125 results about "Graphics Interchange Format" patented technology

Various methods, systems and apparatus for displaying content associated with a point-of-interest (“POI”) in a digital mapping system, are disclosed. One such method may include detecting a change in the zoom level of an electronic map displayed on a computing device, determining if the new zoom-level is at a pre-determined zoom level (e.g. at maximum zoom), identifying a POI on the map, retrieving content associated with the POI (“POI content”) and displaying the POI content. The method may further include detecting a change in the zoom, or pan, of the digital map while POI content is displayed, and removing the POI content in response. One apparatus, according to aspects of the present invention, may include means of detecting a change in the zoom level in a digital map displayed through an application (e.g. a web browser, an application on web-enabled cellular phones, etc., displaying a map generated by a service such as Google Maps®, Yahoo! Maps®, Windows Live Search Maps®, MapQuest®, etc.) on a computing device (e.g. personal computer, workstation, thin client, PDA, cellular phone / smart phone, GPS device, etc.) means of identifying a POI at the pre-determined zoom level, means of obtaining content associated with the POI, and means of displaying the POI content. POI content may be retrieved from a database (e.g. internet-based database); or, in an alternate embodiment, gathered by crawling websites associated with the POI. In one embodiment, POI content may be displayed as an image (e.g. a PNG file, GIF, Flash® component, etc.) superimposed on the digital map (e.g. as an overlay object on the map image.) In alternate embodiments, POI content may replace the digital map and may contain links to other content.

Various methods, systems and apparatus for displaying content associated with a point-of-interest (“POI”) in a digital mapping system, are disclosed. One such method may include detecting a change in the zoom level of an electronic map displayed on a computing device, determining if the new zoom-level is at a pre-determined zoom level (e.g. at maximum zoom), identifying a POI on the map, retrieving content associated with the POI (“POI content”) and displaying the POI content. A POI may be a specific point of interest; or, an entire geographic region of a map displayed at a high zoom level. The method may further include detecting a change in the zoom, or pan, of the digital map while POI content is displayed, and removing or repositioning the POI content in response. One apparatus, according to aspects of the present invention, may include means of detecting a change in the zoom level in a digital map displayed through an application (e.g. a web browser, an application on web-enabled cellular phones, etc., displaying a map generated by a service such as Google Maps®, Yahoo! Maps®, Windows Live Search Maps®, MapQuest®, etc.) on a computing device (e.g. personal computer, workstation, thin client, PDA, cellular phone / smart phone, GPS device, etc.) means of identifying a POI at the pre-determined zoom level, means of obtaining content associated with the POI, and means of displaying the POI content. POI content may be retrieved from a database (e.g. internet-based database); or, in an alternate embodiment, gathered by crawling websites associated with the POI. In one embodiment, POI content may be displayed as an image (e.g a PNG file, GIF, Flash® component, etc.) superimposed on the digital map (e.g. as an overlay object on the map image.) In alternate embodiments, POI content may replace the digital map and may contain links to other content.

A method and system for gathering enriched web server activity data in a global communications network in which requested information files are cached at a plurality of network devices. With the prevalence of web caching on the Internet, the origin web servers do not serve the majority of requests for web site content. A single pixel clear Graphics Image Format (GIF) request is added to the HyperText Markup Language (HTML) source file for a web page. Appended to the GIF request is a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) string of data that contains enhanced web activity data information, including the number of images (“hits”) that have to be retrieved by a client browser to build the web page, and the referring identifier that resulted in access to the web page. The single pixel clear GIF request is not cacheable and results in the request being transmitted to the origin web server when the client browser interprets the HTML file. The enriched data is stored in log files at the origin web server to accumulate an accurate number of hits on the web page.

A terminal distinction circuit distinguishes the terminal type. When the terminal is a PC, moving image data is sent directly from a moving image buffer memory to a transmission image memory. The transmission image memory sends moving image data together with a synchronization signal to the terminal via a broadband modem. When the terminal is a cellular phone or a PDA, an animation generating circuit reads images of every three picture frames from moving image data having thirty picture frames per second. The animation generating circuit scales down an image of each picture frame according to the display capability of the terminal, and then subtracts the number of color. Image data of ten picture frames is converted into one animation GIF file. The animation GIF file is sent to viewer's terminal via the broadband modem.

To allow a video clip to be rendered within an e-mail, the video stream is converted into an animated image object (e.g. a GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) object) and stored on a server system. An HTML image element / tag (<img . . . >) is created that references the animated image object at the server, for embedding in a conventional HTML-encoded e-mail message. When the receiving e-mail application processes the HTML encoding, the processing of the HTML image element causes the referenced animated image object to be downloaded and displayed, thereby automatically presenting a recreation of the video stream. To facilitate efficient transmission to the receiving device, the size of the animated image object is preferably optimized before transmission, the optimization including general optimization techniques, as well as optimizations based on the particular characteristics associated with the receiving device and / or the communications link to the receiving device.

