Selecting image processing functions

• US 7,318,203 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Purves, Gary, Schriever, Michiel
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US10/407,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20040207667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 715/719, 715/744, 715/764, 715/765, 715/777, 715/835, 715/838, 715/853, 715/866, 715/854, 715/856, 715/501.1, 715/769, 345156-158, 345/163, 345/173, 345/179
• US Class Current: 715/853
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An image processing function is selected via a graphical user interface (GUI) 902 that receives input commands from manually operated input means 102-103, 106 configured with activation means. Image data 707, 1206 is selected by placing a pointer 905 operated by the input means over its representation 919 within said GUI 902 and activating said activation means. In response to a translation 1301, 1303, 1402 of said representation 919 over a hierarchical representation 925 of said function within said GUI 902, said function is initialised according to said hierarchy with said selected image data 1206 as default data. In response to said initialisation, said GUI 902 is updated. In response to deactivating said activation means, said function is configured for processing said image data according to input received from said input means. The updated representation 1403 of said function includes a representation 919 of said image data 1206.

Claims

1. Apparatus for processing image data, comprising memory means, processing means, display means and manually operable input means configured with activation means, wherein said memory means stores said image data and instructions and said processing means is configured by said instructions to perform the steps of:

displaying, on said display means, a hierarchy of image data processing functions implemented within an image processing application, wherein said hierarchy sorts the image data processing functions into groups based on interdependencies between the image data processing functions;

selecting image data by placing a pointer operated by said input means over a representation of the image data within a graphical user interface displayed on said display means and activating said activation means;

translating said representation of the image data over a first group of the groups in the hierarchy by means of said pointer;

in response to said translating, initialising image data processing functions in the first group with said selected image data as default data;

in response to said initialising, updating said graphical user interface;

wherein in response to deactivating said activation means, said image data processing functions in the first group are configured to process said image data according to input received from said input means and an updated representation of said graphical user interface includes a representation of said image data displayed within said first group of said hierarchy.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said groups in said hierarchy comprises a tab or sub-tab.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said representation of image data is a proxy or a thumbnail.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said selected image data includes a plurality of image frames known as a sequence.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said selected image data includes a plurality of sequences.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

in response to said translating, a node is added to a process tree, said process tree representing image processing performed on a scene; and

said node represents one of the image data processing functions configured with said selected image data s default data.

7. A method of selecting an image processing function via a graphical user interface for receiving input commands from manually operated input means configured with activation means, wherein:

a hierarchy of image data processing functions implemented within an image processing application are displayed on a display means, wherein said hierarchy sorts the image data processing functions into groups based on interdependencies between the image data processing functions;

image data is selected by placing a pointer operated by said input means over a representation of the image data within said graphical user interface and activating said activation means;

the representation of the image data is translated over a first group of the groups in the hierarchy by means of said pointer;

in response to said translation of said representation of the image data said image processing function in the first group is initialised with said selected image data as default data;

in response to said initialisation, said graphical user interface is updated; and

in response to deactivating said activation means, said image data processing functions in the first group are configured to process said image data according to input received from said input means, wherein an updated representation of said graphical user interface includes a representation of said image data displayed within said first group of said hierarchy.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein each of said groups in said hierarchy comprises a tab or sub-tab.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein said representation of image data is a proxy or a thumbnail.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein said selected image data includes a plurality of image frames known as a sequence.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said selected image data includes a plurality of sequences.

12. A method according to claim 7, wherein:

in response to said translating, adding a node to a process tree, said process tree representing image processing performed on a scene; and

said node represents one of the image data processing functions configured with said selected image data s default data.

13. A computer-readable medium carrying instructions for processing image data which, when processed by a computer including display means and manually operated input means configured with activation means, configure said computer to perform the steps of:

displaying, on said display means, a hierarchy of image data processing functions implemented within an image processing application, wherein said hierarchy sorts the image data processing functions into groups based on interdependencies between the image data processing functions;

selecting image data by placing a pointer operated by said input means over a representation of the image data within a graphical user interface displayed on said display means and activating said activation means;

translating said representation of image data over a first group of the groups in the hierarchy by means of said pointer;

in response to said translating, initialising said image data processing functions in the first group with said selected image data as default data;

in response to said initialising, updating said graphical user interface;

wherein in response to deactivating said activation means, said image data processing functions in the first group are configured to process said image data according to input received from said input means and an updated representation of said graphical user interface includes a representation of said image data displayed within said first group of said hierarchy.

14. A computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein each of said groups in said hierarchy comprises a tab or sub-tab.

15. A computer-readable medium according to claim 13, wherein said selected image data includes a plurality of image frames known as a sequence.

16. A computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein said selected image data includes a plurality of sequences.

17. A computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein:

in response to said translating, a node is added to a process tree, said process tree representing image processing performed on a scene; and

said node represents one of the image data processing functions configured with said selected image data s default data.

18. A computer programmed for processing image data, said computer comprising memory means, processing means, display means and manually operable input means configured with activation means, wherein said memory means stores said image data and instructions and said computer is configured by said instructions to perform the steps of:

displaying, on said display means, a hierarchy of image data processing functions implemented within an image processing application, wherein said hierarchy sorts the image data processing functions into groups based on interdependencies between the image data processing functions;

selecting image data by placing a pointer operated by said input means over a representation of said image data within a graphical user interface displayed on said display means and activating said activation means;

translating said representation of the image data over a first group of the groups in the hierarchy by means of said pointer;

in response to said translating, initialising said image data processing functions in the first group function according to said hierarchy with said selected image data as default data;

in response to said initialising, updating said graphical user interface;

wherein in response to deactivating said activation means, said image data processing functions in the first group are configured to process said image data according to input received from said input means and an updated representation of said graphical user interface includes a representation of said image data displayed within said first group of said hierarchy.

19. A computer programmed according to claim 18, wherein said selected image data includes a plurality of image frames known as a sequence.

20. A computer programmed according to claim 19, wherein said selected image data includes a plurality of sequences.

21. A computer programmed according to claim 18, wherein:

in response to said translating, a node is added to a process tree, said process tree representing image processing performed on a scene; and

said node represents one of the image data processing functions configured with said selected image data s default data.