Polymap: A Versatile Client-Side Image Map for the Web
Cheong S. Ang, Peter Brantley, Michael D. Doyle · 1995
Image mapping techniques have been used to improve the interactivity of graphics-based content on the World Wide Web (WWW). However, the current WWW image-mapping technique requires a very cumbersome setup: a client-server architecture with the server acting as a point-in-polygon decoding engine to the inert client. While the advantages of having the server participate in the client/WWW browser users' activities are controversial, the need to move the decoding task to the browser is apparent, especially when better interactivity is desired. We propose a mechanism (Polymapping) that stores the hotspot information in an otherwise unessential part of the image file---the comment field of existing common image formats. Since adding data in the comment field does not violate most image format standards, this mechanism provides Polymap-enabled WWW browsers the information needed to achieve client-side hotspot decoding while allowing nonenabled clients to remain dependent on the servers.