAID A
• Application Number:
  US12/403,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20090167765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/420
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 9/00 Image coding bandwidth or redundancy reduction for static pictures H04N1/41; coding or decoding of static colour picture signals H04N1/64; methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/00

Abstract

A method and graphics converter for converting edge record based graphics to polygon based graphics is provided. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a method for converting graphic object data that defines a graphic object for delivery to wireless devices connected to a wireless communications network, the method comprising: converting the graphic object data from a path format to a second format, the path format including path elements that are each associated with a fill style and define one or more polygon shapes at least partially filled with the associated fill style, the path elements collectively defining the graphic object; converting the graphic object data from the path format to a second format, the converting including: redefining the polygon shapes defined by the path elements as groups of triangles; and combining at least some triangles in the groups of triangles into further polygon shapes that fall within complexity thresholds based on predetermined capabilities of a wireless device to which the converted graphic object data will be delivered.

Claims

1. A method for converting graphic object data that defines a graphic object for delivery to wireless devices connected to a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

converting, by a graphic format conversion system on a computer, the graphic object data from a path format to a second format, the path format including path elements that are each associated with a fill style and define one or more polygon shapes, each polygon shape at least partially filled with the associated fill style, the path elements collectively defining the graphic object,

the converting including;

redefining the polygon shapes defined by the path elements as groups of triangles; and

combining at least some triangles in the groups of triangles into further polygon shapes that fall within complexity thresholds based on predetermined capabilities of a wireless device to which the converted graphic object data will be delivered.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the converted graphic object data in the second format to the wireless device over the wireless communications network for display thereon.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to converting the graphic object data from the path format to a second format, converting first graphic object data defining the graphic object from an edge record based format to the path format, the edge record based format including a plurality of edge records each defining an edge of the graphic object, the edge records including information associating the defined edges with fill styles that the edges border against.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first converting step includes:

for each fill style, identifying from the edge records each unique vertex that borders on the fill style and identifying each of the outgoing edges from the identified vertices that border on the fill style; and

for each fill style, creating the associated path element, based on the identified vertices and outgoing edges.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the path format is a Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) compatible format.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the edge record based format is an edge record based flash file format.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the edge record based format is SWF and the path format is Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) format.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second format graphic object data includes information defining the further polygons.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the complexity thresholds are selected so that the further polygons each have a continuous interior fill style region without internal island contours.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the complexity thresholds are selected so that the further polygons each have only convex vertices.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the complexity thresholds are selected so that the further polygons each have under a predetermined number of sides.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the complexity thresholds are selected so that the further polygons are each simple polygons.

13. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable instructions for converting graphic object data that defines a graphic object in accordance with the method of claim 1.

14. A computer comprising:

a processor;

a memory having stored thereon a graphics converter for converting graphic object data defining a graphic object having associated fill styles from a path format to a second format, the path format including path elements that are each associated with a fill style and define one or more polygon shapes, each polygon shape at least partially filled with the associated fill style, the path elements collectively defining the graphic object, the graphics converter comprising;

a triangulation module for redefining the polygon shapes defined by the path elements as groups of triangles; and

a combining module for combining at least some of triangles in the groups of triangles into further polygon shapes that fall within complexity thresholds based on predetermined capabilities of a wireless device to which the converted graphic object data will be delivered.

15. The computer of claim 14, further comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting the converted vector graphics data in the second format to the wireless device over the wireless communications network for display thereon.

16. The computer of claim 14, wherein the graphics converter further comprises:

a first format converter for converting initial graphic object data defining the graphic object from an edge record based format to the path format, the edge record based format including a plurality of edge records each defining an edge of the graphic object, the edge records including information associating the defined edges with fill styles that the edges border against, the first format converter including;

a first sub-converter for identifying each unique fill style in the edge record based format initial graphic object data, and for each identified unique fill style, identifying from the edge records each unique vertex that borders on the fill style and identifying each of the outgoing edges from the identified vertices that border on the fill style; and

a second sub-converter for creating the associated path element, based on the identified vertices and outgoing edges, for each identified unique fill style.

17. The computer of claim 16, wherein the complexity thresholds are configured so that the further polygons each are selected from the group consisting of polygons that have a continuous interior fill style region without internal island contours, polygons that have only convex vertices, polygons that have under a predetermined number of sides, polygons that are simple polygons, or any combination thereof.

18. The computer of claim 14, wherein the second format graphic object data includes information defining the further polygons.

19. The computer of claim 16, wherein the edge record based format is SWF and the path format is Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) format.