Positioning stamps in images captured with an image capture unit

• US 6,275,260 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1997
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Anderson, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc-Yen, Vu, Ngoc-Yen
• Application Number:
  US08/931,673
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.576, H04/N.5262, 386/65, 386/95, 348/207, 348/232, 348/239, 348/552, 348/563, 348/564, 348/584, 348/589, 348/600, 348/601, 348/333, 348/334, 348/586, 382/293, 382/294, 345/112, 345/114, 345/433, 345/435, 345/437, 345/438, 345/439
• US Class Current: 348/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3211 of a company logo or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3214 of a date
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3215 of a time or duration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3261 of multimedia information, e.g. a sound signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

Method and system aspects for digital image stamp positioning are disclosed. A method aspect, and system for providing same, positions a stamp in a digital image captured with a digital image capture unit independently of the digital image orientation. Included are the selecting of at least two offset values for a stamp and identifying of an area in an image for placing the stamp based on the at least two offset values. Additionally included is the positioning of the stamp within the identified area based on the at least two offset values.

Claims

1. A method for positioning a stamp in a digital image captured with a digital image capture unit independently of the digital image orientation, the method comprising:

selecting offset values for location of a stamp;

placing the stamp in an image at the selected offset values; and

applying the stamp to the digital image by storing the stamp in an image file for the digital image.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting data recorded on the image as the stamp, the data including time-date data, text data, and graphics data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting offset values further comprises selecting a percentage of a width and a height of the image as horizontal and vertical offset values of the stamp.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein selecting a percentage of 50% for the horizontal offset value centers the stamp along the width of the image.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein selecting a percentage of 50% for the vertical offset value centers the stamp along the height of the image.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting offset values further comprises selecting a quadrant within the image.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein two positively signed offset values select a first quadrant of the image.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first quadrant is an upper left quadrant.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein two negatively signed offset values select a second quadrant of the image.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the second quadrant is a lower right quadrant.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein one positively signed offset value and one negatively signed offset value select one of third and fourth quadrants of the image.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the third and fourth quadrants further comprise an upper right quadrant and a lower left quadrant of the image.

13. A system for positioning a stamp in a digital image captured with a digital image capture unit independently of the digital image orientation, the system comprising:

means for selecting offset values for location of a stamp;

means for placing the stamp in an image at the selected offset values; and

means for applying the stamp to the image by storing the stamp in an image file for the image.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the means for selecting offset values further comprises means for selecting a quadrant within the image.

15. The system of claim 13 further comprising means for selecting data recorded on the image as the stamp, the data including time-date data, text data, and graphics data.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the means for selecting offset values further comprises means for selecting a percentage of a width and a height of the image as horizontal and vertical offset values of the stamp.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein a means for selecting a percentage of 50% for the horizontal offset value centers the stamp along the width of the image.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein a means for selecting a percentage of 50% for the vertical offset value centers the stamp along the height of the image.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein identifying an area of the image for positioning the stamp is based on a sign associated with each of the at least two offset values.

19. A method for positioning a stamp in a digital image captured with a digital image capture unit independently of the digital image orientation, the method comprising:

selecting at least two offset values for a stamp;

identifying an area in an image for placing the stamp based on the at least two offset values;

positioning the stamp within the identified area based on the at least two offset values; and

applying the stamp to the image by storing the stamp in an image file for the image.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the at least two offset values further comprise horizontal and vertical offset values.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein selecting further comprises expressing each of the at least two offset values as a percentage of a width and a height of the image.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising positioning the stamp centered with the width of the image when the horizontal offset value is expressed as 50%.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising positioning the stamp centered with the height of the image when the vertical offset value is expressed as 50%.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the area comprises an upper left-hand quadrant of the image when the horizontal and vertical offset values are each a positive value.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the stamp is top and left justified when the horizontal and vertical offset values are each a positive value.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the area comprises a lower right-hand quadrant of the image when the horizontal and vertical offset values are each a negative value.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the stamp is bottom and right justified when the horizontal and vertical offset values are each a negative value.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the area comprises an upper right-hand quadrant of the image when the horizontal offset value is a negative value and the vertical offset value is a positive value.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the stamp is top and right justified when the horizontal offset value is a negative value and the vertical offset value is a positive value.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the area comprises a lower left-hand quadrant of the image when the horizontal offset value is a positive value and the vertical offset value is a negative value.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the stamp is bottom and left justified when the horizontal offset value is a positive value and the vertical offset value is a negative value.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the stamp is center justified when the horizontal and vertical offset values are expressed as 50%.