Multi-Resolution Graphics

Abstract

Provided herein is technology for displaying, reposition, and/or formatting graphics on a display. The technology includes receiving a graphics stream in a first playout format that includes a first display resolution and first display layout. The technology also includes determining a second playout format that includes a second display resolution and a second display layout. The technology further determines an area of importance within the first display layout given the first display layout, second display resolution, and second display layout. A preferred position within the second display layout is determined so that the preferred position is a location in the second display layout that is in a relatively similar location as the area of importance in the first display layout. The first playout format is converted into the second playout format using the area of importance and preferred position. Finally, the graphics stream is displayed in the second playout format.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, executed by one or more computer processors in communication with one or more displays, for displaying graphics on the display comprising:
 receiving, by the one or more computer processors, a graphics stream in a first playout format, the first playout format comprising a first display resolution and a first display layout;   determining, by the one or more computer processors, a second playout format, the second playout format comprising a second display resolution and a second display layout;   determining, by the one or more computer processors, an area of importance within the first display layout given the first display layout, the second display resolution, and the second display layout;   determining, by the one or more computer processors, a preferred position within the second display layout, wherein the preferred position is a location in the second display layout that is in a relatively similar location as the area of importance in the first display layout;   converting, by the one or more computer processors, the first playout format into the second playout format using the area of importance and the preferred position; and   displaying, by the one or more computer processors on the one or more displays, the resulting graphics stream in the second playout format.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein converting comprises:
 scaling the graphics stream from the first display resolution to the second display resolution such that the area of importance of the first display layout is scaled to fit in the second display layout and portions of the first display layout that are not found at the area of importance are allowed to be cutoff. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein converting comprises:
 repositioning the graphics stream into the second display layout based on the area of importance such that the repositioning places the graphics found in the area of importance at the preferred position in the second display layout. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each graphic of the graphics stream has a horizontal alignment indicator or a vertical alignment indicator. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the horizontal alignment indicator is one of left, center, or right. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the vertical alignment indicator is one of top, center, or bottom. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprises indicating one or more graphics of the graphics stream as graphics that are displayed in the second display layout. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein determining the area of importance comprises defining a bounded region that covers a portion of the first playout format based on:
 the first display layout; 
 the second display layout; 
 horizontal alignment indicators of the one or more indicated graphics; and 
 vertical alignment indicators of the one or more indicated graphics. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2  wherein repositioning the graphics stream further comprises shifting the graphics stream by a preset amount based on a horizontal alignment indicator, a vertical alignment indicator, the second display resolution or the second display layout. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2  wherein repositioning the graphics stream further comprises shifting the graphics stream by a configurable shift amount based on content provider dynamic scripts. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first display layout and the second display layout are a layout type, the layout type comprising one of a widescreen layout, a pillarbox layout, a full screen layout, or a letterbox layout. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the first display layout and the second display layout are different layout types. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein determining the second playout format comprises:
 determining a playout format of a video stream over which the graphics stream is to be displayed; 
 reading a hint on a playlist used to override or supplement the information from the video stream; and 
 using a playout format based on the playout format of the video stream and the hint. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the graphics stream includes a portion created by a dynamic script. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein script variables are used to indicate the display resolution and the display layout of the graphics stream 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second display resolution is a high definition resolution or a standard definition resolution. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising a resolution graphic indicating the playout format. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the resolution graphic is displayed only when indicating the playout format is the high definition format. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the graphics stream is a static graphics presentation or an animated graphics presentation. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising displaying a crawl graphic, wherein converting removes a portion of the crawl graphic. 
     
     
         21 . A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, for displaying graphics on a display comprising, the computer program product including instructions being operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:
 receive a graphics stream in a first playout format, the first playout format comprising a first display resolution and a first display layout;   determine a second playout format, the second playout format comprising a second display resolution and a second display layout;   determine an area of importance within the first display layout given the first display layout, the second display resolution, and the second display layout;   determine a preferred position within the second display layout given the first display layout, the second display resolution, and the second display layout;   convert the first playout format into the second playout format using the area of importance and the preferred position; and   display the resulting graphics stream in the second playout format.