System and method for editing digitally represented still images

• US 6,883,140 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fisher, Sheldon R., Acker, Kristin D., Yang, Xiaoli
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/512,154
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 715/720, 715/721, 715/722, 715/723, 715/724, 715/725, 715/845, 715/517, 715/523, 715/530, 382/296, 382/297, 382/298, 382/299, 382/274, 382/275, 382/254, 382/305, 345/716, 345/722, 345/730, 345/731, 345/732, 345/719, 345/720, 345/721, 345/723, 345/724, 345/838
• US Class Current: 715/730
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00442 Simultaneous viewing of a plurality of images, e.g. using a mosaic display arrangement of thumbnails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00448 horizontally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00453 arranged in a two dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00461 marking or otherwise tagging one or more displayed image, e.g. for selective reproduction

Abstract

A method of selecting and editing a plurality of digitally represented still images in a computer environment is provided. The method includes the use of a graphical user interface having a display and a user interface selection device, and includes the steps of opening the data files of the images to be edited, displaying the images, and displaying a task pane including at least one editing task entry having a specified multiple-image editing task command. A group of all or some of the images is formed by the user selecting the images to be edited, and an editing task execution signal is received which is indicative of the user selecting the desired editing task entry on the task pane. In response to receipt of the editing task execution signal, the specified editing task command is performed on the group of selected still images.

Claims

1. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method of selecting and revising a plurality of digitally represented still images, wherein each still image is a separate data file, the method comprising the steps of:

opening the data files of the plurality of still images;

displaying the plurality of still images in a filmstrip pane;

in response to a menu selection, displaying a task pane including at least one revision task entry having a specified multiple-image revision task command and displaying all of the plurality of still images in a picture pane simultaneously with the filmstrip pane and the task pane;

receiving a group-select execution signal indicative of the user selecting at least two of the still images displayed in the filmstrip pane and the picture pane for revision as a group;

in response to the group-select signal, forming a group of the selected still images and identifying the selected group by attaching an identifier to each selected image in the picture pane;

receiving a task execution signal indicative of the user selecting the multiple-image revision task entry;

in response to the execution signal, displaying a sub-task pane to allow user customization of revisions for each image in the group in accordance with a selected multiple-image revision task type for the group of selected still images;

altering the picture pane to display only one image from the group of selected images in the picture pane while the filmstrip pane simultaneously displays each opened still image; and

providing navigation controls within the sub-task pane to allow the user to view each image from the group of selected images individually in the picture pane and allowing customized user revision of each successive image displayed in the picture pane using options provided on the sub-task pane without requiring repeated display of the task pane for any image in the group.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the task pane includes a “

select all”

entry having a selection command for selecting all of the open images for revision as a group, the group-select execution signal being indicative of the user selecting the “

select all”

entry.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving a sub-task execution signal indicative of the user selecting the at least one option entry, and in response to the execution signal, performing the revision sub-task command on the selected image displayed in the picture pane.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the group-select execution signal is indicative of a user sequentially selecting at least two of the open still images while simultaneously selecting a control key.

5. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for selecting and revising a plurality of digitally represented still images, wherein each still image is a separate data file, comprising:

opening the data files of the plurality of still images;

displaying the plurality of still images in a filmstrip pane;

in response to a menu selection, displaying a task pane including at least one revision task entry having a specified multiple-image revision task command and displaying all of the plurality of still images in a picture pane simultaneously with the filmstrip pane and the task pane;

receiving a group-select execution signal indicative of the user selecting at least two of the still images displayed in the filmstrip pane and the picture pane for revision as a group;

in response to the group select signal, forming a group of the selected still images and identifying the selected group by attaching an identifier to each selected image in the picture pane;

receiving a task execution signal indicative of the user selecting a multiple-image revision task entry from the task pane;

in response to the execution signal, displaying a sub-task pane to allow user customization of revisions in accordance with a selected revision task type for each image in the group of selected still images;

altering the picture pane to display only one image from the group of selected images in the picture pane while the filmstrip pane simultaneously displays each opened still image; and

providing navigation controls within the sub-task pane to allow the user to view each image from the group of selected images individually in the picture pane and allowing customized user revision of each successive image displayed in the picture pane using options provided on the sub-task pane without requiring repeated display of the task pane for any image in the group.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the task pane includes a “

select all”

entry having a selection command for selecting all of the open images for revision as a group, the group-select execution signal being indicative of the user selecting the “

select all”

entry.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 5, further comprising receiving a sub-task execution signal indicative of the user selecting the at least one option entry, and in response to the execution signal, performing the revision sub-task command on the selected image displayed in the picture pane.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the group-select execution signal is indicative of a user sequentially selecting at least two of the open still images while simultaneously selecting a control key.