System and method for framing an image

• US 20050093888A1
• Filed: 11/04/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Wireless Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Rao, Sumita
• Granted Patent: US 7,184,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation

Abstract

A method of applying a frame to an image is provided, with the method operating on an image processor. The framing method uses a compact and flexible frame description for building a frame in a particular style. The frame description includes one or more graphical frame assets that are indicative of a portion of the frame. A frame rule provides instruction to the image processor on how to process and place the frame asset(s) into the frame, and how to apply the frame to the image. The framed image may then be published for local viewing, remote viewing, printing, or storing.

Claims

1. A method of framing an image, comprising:

providing a frame rule, the frame rule for instructing an image processor;

retrieving a frame asset, the frame asset being indicative of a segment of a frame;

generating a plurality of frame blocks using the frame asset, the frame blocks being generated according to the frame rule; and

placing the frame blocks according to the frame rule, the frame blocks positioned to form at least a portion of the frame for the image.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving a second frame asset;

generating a plurality of second frame blocks using the second frame asset, the second frame blocks being generated according to the frame rule; and

placing the second frame blocks according to the frame rule, the frame blocks and the second frame blocks positioned to form the frame for the image.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

accepting user input from a control; and

adjusting at least one of the frame blocks responsive to the user input.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the user input specifies a width.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the frame extends continuously around the image.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the frame blocks are positioned on the image.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the frame blocks are positioned adjacent to the image.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the frame asset is a corner asset, and generating the frame blocks includes rotating the corner asset.

9. The method according to claim 6 wherein the frame blocks generated using the corner asset are positioned at the corners of the image.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the frame asset is a tile, and the frame blocks generated using the tile are positioned to form a portion of the frame along an edge of the image.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the frame asset is a graphics file.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the frame asset is a formula.

13. A method of framing an image, comprising:

retrieving a corner asset, the corner asset being indicative of a corner segment of a frame;

generating four corner blocks using the corner asset, the corner blocks being generated by rotating the corner asset 0 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and 270 degrees, respectively; and

placing one of the corner blocks at each corner of the image.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

retrieving an edge asset, the edge asset being indicative of an edge segment of the frame; and

generating edge frame blocks using the edge asset, the edge frame blocks being sufficient to fill between two of the corner blocks along a side of the image.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising generating other edge frame blocks by rotating the edge asset, the other edge frame blocks being sufficient to fill between two of the corner blocks along another side of the image.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

generating edge frame blocks using the corner asset, the edge frame blocks being sufficient to fill between two of the corner blocks along a side of the image.

17. A frame description in processor usable format, comprising:

at least one frame asset, the frame asset being a graphics file indicative of a segment of a frame; and

a frame rule, the frame rule including instructions on processing the frame asset into a frame block, and placing the frame block to form a portion of the frame.

18. A frame description in processor usable format, comprising:

a corner asset, the corner asset being a graphics file indicative of a corner segment of a frame; and

an edge asset, the edge asset being a graphics file indicative of an edge segment of the frame; and

a frame rule, the frame rule including instructions on processing the corner asset and the edge asset into a plurality of frame blocks, and placing the frame blocks to form the frame.

19. A method of publishing a framed image, comprising:

acquiring an image;

selecting a frame style;

retrieving a frame rule and one or more frame assets that are associated with the frame style;

generating frame blocks using the frame asset(s) in accordance with the frame rule;

placing the frame blocks in accordance with the frame rule to form a frame for the image;

generating the framed image using the frame and the image; and

publishing the framed image.

20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the acquiring step includes taking the image with a digital camera module.

21. The method according to claim 19 wherein the acquiring step includes downloading the image over a wireless network.

22. The method according to claim 19 wherein the selecting step includes previewing a thumbnail of the frame.

23. The method according to claim 19 wherein the frame rule includes instructions on rotating one of the assets to generate one of the frame blocks.

24. The method according to claim 19 wherein the frame rule accepts a user input in placing at least one of the frame blocks.

25. The method according to claim 19 wherein the frame rule accepts a user input in sizing at least one of the frame blocks.

26. The method according to claim 19 wherein the frame is placed adjacent to the image.

27. The method according to claim 19 wherein the frame is on the image, and deforms image pixels.

28. The method according to claim 19 wherein at least one of the frame assets is retrieved from a local memory.

29. The method according to claim 19 wherein at least one of the frame assets is retrieved from a remote server.

30. The method according to claim 19 wherein at least one of the frame assets is retrieved from a remote server using a wireless network.

31. The method according to claim 19 wherein the publishing step includes transmitting the framed image using a wireless network.

32. The method according to claim 19 wherein the placing step includes accepting user input from a user control.

33. The method according to claim 19 wherein the placing step includes using an image processor to analyze the image and placing at least one of the frame blocks responsive to the analysis.

34. The method according to claim 19 wherein the image is a picture.

35. The method according to claim 19 wherein the image is a sequence forming an animation.

36. The method according to claim 19 wherein the image is a is a sequence forming a movie.