INFORMATION PRESENTATION CORRESPONDING TO CONTENT PURPOSING MASKS

An integrated development environment (IDE) feature is described that provide relevant information regarding the various purposing masks in an intuitive manner. A user selects one or more target media types for the content being worked on in the IDE. When these target media are selected, masks corresponding to the selected target media are displayed over the content. The IDE monitors the position information identifying a display location of each mask. When the user performs some kind of information event associated with an identified display location of one of the masks, the IDE detects this event and displays an information box that contains media type information regarding the target media related to the specific mask at the identified display location.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1shows a block diagram illustrating content purposing lifecycle10. Content takes on many different forms and is represented in many different media or target formats. Such content may be presented on various media, such as print media, such as page101or postcard107; computer media, such as computer102, which may be electronic images or a complex Rich Internet Application (MA); television content, such as the content displayed on television103; mobile device content, which may be displayed on mobile phones104-110and PDA106; three-dimensional content such as hologram image108and block sculpture109. Content, thus, is any type of information that is eventually presented in a physical or sensory manner, whether through electronic devices or non-electronic devices (e.g. physical material). As used herein below, medium (media or other derivation) refers to the device upon which the content is presented to a user.

In exemplary operation, a content author desires to create content for mobile phones104and105and also for PDA106. Instead of working with three different content files that are specifically targeted for each of the devices, the content author selects to display masks representing mobile phones104and105and PDA106on to the design area of an IDE implementing content purposing process100. For example, one such mask may provide a shaded region surrounding a clear region that represents the viewable area on the display of mobile phone104, while the other masks provide similar transparent and translucent regions representing the viewable areas on mobile phone105and PDA106. With each of the mask's transparent region intersecting into a common transparent region, the author may create the content to fit within the visible display areas of each of mobile phones104and105and PDA106by drafting the content within that common transparent region. Optionally, the content author may choose to include the majority of the content in the common transparent region, but allow some of the content to enter the overlapped translucent regions of selected ones of the target devices. For example, the author may design the content to fit squarely within the visible region of PDA106, but allow some of the content to extend into the translucent regions of mobile phones104and105. This extending of the content beyond the visible screen region of mobile phones104and1135may require the user of those mobile phones to use a scrolling function to view the entire content.

Use of such masks and exemplary development applications that provide the masks are described in more detail in co-pending, commonly assigned, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/512,567, Attorney Docket No. B266, entitled “IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON VISIBLE REGIONS IN PURPOSING MEDIA FOR TARGETED USE”, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Thus, according to certain embodiments of the present invention masks may be provided into the IDE.

During the purposing process the user may desire to view information corresponding to a mask or croup of masks that are present in the IDE This information may include information such as devices associated with the mask, demographic information related to the users associated with the devices, etc. This information can be used by the user in making decisions and/or understanding the impact a particular purposing operation may have on the viewers of the media.

In purposing content for mobile devices, such as mobile phones104-105, several mobile phone displays may share the same or similar sizing requirements. Thus, purposing content for 20 different mobile phones may not require the creation of 20 differently-sized pieces of content. A few differently-sized files may be used to provide content to all 20 or more mobile device displays.

In other circumstances, there may be content that is originally presented in a first medium that a content author desires to purpose for use in new medium. For example, if a content author desires to purpose the graphics content of a computer application that runs on computer102to adequately display on mobile phones104-105and PDA106, he or she may use content purposing process100to crop, modify, and the like, the graphics content and user interface (UI) graphics to fit onto the screens of mobile phones104-105and PDA106. In content purposing process100, which is configured according to one embodiment of the present invention, the author may display the application graphics onto a design screen and select multiple purposing masks that were generated to show what portion of the application graphics will fit in the viewing area of the particular mobile device. The user of the development system may select to layer this purposing mask on top of the application graphics. Any of the graphics that remain visible through the transparent region would, therefore, be visible when presented on mobile phone104. The user then either modifies, crops, or performs any other such editing on the images to accommodate the display size of mobile phone104.

Additionally, the user could select to layer purposing masks that show the visible screen area for mobile phone105and PDA106on top of the mask representing the visible area of mobile phone104. In this process, the user can see the visible display area that is common to all of mobile phones104-105and PDA106. If the user desires to make a single content (e.g. application) that will be viewable on each of mobile phones104-105and PDA106, he or she could then crop or modify the content (e.g. application and UI graphics), or copies thereon to fit in the common visible regions. In other approaches the user may make decisions that are optimal on one device and acceptable on other devices. For example, the user can choose a well framed shot on the phone with the largest field of view, but still have both full heads framed on those with narrower frames.

