WO2007105998A1

WO2007105998A1 - A method, client device, computer program product and system for processing image information for a display

Info

Publication number: WO2007105998A1
Application number: PCT/SE2006/000872
Authority: WO
Inventors: Malin Torkelsdotter Poole; Duzgun Duzgun
Original assignee: Front Media Ab
Priority date: 2006-03-10
Filing date: 2006-07-12
Publication date: 2007-09-20

Abstract

A method for processing image information by a first client (1), the image information having a plurality of data values, the method providing a client application comprising: providing a request to a second client (2) to transmit the image information to the first client device (1) if not already transmitted; determining, by the first client (1), a virtual display layer, based on the image information containing graphical data values, that is compatible with the client devices (1, 2); and performing one or more client based image processing operations of the image information based on the graphical data values to provide a displayable object corresponding to the virtual display layer to be displayed on top of any other image(s) displayed. The invention also relates to a device, a computer program product, and a system.

Description

A method, client device, computer program product and system for processing image information for a display.

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method, client device, computer program product and system for processing image information for a display.

BACKGROUND

Today, there are known multi-screen display systems that include image splitting devices for dividing the image signals that indicate a single screen that are supplied as output from a signal generation source into picture signals of a plurality of screens for displaying the large screen using multi-screen display technique. Such multi-screen display systems have found use as large displays for sports events, and for advertisements on buildings etc.

Alternatively, it is also known multi-screen display systems including a plurality of displays close to each other, all displaying a different still or moving image, for instance a number of TV- programs. However, according to our best knowledge, these systems cannot be combined with image splitting devices.

Moreover, there are also known broadcast information systems, in which a plurality of users all receives the same information at the same time such as systems for broadcasted TV-programs, or systems for advertisements on displays in stores etc. In such systems, always on-line networks such as the Internet are used more frequently than before. However, these systems typically suffer from problems with targeting information to the users.

Moreover, some Internet online service providers have derived revenue by displaying advertisements to users. For example, when a user accesses a site (a web page) on the Web, an advertisement may be displayed to the user as part of the web page. Typically, also in such systems, each user accessing a certain site is shown the same advertisement. Some more sophisticated systems have the capability to change the advertisement after a certain period of time, but still require improvements to better target advertising to relevant potential customers.

However, according to our best knowledge, there are no multi-screen display systems that are configured to be able to combine all or some of the features described above. For instance, to combine a multi-screen display system using an image splitter with the feature of displaying broadcasted programs would require a plurality of individual video leads connected to each display, which seems to be a very complicated technical solution, if possible at all. Thus, there still exist a number of drawbacks with prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a new method, device, computer program product, system and signal for processing image information, to solve the problems set forth above.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, this is achieved by a method for processing image information containing a plurality of data values by a first client. The method comprises the steps of: providing a request to a second client to transmit the image information to the first client if not already transmitted; determining, by the first client, a virtual display layer, based on the image information containing graphical data values, that is compatible with the clients; and performing one or more client based image processing operations including graphic synchronization of the image information based on the graphical data values to provide a displayable object of the virtual display layer to be displayed on top of any other image(s) displayed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, this is achieved by a computer program product for processing image information, the image information having a plurality of data values.

The computer program product comprises computer-readable code portions, comprising: an executable portion capable of providing a client application by a first client comprising the steps of: providing a request to a second client to transmit the image information to the first client device if not already transmitted; determining, by the first client, a virtual display layer, based on the image information containing graphical data values, that is compatible with the client devices; and performing one or more client based image processing operations including graphic synchronization of the image information based on the graphical data values to provide a displayable object of the virtual display layer to be displayed on top of any other image(s) displayed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, this is achieved by a client device for processing image information, the image information having a plurality of data values. The client device comprises: first means for transmission of video signals comprising image information to or from a second client, second means for transmission of said video signals comprising processed image information to a display, a control system arranged to process the image information so as to: provide a request to a second client to provide the image information to the client device; determine, a virtual display layer, based on the image information containing graphical data values, that is compatible with the client device; and perform one or more client based image processing operations including graphic synchronization of the image information based on the graphical data values to provide displayable virtual display information.

