CN1926539A - Method and device for displaying image - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of displaying an image comprising creating an embedded web page and attaching objects to the embedded web page. The objects are served as images rather than as text, thereby allowing text in unusual fonts to be displayed.

Description

The method and apparatus of display image

The present invention relates to display image on screen, for example, be used for the menu that TV programme is selected.

Can utilize the service (VOD) that is called video request program, comprise that thus the program of film, TV programme, music and other content is supplied to spectators when spectators want to watch them.In this way, as situation about taking place in some other digital display circuit, spectators need not arrange the program that his time deacclimatizes broadcast transmission, and he need not wait for that also a little time is used for the beginning of next transmission of program.In addition, spectators can be interrupted program, and can recover to watch it under the situation that need not write down it.These are all major advantages of VOD.

Via cable TV network, can provide VOD such as the broadband technology of ADSL or via wireless network via using.Also can be to other different platform and technology implementation VOD, such as satellite and terrestrial television.Usually need the demoder that adopts set-top box (STB) form, decoder decode is used for the VOD signal that uses at televisor.Demoder is merged in televisor sometimes.

When using the VOD system, can obtain great program and select, all that comprise this day are multicast TV programme, film, older film and the TV programme of file of distribution recently perhaps.In fact, because the VOD system entirely makes a summary based on the metadata of information, the quantity of classification is unlimited.For example, the archives of TV programme can comprise each section plot from " friend (Friends) " of whole series.This means that the VOD system must have advanced user interface system to give menu, can select him to want the content of watching from this menu user.

The VOD system utilizes cross-region usually, this means that menu must be applicable to different language.Because many countries uses Roman characters, so this can realize under the big situation of difficult not having usually.But other country uses other alphabet and write system, and because demoder is not supported the character of all kinds, from a kind of alphabet with write system converts another kind of alphabet to and write system has caused technical difficulty.Therefore, the text that for example shows in menu is normally insignificant, because this lacks the support to the character of other alphabet and write system.

At Fig. 1 the example of menu has been shown in Figure 10.In Fig. 1, most of initial screens will show the extracts from obtainable film of system or program usually, or with obtainable film of system or the relevant rest image of program.In this case, the montage of film is illustrated.Overlap on the image is by selectable three menus that option constitutes of spectators, (1)-selectable film, if spectators want to watch film, (2)-selectable music, if spectators want to listen to the music, and the selectable amusement of (3)-spectators, to watch the content of other channel, maybe can be sent to the source of any digital broadcast program or the Web broadcast program of demoder such as TV programme.The content that certainly, also can comprise other type.

Be noted that the text in menu comprises shade.Although, shade is arranged, this means that text character is visible regardless of background because great majority are white in each character.Thus, when background was dark, it is eye-catching especially that white is serving as a contrast background, and in background when being bright, as seen the hatching effect of shade or profile still keeps character.In the prior art, the text in menu is typewriting input, and by server should each single Request Processing after, as image displaying on screen.This is inflexible, and when identical text is added to image, must re-enter the text, and need require again at ad-hoc location and with the image calculation of specific dimensions rendering image.This is the waste of resource.

In order how to provide the example of navigation menu system, if spectators select (1)-film, then he is brought to a new menu shown in Figure 2, wherein he has the selection of four different options, (1)-and Premiers, (2)-New cinema, (3)-movie list, and (4)-search, spectators can search in various manners to find that he wants the film of watching thus.If he selects (4)-search, then he is brought to another menu shown in Figure 3, and he can be according in the classification shown in four any one in this menu, promptly according to the performer, according to the certificate grading, search for according to period or according to type.If he selects to search for according to type, then he is brought to menu shown in Figure 4.In the menu of Fig. 4, in menu, there are six types can utilize, (1)-action and thriller, (2)-classical film, (3)-comedy, (4) drama, (5)-terror and science fiction film, and (6)-life movie.In this example, spectators select (1)-action and thriller.He is brought to new menu shown in Figure 5 then, and this menu at first shows search and found 13, and wherein 6 is new.Menu has provided option (1)-watch all to him, (2)-refine search, and (3)-remove are last, and (4) show new.In this case, spectators wish to refine search and select second option.A new menu as shown in Figure 6 occurs, and wherein spectators can enough following manner narrow down the scope of search: (1)-according to the performer, (2) according to certificate, (3) are according to period, and (4) are according to type.

In this case, spectators have selected film according to the performer, and Fig. 7 shows the menu as a result that can select film according to the performer.

In another search, can obtain performer Harrison Ford here, and when he is selected, show new menu shown in Figure 8.There is one to be complementary with this search.As shown in Figure 9, can watch the information of relevant this film, if further select, as shown in figure 10, the summary of film is shown.Can lease as required then or this film of preview.