Content purposing may also be conducted in three-dimensions (3D) with physical items, such as block sculpture109. Purposing31content may comprise representing the content in another target 3D media, such as another physical item, a holographic image, an orthographic projection, or some other kind of 3D perspective projection. In operation, a content author may scan or draw an electronic, 3D representation of block sculpture109into an IDE that implements content purposing process100. The content author may then select the type and size of target medium desired, and a purposing mask or masks that represent those selected target medium would be layered on top of the scanned or drawn content. In the described example, the content author desires to create a hologram and a postcard that includes the image of block sculpture109. Masks for both target medium and presentation variables would be layered on top of the scanned or drawn image of block sculpture109, with the part of the image visible through the intersection of the transparent portions of the masks being the common region visible in both target mediums. The user may then crop, modify, rescale, or perform some other type of editing of the image to fit the resulting content into the target medium, i.e., hologram image108and postcard107.

It should be noted that content purposing process100may be used to purpose content for any target formats, either through creating new content or repurposing existing content. It should further be noted that when operating content purposing process100with D) content, some 3D masks may be created from certain two-dimensional (2D) masks by extending the 2D mask into a 3D representation through an orthographic or other perspective projection.

When purposing content for some target forms of medium, such as electronic media (e.g., mobile devices), the target devices are not always uniform in display-size or resolution. Because there is no uniformity, multiple variations of purposed content are typically created in order to conform to each of the presentation variables of the various target devices, such as display size, aspect ratio, density, pixel shape, resolution, and the like. Alternatively, a content author could select to purpose content to a certain single set of presentation variables, but do so in such a fashion that would accommodate the most devices possible. In other words, fewer versions of the content may be created if one or more of the versions are created (or purposed) such that they are suitable for presentation on multiple different device types (e.g. having different presentation variables).

FIG. 2Ais a screenshot illustrating content purposing system20configured according to one embodiment of the present invention. Content purposing system20is implemented through IDE200. IDE200uses typical interface features, such as tool panels210-212, property inspector213, and design canvas202. For purposes of this example, a content author desires to purpose content201, which reads “GO Mobile,” for use oil a number of mobile phone devices. While this example allows the user to purpose content for mobile phone devices, the content purposing system may likewise be used to additionally or alternatively purpose content for other media types. The author begins, in this example by placing content201onto design canvas202. Using a pull-down menu or one of tool panels210-212, which may be assigned for content purposing, the author selects to purpose content201to a mobile device and selects the actual mobile phone device model or group of mobile devices that share the same display dimensions, such as for mobile phone104(FIG. 1). Once selected, purposing mask203, which represents the display dimensions of mobile phone104, is layered on top of content201. Purposing mask203provides a transparent region, defined by transparent region206, that represents the display dimensions of mobile phone104(FIG. 1). The author then selects two additional purposing masks, purposing masks204and205, which lay directly on top of purposing mask203. Purposing masks204and205provide transparent regions207and208, respectively, and represent the display dimensions for additional mobile phones that the author desires to purpose content201for.

As transparent regions206-208either do not overlap or overlap fewer than all of the transparent regions of purposing masks203-205, some kind of visual indicator, such as shading, is applied to the portion of transparent regions206-208that do not share a totally common area. The portion common to all of transparent regions206-208, however, remains transparent, as represented by common visible region209. This identification of the common visible region shared by each of the purposing masks is described in co-pending and commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/512,567, Attorney Docket No. B266, entitled “IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON VISIBLE REGIONS IN PURPOSING MEDIA FOR TARGETED USE,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. By having the common display regions identified through common visible region209, the author is then able to position or edit content201in such a way so as to make content201visible in each of the desired mobile devices represented by purposing masks203-205.

When purposing or re-purposing content for use on multiple, specific mobile devices, content authors typically must either remember which mask is associated with which particular device or provide a name to the mask that might indicate its related device. If the author used one mask per device and did not contemplate purposing for many different devices, these methods could be used to keep track of the purposing exercise. However, in practice, there are a number of different phones, from different manufacturers, that have the same physical screen dimensions or “aspect ratio”. Moreover, when a mobile content author desires to obtain the widest possible audience for his or her content, the author will typically be purposing or re-purposing that content for many different display sizes. This volume of different devices and display sizes makes it difficult for the author to either use his or her memory or naming of the masks as a viable way to maintain organization of the purposing exercise. IDE200, configured according to one embodiment of the present invention, offers a solution to the author. In sonic embodiments the user can specify a set of target mediums and the corresponding masks or set of masks can be provided. For example, the user could request for all mobile phones used by a service provider, or all phones associated with a desired demographic (such as devices used by 13 year old girls).