In this disclosure, the term "client" is used. Herein, "client" is defined as a client application, which may be embodied as hard-ware combined with software, in the following denoted "client device" or alternatively embodied as a computer program product that can be run on a computer. In the latter case, the hard-ware may be located as part of the display itself, for instance the hard-ware may be located in the video card. In this case the client is embodied as soft-ware that can be run on a computer, of which the latter may be known per se. The functionality of the client however remains the same irrespective of embodiment.

Moreover, in this disclosure, the term "displayable object " is referred to as an image, still or moving, as well as a sound.

One of the most important aspects is that the present invention provides displaying graphical objects of a larger virtual display, such as parts of a still image, movie or real time three dimensional environment on all displays. All graphical objects of the virtual display could move freely between all displays without restrictions, since the configuration of the clients provide this feature by means of using image information of the virtual display layer.

According to our best knowledge, prior art does not disclose the application of a virtual display layer and the configuration of the clients for use thereof to provide displaying of graphical objects on the displays.

The second client could be in the form of a master client device such as a server, having a plurality of thereto connected further client devices. In this way, for instance targeted information distributions systems such could be provided. This is described in more detail as follows.

The present invention also relates to a system for processing image information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a system for processing image information according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system includes multiple displays all together showing an image split up in sub-images displayed on each display. FIG. 2 is an illustration of the same system as shown in FIG. 1. This system includes multiple displays showing different images displayed on each display, of which one display shows an object displayed on the displayed image.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a block schematic of a client device, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an illustration of a flow chart of a method for processing image information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FiG. 5 is a flow chart of a method of displaying advertisements to a user of an online service according to a variation of the method of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1 , there is shown a system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention in conjunction with a displayed image split up in four sub-images. The system 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a first client 100, a second client 200, a third client 300, and a fourth client 400, connected to each other by means of an intervening data access network 505, further comprising a "master" client, here in the form of a web server 500. Any other client 100, 200, 300, 400 may act as master client; thus the invention is not limited to the use of a web server 500 as master client.

To each client 100, 200, 300, 400, a respective video display unit 102, 202, 302, 402 is connected for displaying images, movies and other graphical objects as well as audio. The video display unit(s) 102, 202, 302, 402 could be of any conventional type such as plasma or LCD displays suitable for any purpose. The clients 100, 200, 300, 400, the data access network 505 and the web server 500 altogether make up an image data distribution and processing system 10 for multiple video displays. The communication lines between the clients 100, 200, 300, 400 over the access network 505 could be any suitable such as cable connections combined with cordless applications, for instance cordless gateway/switches and a TCP/IP based network. Also the communication lines between each display and client may be cable connections or cordless. Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown the same system as in FIG. 1 , but in conjunction with four different displayed images on four displays, instead of one image split up in four sub-images. This figure intends to show that the invention could also be applied for non-image splitting technique, which is a great advantage compared to prior art. Since the systems shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 basically are the same, but differs in application shown, reference is in the following made only to FIG. 1.

The system shown in FIG. 1 is by no means limited to a particular number n of clients 100, 200, 300, 400 corresponding to four, but could be any number. Typically, the number n of clients 100, 200, 300, 400 corresponds to the number n of video display units 102, 202, 302, 402. The system 10 can be increased by n+1 clients depending on requirements.

Each client 100, 200, 300, 400 is typically provided in the form of a physical client device, including a client computer which is configured to access the server 500 via the access network 505. The client computer may be, for example, a PC using a conventional operating system, or may be provided as a more application specific (usually simpler) hard ware unit provided with software together providing the client application. A typical example of the latter could be a video card provided with client application specific software.

Now is referred to FIG. 3, which is an illustration of a block schematic of a client 100, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the form of a client device. The client device 100 comprises a first transmission unit 104 for transmission of video signals comprising image (and possibly audio) information to or from a second client (or the server 500). This first transmission unit 104 could be of any conventional type including a cordless gate way/switch having input/output elements for receiving and transmitting video, audio and data signals. The client 100 also comprises a second transmission unit 106 for transmission of said video signals comprising processed image information to a display (not shown). Located between these two units 104, 106 there is provided a control system 108 arranged to process the image information.

