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User-directed interaction with an image structure map representation of an image

  • US 5,710,877 A
  • Filed: 12/29/1995
  • Issued: 01/20/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for operating a processor-controlled machine to dynamically interact with an image structure map data structure representing an original image in response to input interaction signals received from a user;

  • the machine including input signal circuitry for receiving interaction signals from a user interaction device;

    memory for storing data;

    output circuitry connected to a display device for presenting images thereon; and

    a processor connected for accessing instruction data stored in the memory for operating the machine;

    the processor being further connected for receiving the input interaction signals from the user interaction device, and connected for providing image definition data defining images to the output circuitry for presenting the images on the display device;

    the method comprising;

    receiving an image interaction signal from the input circuitry indicating a request from a user to dynamically modify an image structure map data structure, referred to as an image structure map;

    the image interaction signal including an input image location included in an input image definition data structure and an image interaction request;

    the image structure map representing an original image definition data structure defining an original image in a form suitable for presenting the original image on the display device of the machine;

    the image structure map representing the original image definition data structure as a partition of a two-dimensional (2D) plane induced by a set of intersecting image boundaries determined to be included in the original image into one or more region data items each indicating a respective image region in the original image formed by the set of intersecting image boundaries;

    the image structure map, also referred to as an image structure map representation of the original image, being dynamically modifiable such that a selected image structure included in the image structure map is capable of being modified without recomputing all image structures included in the image structure map at the time of modification;

    each region data item indicating a plurality of image region boundary data items;

    each image region boundary data item indicating a respective one of the set of intersecting image boundaries forming the respective image region;

    each region data item further indicating a signal property descriptor;

    the signal property descriptor having a value indicating a smoothly varying function of signals included in locations in the original image definition data structure determined to be included in the respective image region of the original image; and

    in response to receiving the image interaction signal, modifying the image structure map according to the image interaction request using the input image location bydetermining an image structure map location of a target image structure in the image structure map using the input image location; and

    modifying the target image structure in the image structure map according to the image interaction request such that only the target image structure and, when necessary, image structures associated with the target image structure, are modified in response to the request from the user.

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