System and method for automatic layout of images in digital albums
First Claim
1. A digital image album layout system comprising:
- a page creator module having a first genetic engine operable to execute genetic evolution calculations on a first genetic population of image criteria, said page creator module having a page evaluation module operable to test said first genetic population for fitness to album preference criteria and an image placement module having a second genetic engine operable to execute genetic evolution calculations on a second genetic population of page layout criteria, said image placement module having a layout evaluation module operable to test said second genetic population for fitness to page preference criteria.
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Abstract
A system and method for automatic creation of digital image albums. A Page Creator Module utilizes a genetic engine and a layout evaluation module. The genetic engine evolves a group of images to a plurality of album pages, based on certain layout criteria. The evaluation module calculates layout criteria and compares them with user preferences. When an acceptable image/page layout has been generated, the image/page assignments are transferred to an Image Placement Module. The Image Placement Module utilizes a second genetic engine, which evolves various criteria to generate page layouts genetic structures. These structures define the location, scale, and rotation of images placed on a given page. A layout evaluation module calculates and compares these layouts with certain other preferences and page requirements. When a suitable layout has been generated, a final album output is generated, which may be displayed, printed, or otherwise transferred for subsequent utilization.
247 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A digital image album layout system comprising:
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a page creator module having a first genetic engine operable to execute genetic evolution calculations on a first genetic population of image criteria, said page creator module having a page evaluation module operable to test said first genetic population for fitness to album preference criteria and an image placement module having a second genetic engine operable to execute genetic evolution calculations on a second genetic population of page layout criteria, said image placement module having a layout evaluation module operable to test said second genetic population for fitness to page preference criteria.
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2. An automated album layout method responsive to a set of inputs containing digital images, graphics, and other 2-dimensional objects, comprising the steps of:
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evaluating a grouping of the image objects for distribution into a number of album pages according to a fitness function'"'"'s parameters of a genetic engine;
assigning each image object to a page based on user preferences, including at least one of;
balance, emphasis, chronology, and unity;
displaying said page for user viewing, and refining the distribution based on further user action.
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3. An automated layout and presentation method responsive to a set of inputs containing digital images, graphics, and other two-dimensional objects, comprising the steps of:
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evaluating the ‘
x’ and
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position coordinates, scale, and rotation of each of the input images objects within a page according to fitness function parameters in a genetic engine;
creating a page layout based on user preferences including at least one of;
white space, overlap, rotation, spatial balance, rotational balance, border symmetry, and emphasis;
displaying said page layout for user viewing;
refining said page layout based on further user action, and formatting the page layout printing.
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4. A system for assigning images to album pages, comprising:
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means for specifying an initial set of image page assignments to a genetic population;
a genetic engine operable to evolve said genetic population to produce a present set of image page assignments;
a page evaluation module operable to test said present set of image page assignments according to an album fitness function to determine an album score, and means for outputting said present set of image page assignments if said album score meets an album threshold value.
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5. A system for arranging images on an album page, comprising:
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means for specifying an initial set of image placement parameters to a genetic population;
a genetic engine operable to evolve said genetic population to produce a present set of image placement parameters;
a layout evaluation module, operable to test said present set of image placement parameters with a page fitness function to determine a page score, and a means for outputting said image placement parameters if said page score meets a page threshold value.
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6. A system for assigning and placing images on album pages, comprising:
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means for specifying an initial set of image page assignments to a first genetic population;
a first genetic engine operable to evolve said first genetic population to produce a present set of image page assignments;
a page evaluation module operable to test said present set of image page assignments according to an album fitness function to determine an album score;
means for outputting said present set of image page assignments if said album score meets an album threshold value;
means for specifying an initial set of image placement parameters to a second genetic population in accordance with said outputted set of image page assignments;
a second genetic engine operable to evolve said second genetic population to produce a present set of image placement parameters;
a layout evaluation module operable to test said present set of image placement parameters with a page fitness function to determine a page score, and means for outputting said image placement parameters if said page score meets a page threshold value.
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7. A method of assigning images to album pages, comprising the steps of:
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specifying an initial set of image page assignments to a genetic population;
evolving said genetic population to produce a present set of image page assignments;
testing said present set of image page assignments according to an album fitness function to determine an album score, and outputting said present set of image page assignments if said album score meets an album threshold value.
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8. A method of assigning a plurality of images, having image parameters, to one or more pages in an album, comprising the steps of:
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specifying an initial set of page assignments defining the album page assignment for each of the plurality of images;
initializing a genetic population by assigning said initial set of page assignments to genes within an album genome structure;
evolving said genetic population in accordance with a genetic function to produce a present set of page assignments within said album genome structure;
calculating a present set of page criteria according to said present set of page assignments, the image parameters, and a set of album page parameters;
testing said present set of page criteria according to an album fitness function to determine an album score;
repeating said evolving and calculating steps if said album score fails to meet an album threshold value, and outputting image page assignments according to said present page assignment if said album score meets said album threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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17. A method of arranging images on an album page, comprising the steps of:
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specifying an initial set of image placement parameters to a genetic population;
evolving said genetic population to produce a present set of image placement parameters;
testing said present set of image placement parameters with a page fitness function to determine a page score; and
outputting said image placement parameters if said page score meets a page threshold value.
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18. A method of arranging one or more images, having image parameters, on an album page, comprising the steps of:
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specifying an initial set of positioning parameters for each of the one or more images;
initializing a genetic population by assigning said initial set of positioning parameters as genes in a page genome structure;
evolving said genetic population in accordance with a genetic function to produce a present set of positioning parameters within said page genome structure;
calculating a set of present layout criteria, according to said present set of positioning parameters, the image parameters, and a set of page layout parameters;
testing said present set of layout criteria according to a page fitness function to determine a page score;
repeating said evolving and calculating steps if said page score fails to meet a page threshold value; and
outputting a page layout according to said present set of positioning parameters if said page score meets said page threshold value.
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27. A method of assigning and placing images on album pages, comprising the steps of:
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specifying an initial set of image page assignments to a first genetic population;
evolving said first genetic population to produce a present set of image page assignments;
testing said present set of image page assignments according to an album fitness function to determine an album score;
outputting said present set of image page assignments if said album score meets an album threshold value;
specifying an initial set of image placement parameters to a second genetic population in accordance with said outputted set of image page assignments;
evolving said second genetic population to produce a present set of image placement parameters;
testing said present set of image placement parameters with a page fitness function to determine a page score; and
outputting said image placement parameters if said page score meets a page threshold value.
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Specification