To understand from the summary of this menu-drive selective system, the four corner of different text items appears in the menu.Many reappearing arranged in these texts, but when server produces new menu,, cause using quite big quantity Calculation resource its image that need recomputate text.

The present invention seeks to reduce the technical difficulty of demonstration from the character of other writing system.

Illustrated as mentioned, still expect to use the shade videotex.But some set-top box can not be supported shade, more specifically says so because they do not possess permission adds real-time shadow to text element mechanism.In addition, in those set-top box, can not use the font weight that is different from HTML font size (1-7).The restriction of some set-top box makes and is difficult to optimal form text be offered everyone reliably.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a kind of method of display image comprises creating and has the webpage (" embedded web page ") that embeds code or script, such as the JSP page or leaf, and object is attached to this page or leaf, and this object is used as image.Preferably, this embedded web page is to create with one or more server hooks that object or each object are enclosed.Can be by object source being become the creation of image object.Image can be used as image file and is kept in the storer, is used for retrieval after a while.Image file is preferably named according to the feature of image, if make that image is a text, this feature can comprise its font, width, highly, shade, alignment and the color of point size, permission.

Before creating image, can make inspection, whether before be transformed into image and saved as image file to check object source.If like this, can residing address of backspace file or filename.

Can receive request and supply with image via the web server, and request can originate from the customer equipment of request to create.The image that is supplied to supplies to customer equipment and is used for showing, is preferably all aspects of using TCP/IP to be used for this method.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the device that is used for display image comprises the request source of the image that the request transmission is used to show; Establishment can be enclosed the processor of the embedded web page of object; And object source become the server that is used for being attached to the image of embedded web page as object.

Preferably this device also comprises the storer that is used for preserving by the image file form image.Can use the filename of distributing equipment distribution diagram picture, when image is text, distributing equipment according to the font, width that comprise image, highly, any one or a plurality of characteristics of image in shade, alignment and the color of point size, permission filename or the image file address of distributing image file.

Preferably this device also comprises the web server, and via the web server, request source is made its request.This device generally includes the customer equipment as request source.Usually customer equipment is a demoder.

As just example embodiments of the invention are described now with reference to accompanying drawing, in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 to 9 shows nine menus of known VOD system.

Figure 10 is the view that provides the details of target film.

Figure 11 is the block scheme that illustrates according to the structure of VOD of the present invention system; And

Figure 12 illustrates the further figure of menu.

Referring now to Figure 11, show a video request program (VOD) system (1), it comprises and is arranged to supply with as required digital signal and supplies with so that the master server (2) of the menu image of information to be provided such as the various forms of contents of for example digital video and music.This supplies to the demoder of being held by spectators that is generally the set-top box form (4) via web server (3), but it also can be merged in TV or other receiving equipment.Needing demoder (4) to receive digital picture and they are decoded into from master server can be by the signal of TV or the processing of other receiving equipment.Demoder (4) also can have other function such as decrypted signal, makes the just considerable information of it seems from master server (2) of the spectators only be authorized to.Demoder (4) also allows the reciprocation between spectators and the master server (2), and information can be transferred back to master server thus, so that control is from the supply of the signal of server (2).For example, when spectators made menu and select, these were selected and must be returned to master server, if perhaps spectators wish the supply of temporaty suspension, halt signal must be returned to master server (2) by quilt so.In this case, send it back the signal use TCP/IP of master server (2) by demoder (4).

A servlet engine (5) is positioned between master server (2) and the web server (3).

The working condition of VOD system (1) will be described now.When spectators make a choice, for example, spectators' chosen content in Fig. 1, the demoder (4) that constitutes the client in system is created the request that sends to web server (3) by TCP/IP, is sent to servlet engine (5) by web server (3) request.Servlet engine (5) is checked this request, and data are passed to the master server that take place to calculate, and result of calculation is returned servlet engine (5).On the basis of return data, servlet picks up embedded web page, preferably is described as having the HTML type page of some server that can enclose object hooks.In this case, owing to selected film, will be as shown in Figure 2 with selecteed HTML type page, wherein have the server hook at the diverse location place.Each server hook is corresponding to a text position.Therefore, text position (1) can be corresponding to " Premiers ", and text position (2) can be corresponding to " new ", and the 3rd text position can be corresponding to " catalogue ", and the 4th text position can be corresponding to " search ".Although be positioned at the object at each hook place the user is shown as text, in fact, they are images.System adopts by suitable font, point size and text with various other suitable features, and it is become image, and it is this image that is shown.Do like this, mean to show unsupported font of demoder (4) and character, because all set-top box can both be handled image, such as the gif image.Other server hook and text position can be arranged in the page, but in this example, only used four.If the previous used parameter of no use of text, be transformed into image such as convergent-divergent, text will be become image now and for example will be stored on the disk so, and servlet engine (5) is supplied with demoder (4) via web server (3) with the embedded web page that the mode of TCP/IP will have text image.

