Montage Method
First Claim
1. A method for the automatic generation of a montage of images comprising the steps of:
- inputting a plurality of images to be used in creating the montage;
determining the size of the montage to be created;
setting up a memory data array of vector information for each of the plurality of images;
setting up options and parameters relevant to the creation of a montage;
evaluating each image through image analysis algorithms to ascertain essential metadata and inputting the resulting data into the array;
determining the constraints to which the montage is limited;
randomly choosing a starting point at which the first image will be placed;
reserving places for all subsequent images in accordance to the constraints; and
carrying out a validation test to determine if the montage is acceptable;
if acceptable, placing the images in the places reserved for them and displaying the resulting montage and if not acceptable, going back to the step of choosing a random starting point.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computing system, composed of a series or set of algorithms which are relevant to either the layout or composition of a photomontage, is applied to a plurality of images. This system can be operated either by a human user specifying placement and location of a plurality of digital images, called an image set, onto a specified output size or the system itself acts to generate, through a series of placement and compositional steps, the montage onto the specified output size. The system can be operated in either mode at any point through the operation as specified by the user. In the fully automated system the image analysis algorithms and the resulting information is placed within the appropriate vector in a data array of the system and henceforward available to the system of the invention for evaluation of the montage score once the generation of the montage is complete. The evaluation of the overall resulting multi-image montage with the same image analysis algorithms is then used to determine the fitness of the resultant montage and the fitness is then compared with the objective or target function for the desired montage.
9 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for the automatic generation of a montage of images comprising the steps of:
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inputting a plurality of images to be used in creating the montage;
determining the size of the montage to be created;
setting up a memory data array of vector information for each of the plurality of images;
setting up options and parameters relevant to the creation of a montage;
evaluating each image through image analysis algorithms to ascertain essential metadata and inputting the resulting data into the array;
determining the constraints to which the montage is limited;
randomly choosing a starting point at which the first image will be placed;
reserving places for all subsequent images in accordance to the constraints; and
carrying out a validation test to determine if the montage is acceptable;
if acceptable, placing the images in the places reserved for them and displaying the resulting montage and if not acceptable, going back to the step of choosing a random starting point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for the automatic generation of a montage of images comprising:
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means for inputting a plurality of images to be used in creating the montage;
means for determining the size of the montage to be created;
means for setting up a memory data array of vector information for each of the plurality of images;
means for setting up options and parameters relevant to the creation of a montage;
analysis means for evaluating each image through image analysis algorithms to ascertain essential metadata and means for inputting the resulting data into the array;
means for determining the constraints to which the montage is limited;
means for randomly choosing a starting point at which the first image will be placed and placing the first image at that point;
means for placing all subsequent images in accordance to the constraints;
validation means for carrying out a validation test to determine if the montage is acceptable; and
means for displaying the resulting montage.
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Specification