Automatic frame selection and layout of one or more images and generation of images bounded by a frame
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of arranging at least one image within a display area, the method comprising the steps of:
- analysing the at least one image in accordance with at least one predefined compositional rule;
selecting an image boundary the shape of which, in accordance with said analysis, best fits the at least one image;
applying the image boundary to the at least one image to produce a processed image; and
placing the processed image within said display area,wherein the step of analysing the image comprises identifying at least one region of compositional significance based on color and/or contrast and/or brightness differences with respect to adjacent regions in the image, and applying at least one of;
a) at least one compositional rule to identify regions which should be included within the processed image; and
b) at least one compositional rule to identify regions which should be excluded from the processed image,wherein said step of analysing the image further comprises identifying “
don'"'"'t care”
regions of images, said “
don'"'"'t care”
regions comprising regions that may be optionally excluded from said image boundary.
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Abstract
A method is disclosed of analyzing an image to identify “must exclude” regions and of determining the best fit of an image outline so as to generate an image boundary that excludes the majority of “must exclude” regions. The method is applicable to the automatic generation of greeting cards and photo-montages.
83 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of arranging at least one image within a display area, the method comprising the steps of:
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analysing the at least one image in accordance with at least one predefined compositional rule; selecting an image boundary the shape of which, in accordance with said analysis, best fits the at least one image; applying the image boundary to the at least one image to produce a processed image; and placing the processed image within said display area, wherein the step of analysing the image comprises identifying at least one region of compositional significance based on color and/or contrast and/or brightness differences with respect to adjacent regions in the image, and applying at least one of; a) at least one compositional rule to identify regions which should be included within the processed image; and b) at least one compositional rule to identify regions which should be excluded from the processed image, wherein said step of analysing the image further comprises identifying “
don'"'"'t care”
regions of images, said “
don'"'"'t care”
regions comprising regions that may be optionally excluded from said image boundary. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of arranging a plurality of images within a display area, the method comprising the steps of:
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analysing each of said plurality of images in accordance with at least one compositional rule to thereby identify one or more regions of each image to be excluded from said image; placing said analysed images within said display area, such that some images overlap a portion of at least one other image, whereby said overlapping portions obscure one or more of said regions to be excluded, wherein said step of analysing an image comprises; identifying one or more features of compositional significance based on color and/or brightness differences with respect to adjacent regions in the image; identifying a number of regions of interest; selecting at least one combination of one or more of said regions of interest; applying said at least one composition rule to those said features of compositional significance located within said selected combination of regions of interest to thereby identify “
must include” and
“
must exclude”
regions of said selected combination; andidentifying “
don'"'"'t care”
regions of images, said “
don'"'"'t care”
regions comprising regions that may be optionally excluded from an image boundary. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An image processing system for arranging a number of images within a display area, comprising:
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an input arranged to receive said images; an image processor coupled to said input; and an output coupled to said image processor, and arranged to output said arrangement of images within the display area; wherein the image processor is arranged; to analyse at least one image in accordance with at least one predefined compositional rule; to select an image boundary the shape of which, in accordance with said analysis, best fits said image; to apply the image boundary to the at least one image to produce a processed image; and to place the processed image within said display areas, wherein the step of analysing the image comprises identifying at least one region of compositional significance based on color and/or brightness differences with respect to adjacent regions in the image, and applying at least one of; a) at least one compositional rule to identify regions which should be included within the processed image; and b) at least one compositional rule to identify regions which should be excluded from the processed image, wherein said step of analysing the image further comprises identifying “
don'"'"'t care”
regions of images, said “
don'"'"'t care”
regions comprising regions that may be optionally excluded from said image boundary.
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Specification