If the content author desires to find out what mobile devices are represented by any particular purposing mask, he or she moves cursor214over the portion of the transparent region shared only by that particular purposing mask. For example,FIG. 2Aillustrates cursor214hovering over the transparent region of purposing mask205, i.e., shaded transparent region208. As the author hovers cursor214over shaded transparent region208, information box215pops up which contains a listing of each specific mobile phone or mobile device represented by purposing mask205. In certain instances, many different devices may be represented, thus, causing a scrolling mechanism, such as scroll bar216to be provided for the user to scroll through the list. In some embodiments to aid in clarity, lists can be sub-setted (e.g., only show devices having a specific demographic range. In this manner, the user may easily find out which devices (or other information related to the mask) are represented by a particular purposing mask.

FIG. 2Bis a screenshot illustrating content purposing system20configured according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this example, the author desires to know which devices are represented by purposing mask204. Cursor217is moved to hover over transparent region207. Information box218appears displaying the make and model number of each device represented by transparent region207. InFIG. 2C, which is another screenshot illustrating content purposing system20, the author has moved cursor219to hover over transparent region206. When cursor219so hovers, information box220pops up listing the single device make and model represented by purposing mask203. Information box220displays that an LG XT20 model mobile phone display is represented by transparent region206of purposing mask203. Thus, by hovering the cursor over specific portions of the displayed purposing masks, the author or developer has ready access to the exact mobile phone models represented by each of the masks.

FIG. 2Dis a screenshot illustrating content purposing system20configured according to an additional and/or alternative embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiments described with respect toFIGS. 2A-C, as the author hovered over the respective areas, an information box popped up within the viewing area of design canvas202. In the additional and/or alternative embodiment of the present invention illustrated inFIG. 2D, as the user or author positions cursor221over a specific transparent area, such as transparent region206, and selects that area, information box222appears in property inspector213.

It should be noted that in various additional and/or alternative embodiments of the present invention, the information with regard to the specific target device or medium may be displayed or presented to the user in various and multiple locations, the present invention is not limited to display only through popup boxes within the design canvas or presentation on the property inspector.

FIG. 3is a screenshot illustrating content purposing system30configured according to one embodiment of the present invention. A user may also desire to purpose various pieces of content for various different types of mediums. In the example embodiment illustrated inFIG. 3, content31is displayed on design canvas32of IDE300. The user desires to purpose content3I, not only for display on a PDA, but for a 4″×6″ postcard to use in an advertising campaign. In order to preview the viewing area of the PDA and postcard in relation to content31, the user selects to overlay mask301onto design canvas32. Mask301includes transparent region302. The user then selects to add masks306and307for purposing content31to additional medium types, which creates common visible region303. Once all the masks have been overlayed onto design canvas32, the user can easily determine the type of medium that each of masks301,306, and307represent. The user positions cursor304over the shaded area of mask301and activates a special selector, such as the right mouse button, a function key, shortcut; or the like. In response to this selector activation, information box305pops onto the display of IDE300. Information box305displays the mediums represented by mask301, an HP IPAQ® 360 an a 4″×6″ postcard.

FIG. 4is a screenshot illustrating purposing environment40configured according to one embodiment of the present invention. In addition to handling typical 2 dimensional (2D) media, various embodiments of the present invention may also handle purposing 3-dimensional (3D) media. 3D object41is represented on design canvas407of IDE400. Using rotation tabs405and406, the user can rotate the view perspective of 3D object41. The user desires to plan manufacture of 3D object41in several different materials. Each material may require certain size or dimensions in order to provide a specific stiffness or hardness or other structural requirement. IDE400includes special software created for such manufacturing design tasks. The user accesses materials list408to select the materials he or she desires to use for 3D object41. After selecting each of the desired materials, a 3D mask is displayed over 3D object41. For example, 3D masks403and404are overlayed onto 3D object41with transparent regions401and402. Because the 3D masks would typically have the transparent regions in the middle of the non-transparent area, a section of the shaded or non-transparent area is removed in the line-of-sight between the user and 3D object41. With this section removed, the user can then see the intersection of transparent regions401and402at common target region411. If the user were to rotate the view of 3D object41, the portion of the non-transparent removed would also change to provide an unrestricted view of common target region411from the user's point-of-view.