Typically, this control system 108 comprises a processor 110 connected to a computer memory 112 with a system bus 114, in which memory 112 reside computer-executable instructions 1 16 for execution; the processor 110 being operative to execute the computer-executable instructions 116 to: provide a request to the second client to provide image information to the first client device 100; determine, by the first client device 100, a virtual display layer, based on the requested image information containing graphical data values, that is compatible with the client devices; and performing one or more client based image processing operations including graphical synchronization of the requested image information based on the graphical data values to provide a displayable object derivable from the virtual display layer to be displayed on top of any other image(s) displayed. The object may be a still picture, a moving picture, a film or the like. An example thereof will be described below.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the synchronization could be provided by creating a virtual scene, or alternatively a virtual world. The scene (or world) comprises coordinates in a 3-D world (x, y, z coordinates). This scene (or world) is, or could be, downloaded to the client(s) as any image, film. In practice, the scene is provided as a file (a computer program) that could be downloaded from a master client or the like to be processed by the client(s). All of this is obvious for a person skilled in the art of electronics and/or computer science to perform and/or implement, based on the information already given in this context. Thus, this will not be described in more detail. Any suitable computer language and/or electronics could be employed fore this purpose.

As an example, four (4) clients having a respective display arranged after each other should display an object such as an aeroplane flying, or a fish swimming from the first display to the last. The scene is created and the coordinates related to the aero plane described in the scene are saved in the file that is distributed together with aero plane image data, i. e. the aero plane image down to the clients. Each client is assigned a so-called virtual projector in which coordinates are provided and describe how the starting point should be changed I each projector area. The clients are connected to the server all the time and receive data for moving the aero plane. Typically, the processor in each client uses the data to decide movement of aero plane. For a user, the impression will be an aero plane flying from the first display to the last one. This is shown in more detail in Fig. 1 , item L2 illustrating a fish swimming. An area of application for the present invention is advertising, for instance clothes or the like, whereby a customer could be presented relevant information to influence him/her buying a particular product. This is however only a non- limiting example of a typical application.

The client puts this scene l_2 on his display on top of an already existing (displayed) image such as a film (see Fig. 1 again, item L2). Typically, this is controlled by means of the processor of the client. Without any limitation at all, there could alternatively be any number of scenes, say n scenes corresponding to n layers, not two only L1 and L2 as shown in Fig. 1. In practice, the limiting factor is normally the capacity of the processor(s) of the client(s). As will be further explained below, the client could alternatively be provided as a computer program product (referred to as a client application) that can be executed by a computer, for instance located in an already provided local device such as a video card of a video display unit, and is preferably configured and provided as an independent application program or a DLL. This computer program product could be stored on a record carrier such as a USB, or be downloaded from the Internet. This is not shown in any drawing figure, since the operating principle could easily be derived from the disclosure of the client device in FIG. 3 as explained above.

The client application may be installed during manufacture of the client device, or may occur automatically as a consequence of other processes. Furthermore, the client application may be activated either manually or automatically, and can be run from a remote location such as the web-server in a way known per se.

The client may also be, for example, an Internet appliance, a network computer (NC), or an appropriately Internet-enabled device. The particular type of device (or providing the client is not considered to be important so long as the client can provide some measure of interactivity with another client and the web server.

Now is referred back to FIG. 1 again. The access network 505 provides network support for the clients 100, 200, 300, 400 to interact with each other, including the web server 500. The access network 505 preferably comprises a TCP/IP based network such as the Internet or an intranet, but other types of networks including LANs etc could be employed instead or in any combination with a TCP/IP based network. Because of this, FIG. 1 only schematically shows the network 505.

The web server 500 may be of the type known in the prior art that has the ability to communicate with local clients by means of an intervening network such as the Internet. It should be appreciated that the web server 500 in addition to that preferably is representative of any source of image data and capable of receiving operator and user input. Thus, for example, the web server 500 could be accessible from the Internet, or it could be a part of an intranet and represents any number of web servers, some including or having access to data bases.

Interactions between the web server 500 and clients 100, 200, 300, 400 and between the clients are facilitated by a variety of software protocols (i.e., communication conventions, rules and structures), including application level protocols, for managing the transfer of data across the network and to the client applications of the clients. A protocol may be proprietary or exclusive such that only client software may be used to communicate with the server software. For a better understanding of the present invention, a typical situation will be described. In Fig. 1 there is shown how four different images are shown on a respective video display unit 102, 202, 302, 402 using picture splitting technique. Picture splitting devices or a picture splitting circuits are known to a person with ordinary skill in the art in the field, and further, is not directly related to the present invention, and a detailed explanation of the configuration is therefore here omitted.

