Display placeholders for rich media content

• US 8,392,832 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2010
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Arastafar, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, CONG LAC T
• Application Number:
  US12/701,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20110197126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 715/273, 715/864, 715/201, 715/205
• US Class Current: 715/273
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191

Abstract

Methods, systems, devices, and programming structures for providing temporary substitute placeholder content for rich media content in data sets downloaded to wireless communications devices. The substitute placeholder content may be logically related to the rich content for which it substitutes, and may be displayed in the same relative size and location as the rich content ultimately to be displayed.

Claims

1. A method of displaying data on a display screen of a wireless communications device, the method performed by a display content controller and comprising:

in response to a request for access to display content data representing relatively rich and relatively non-rich media content, determining a relative size and display location of at least one portion of the display content data which represents relatively rich media content;

identifying in memory accessible by the display content controller, substitute placeholder data representing display content that is relatively less rich than the rich media content and has a logical relation to the rich media content; and

providing a substitute display content data set for enabling the wireless communications device to display the non-rich media content and the substitute placeholder data on the display screen, with the substitute placeholder data displayed in the relative size and location of the rich media content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the relatively rich media content to the wireless device after the substitute display content data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the substitute placeholder data is selected from a plurality of placeholder data sets, based at least partly on the logical relation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the substitute placeholder data is stored on the wireless device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the substitute display content data set comprises identifiers useable by the wireless device for accessing separately-stored data sets in displaying the non-rich media content.

6. A method of displaying data on a display screen of a wireless communications device, the method performed by a processor of the wireless communications device and comprising:

upon receipt of a request from the wireless communications device for display content comprising relatively rich and relatively non-rich media content, determining a relative size and display location of at least one portion of the display content which represents relatively rich media content;

identifying, in memory accessible by the processor, substitute placeholder data representing display content that is relatively less rich than the rich media content and has a logical relation to the rich media content; and

causing the display screen to display a substitute display content data set for enabling the wireless communications device to display the non-rich media content and the substitute placeholder data on the display screen, with the substitute placeholder data displayed in the relative size and location of the rich media content.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the substitute placeholder data is identified by the processor from a plurality of placeholder data sets, based at least partly on the logical relation.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the substitute placeholder data is stored on the wireless device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the substitute display content data set comprises identifiers useable by the wireless device for accessing separately-stored data sets in displaying the non-rich media content.

10. A display device for providing data representing content to be displayed on a wireless handheld communications device, the display device comprising:

a controller and memory coupled thereto, said controller configured to

in response to a request received for access to data representing display content comprising rich and non-rich media content, determine a relative size and location of at least one portion of the data which represents rich media content,

indentify in portions of said memory, substitute placeholder data representing display content that is relatively less rich than the rich media content and has a logical relation to the rich media content, and

provide to the wireless device a substitute display content data set for enabling the wireless handheld device to display the non-rich media content and the substitute placeholder data on a display screen, with the substitute placeholder data displayed in the relative size and location of the rich media content.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said controller is configured to provide the relatively rich media content to the wireless device after the substitute display content data.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the substitute placeholder data is selected from a plurality of placeholder data sets, based at least partly on the logical relation.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the substitute placeholder data is stored on the wireless device.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the substitute display content data set comprises identifiers useable by the wireless device for accessing separately-stored data sets in displaying the non-rich media content.

15. A wireless communications device for displaying mixed-media content comprising:

a housing;

a display carried by said housing;

wireless communications circuitry carried by said housing; and

a controller coupled to said display and said wireless communications circuitry, and configured to

provide a request for display of mixed media content,

receive, in response to the request for display of mixed media content, a placeholder data set comprising non-rich media content,

display on said display content represented by the placeholder data set,

receive a data set representing rich content not included in the placeholder data set and having a logical relation to the placeholder data set, and

display the rich content on said display in the same size and relative location as previously-displayed non-rich content received with the placeholder data set.

16. The wireless communications device of claim 15, further comprising a memory coupled to said controller;

and wherein said controller is configured to access placeholder data in said memory, in response to commands provided with the placeholder data set by said controller, and to display the placeholder data with other content provided within the placeholder data set.

17. A wireless communications device for displaying mixed-media content comprising:

a housing;

a display carried by said housing;

wireless communications circuitry carried by said housing;

a controller coupled to said display and said wireless communications circuitry, and configured to

identify a non-rich placeholder data set in response to a request for display of mixed media content,

display on said display content represented by the placeholder data set,

receive a data set representing rich content not included in the placeholder data set and having a logical relation to the placeholder data set, and

display the rich content on said display in the same size and relative location as previously-displayed non-rich content received with the placeholder data set.