This invention pioneers an enhanced crawling mechanism and technique called “Enhanced Browser Based Web Crawling”. It permits the fault-tolerant gathering of dynamic data documents on the World Wide Web (WWW). The Enhanced Browser Based Web Crawler technology of this invention is implemented by incorporating the intricate functionality of a web browser into the crawler engine so that documents are properly analyzed. Essentially, the Enhanced Browser Based Crawler acts similarly to a web browser after retrieving the initially requested document. It then loads additional or included documents as needed or required (e.g. inline-frames, frames, images, applets, audio, video, or equivalents.). The Crawler then executes client side script or code and produces the final HTML markup. This final HTML markup is ordinarily used for the rendering for user presentation process. However, unlike a web browser this invention does not render the composed document for viewing purposes. Rather it analyzes or summarizes it, thereby extracting valuable metadata and other important information contained within the document. Also, this invention introduces the integration of optical character recognition (OCR) techniques into the crawler architecture. The reason for this is to enable the web crawler summarization process to properly summarize image content (e.g. GIF, JPEG or an equivalent) without errors.

A system for providing a topology map generation service from a service information portal is improved by utilizing an object-oriented class, a mapview module, configured for generating topology maps. The mapview module may be implemented in an object-oriented language such as Smalltalk, C++, JAVA or the like. The mapview module may be configured to provide member functions that include at least associating an output file stream; adding icon symbols and connections symbols between the icon symbols; generating a background graphic (e.g., a building, a geographic map, etc.,); and generating a topology map (or image) by calling a command on an object; and utilizing hypertext transfer protocol ("HTTP") to transfer images across a network. In effect, the mapview module hides all the low-level graphic details for generating a topology view / map / image from a user. Thus, the generation of the topology maps may become easier. Additionally, since the mapview module is an object-oriented class, the mapview module may be used on a variety of computing platforms and support multiple graphic formats such as graphics interchange format ("GIF"), portable network graphics ("PNG") and the like.

A system and method for visualization of search results includes a map displayed to a user on a screen. The map shows search query terms and optionally other terms related to the search query terms. The display of the terms corresponds to relationship between the terms. A graphical image is displayed next to at least one of the search query terms. The graphical image is associated with a URL that corresponds to a search result. The graphical image is a favorite icon that is derived from the HTML script associated with a webpage at the URL, or an animated image, or a video, or a cycling GIF. A plurality of graphical images can be displayed in proximity to the search query term.

A method and system for gathering enriched web server activity data in a global communications network in which requested information files are cached at a plurality of network devices. With the prevalence of web caching on the Internet, the origin web servers do not serve the majority of requests for web site content. A single pixel clear Graphics Image Format (GIF) request is added to the HyperText Markup Language (HTML) source file for a web page. Appended to the GIF request is a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) string of data that contains enhanced web activity data information, including the number of images (“hits”) that have to be retrieved by a client browser to build the web page, and the referring identifier that resulted in access to the web page. The single pixel clear GIF request is not cacheable and results in the request being transmitted to the origin web server when the client browser interprets the HTML file. The enriched data is stored in log files at the origin web server to accumulate an accurate number of hits on the web page.

An anti-alteration system for Web contents is described. A public-web-server computer stores safe web files encrypted from the original web contents, including static files (such as html, text, jpg, gif, wav, mp3, asp, exe, etc.) and dynamic files (such as php, perl, java script, etc.). An original-Web-server computer stores the original web content and connects to the public-web-server computer through a protected access port such as a firewall. When a website visitor's request is received, the public web server checks the safe web file, and if the safe Web file has not been altered, the web server sends back the web content decrypted from the safe web file. A recovery module is used for encrypting the web content to the safe web file on the original web server computer.

The invention is applicable to the field of data processing and provides a GIF generation method, a system and a media player. The method comprises the following steps of: receiving user-defined GIF generation parameters; stopping playing a media file after receiving GIF generation instructions of a user and intercepting video frames of the media file to a single image according to the user-defined GIF generation parameters; encoding the single image to generate a target GIF file according to the user-defined GIF generation parameters; and outputting and saving the target GIF file. The embodiment of the invention can intercept video content of the media file to generate a target GIF file during the media playing according to the user-defined GIF generation parameters, has simple operational process, and facilitates the use of the user as the user does not need to install and study specialized GIF file production tools.

