Managing Raw and Processed Image File Pairs

• US 20110103684A1
• Filed: 11/02/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Langmaier, Allen, Kawano, Mark Lee, Bhatt, Nikhil, Shackelford, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,625,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/166
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 9/00 Image coding bandwidth or redundancy reduction for static pictures H04N1/41; coding or decoding of static colour picture signals H04N1/64; methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/00

Abstract

Among other things, methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed for managing image files. In one aspect, a method includes displaying, at a data processing device, a preview of images available for import from a storage device, wherein each image is associated with a pair of corresponding image files comprising a compressed image file and a raw image file obtained from a single image capture. At the data processing device, both the raw image file and the compressed image file of the pair associated with at least one of the images are imported. At the data processing device, at least one of the pair of corresponding image files is identified as a master image file for the associated image. At the data processing device, the identified master image file for the associated captured image is displayed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying, at a data processing device, a preview of images available for import from a storage device, wherein each image is associated with a pair of image files obtained from a single image capture, the image file pair comprising a compressed image file and a raw image file;

importing, at the data processing device, both the raw image file and the compressed image file of the pair associated with at least one of the images,

receiving user input identifying, at the data processing device, one of the pair of corresponding image files as a master image file for the associated image; and

displaying, at the data processing device, the identified master image file for the associated image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the master image file is displayed to the user to receive user modification of the image file pair through the master image file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying at least one of the pair of corresponding image files as a master image file for the associated image comprises:

presenting a choice to the user to dock the raw image file and the corresponding compressed image file together for the associated image as linked image files or to identify the image files in the pair as independent image files;

when the image files in the pair are docked together, identifying one of the linked image files as the master image file at a time; and

when the image files in the pair are independent image files, identifying both image files in the pair as the master file at the same time.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying the identified master image file for the associated image comprises;

displaying one of the linked image files at a time or displaying both of the independent image files at the same time based on the identifying.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the compressed image file comprises a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compatible file.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device is included in a digital camera.

7. A method comprising:

displaying, at a data processing device, a preview of images available for import from a storage device, wherein each image is associated with a pair of image files obtained from a single image capture, the image file pair comprising a compressed image file and a raw image file;

importing, at the data processing device, the compressed image file of the pair for each imported image;

receiving, at the data processing device, user input adjusting an import setting to identify a corresponding raw image file for at least one of the imported compressed image files; and

importing, at the data processing device, the corresponding raw image file from the storage device based on the adjusted import setting.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

receiving user input applying metadata to at least one of the imported compressed image files;

wherein the user input adjusting the import setting comprises information to adjust a filter parameter based on the applied metadata; and

automatically identifying the corresponding raw image file for at least one of the imported compressed image files based on the filter parameter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein applying the metadata comprises:

creating a file containing the metadata; and

pointing the created metadata file to both the compressed image file and the corresponding raw image file.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the applied metadata comprises:

non-pixel information related to at least one of caption, global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinate, sharpness or white balance.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein applying the metadata comprises:

creating a separate file for the raw image file and the compressed image file.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein applying the metadata comprises applying a rating to the at least one imported compressed image file.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein automatically identifying the corresponding raw image file for at least one of the imported compressed image files based on the filter parameter comprises:

searching for raw image files that meet the applied rating; and

importing the corresponding raw image files that meet the applied rating.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the compressed image file comprises a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compatible file.

15. A method comprising:

importing, at a data processing device, one of a pair of image files associated with a captured image, wherein the image file pair comprises a compressed image file and a raw image file;

receiving user input applying, at the data processing device, an image adjustment to the imported one of the corresponding pair;

identifying, at the data processing device, whether the applied adjustment is designated for association with both the compressed image file and the raw image file in the image file pair;

associating, at the data processing device, the applied image adjustment to the other file in the image file pair when identifying the applied adjustment as being designated for association with both the compressed image file and the raw image file in the image file pair; and

displaying, at the data processing device, one or both of the compressed image file and the raw image file in the image file pair associated with the captured image with the applied image adjustment based on the identifying and associating.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the compressed image file comprises a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compatible file.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the image adjustment comprises metadata generated by the user.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising applying the image adjustment to both the compressed image file and the raw image file of the image file pair based on the receiving, identifying and associating.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying the applied image adjustment as being designated for association with both the compressed image file and the raw image comprises identifying the applied image adjustment as matching one of available image adjustments designated to be applied to both the compressed image file and the raw image file.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the available image adjustments designated to be applied to both the compressed image file and the raw image file comprises at least one of crop, flip or straighten.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying the applied image adjustment as being designated for association with both the compressed image file and the raw image comprises identifying the applied image adjustment as not matching one of available image adjustments not designated to be applied to both the compressed image file and the raw image file.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the available image adjustments not designated to be applied to both the compressed image file and the raw image file comprises at least one of tone or white balance.

23. A system comprising:

an image management system to import a select image from a storage device, wherein the image management system comprises;

a preview unit to present a choice of images available or import, wherein each image is associated with a pair of image files obtained from a single image capture, the image file pair comprising a compressed image file and a corresponding raw image file,

an import unit to import at least one of the available images from the storage device comprising importing both the raw image file and the corresponding compressed image file of the pair associated with each imported image,

an image identification unit to identify the raw image file, the corresponding compressed image file or both files of the pair associated with each imported image to be displayed;

a user input unit to communicate with the image management system, wherein the user input unit is configured to receive a selection of at least one of the available images and a selection of at least one of the pair of files associated with the selected image for display; and

a display unit to communicate with the image management system, wherein the display unit is configured to display the selected image file of the pair associated with the imported image based on the received selection.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the compressed image file comprises a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compatible file.

25. A computer-readable medium embodying instructions, when executed by a processor, cause a data processing device to perform operations comprising:

displaying a preview of images available for import from a storage device, wherein each image is associated with a pair of image files obtained from a single image capture, the image file pair comprising a compressed image file and a raw image file obtained from a single image capture; and

importing at least one of the image files available from the storage device comprising;

importing one of the two files from the image file pair for each imported image,

applying metadata to the imported file from the image file pair for at least one of the imported image,

automatically associating the applied metadata to the other file in the image file pair,

identifying at least one imported image to import the other file in the image file pair based on the applied metadata, and

importing the other file in the image file pair for the identified at least one imported image.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein importing one of the two files from the image file pair for each imported image comprises importing the compressed image file;

and

identifying at least one of the imported images to import the other file in the pair based on the applied metadata comprises setting a filter parameter based on the applied metadata.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein applying the metadata comprises:

creating a file containing the metadata; and

pointing the created metadata file to both the compressed image file and the corresponding raw image file.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the applied metadata comprises a user rating of the image associated with the imported file.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein applying the metadata comprises:

creating a separate file for the raw image file and the compressed image file; and

sync the two separate metadata files.