Enhanced closed caption feature

• US 9,628,865 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2012
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mizuno, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Yenke, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): SATTI, HUMAM M
• Application Number:
  US13/657,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20140071343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: 348465, 348468, 348581, 348569
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles

Abstract

Adjustments to the closed caption component of video content may be implemented by identifying text elements within the closed caption text component of a video stream and to properly adjust the appearance of the text elements. Embodiments described herein provide a method for detecting and correcting text elements that have spacing conflicts as a result of a size or other appearance adjustment. If the correction of a conflict results in a new conflict, such conflicts may be detected and one or more text elements grouped to form a new text element that may then be adjusted.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a text component received in a channel with video data, comprising:

in response to a user request to adjust an appearance of the text component displayed in a first text area of video data and having predefined row and column barriers between individual adjacent text characters, creating a new text element that does not have predefined row and column barriers between individual adjacent text characters,

starting with a first text character from the text component, extracting a continuous text string that includes the first text character to the new text element; and

displaying the new text element in a portion of a display area assigned to the first text area formatted according to the user request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying changes a size of the text characters in the text new element as compared to their representation in the text component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying repositions the text characters in the new text area as compared to their representation in the text component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying adds a line break to the text characters in the new text element as compared to their representation in the text component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying changes a font of the text characters in the new text element as compared to their representation in the text component.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a center of the new text element and using the center as an anchor to display the text new element.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a display conflict occurs between the new text element and other content of the text area, adjusting an appearance of the new text element from a default appearance.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said display conflict occurs when at least a portion of the text element is outside the text area.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said display conflict occurs when the text element overlaps with a portion of a second text element.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said adjusting comprises decreasing the size of the text characters in the text element.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising,

if when said adjusting creates a second display conflict:

grouping two or more text elements into a common text element, and

the displaying comprises displaying the common text element.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said extracting comprises scanning each row of the text area.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said extracting comprises analyzing each cell adjacent to each text character added to the text element.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said text area comprises 15 rows and 32 cells per row.

30. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating the creating and extracting for a second new text element;

prior to the displaying;

determining whether a displayed location of the first new text element with the adjusted appearance applied will conflict with a displayed location of the second new text element with the adjusted appearance applied; and

if a conflict will occur, grouping the second new text element and the first new text element.

15. A method for evaluating an adjustment to a text component received in a channel with video data, comprising:

in response to a user request to adjust an appearance of the text component displayed in a first text area of video data and having predefined row and column barriers between individual adjacent text characters, creating a new text element that does not have predefined row and column barriers between individual adjacent text characters,

starting with a first text character from the text component, extracting a continuous text string that includes the first text character to the new text element, and

displaying the new text element in a portion of a display area assigned to the first text area formatted according to the user request.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

if a display conflict occurs between the text element and a second text element;

grouping two or more text elements into a common text element, and

adjusting the appearance of the common text element.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising changing a size of the text characters in the text element.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising positioning repositioning the text characters on the text area.

31. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

repeating the creating and extracting for a second new text element;

prior to the displaying;

determining whether a displayed location of the first new text element with the adjusted appearance applied will conflict with a displayed location of the second new text element with the adjusted appearance applied; and

if a conflict will occur, grouping the second new text element and the first new text element.

19. A system comprising:

a processor configured to;

in response to a user request to adjust an appearance of a text component displayed in a first text area of video data and having predefined row and column barriers between individual adjacent text characters, create a new text element that does not have predefined row and column barriers between individual adjacent text characters,

starting with a first text character from the text component, extract a continuous text string that includes the first text character to the new text element,

display the new text element in a portion of a display area assigned to the first text area formatted according to the user request.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to change a size of the text characters in the text element.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to reposition the text characters on the text area.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein said processor is further configured to adjust the appearance of the text element if the display of the text element creates a conflict wherein the text element cannot be properly displayed on the text area.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein if said adjusting creates a second conflict, said processing device is further configured to:

group two or more text elements into a common text element, and

adjust the appearance of the common text element.

24. The system of claim 19, further comprising an input device for receiving the request as an input setting for displaying the text component.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the device to:

in response to a user request to adjust an appearance of a text component displayed in a first text area of video data having predefined row and column barriers between individual adjacent text characters, create a new text element that does not have predefined row and column barriers between individual adjacent text characters,

starting with a first text character from the text component, extract a continuous text string that includes the first text character to the new text element,

display the new text element in a portion of a display area assigned to the first text area formatted according to the user request.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the processing device is further configured to change a size of the text characters in the new text element as compared to their representation in the text component.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein said processing device is further configured to reposition the text characters in the new text area as compared to their representation in the text component.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein said processing device is further configured to adjust the appearance of the text element if the display of the text element creates a conflict wherein the text element cannot be properly displayed on the text area.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein if said adjusting creates a second conflict, said processing device is further configured to:

group two or more text elements into a common text element, and

adjust the appearance of the common text element.