Looks like RIM has got a new patent for a image grouping technology which we may see on future BlackBerries. Russell Shaw over at ZDNet pointed it out on his blog. RIM calls this technology “image-stitching for mobile electronic devices”. Basically in short it merges several images on a webpage into one single image causing less data to be used.

From RIM’s filing a description of how it works:

A device and method for modifying content for use on a mobile electronic device. The content includes (i) a plurality of content image files each including graphics information for generating an associated image and (ii) computer instructions including references to the plurality of image files for causing the associated images to be displayed on a display screen.

A plurality of image files are selected from the content that can be combined together to form a single image file that will have a smaller file size than the sum of the file sizes of the selected image files. The selected image files are combined into a single merged image file. The computer instructions are amended to accommodate the merged image file.

For more information on this patent visit Russell’s Blog