System and method for enabling users to edit graphical images

• US 20030038832A1
• Filed: 08/21/2001
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sobol, Robert E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,999,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00448 horizontally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00453 arranged in a two dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00458 Sequential viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. browsing or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32112 in a separate computer file, document page or paper sheet, e.g. a fax cover sheet H04N1/32122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/325 Modified version of the image, e.g. part of the image, image reduced in size or resolution, thumbnail or screennail

Abstract

A graphical system enables users to edit graphical images. The graphical system utilizes memory for storing graphical data and an image manager. The image manager is configured to render a first set of the graphical data based on a first setting of an editing parameter. The first graphical data set defines a first image. The image manager is also configured to render a second set of the graphical data based on a second setting of the editing parameter in response to a user input and to render a third set of the graphical data based on a third setting of the editing parameter in response to the user input. The second setting is different than the third setting thereby enabling a user to comprehend, by visually comparing an image defined by the second graphical data set to an image defined by the third graphical data set, an effect of updating the editing parameter for the first image.

Claims

1. A system for enabling users to edit graphical images, comprising:

memory for storing graphical data; and

an image manager configured to render a first set of said graphical data based on a first setting of an editing parameter, said first graphical data set defining a first image, said image manager configured to render a second set of said graphical data based on a second setting of said editing parameter in response to a user input and to render a third set of said graphical data based on a third setting of said editing parameter in response to said user input, said second setting different than said third setting thereby enabling a user to comprehend, by visually comparing an image defined by said second graphical data set to an image defined by said third graphical data set, an effect of updating said editing parameter for said first image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said image manager is further configured to render data indicative of said first setting in response to said user input.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said image manager is further configured to enable a user to define a fourth setting of said editing parameter and to render a fourth set of said graphical data based on said fourth setting, and wherein said fourth graphical data set defines an image that corresponds to said first image.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said images defined respectively by said second and third graphical data sets corresponds to said first image.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said second and third settings are both different than said first setting.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said image manager is further configured to render, in response to said user input, a positioning indicator movable along a path, said second setting corresponding to a location along said path and said third setting corresponding to another location along said path, wherein a position of said image defined by said second graphical data set corresponds to said second setting location, and wherein a position of said image defined by said third graphical data set corresponds to said third setting location.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said image manager is further configured to render, in response to said user input, a positioning indicator movable along a path, said path having a first end and a second end, wherein said image manager is configured to position said image defined by said second graphical data set adjacent to said first end, and wherein said image manager is further configured to position said image defined by said third graphical data set adjacent to said second end.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said image manager is configured to enable a user to define a fourth setting of said editing parameter and to render a fourth set of said graphical data based on said fourth setting, wherein said fourth graphical data set defines an image that corresponds to said first image, and wherein said image manager is further configured to control said fourth setting based on a user input of moving said positioning indicator toward one of said ends.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said second setting corresponds to a location along said path that is closer to said first end than a location along said path that corresponds to said third setting.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein each of said second and third images corresponds to said first image.

10. A system for enabling users to edit graphical images, comprising:

memory for storing graphical data; and

an image manager configured to render a first set of said graphical data based on a first setting of an editing parameter, said first graphical data set defining a first image, said image manager further configured to receive a user input and to render a graphical user interface in response to said user input, said graphical user interface including a second image based on a second setting of said editing parameter and a third image based on a third setting of said editing parameter, said second setting different than said third setting thereby enabling a user to comprehend, by visually comparing said second image to said third image, an effect of updating said editing parameter for said first image.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said graphical user interface enables a user to define a fourth setting of said editing parameter, and wherein said image manager is further configured to update said first image based on said fourth setting.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said graphical user interface further includes data indicative of said first setting.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said graphical user interface further includes a positioning indicator movable along a path, said second setting corresponding to a location along said path and said third setting corresponding to another location along said path, wherein a position of said second image corresponds to said second setting location, and wherein a position of said third image corresponds to said third setting location.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said graphical user interface includes a positioning indicator movable along a path, said path having a first end and a second end, wherein said second image is positioned adjacent to said first end, and wherein said third image is positioned adjacent to said second end.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said graphical user interface enables a user to define a fourth setting of said editing parameter, wherein said image manager is further configured to update said first image based on said fourth setting, and wherein said image manager is configured to control said fourth setting based on a user input of moving said positioning indicator toward one of said ends.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said second setting corresponds to a location along said path that is closer to said first end than a location along said path that corresponds to said third setting.

18. A method for enabling users to edit graphical images, comprising the steps of:

storing graphical data;

rendering a first set of said graphical data based on a first setting of an editing parameter;

displaying a first image based on said rendered first graphical data set;

rendering, in response to a user input, a second set of said graphical data based on a second setting of said editing parameter;

displaying a second image based on said rendered second graphical data set;

rendering, in response to said user input, a third set of said graphical data based on a third setting of said editing parameter, said third setting different than said second setting; and

displaying a third image based on said rendered third graphical data set thereby enabling a user to comprehend, by visually comparing said second image to said third image, an effect of updating said editing parameter for said first image.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

enabling a user to define a fourth setting of said editing parameter;

rendering a fourth set of said graphical data based on said fourth setting; and

displaying a fourth image based on said rendered fourth graphical data set, said fourth image corresponding to said first image.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

rendering data indicative of said first setting in response to said user input.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein each of said second and third images corresponds to said first image.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

rendering, in response to said user input, a positioning indicator movable along a path, wherein said second setting corresponds to a first location along said path, and wherein said third setting corresponds to a second location along said path;

positioning said second image at a location corresponding to said first location; and

positioning said third image at a location corresponding to said second location.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

rendering, in response to said user input, a positioning indicator movable along a path, said path having a first end and a second end;

positioning said second image adjacent to said first end; and

positioning said third image adjacent to said second end.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

enabling a user to define a fourth setting of said editing parameter;

rendering a fourth set of said graphical data based on said fourth setting;

displaying a fourth image based on said rendered fourth graphical data set, said fourth image corresponding to said first image;

moving said positioning indicator toward one of said ends; and

controlling said fourth setting based on said moving step.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said second setting corresponds to a location along said path that is closer to said first end than a location along said path that corresponds to said third setting.

26. A method, comprising the steps of:

storing graphical data;

rendering a first set of said graphical data based on a first setting of an editing parameter;

displaying a first image based on said rendered first graphical data set; and

rendering a graphical user interface in response to a user input, said graphical user interface including a second image based on a second setting of said editing parameter and a third image based on a third setting of said editing parameter, said second setting different than said third setting thereby enabling a user to comprehend, by visually comparing said second image to said third image, an effect of updating said editing parameter for said first image.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

enabling a user to define a fourth setting of said editing parameter via said graphical user interface; and

updating said first image based on said fourth setting.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said graphical user interface further includes data indicative of said first setting.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

rendering a a positioning indicator movable along a path, wherein said second setting corresponds to a first location along said path, and wherein said third setting corresponds to a second location along said path;

positioning said second image at a location corresponding to said first location; and

positioning said third image at a location corresponding to said second location.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said graphical user interface further includes a positioning indicator movable along a path, said path having a first end and a second end, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

positioning said second image adjacent to said first end; and

positioning said third image adjacent to said second end.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the steps of:

enabling a user to define a fourth setting of said editing parameter via said graphical user interface;

updating said first image based on said fourth setting;

moving said positioning indicator toward one of said ends; and

controlling said fourth setting based on said moving step.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said second setting corresponds to a location along said path that is closer to said first end than a location along said path that corresponds to said third setting.