The invention discloses a method for extracting color and changing theme coloring by utilizing a traditional camera. The method mainly comprises a color extracting method and a theme coloring changing method. The color extracting process comprises the following steps: entering a color picking mode by a custom operation (entering a menu or pressing a specific key) at a terminal, opening the camera for starting automatic framing, and displaying the framing data after latticed special effect processing on the interface of the terminal for a terminal user to refer to the approximate color of the framing region of the camera at present. When the user finishes framing, the color extracting method starts to carry out color analysis and extraction on the data captured by the camera. In the method, color changing is performed by utilizing a GIF (graphics interchange format) picture so that the operation is greatly simplified and the efficiency is improved.

The invention discloses a method and a device for presenting web graphics in a mobile terminal platform. The method for presenting the web graphics in the mobile terminal platform includes the steps: building a control template comprising a first graphic control, a second graphic control and a Gif (graphic interchange format) graphic control; starting the control template when a mobile terminal needs to download and display web graphics from a network; loading associated occupied graphics by the aid of the first graphic control, and displaying the occupied graphics at positions needing display of the web graphics; associating the web graphics with the second graphic control, loading the associated web graphics by the aid of the second graphic control after the web graphics are downloaded, replacing the occupied graphics by the aid of the loaded web graphics when the associated web graphics are successfully loaded, and judging the types of the web graphics when the associated web graphics are not successfully loaded; analyzing the web graphics by the aid of the Gif graphic control when the web graphics are Gif graphics, and replacing the occupied graphics by the aid of the analyzed web graphics and displaying the web graphics.

The invention discloses a method and a device for recording a video and generating a GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) dynamic graph. The method for recording the video comprises the following steps of: controlling a camera to find a view according to an instruction for preparing to record the video, which is sent by a user; when a recording key is triggered, storing the graph until the recording key is released; and generating the video by the stored graph. According to the scheme disclosed by the invention, the recording key is triggered to record and the recording is finished after the recording key is released; and compared with the prior art, the method and the device can help the user to more accurately send out instructions of starting to record and finishing the recording, furthering effectively avoiding responding relay caused by waste motions.

The present invention relates to the compression of color image data. A combination of hard decision pixel mapping and soft decision pixel mapping is used to jointly address both quantization distortion and compression rate while maintaining low computational complexity and compatibility with standard decoders, such as, for example, the GIF / PNG decoder.

A method and apparatus that provides adaptation in the content delivered to a palmtop computer. Connections between a palmtop computer and the Internet can vary from low speed dial-up to very high speed. Also, a palmtop computer's display, memory and processing power can vary considerably. Communication with the Internet is generally through a proxy server that can deduce these considerations from the palmtop computer's serial number and / or other information specified by user. The proxy server can then adapt the content based upon these considerations (e.g. only send two bit gray scale images to non-color palmtop computer; only send first frame of animated gif to low processing power palmtop computer, etc.).

When an animation mode is designated, still picture data that has been photographed or discretely read from a record medium is compressed in a subtractive color process and a data compressing process corresponding to the LZW method. The compressed data is converted into an animation GIF file of which still picture data is combined in the time sequence and it is correlatively displayed on the time base. When an animation mode completion command is input or the size of the GIF file becomes a recordable size of the external storage medium 8, the GIF file data is written to the external storage medium 8. In addition, after a photographed still picture is recorded to the external storage medium 8, an animation can be created. In addition, an animation GIF file can be created using a plurality of still pictures recorded in the external storage medium 8. In addition, an animation GIF file that has been created can be edited.

A terminal distinction circuit distinguishes the terminal type. When the terminal is a PC, moving image data is sent directly from a moving image buffer memory to a transmission image memory. The transmission image memory sends moving image data together with a synchronization signal to the terminal via a broadband modem. When the terminal is a cellular phone or a PDA, an animation generating circuit reads images of every three picture frames from moving image data having thirty picture frames per second. The animation generating circuit scales down an image of each picture frame according to the display capability of the terminal, and then subtracts the number of color. Image data of ten picture frames is converted into one animation GIF file. The animation GIF file is sent to viewer's terminal via the broadband modem.

Even if a fiber fuse phenomenon occurs to start fire spreading, the fire spreading is shut off. A graded index fiber (GIF) 3 is inserted between transmission-use single mode fibers (SMF) 2a, 2b on a fiber optics transmission line 1. The GIF 3 is so designed that its mode field diameter (MFD) gradually increases from a light entry side. The MFD exhibits a maximum value at a location ¼ of a pitch from the end of the GIF 3. A GIF 3a is disposed on the light entry side. A GIF 3b having an MFD gradually decreasing is disposed on the opposite side of the GIF 3a. The GIF 3b is disposed on the light exit side. The lengths of the GIF 3a and GIF 3b are ¼ of a pitch. The length of the GIF 3 formed by connecting the both is ½ of a pitch. According to the present invention, an expanded MFD is inserted in the middle of the fiber optics transmission line, it is possible to shut off fire spreading caused due to fiber fuse phenomenon.

