Method and apparatus for selecting, modifying and superimposing one image on another

• US 6,344,853 B1
• Filed: 01/06/2000
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcone Marketing Group (Omnicom Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Alcone Marketing Group (Omnicom Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Knight, Kevin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/479,284
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 345/435, 709/203, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

A method of preparing a server is disclosed that supports a client system to construct and preview a composite image. The composite image comprises first and second images. The method of this invention comprises the steps of constructing at the server first and second libraries, inputting to the server data representative of the sets of the first and second images, and generating from the inputted set of first images a corresponding set of templates. Each template bears a corresponding one of the set of the first images. Next, the set of templates is loaded into the first library. Then, the set of second images is loaded into the second library. In one illustrated embodiment of this invention, the first image represents a promotional product, the second image represents a logo and the composite image is the logo superimposed on the promotional product.

Claims

1. The method of preparing a server to support a client system to construct a composite image, the component parts of said composite image comprising first and second images, said method comprising the steps of:

a) constructing at the server first and second libraries;

b) inputting to the server data representative of sets of said first and second images, each of said second images having a periphery and data representative of the relative position of first and second points, said first and second points lying on said periphery of said second image;

c) generating from said data representative of said second images said set of said second images, and loading said set of said second images into said second library; and

d) generating from said data representative of said first images said set of said first images and loading said set of first images into said first library.

2. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is further included the step of formatting the data of said first images as an array of pixel elements.

3. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is further included a step of configuring each of said second images as a logo.

4. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is further included a step of configuring said second image as a logo, and a step of configuring said first image as a product.

5. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 2, wherein there is included a plurality of said formatted second images and there is included a step of storing said plurality of said formatted second images in the second library.

6. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 2, wherein there is further included the step of responding to the positional data of said second image to represent said second image as an array of pixels.

7. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 6, where there is further included a step of merging said array of pixels related to said second image, whereby said second image is superimposed on said first image.

8. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 7, wherein there is further included a step of configuring said second image as a logo, and said first image as a product.

9. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 1, where there is included a step of setting said first image to a default color.

10. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 9, wherein there is further included a step of setting said second image to a default color.

11. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 10, there is further included the step of providing first and second parameters for setting said default colors of said first and second images respectively.

12. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is included a step of disposing at least one placement hook on said first image to facilitate the superimposing said second image on said first image in a desired relationship to said first image.

13. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 12, wherein there is included a further step of representing said second image as a logo and said first image as a product, whereby said one placement hook may be used to position said logo on said product.

14. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is further included the step of normalizing the dimensions of said second image and storing said normalized second image in the second library.

15. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 14, wherein there are a plurality of said second images, said step of normalizing normalizes the dimensions of each of said plurality of said second images, and storing said plurality of said normalized images in said second library.

16. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first image represents a promotional product, said second image represents a logo and said composite image is said logo superimposed on said promotional product.

17. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is further included a step of creating and storing in memory a set of first parameters that defines a certain characteristic of said set of said first images.

18. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 17, wherein there is further included a step of creating and storing in memory a set of second parameters that defines a certain characteristic of said set of said second images.

19. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 18, wherein said set of said first parameters define color.

20. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 19, wherein said set of said second parameters define color.

21. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 18, wherein said second parameter defines the relative size of said second image as compared to the size of said first image.

22. The method of preparing, a server as claimed in claim 17, wherein there is further included a step of preparing a webpage bearing a set of keys designed to be clicked on by a user at the client system to select one of said set of first parameters to define a corresponding characteristic of said first image.

23. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is further included the step of preparing a webpage bearing indicia designed to be actuated by a user of the supported client system to select one of said set of said second images and to embed the selected second image into said webpage to be downloaded to and displayed by the supported client system.

24. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 23, wherein there is further included the steps of creating and storing in memory a set of parameters that defines a certain characteristic of said second image and of preparing a second webpage bearing indicia designed to be actuated by the user of the supported client system to select one of said set of said second parameters to define that characteristic of said selected second image.

25. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 24, wherein said parameter defines the particular color of said second image.

26. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 24, wherein there is further included the step of preparing a third webpage bearing indicia designed to be actuated by the user of the supported client system to select one of said set of said first images and to embed said selected first image into said third webpage to be transmitted to and displayed by the supported client system.

27. The method of preparing a server as claimed in claim 26, wherein there is further included the steps of creating and storing in memory a set of second parameters that defines a certain characteristic of said corresponding first images and of preparing said third webpage to bear further indicia to be actuated by the user of the supported client system to select one of said set of first parameters to define that characteristic of the selected first image.

28. A server adapted to support a client system to generate a composite image, the component parts of said composite image comprising first and second images, said server comprising:

(a) a programmed processor for receiving and responsive to data representative of a set of said second images to generate a corresponding set of templates, each template bearing a corresponding one of said set of said second images;

(b) a second library for storing said set of templates;

(c) a first library for storing data representative of a set of said first images; and

(d) said programmed processor facilitating a communication session with the supported client system to permit the user of the client system to select one of said set of said first images and one of said set of said second images, said programmed processor responsive to the user selection of one of said set of said second images to access from the second library that template said selected second image and to the user selection of one of said set of said first images to add said selected first image to said selected template.

29. The server adapted to support a client system as claimed in claim 28, wherein there is further comprised a memory for storing at least one webpage bearing indicia designed to be actuated by a user of the supported client system to select a corresponding one of said set of said second images, said programmed processor responsive to the actuation of one of said indicia to select the corresponding one of said set of said second images for embedding said selected second image into said webpage to be transmitted to and to be displayed by the supported client system.

30. The server adapted to support a client system as claimed in claim 29, wherein said memory stores a set of parameters, each of which defines a certain characteristic of said corresponding second image and a second webpage bearing indicia designed to be actuated by the user of the supported client system to select one of said set of said parameters to define that characteristic of said selected second image, and said programmed processor is programmed to respond to the actuation of an indicia of said second webpage corresponding to a selected one of said set of said parameters to set that characteristic of said second image.

31. The method of operating a client system and a server to construct a composite image, the components of the composite image comprising first and second images, first and second libraries being provided at the server to store respectively sets of the first and second images, said method comprising the steps of:

a) establishing a communication session over a communication link between the server and the client system;

b) facilitating a user at the client system during the course of said communication session to select from the first library a selected one of said set of first images;

c) facilitating the user at the client system during the course of said communication session to select from the second library a selected one of said set of second images;

d) accessing at the server from the first and second libraries said selected ones of said first and second images;

e) superimposing at the server said selected one second image on said selected one first image to provide said composite image; and

f) transmitting from the server to the client system said composite image.

32. The method of operating a client system as claimed in claim 31, wherein said selected one first image comprises a promotional product, and said selected one second image comprises a logo, and there is further included a step of displaying at the client system said composite image as a logo superimposed on a promotional product.

33. The method of operating a client system as claimed in claim 31, wherein there is further included a step of creating a parameter that defines a certain characteristic of at least one of said first and second images.

34. The method of operating a client system as claimed in claim 33, wherein said creating step creates a set of parameters that define certain characteristics of said one image, and there is further included the steps of creating a webpage that presents a set of keys corresponding to said set of parameters, and transmitting said webpage to the client server, whereby the user may click on a desired one of said set of keys to select a corresponding one of said set of parameters.

35. The method of operating a client system as claimed in claim 33, wherein said parameter relates to the color of said first image.

36. The method of operating a client system as claimed in claim 33, wherein said first mentioned parameter defines the certain characteristic of said first images, and there is further included the step of creating a second parameter that defines a certain characteristic of said second images.

37. The method of operating a client system as claimed in claim 36, where the certain characteristic is color.