Method for randomly combining images with annotations

• US 6,269,366 B1
• Filed: 06/24/1998
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Wen, Xin, Romano, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pardo, Thuy N.
• Application Number:
  US09/103,597
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 707/515, 707/512, 707/104, 707/1, 707/3, 707/6, 707/10, 345/435, 345/328, 345/326, 345/473, 364/188, 364/468.24
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method for producing an image, the method comprises the steps of: storing a plurality of theme images; storing a plurality of annotations; providing a random number generator for randomly selecting the theme images and annotations; and combining the theme image and the annotation.

Claims

1. A method for producing a personalized composite image, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing a plurality of image groupings that each contain a plurality of stored images;

(b) storing a plurality of annotation groupings that each contain a plurality of annotations, the annotation groupings being mated to the image groupings;

(c) selecting an image grouping that is most relevant to a user profile that has been generated from a user'"'"'s answers to a plurality of background queries;

(d) providing a random number generator for randomly selecting any image from the selected image grouping;

(e) providing a random number generator for randomly selecting any annotation from a selected annotation grouping that is categorically related to the selected image grouping; and

(f) combining the randomly selected image and the randomly selected annotation to form a personalized composite image.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a semantic interpreter for converting user input responses into computer usable form.

3. The method as in claim 2, further comprising the step of providing an image composer for combining two images or an image with an annotation.

4. The method as in claim 3, further comprising a microprocessor for directing operations of the semantic interpreter, random number generator and image composer.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein step (a) includes grouping the plurality of images into a plurality of different groupings.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein step (b) includes grouping the plurality of annotations into a plurality of different groupings.

7. The method as in claim 6 further comprising the step of storing the grouping of images and grouping of annotations on a database.

8. The method as in claim 5, wherein step (b) includes grouping the plurality of annotations into a plurality of different groupings.

9. A method for producing a personalized composite image, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting a user'"'"'s captured image,

(b) storing a plurality of image groupings that each contain a plurality of stored images;

(c) selecting an image grouping that is most relevant to a user profile that has been generated from a user'"'"'s answers to a plurality of background queries;

(d) providing a random number generator for randomly selecting any image from the selected image grouping; and

(e) combining the captured image and the selected stored image.

10. The method as in claim 9, further comprising the step of providing a semantic interpreter for converting user input responses into computer usable form.

11. The method as in claim 10, further comprising the step of providing an image composer for combining the two images.

12. The method as in claim 11, further comprising a microprocessor for directing operations of the semantic interpreter, random number generator and image composer.

13. The method as in claim 9, wherein step (a) includes grouping the plurality of theme images into a plurality of different groupings.

14. A method for producing a personalized composite image, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting a user'"'"'s captured image;

(b) storing a plurality of annotation groupings that each contain a plurality of annotations;

(c) selecting an annotation grouping that is most relevant to a user profile that has been generated from a user'"'"'s answers to a plurality of background queries;

(d) providing a random number generator for randomly selecting any annotation from the selected annotation groupings; and

(e) combining the user'"'"'s captured image and the selected annotation to produce the personalized composite image.

15. The method as in claim 14, further comprising the step of providing a semantic interpreter for converting user input responses into computer usable form.

16. The method as in claim 15, further comprising the step of providing an image composer for combining two images or an image with an annotation.

17. The method as in claim 16, further comprising a microprocessor for directing operations of the semantic interpreter, random number generator and image composer.

18. The method as in claim 14, wherein step (a) includes grouping the plurality of images into a plurality of different groupings.

19. A method for producing a personalized composite image from a user profile, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting the user profile that has been generated from a user'"'"'s answering a plurality of background queries;

(b) storing a plurality of image groupings that each contain a plurality of stored images,

(c) selecting an image grouping based on the user profile;

(d) providing a random number generator for randomly selecting a stored image from the selected image grouping; and

(e) combining information correspondingly related to the user profile and the selected stored image to produce the personalized composite image.

20. The method as in claim 19, further comprising the step of providing a semantic interpreter for converting user input responses into computer usable form.

21. The method as in claim 20, further comprising the step of providing an image composer for combining two images or an image with an annotation.