Provide the example that a JSP calls now:

Example Jsp calls:

<html>

：

.

<ozone:lookupTextToImage?text="button6_VALUE"width="553"height="53"

typeface="Andale?Mono?WT?T?Eval"pointSize="22"shadowOn="true"

horizontalAlignment="1"renderMode="scale"alt="button6_VALUE"

border="0"align="left"/>

.

:

</HTML>

In servlet engine (5), handle embedded web page and the result is turned back to web server (3) as HTML.The result looks like like this:

HTML as a result:

<HTML>

:

.

<IMG?SRC=＇/ozoneimages/autogenerated/Home/1/pace3875/

scale3909244445-9126145true151025_hc24452317_sc5f717247ff13.gif.＇

BORDER=＇0＇ALIGN=＇left＇/>

.

:

</HTML>

Servlet engine (5) is not in fact supplied with demoder with image immediately.Image is stored in the web server.The address or the filename of servlet engine (5) distribution diagram picture.Demoder sends request to the image that will be returned at that time to web server (3) then.

In afterwards, if the client of VOD system (1) or any other client make request again, this request is sent to the master server (2) of handling it by servlet engine (5).The result returns servlet engine (5), and servlet engine (5) picks up embedded web page.If text image before was shown, they will be stored on the disk so, rather than the establishment new images, servlet engine (5) only returns to filename at that time can directly ask their client, thereby does not need to carry out the calculating of creating image when asking them.Institute's stored text image is always not identical.The various features of text can be different under different situations, for example, in the specific use occasion of a text, the characteristic variable such as whether height, width, font, font or point size, horizontal alignment, convergent-divergent and shade allow are arranged.Therefore, be 22 if the special use of a text comprises point size, ask identical text subsequently, but point size is 24, also this image separately is kept on the disk requiring to create image with different filenames.

In the system that a large amount of clients are arranged probably, whenever in requested image the time, store them rather than recomputate them and will greatly reduce required computational throughput and rely on data storage more.Thereby, can come operational system with processing resource still less.

In addition, because text is supplied with the client with image format, demoder (4) needn't be supported international writing system.For example, if produce menu, as long as master server (2) and servlet engine (5) are provided as the support Chinese character, because demoder will receive these characters with image format, so whether demoder supports them all unimportant with Chinese.Therefore, demoder (4) only needs computing power and storer still less, and, thereby will and can transmit whole international characters better with lower cost manufacturing.

If demoder must be supported a large amount of internationalization fonts, this must be stored in its storer, and storer will be very big, might surpass several megabits.Having the internationalize large memories of font of such being used to is unnecessary technology burden, and most of internationalization font will can not used in any particular device.In addition, demoder can show aspect what and they have available which type of characteristic aspect and are restricted at them.If desired such as the feature of shade, and older demoder do not comprise this feature, then has only those people that have than new decoder to watch text with the shade form.Therefore, preferably supply with text, make it possible to use such a feature with image format.

The image of each generation receives himself unique filename.For example, the following files name:

scale22909244445-2302756true155353?hc-

1030621598_sc41646d696e697374726174696f6e2053797374656d73.gif

Be quoting to this image:

This is to generate with these parameters:

<ozone:lookupTextToImage

text="button2_VALUE"

width="553"

height="53"

typeface="Andale?Mono?WT?T?Eval"

pointsize="22"

shadowOn="true"

horizontalAlignment="1"

renderMode="scale"

alt="button1_VALUE"

border="0"

align="left"/>

Wherein server is held the text " entrance guard (Concierge) " of (hook advances) that quoted by button1_VALUE.The outward appearance of this term can see in Figure 12 that Figure 12 is the menu that has provided three options: the 1-guide-book; 2-entrance guard; And 3-photographer people.In the label each is corresponding to a hook that makes demoder from the suitable object of web server requests.Require " entrance guard " is inserted in second free space or the hook.

In a word, text " entrance guard " is the data that generate with image format.Html page is alive, and is connected to that data by unique filename of this image.Master server (2) and/or servlet engine (5) are with the connection between exercisable effective means management data and the html page.

Unique filename of image is based on can appointed all properties.Therefore, if color change, or the alignment change, new image is created with new filename.Create filename by making up these attributes.Add the character string hash code of rreturn value, and under the situation that the conflict of any hash code is arranged, the remainder of filename is formed with the sampling of the text self that is filled in maximum file size available on the operating system by being converted into sexadecimal.Character string is converted into sexadecimal, and feasible foreign language characters such as Chinese can be write disk safely.Output is used at many only limited characters as the Chinese Java character string of filename can failure on the operating system of filename.How the example of spanned file name provides with following computer code:

/**

*Determines?the?filename?to?use.

