Dynamic manipulation of animated graphics in a web browser
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorTheodore Jack London Shrader
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A client-side mechanism that enables a web browser user to manipulate an animated graphic served from a web server. For example, the mechanism allows the user to view the frames of the animated graphic, to halt the animation on a selected frame, to add a new frame, to delete a frame, to edit/modify a given frame, to alter the sequence of frames, to modify a speed of the animation, or the like In addition, the mechanism enables the user to cache given frames of the animation and to save the changes across browser cache flushes.
Claims29
A method for manipulating an animated graphic for view by a user, comprising the steps of:
- downloading an animated graphic associated with a web page from a network to a user machine, wherein the web page is displayed for a user on the user machine;
- responsive to a selection of the graphic, displaying a dialog identifying a set of frames that comprise the animated graphic;
- and
- taking a given action with respect to at least one frame in the set of frames to manipulate how the animated graphic is displayed in the page on the user machine as viewed by the user;
- wherein other users see the original behavior of the animated graphic.
A method for manipulating an animated graphic in a web page as displayed on a given machine, comprising the steps of:
- responsive to a selection of the animated graphic, displaying a dialog identifying a set of frames that comprise the animated graphic;
- and
- displaying a thumbnail view of a given frame;
- responsive to user invocation of a freeze function, replacing the animated graphic with the given frame;
- and
- displaying the web page with the given frame in place of the animated graphic;
- wherein the given frame is automatically displayed in place of the animated graphic when the web page is accessed by the user again from the given machine.
A method for viewing an animated graphic, comprising the steps of:
- downloading an animated graphic associated with a web page from a network to a user machine;
- responsive to a selection of the animated graphic, displaying an option to view a set of frames that comprise the animated graphic;
- responsive to selection of the option, displaying a dialog identifying the frames and including a thumbnail view of a currently selected frame;
- and
- responsive to changing the currently selected frame, changing the thumbnail view;
- wherein a selected one of the set of frames is displayed in place of the animated graphic on the user machine;
- wherein on subsequent downloads of the web page to the user machine, the selected one of the set of frames is displayed in place of the animated graphic;
- and
- wherein on subsequent downloads of the web page to machines other than the user machine, the animated graphic is displayed with the web page.
A computer program product in a computer usuable medium for manipulating an animated graphic served in a web page, comprising:
- first means responsive to selection of the animated graphic for displaying a dialog identifying a set of frames that comprise the animated graphic together with a thumbnail view of a currently selected frame;
- and
- second means responsive to a user taking a given action in the dialog for changing a behavior of the animated graphic as displayed on a user's computer;
- wherein a change to the behavior of the animated graphic is only shown when the graphic is displayed on the user's computer;
- and
- wherein other users see the original behavior of the animated graphic.
A computer program product in a computer usable medium for manipulating an animated graphic served in a web page, comprising:
- first means responsive to selection of the animated graphic for displaying a dialog identifying a set of frames that comprise the animated graphic together with a thumbnail view of a currently selected frame;
- second means responsive to a user taking a given action in the dialog for changing a behavior of the animated graphic;
- and
- third means for saving the changed behavior in a browser cache.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.