These images represents a first layer L1 corresponding to a media content, such as images, movies, etc. On the first layer a second virtual layer L2 is displayed, herein in the form of part of a virtual display area displaying an object. Typically, this second virtual layer L2 could be provided in the form of parts of a movie, or a three dimensional environment in real time. According to the invention, all graphical objects can move freely between all displays 102, 202, 302, 402 because of the configuration of the clients, the virtual display layer, including proper protocols etc. This is not described in more detail, since it is obvious for a person skilled in the art of programming and electronics to design according to specific applications.

The client 100 provides movement of all graphical objects in a three dimension environment. The objects could be scaled, rotated, moved in three dimensions (x, y, z) etc. This provides a number of possibilities to present images in a multi display system for instance.

This could not be provided with prior art systems, which do not contain neither this additional second virtual layer L2, nor the features of the clients.

By means of the inventive system including the clients, it is possible to display objects of an additional virtual layer on top of the images, or movies shown. For instance, in a system of say four displays, of which one or more displays 202, 402 displays a water surface (as shown in FIG. 1 ), an object defined by means of the virtual layer could be displayed on say one of the displays, 402. This object, provided by the client and virtual display layer data, in particular graphical data values, x, y, z , is provided as a second layer L2 located on a first layer L1 , of which the first layer L1 makes up the image, and of which the latter is displayed in a way known per se using known display circuitry and features. The second layer L2 is a part of the virtual layer being made "visible" by the client. By means of graphical synchronization defined by the virtual layer and interaction between the client devices over the network, it then possible to display the object on any other display, on any other location, say in the right corner instead of the left corner etc.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a flow chart of a method for processing image information by a first client. The methods corresponds to what have already been disclosed above related to the client and system.

In a first step, 410, there is provided a request to a second client to transmit the image information to the first client device if not already transmitted.

In a second step, 420 the first client determines, a virtual display layer, based on the image information containing graphical data values, which is compatible with the client devices. Thereafter, in a third and fourth step 430, 440, the client performs one or more client based image processing operations including graphic synchronization of the image information based on the graphical data values to provide a displayable object of the virtual display layer to be displayed on top of any other image(s) displayed.

As disclosed, one of the processes relates to the display of image data from a data base by means of a server, and particularly advertisements, on the display. Methods of displaying advertisements to a user are described next. These methods are variations of the basic method described with reference to FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a flow chart of a method of displaying advertisements to a user of an online service according to the invention. This method generally involves the display of advertisements during usage of the online service.

In a first and second step 510, 520 the client application of the client 100 is activated. Preferably, after the client application is activated, the client application displays the object on the display, step 530. In the next step, step 540, the client application displays advertisements according to a default value, in the object.

As default, the client 100 obtains the advertisements locally. For example, during installation of the client application one or more advertisements are installed on the locally client device 100 for display outside of a session. Alternatively, the advertisements may be downloaded to the client device 100, typically in the form of a play list that comprises one or more ad objects. The play list preferably specifies an order in which the ads will be displayed.

In the next step, step 545, the client 100 establishes a communication channel to the online service, if not already established. With the communication channel established, the client 100 can now receive a new play list from the server 500, step 550. The client application then displays advertisements according to the on-line play list, step 555, and this continues while the user uses the online service, step 560.

The client application preferably provides the user with the opportunity to close the session, step 565, then the client application closes the communication channel to the online service, step 570, and the method ends, step 580.

In addition to manual closure, the client application preferably can automatically close the communication channel.

Throughout this description, the embodiments shown and described should be considered as examples, rather than limitations of the invention.

It is to be understood that, when reference is made in this disclosure to the term "display" this refers generically either to a display screen on its own or to the screen and an associated housing, drive circuitry and possibly a physical supporting structure.

Claims

1. A method for processing image information by a first client, the image information having a plurality of data values, the method providing a client application comprising: providing a request to a second client to transmit the image information to the first client device if not already transmitted, step 410; determining, by the first client, a virtual display layer, based on the image information containing graphical data values, that is compatible with the client devices step 420; and performing one or more client based image processing operations including graphic synchronization of the image information based on the graphical data values to provide a displayable object of the virtual display layer to be displayed on top of any other image(s) displayed, step 430, 440.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing a request comprises: requesting a second client in the form of a master client device such as a server, having a plurality of thereto connected further client devices, to transmit image information containing graphical object data for all graphical objects of the virtual display layer, step 410.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein providing a request comprises: requesting a second client in the form of a local client device to transmit image information containing graphical object data for all graphical objects of the virtual display layer, step 410.

