Objectizing and animating images

• US 10,025,470 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2014
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Burt, Kimberly Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): PHANTANA ANGKOOL, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US14/453,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20140344744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 715810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/00 Animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/20 3D [Three Dimensional] animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/32 Digital ink

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are described herein for objectizing and animating images. In accordance with the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a presentation program is configured to import an image, to analyze the image and/or data describing the image, and to identify entities within the image. The presentation program creates objects corresponding to the identified entities, and program presents the identified entities and/or the created objects via a user interface. The presentation program also can be configured to present one or more user interfaces via which a user selects entities and/or objects and specifies or controls animations of the selected entities or objects.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for animating objects within an image, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

receiving a command to objectize the image;

recognizing an entity within the image;

creating an object corresponding to the recognized entity and overlaying the object on the recognized entity within the image;

receiving input for animating the object via a menu providing a plurality of options for animating the object; and

applying an animation to the object within the image by manipulating data describing the animation, wherein the data describing the animation is based on the input.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a user interface comprising a user interface control for objectizing the image, the selection of which causes a computing device to objectize the image.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein recognizing the entity within the image is performed in response to selection of the user interface control.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity comprises a portion of the image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein recognizing the entity comprises:

analyzing metadata describing the image;

determining expected entities within the image, based at least partially upon the metadata describing the image;

searching the image for the expected entities; and

identifying at least one of the expected entities within the image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein recognizing the entity comprises:

performing an image recognition process on the image;

determining expected entities within the image, based at least partially upon the image recognition process;

searching the image for the expected entities; and

identifying at least one of the expected entities within the image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein recognizing the entity comprises at least one of

recognizing an entity within the image based upon an edge recognition process, or

recognizing an entity within the image based upon a color difference recognition process.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein recognizing the entity comprises:

presenting a user interface for selecting a portion of the image; and

receiving user input for identifying the portion of the image.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a user interface for allowing selection of the created object; and

receiving, via the user interface, a command for selecting the created object.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

presenting a user interface control for controlling an animation associated with the selected object;

detecting manipulation of the user interface control; and

modifying animation of the created object, in response to detecting the manipulation of the user interface control.

11. A computer-implemented method for animating objects within an image, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

receiving, at a computing device, a command to objectize the image;

in response to the command to objectize the image, analyzing metadata describing the image to recognize an entity within the image, the entity comprising a portion of the image;

creating an object corresponding to the entity within the image;

presenting a user interface for receiving input for selecting the object;

presenting a further user interface for receiving input for animating the object; and

storing data for animating the object within the image based, at least partially, upon input received via the further user interface.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising presenting a user interface control, the selection of which causes the computing device to objectize the image, wherein recognizing the entity within the image—

is performed in response to selection of the user interface control.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein analyzing the metadata describing the image to recognize the entity comprises:

determining expected entities within the image, based at least partially upon the metadata describing the image;

searching the image for the expected entities; and

identifying at least one of the expected entities within the image.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein recognizing the entity comprises recognizing an entity within the image based upon one or more of an edge recognition process or a color difference recognition process.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

presenting a user interface control for selecting the created object; and

receiving, via manipulation of the user interface, a command for selecting the created object.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

presenting a further user interface control for controlling an animation associated with the selected object;

detecting manipulation of the user interface control; and

modifying animation of the created object, in response to detecting the manipulation of the user interface control.

17. A computer storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereupon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

present a user interface control, the selection of which causes the computer to objectize an image;

receive, at the computer, selection of the user interface control for objectizing the image;

in response to receiving selection of the user interface control for objectizing the image, analyze the image to identify an entity within the image, the entity comprising a portion of the image;

recognize the entity within the image;

create an object corresponding to the recognized entity and overlay the object on the recognized entity within the image;

present a user interface for receiving input for selecting the object;

present a further user interface for receiving input for animating the object the further user interface including a menu providing a plurality of options for animating the object; and

store data for animating the object within the image based, at least partially, upon input received via the further user interface.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 17, wherein recognizing the entity comprises recognizing an entity within the image based upon one or more of an edge recognition process or a color difference recognition process.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 17, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

present a user interface control for selecting the created object; and

receive, via manipulation of the user interface, a command for selecting the created object.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 19, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to:

present a further user interface control for controlling an animation associated with the selected object;

detect manipulation of the user interface control; and

modify animation of the created object, in response to detecting the manipulation of the user interface control.