22. The method as in claim 21, further comprising a microprocessor for directing operations of the semantic interpreter, random number generator and image composer.

23. The method as in claim 19, wherein step (a) includes grouping the plurality of images into a plurality of different groupings.

24. An image processing apparatus for producing a composite image, the apparatus comprising:

(a) means for storing a plurality of image groupings that each contain a plurality of stored images;

(b) means for storing a plurality of annotation groupings that each contain a plurality of annotations, the annotation groupings being mated to the image groupings,

(c) means for selecting an image grouping and an annotation grouping based on a user profile;

(d) a random number generator for randomly selecting a stored image and any annotation from the selected mated image and annotation grouping; and

(e) a composition unit for combining the randomly selected image and the randomly selected annotation for producing the composite image.

25. The apparatus as in claim 24, further comprising a semantic interpreter for converting user input responses into computer usable form.

26. The apparatus as in claim 25, further comprising an image composer for combining two images or an image with an annotation.

27. The apparatus as in claim 26, further comprising a microprocessor for directing operations of the semantic interpreter, random number generator and image composer.

28. The apparatus as in claim 24, wherein said storing image means includes grouping the plurality of images into a plurality of different groupings.

29. The apparatus as in claim 28, wherein said storing annotation means step includes grouping the plurality of annotations into a plurality of different groupings.

30. The apparatus as in claim 29 further comprising means for storing the grouping of images and grouping of annotations on a database.

31. An apparatus for producing a personalized composite image, the apparatus comprising:

(a) means for inputting a captured image,

(b) means for storing a plurality of image groupings that each contain a plurality of stored images;

(c) means for selecting an image grouping that is most relevant to a user profile that has been generated from a user'"'"'s answers to a plurality of background queries;

(d) a random number generator for randomly selecting a image; and

(e) a composition unit for combining the captured image and the randomly selected stored image to produce personalized composite image.

32. The apparatus as in claim 31, further comprising a semantic interpreter for converting user input responses into computer usable form.

33. The apparatus as in claim 32, further comprising an image composer for combining the two images.

34. The apparatus as in claim 33, further comprising a microprocessor for directing operations of the semantic interpreter, random number generator and image composer.

35. The apparatus as in claim 31, wherein said inputting means includes means for grouping the plurality of theme images into a plurality of different groupings.

36. The apparatus as in claim 31, wherein said storing means includes means for grouping the plurality of annotations into a plurality of different groupings.

37. An apparatus for producing a personalized image, the apparatus comprising:

(a) means for inputting a captured image;

(b) means for storing a plurality of annotation groupings that each contain a plurality of annotations;

(c) means for selecting an annotation grouping that is most relevant to a user profile that has been generated from a user'"'"'s answers to a plurality of background queries;

(d) a random number generator for randomly selecting any annotation from the selected grouping; and

(e) a composition unit for combining the captured image and the randomly selected annotation.

38. The apparatus as in claim 37, further comprising a semantic interpreter for converting user input responses into computer usable form.

39. The apparatus as in claim 38, further comprising an image composer for combining two images or an image with an annotation.

40. The apparatus as in claim 39, further comprising a microprocessor for directing operations of the semantic interpreter, random number generator and image composer.

41. The apparatus as in claim 37, wherein said inputting means includes means for grouping the plurality of images into a plurality of different groupings.

42. An apparatus for producing a personalized composite image from a user profile that has been generated from a user answering a plurality of background queries, the apparatus comprising:

(a) means for inputting the user profile;

(b) means for storing a plurality of image groupings that each contain a plurality of stored images,

(c) means for selecting an image grouping corresponding to the user profile;

(d) a random number generator for randomly selecting any stored image from the selected grouping; and

(e) a composition unit for combining information related to the user profile and the randomly selected stored image.

43. The apparatus as in claim 42, further comprising a semantic interpreter for converting user input responses into computer usable form.

44. The apparatus as in claim 43, further comprising an image composer for combining two images or an image with an annotation.

45. The apparatus as in claim 44, further comprising a microprocessor for directing operations of the semantic interpreter, random number generator and image composer.

46. The apparatus as in claim 42, wherein said inpoutting means includes means for grouping the plurality of images into a plurality of different groupings.