4. The method according to any one of the claims 1-3, wherein performing said one or more client based image processing operations comprises determining one or more parameters (x, y, z) associated with a three dimensional environment, step 430.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein performing said one or more client based image processing operations comprises processing the virtual image information to provide a displayable object in the form of a sub-image as a part of a larger image, step 440.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein performing said one or more client based image processing operations comprises processing the virtual image information to provide a displayable object in the form of a movable sub-image as a part of a larger film, step 440.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein performing said one or more client based image processing operations comprises processing the virtual image information to provide a displayable object in the form of a part of a larger three dimensional environment, step 440.

8. The method according to any one of the claims 1-7, wherein determining one or more parameters comprises determining the one or more parameters dynamically, without operator intervention.

9. The method according to any one of the claims 1-8, wherein performing one or more client based image processing operations comprises processing image information based on operator input, step 430.

10. The method according to any one of the claims 1-9, wherein performing one or more server based image processing operations comprises scaling the object to a setting or level desired or requested by the client device, step 430.

1 1. The method according to any one of the claims 1-9, wherein performing one or more server based image processing operations comprises rotating the object to a setting or level desired or requested by the client device, step 430.

12. The method according to any one of the claims 1-9, wherein performing one or more server based image processing operations comprises moving the object to a setting or level desired or requested by the client device, step 430.

13. The method according to any one of the claims 1-12, comprising the further steps of: displaying advertisements to a user of an online service using a client application on a client device, step 540.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of: the client receiving the first play list from an ad server after establishment of the session with the online service, step 530.

15. A computer program product for processing image information, the image information having a plurality of data values, wherein the computer program product comprises computer-readable program code portions comprising, an executable portion (1 16) capable of providing a client application comprising the steps of: providing a request to a second client to transmit the image information to the first client device if not already transmitted; determining, by the first client, a virtual display layer, based on the image information containing graphical data values, that is compatible with the client devices; and performing one or more client based image processing operations including graphic synchronization of the image information based on the graphical data values to provide a displayable object corresponding to the virtual display layer to be displayed on top of any other image(s) displayed.

16. A client device (100) for processing image information, the image information having a plurality of data values, comprising: first means (104) for transmission of video signals comprising image information to or from a second client, second means (106) for transmission of said video signals comprising processed image information to a display, a control system (108) arranged to process the image information so as to: provide a request to a second client to transmit the image information to the client device (100); determine, a virtual display layer, based on the image information containing graphical data values, that is compatible with the client device (100); and perform one or more client based image processing operations including graphic synchronization of the image information based on the graphical data values to provide displayable virtual display information.

17. A client device according to claim 16, wherein said control system (108) comprises a processor (1 10) connected to a computer memory (112) with a system bus (114), in which memory (112) reside computer-executable instructions (116) for execution; the processor (110) being operative to execute the computer- executable instructions (1 16) to: provide a request to the second client to provide the image information to the first client device

(100); determine, by the first client device (100), a virtual display layer, based on the requested image information containing graphical data values, that is compatible with the client devices; and performing one or more client based image processing operations including graphic synchronization of the requested image information based on the graphical data values to provide a displayable object derivable from the virtual display layer to be displayed on top of any other image(s) displayed.

18. A client device according to claim 16 or 17, further comprising a video card for a display.

19. A client device according to any one of the claims 16-18, wherein the first means (104) for transmission of video signals further comprises a cordless gateway switch.

20. A system (10) for processing image information, the image information having a plurality of data values, said system (10) comprising: one or more client devices (100, 200, 300, 400) for processing image information, the image information having a plurality of data values, comprising: first means (104) for transmission of video signals comprising image information to or from a second client (500), second means (106) for transmission of said video signals comprising processed image information to a display, a control system (108) arranged to process the image information so as to: provide a request to a second client (200) to provide the image information to the client device (100); determine, a virtual display layer, based on the image information containing graphical data values, that is compatible with the client device (100); and perform one or more client based image processing operations including graphic synchronization of the image information based on the graphical data values to provide displayable virtual display information.

21. A system (10) for processing image information, wherein. the one client (200) is a web-server.