The present invention relates to the compression of color image data. A combination of hard decision pixel mapping and soft decision pixel mapping is used to jointly address both quantization distortion and compression rate while maintaining low computational complexity and compatibility with standard decoders, such as, for example, the GIF / PNG decoder.

A computer-implemented method, system, and computer-readable medium to uniformly display electronic annotations of a document across differing computer platforms of an imaging system where documents are stored as images on an image file server. An exemplary method comprises a user producing a textual representation of a document annotation, generating an image and associated attributes (e.g., size, location, color, etc.) of the annotation, storing the annotation image in a record of an annotation file, and accessing the annotation file record to retrieve the annotation image in a standard universal format whereby to render a combined image representation of the document overlaid with the annotation image according to the attributes. Standard formats include jpeg, gif, tiff, or Windows metafile. Instead of storing the annotation image in the record, a pointer may be stored in the record to enable retrieval of the annotation image from another memory location.

The invention discloses a graphics interchange format file playing method and device, and belongs to the technical field of the internet. The method comprises the steps that at least one GIF file to be played is acquired; image data of the first frame of image in the GIF file are parsed; the first frame of image of the GIF file is displayed according to the parsed image data of the first frame of image in the GIF file, and the image data of the remaining images in the GIF file and playing time of each frame of image are parsed; and animation data corresponding to the GIF file are generated according to the parsed image data of each frame of image in the GIF file and playing time of each frame of image, and the animation data corresponding to the GIF file are played. The image data of the first frame of image in the GIF file are parsed and displayed, and then the animation data are generated according to the parsed data and played. The first frame of image can be displayed in advance, and the GIF file is parsed according to the current requirement so that playing time delay is reduced and playing efficiency is enhanced.

This system introduces photo imagery, video imagery, animation imagery, graphic interchange format (GIF) imagery, written content imagery, audio wave imagery, audio file imagery, and streaming media imagery, which is subject to an appearing, disappearing, deletion, and expiring time restriction as set by the sender or system administrator. The system primarily facilitates time restricted appearing content such as selfies, standard photos, video, and audio files where end-users can alter, manipulate or replicate the content against a competing clock for a predetermined period of time while the content is still in a server or electrical storage device prior to going live on a social media website or in a private in-house website forum. In addition, a sender or system administrator may grant preferred end-users pre-release authority to replicate the sender's original content within the server so that it may later be compared against the sender's original content sent to a website display or gallery.

The invention discloses a method for rendering a GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) file. The method comprises the steps of reading the GIF file by a stream reading method, decoding the read GIF file and obtaining decoded image frames, rendering the obtained image frames, determining whether the number of the obtained image frames reaches a predetermined number, and if so, finishing rendering, otherwise, returning and executing the step of reading the GIF file and obtaining the decoded image frames. The invention also discloses a device for rendering the GIF file. Compared with the prior art, the method and the device for rendering the GIF file is characterized by reading the GIF file by the stream reading method and rendering according to requirements, and as a result, occupation of resources is reduced, the efficiency of playing a GIF animation is improved, and the problem of occupation of excessive resources when the GIF file is read in the prior art is solved.

Current methods of embedding hidden data in an image inevitably distort the original image by noise. This distortion cannot generally be removed completely because of quantization, bit-replacement, or truncation at the grayscales 0 and 255. The distortion, though often small, may make the original image unacceptable for medical applications, or for military and law enforcement applications where an image must be inspected under unusual viewing conditions (e.g., after filtering or extreme zoom). The present invention provides high-capacity embedding of data that is lossless (or distortion-free) because, after embedded information is extracted from a cover image, we revert to an exact copy of the original image before the embedding took place. This new technique is a powerful tool for a variety of tasks, including lossless robust watermarking, lossless authentication with fragile watermarks, and steganalysis. The technique is applicable to raw, uncompressed formats (e.g., BMP, PCX, PGM, RAS, etc.), lossy image formats (JPEG, JPEG2000, wavelet), and palette formats (GIF, PNG).

The present invention discloses a dynamic graph generation device. The device comprises a storage, a processor and a dynamic graph generation program stored on the storage and capable of operating onthe processor. The dynamic graph generation program can achieve the following steps when being executed by the processor: loading target data to a preset control, wherein the target data comprises test data and / or image data; determining a movement track arranged for the target data by a user; according to the movement track, moving the preset control loaded with the target data to regulate the position of the preset control in a display interface and perform screen capture operation of the display interface when the preset control is moved to obtain multiple screenshots and perform storage ofthe screenshots; and according to the time sequence of storing the screenshots, combining the stored screenshots into a GIF dynamic graph.