Font data streaming
View Patent ↗Provided is a method for font data streaming for time-based video/audio presentations where content is transmitted in small increments and transmission continues while a previously transmitted portion is viewed or played. Different subsets of characters of the same font are assembled together on a device and previously sent characters are reused for rendering subsequent text strings. Font subsets are created to provide only a minimal number of glyphs for the character set coverage, thereby reducing the redundancy of font data transmission and reducing the total number of characters transmitted.
1. A method of font data streaming in relation to font data transmissions, the method comprising steps as follows:
subdividing a portion of a media stream into data segments, the media stream including character data and font data;
analyzing, by a server and independent of a first receiving device, text content of a data segment to determine any required fonts and an initial character set coverage for that data segment;
for each required font, generating and storing into memory of the server a font subset that comprises only glyphs necessary for the initial character set coverage;
after initiating transmission of the media stream to the first receiving device, transmitting from the server the font subset of the respective data segment to the first receiving device; and
initiating transmission of a subsequent font subset that comprises additional glyphs for character coverage of a subsequent data segment that has not been previously sent, wherein the subsequent font subset is determined by comparing character set coverage for the subsequent data segment to any previously sent font subset;
wherein said steps reduce redundancy in font data transmissions through reducing total number of glyphs provided in one or more subsequent font subsets determined for subsequent data segments of the media stream being transmitted to said first receiving device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each data segment represents a unit of data or a collection of multiple different units of data including video, audio, subtitles, and fonts.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein initiating transmission of the subsequent font subset comprises:
analyzing text content of the subsequent data segment to determine required fonts and character set coverage for the subsequent data segment;
for each required font, generating a current font subset that comprises only glyphs necessary for the character set coverage for the subsequent data segment;
comparing, by the server, the current font subset with any previous font subset and removing from the current font subset those glyphs that have been sent in a previous font subset, to produce the subsequent font subset;
storing the subsequent font subset into memory; and
transmitting the subsequent font subset of the subsequent data segment to the first receiving device.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
storing the previous font subset at the first receiving device; and
updating the font subset stored at the first receiving device by adding the subsequent font subset to the stored previous font subset.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the font subsets are stored at the server.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data stream is transmitted to a plurality of receiving devices that receive the data stream at different times and each device views a complete transmission regardless of a viewing start time by the device.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the font subset and the respective data segment are transmitted and stored at a first device and subsequently transmitted and stored at other devices.
8. A method of font data streaming, the method comprising steps as follows:
subdividing a portion of a media stream into data segments, the media stream including character data and font data;
analyzing, by a server and independent of a first receiving device, text content of a data segment to determine required fonts and an initial character set coverage for that data segment;
for each required font, generating and storing into memory of the server a font subset that comprises only glyphs necessary the initial character set coverage;
after initiating transmission of the media stream to the first receiving device, transmitting from the server the font subset of the respective data segment to the first receiving device; and
transmitting a subsequent font subset that comprises additional glyphs for character set coverage of a subsequent data segment that has not been previously sent, wherein the subsequent font subset is determined by comparing character set coverage for the subsequent data segment with any previously sent font subset;
wherein said steps reduce redundancy in font data transmissions through reducing total number of glyphs provided in one or more subsequent font subsets determined for subsequent data segments of the media stream being transmitted to said first receiving device.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said transmitting of said subsequent font subset comprises:
analyzing text content of the subsequent data segment to determine required fonts and character set coverage for the subsequent data segment;
for each required font, generating a current font subset that comprises only glyphs necessary for the character set coverage for the subsequent data segment;
comparing, by the server, the current font subset with any previous font subset and removing from the current font subset those glyphs that have been sent in a previous font subset, to produce the subsequent font subset;
storing the subsequent font subset in memory; and
transmitting the subsequent font subset of the subsequent data segment to the first receiving device.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
storing the previous font subset at the first receiving device; and
updating the font subset stored at the first receiving device by adding the subsequent font subset to the stored previous font subset.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein each font subset and its respective data segment are transmitted and stored at a first device, and subsequently transmitted and stored at other devices.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the font subsets are stored at the server.
13. A computing device-implemented method, comprising:
subdividing a portion of a media stream into data segments, the media stream including character data and font data;
analyzing, by the computing device and independent of a first receiving device, text content of a data segment to determine any required fonts and an initial character set coverage for that data segment;
for each required font, generating and storing into memory of the computing device a font subset that comprises only glyphs necessary for the initial character set coverage;
after initiating transmission of the media stream to the first receiving device and independent of the first receiving device, transmitting from the computing device the font subset of the data segment to the first receiving device; and
for each subsequent data segment:
analyzing text content of the respective subsequent data segment to determine required fonts and character set coverage for the respective subsequent data segment,
for each required font, generating a current font subset that includes only glyphs necessary for the character set coverage for the respective subsequent data segment,
comparing, by the computing device, the current font subset of the respective subsequent data segment with any previous font subset and removing any previously sent glyphs from the current font subset, to produce a reduced font subset for the respective subsequent data segment,
storing the reduced font subset into memory, and
transmitting the reduced font subset of the respective subsequent data segment to the first receiving device.
14. The computing device-implemented method of claim 13 , wherein each data segment represents at least one of video, audio or text.
15. A system comprising:
a computing device comprising:
a memory configured to store instructions; and
a processor to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:
subdividing a portion of a media stream into data segments, the media stream including character data and font data;
analyzing, independent of a first receiving device, text content of a data segment to determine any required fonts and an initial character set coverage for that data segment;
for each required font, generating and storing into the memory of the computing device a font subset that comprises only glyphs necessary for the initial character set coverage;
after initiating transmission of the media stream to the first receiving device and independent of the first receiving device, transmitting from the computing device the font subset of the data segment to the first receiving device; and
for each subsequent data segment:
analyzing text content of the respective subsequent data segment to determine required fonts and character set coverage for the respective subsequent data segment,
for each required font, generating a current font subset that includes only glyphs necessary for the character set coverage for the respective subsequent data segment,
comparing, by the computing device, the current font subset of the respective subsequent data segment with any previous font subset and removing any previously sent glyphs from the current font subset, to produce a reduced font subset for the respective subsequent data segment,
storing the reduced font subset into memory, and
transmitting the reduced font subset of the respective subsequent data segment to the first receiving device.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein each data segment represents at least one of video, audio or text.