Once the desired masks are placed onto design canvas407, the user may find out which masks represent the various materials that were selected from materials list408. By hovering cursor409over transparent area402, information box410pops up showing that transparent area402represents the dimensions that will be used for plaster and also for concrete. Thus, the user will have ready availability of the specific material associated with each of the masks that have been placed onto design canvas407.

FIG. 5is a flowchart illustrating example steps executed to implement one embodiment of the present invention. Because the content purposing system of the present invention may be used in creating targeted content or repurposing existing content into a new targeted format, there are alternative beginning steps. In step500A, a content author begins creation of content targeted for one or more formats in an IDE. In step500B, a content author loads existing content that is designated to be modified for one or more formats. In step501, a visual list of a plurality of masks, such as in a menu, tool palette, pop-up window, or the like, is presented to a user of an IDE for selection of one or more desired masks where each of the masks represents one or more target formats and each mask has a transparent region representing a visible area of the target formats and a translucent region surrounding the transparent region. Selection of a first mask is received, in step502, where the first mask is placed in a separate layer than the content displayed in the IDE. Selection of one or more additional masks is received, in step503, to place in yet another layer separate from the content and the first mask, where a common intersection of the transparent region of the first mask and any other masks identifies a common visible part of the represented target formats. In step504, edit input is received such as cropping, scaling, shrinking (maintaining the same aspect ratio), non-linear scaling, clipping, extending, extrapolating, and the like, to modify the content to accommodate the common intersection.

It should be noted that in alternative step505, edit input is received to accommodate a subset of target formats that are identified by selected overlapped translucent regions. By selecting the subset of target formats, the content author modifies the content to fit within the visible regions of those target formats.

The program or code segments making up the various embodiments of the present invention may be stored in a computer readable medium or transmitted by a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, or a signal modulated by a carrier, over a transmission medium. The “computer readable medium” may include any medium that can store or transfer information. Examples of the computer readable medium include an electronic circuit, a semiconductor memory device, a ROM, a flash memory, an erasable ROM (EROM), a floppy diskette, a compact disk CD-ROM, an optical disk, a hard disk, a fiber optic medium, a radio frequency (m+) link, and the like. The computer data signal may include any signal that can propagate over a transmission medium such as electronic network channels, optical fibers, air, electromagnetic, RF links, and the like. The code segments may be downloaded via computer networks such as the Internet, Intranet, and the like.

FIG. 6illustrates computer system600adapted to use embodiments of the present invention, e.g. storing and/or executing software associated with the embodiments. Central processing unit (CPU)601is coupled to system bus602. The CPU601may be any general purpose CPU. However, embodiments of the present invention are not restricted by the architecture of CPU601as long as CPU601supports the inventive operations as described herein. Bus602is coupled to random access memory (RAM)603, which may be SRAM, DRM, or SDRAM. ROM604is also coupled to bus602, which may be PROM, SPROM, or EEPROM. RAM603and ROM604hold user and system data and programs as is well known in the art.

Bus602is also coupled to input/output (110) controller card605, communications adapter card611, user interface card608, and display card609. The I/O adapter card605connects storage devices606, such as one or more of a hard drive, a CD drive, a floppy disk drive, a tape drive, to computer system600. The consumer identification information and/or media type information may be stored locally in such storage devices606. When the system is triggered to display the consumer identification or media type information, it may access storage devices606for this information. The I/O adapter605is also connected to a printer (not shown), which would allow the system to print paper copies of information such as documents, photographs, articles, and the like. Note that the printer may be a printer (e.g., dot matrix, laser, and the like), a fax machine, scanner, or a copier machine. Communications card611is adapted to couple the computer system600to a network612, which may be one or more of a telephone network, a local (LAN) and/or a wide-area (WAN) network, an Ethernet network, and/or the Internet network. In addition to retrieving the consumer identification and media type information from a local storage, such as storage devices606, the system may also retrieve such information from a remote storage (not shown) or network application (not shown) via the network or Internet. The system transmits a request for this information via communications card611over network612, and then receives the information through the same communications card611. User interface card608couples user input devices, such as keyboard613, pointing device607, and the like, to the computer system600. User interface card608also provides a means for a user to manually enter the consumer identification or media type information for use in the system. The system may use all, one, or any combination of these means for retrieving the consumer identification and/or media type information. The display card609is driven by CPU601to control the display on display device610.