Method and system for image templates

• US 6,195,101 B1
• Filed: 04/06/1998
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tumbleweed Holdings LLC (Equitable IP Corporation)
• Original Assignee: MGI Software Corporation (MelodyVR Group Plc)
• Inventors: Ghislain Bossut, Philippe Joseph, Deganello, Natasha, Vide, Adolfo
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kimbinh T.
• Application Number:
  US09/056,577
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 345/433, 345/435, 345/420, 345/434, 345/421, 345/429, 345/428, 382/28 H, 382/276
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

A method and system for enabling a user to import a user-defined graphics edit into at least one template, the method including the steps of selecting, by the user, at least one first editable object, editing, by the user, at least part of the at least one first editable object, thereby producing a user-defined graphics edit, saving the user-defined graphics edit, selecting, by the user, a template containing at least one second editable object; and applying at least part of the user-defined graphics edit to at least part of the at least one second editable object within the template.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a user to import a user-defined graphics edit into at least one template, the method comprising:

selecting, by said user, at least one editable object;

editing, by said user, at least part of said at least one editable object by adjusting at least its position, size, orientation, shape, characteristics, text, lettering or color values, thereby producing a user defined graphics edit;

saving said user-defined graphics edit;

selecting, by said user, a template containing a foreground image with at least one cutout region for placing at least part of the at least one editable object therein; and

automatically re-using at least part of said user-defined graphics edit to automatically place at least part of said at least one editable object within said at least one cutout region.

3. A method according to claim 1 and wherein at least one of said at least one editable object contains locked features and unlocked features, and wherein said automatically re-using does not alter said locked features.

5. A method according to claim 1 and wherein said user-defined graphics edit is comprised of a plurality of elements acting upon at least part of said at least one editable object.

7. A method according to claim 1 and wherein at least part of one of said at least one editable object is automatically placed in multiple cutout regions in the second template.

9. A method according to claim 1 and also including automatically generating graphics outputs of various sizes following said automatically re-using.

11. A method according to claim 9 and wherein said graphics outputs are generated on a kiosk system.

2. A method for a user to produce a plurality of graphics outputs by reusing edited graphics content in multiple templates, the method comprising:

selecting, by said user, a first template containing a foreground image with at least one first cutout region for placing at least part of at least one editable object therein;

editing, by said user, at least part of said at least one editable object by adjusting at least its position, size, orientation, shape, characteristics, text, lettering or color values, thereby producing a user defined graphics edit;

saving said user-defined graphics edit;

selecting, by said user, a second template containing a second foreground image with at least one second cutout region for placing at least part of the at least one editable object therein; and

automatically re-using at least part of said user-defined graphics edit to automatically place at least part of said at least one editable object within said at least one second cutout region.

4. A method according to claim 2 and wherein at least one of said at least one editable object contains locked features and unlocked features, and wherein said automatically re-using does not alter said locked features.

6. A method according to claim 2 and wherein said user-defined graphics edit is comprised of a plurality of elements acting upon at least part of said at least one editable object.

8. A method according to claim 2 and wherein at least part of one of said at least one editable object is automatically placed in multiple cutout regions in the second template.

10. A method according to claim 2 and also including automatically generating graphics outputs of various sizes following said automatically re-using.

12. A method according to claim 10 and wherein said graphics outputs are generated on a kiosk system.

13. An imaging design system for enabling a user to import a user-defined graphics edit into at least one template, comprising:

at least one editable object;

an editor for editing, by said user, at least part of said at least one editable object by adjusting at least its position, size, orientation, shape, characteristics, text, lettering or color values, thereby producing a user defined graphics edit;

a storage device saving said user-defined graphics edit;

a template containing a foreground image with at least one cutout region for placing at least part of the at least one editable object therein; and

a design processor, automatically re-using at least part of said user-defined graphics edit to automatically place at least part of said at least one editable object within said at least one cutout region.

15. A system according to claim 13 and wherein at least one of said at least one editable object contains locked features and unlocked features, and wherein said design processor does not alter said locked features.

17. A system according to claim 13 and wherein said user-defined graphics edit is comprised of a plurality of elements acting upon at least part of said at least one editable object.

19. A system according to claim 13 and wherein at least part of one of said at least one editable object is automatically placed in multiple cutout regions in the second template.

21. A system according to claim 13 and also including an output unit for automatically generating graphics outputs of various sizes.

23. A system according to claim 21 and wherein said graphics outputs are generated on a kiosk system.

14. An imaging design system for a user to produce a plurality of graphics outputs by reusing edited graphics content in multiple templates, comprising:

a first template containing a foreground image with at least one first cutout region for placing at least part of at least one editable object therein;

an editor for editing, by said user, at least part of said at least one editable object by adjusting at least its position, size, orientation, shape, characteristics, text, lettering, or color values, thereby producing a user defined graphics edit;

a storage device saving said user-defined graphics edit;

a second template containing a second foreground image with at least one second cutout region for placing at least part of the at least one editable object therein; and

a design processor, automatically re-using at least part of said user-defined graphics edit to automatically place at least part of said at least one editable object within said at least one second cutout region.

16. A system according to claim 14 and wherein at least one of said at least one editable object contains locked features and unlocked features, and wherein said design processor does not alter said locked features.

18. A system according to claim 14 and wherein said user-defined graphics edit is comprised of a plurality of elements acting upon at least part of said at least one editable object.

20. A system according to claim 14 and wherein at least part of one of said at least one editable object is automatically placed in multiple cutout regions in the second template.

22. A system according to claim 14 and also including an output unit for automatically generating graphics outputs of various sizes.

24. A system according to claim 22 and wherein said graphics outputs are generated on a kiosk system.