Method, apparatus and system for optimizing image rendering on an electronic device

• US 8,499,118 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Martin, Daryl
• Primary Examiner(s): Elmore, Reba I
• Application Number:
  US12/394,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20100217934A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 711/115, 711/154
• US Class Current: 711/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/17306 Intercommunication techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0653 Monitoring storage devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Portable electronic devices typically have reduced computing resources, including reduced screen size. The method, apparatus and system of the present specification provides, amongst other things, an intermediation server configured to access network content that is requested by a portable electronic device and to analyze the content including analyzing images in that content. The intermediation server is further configured to accommodate the computing resources of the portable electronic device as part of fulfilling content requests from the portable electronic device.

Claims

1. A method in an intermediation server for optimizing image rendering on a portable electronic device having a display, said method comprising:

receiving a request for content from said portable electronic device;

accessing said content, said content containing images and associated unmodified image tags each specifying a location and dimensions for a respective one of said images;

analyzing said unmodified image tags associated with said images to determine whether a size of said display can accommodate said images;

generating modified image tags associated with said images, based on display characteristics of said display, said display characteristics including at least said size of said display, said modified image tags specifying modified locations and dimensions for respective images; and

,

sending said modified image tags and said content, excluding said images, to said portable electronic device;

said modified image tags for generating image place holders having said modified locations and dimensions on said display.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating modified images from said images according to image tags;

sending said modified images to said portable electronic device;

said modified images for rendering within said image place holders on said display.

3. The method of claim 1 further wherein said analyzing said images is part of analyzing said content and further comprising rendering said modified images for validation that said image tags are generated according to target specifications for said electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising caching said image tags for subsequent sending to other portable electronic devices having substantially the same hardware characteristics as each other.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said analyzing comprises determining location and sizes of said images within said content.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said analyzing comprises examining unmodified IMG tags within said content associated with said images.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending non-image content to said portable electronic device;

said non-image content for generation on said display in relation to said image place holders.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

generating modified images from said images according to image tags;

sending said modified images to said portable electronic device;

said modified images for rendering within said image place holders on said display and without moving said non-image content generated on said display.

9. A method in a portable electronic device having a display for optimizing image rendering, said method comprising:

sending a request for content to an intermediation server, said content including images and associated unmodified image tags each specifying a location and dimensions for a respective one of said images;

receiving said content, excluding said images, and modified image tags associated with said images from said intermediation server, said modified image tags specifying modified locations and dimensions for respective images and generated from said unmodified image tags at said intermediation server based on characteristics of said display, said characteristics including at least a size of said display; and

generating image place holders having said modified locations and dimensions on said display using said modified image tags.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving modified images from said intermediation server;

said modified images generated by said intermediation server based on said modified image tags;

receiving said modified images from said intermediation server; and

rendering said modified images within said image place holders on said display.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

receiving non-image content from said intermediation server;

said non-image content for generation on said display in relation to said image place holders.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving modified images from said intermediation server;

said modified images generated by said intermediation server based on said modified image tags;

receiving said modified images from said intermediation server; and

generating said modified images within said image place holders on said display without moving said non-image content generated on said display.

13. An intermediation server for optimizing image rendering on a portable electronic device having a display comprising:

at least one network interface for receiving a request for content from said portable electronic device;

said at least one network interface further configured to access said content from a content server, said content containing images and associated unmodified image tags each specifying a location and dimensions for a respective one of said images;

a processor connected to said network interface configured to analyze said unmodified image tags to determine whether a size of said display can accommodate said images;

said processor further configured to generate modified image tags associated with said images, based on display characteristics of said display, said display characteristics including at least said size of said display, said modified image tags specifying modified locations and dimensions for respective images;

said processor further configured to send said modified image tags and said content, excluding said images, to said portable electronic device via said network interface;

said modified image tags for generating image place holders having said modified locations and dimensions on said display.

14. The intermediation server of claim 13 wherein:

said network interface is further configured to send non-image content to said portable electronic device;

said non-image content for generation on said display in relation to said image place holders.

15. The intermediation server of claim 14 wherein:

said processor is further configured to generate modified images from said images according to image tags;

said processor is further configured to send said modified images to said portable electronic device via said network interface;

said modified images for rendering within said image place holders on said display and without moving said non-image content generated on said display.

16. The intermediation server of claim 13 wherein:

said processor is further configured to generate modified images from said images according to said image tags;

said processor further configured to send said modified images to said portable electronic device;

said modified images for rendering within said image place holders on said display.

17. The intermediation server of claim 16 wherein said processor is further configured to analyze said images as part of analyzing said content and said processor is further configured to render said modified images at said intermediation server for validation that said image tags are generated according to target specifications for said electronic device.

18. The intermediation server of claim 16 further comprising caching said image tags for subsequent sending to other portable electronic devices having substantially the same hardware characteristics as each other.

19. A system for optimizing image rendering comprising:

a portable electronic device having a display and a network interface for connecting to a network;

an intermediation server comprising a processor connected to at least one additional network interface for receiving a request for content from said portable electronic device;

said at least one additional network interface further configured to access said content from a content server, said content containing images and associated unmodified image tags each specifying a location and dimensions for a respective one of said images;

said processor configured to analyze said unmodified image tags to determine whether a size of said display can accommodate said images;

said processor further configured to generate modified image tags associated with said images, based on display characteristics of said display, said display characteristics including at least said size of said display, said modified image tags specifying modified locations and dimensions for respective images;

said processor further configured to send said modified image tags and said content, excluding said images, to said portable electronic device via said additional network interface;

said portable electronic device configured to receive said modified image tags and to generate image place holders having said modified locations and dimensions on said display.