*We?can＇t?just?splat?it?out,since?the?filesystem?may?not?be?able?tohandle.

*unicode?filenames.This?version?turns?all?characters?into?hexvalues.

*The?type?of?utility?creating?the?file?is?preprended.

*

*@param?inString?the?input?string,normally?the?text?that?we＇regoing?to?render?to?an?image.

*@return(String)The?string?turned?into?hex?values

*/

private?String?createFileName(String?inString){

if(inString==null){

inString=**;

}

//note?don＇t?put?hashcode?first?as?it?may?give?a?negative?value,which?gets

//confused?with?command?line?options?when?deleting?in?unix.

StringBuffer?retval=new?StringBuffer(getOperationName());

retval.append(inString.length());

retval.append(font.hashCode());

retval.append(colour.hashCode());

retval.append(shadowOn);

retval.append(hAlignment);

retval.append(width);

retval.append(height);

retval.append("_hc");

retval.append(inString.hashCode());

retval.append("_sc");

//convert?the?text?to?be?displayed?into?hex,and?use?it?as?part?ofthe?file?name.

for(int?i=o;i<inString.length();i++){

retval.append(Integer.toHexString((int)inString.charAt(i)));

//Can?only?handle?file?names?of?a?certain?length{

if(retval.length()>=_MAX_FILB_NAME_LENGTH){

break;//filename?has?hit?its?max?so?lets?get?outta?here

}

}

return?retval.toString();

}

Creating or during computed image, servlet engine (5) be applied to utilizing the width in space, highly, font, font size and text begin.If desired, text will be entered a new line from delegation, and another is gone.Can between the words such as Chinese, not have to force force interrupt by insertion～character in the blank internationalization text.If text is not suitable for, its font size is reduced up to it and is fit to so, or it is too little and when can not read, return blank image in this situation to reach text.

Each image is only described once on server, and therefore, if ask identical text and effect once more, server identification is stored in the existence of the image in the storer, and only returns quoting it with the form of unique filename or address.By the fact of server use based on unique filename of text and feature thereof, this makes simpler.

Also might create the gif of animation, to provide various other the additional effects such as rolling text.

Claims (21)

1. the method for a display image comprises and creates embedded web page and object is attached to described embedded web page that described object is used as image.

2. the method for claim 1 is characterized in that, described embedded web page is to create with one or more server hooks that described object or each object are enclosed.

3. method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 is characterized in that, described embedded web page is Javascript page or leaf (JSP).

4. each described method of claim as described above is characterized in that, by object source being become described or each object of creation of image.

5. method as claimed in claim 4 is characterized in that described image is stored in the storer as image file.

6. method as claimed in claim 5 is characterized in that, names described image file according to the feature of described image.

7. method as claimed in claim 6 is characterized in that, wherein when described image is text, described feature comprise font, width, highly, in shade, alignment and the color of point size, permission any one or a plurality of.

8. as each the described method in the claim 5 to 7, it is characterized in that, comprise that also checking whether described object source before had been transformed into image and had been saved is image file.

9. method as claimed in claim 8 is characterized in that, if described object source before had been transformed into image and had been used as image file, with regard to residing address of backspace file or filename.

10. as each the described method in the claim 1 to 6, it is characterized in that described image is a text.

11. the described method of each in the claim is characterized in that as described above, also comprises via the web server receiving request and supplying with image.

12. the described method of each in the claim is characterized in that as described above, also is included in request to create in the customer equipment.

13. the described method of each in the claim is characterized in that as described above, also is included in the customer equipment to receive image and be used for showing.

14. the described method of each in the claim is characterized in that as described above, uses TCP/IP.

15. be used for the device of display image, comprise:

The request source of the image that the request transmission is used to show;

Establishment can be enclosed the processor of the embedded web page of object; And

Object source is transformed into the server of image, and described image is used for being attached to described embedded web page as object.

16. device as claimed in claim 15 is characterized in that, described embedded web page is Javascript page or leaf (JSP).

17. as claim 15 or 16 described devices, it is characterized in that, also comprise the storer that is used for preserving image with the image file form.

18. device as claimed in claim 17 is characterized in that, also comprises filename that is characterized as image file allocate file name or address or address assignment equipment according to image.

19. device as claimed in claim 18, it is characterized in that, when described image is text, described filename or address assignment equipment according to the font of image, width, highly, in shade, alignment and the color of point size, permission any one or a plurality ofly come allocate file name or address.

As each the described device in the claim 15 to 19, it is characterized in that 20, also comprise the web server, request source is made request via described web server.

21. each the described device as in the claim 15 to 20 is characterized in that, also comprises the customer equipment as request source.

Device as claimed in claim 21 is characterized in that, described customer equipment is a demoder.

Images