System and method for editing digital images

• US 7,349,578 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Manowitz, Neal Jacob, Edwards, Eric, Fisher, Clay Harvey, Jonach, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Desire; Gregory M
• Application Number:
  US11/599,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20070058886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 345/629, 358/537, 382/209, 382/309, 382/311
• US Class Current: 382/209
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

A system and method for editing digital images are described. The system for editing digital images forms an image template containing a selected record of one or more image editing operations performed on a first image to obtain a first edited image. The image template also contains the first edited image. The system then applies the image template to one or more second images.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming an image template containing a first edited image and a selected record of an image editing operation, said image editing operation having been performed on a first image to obtain said first edited image; and

applying said image template to at least one second image, said applying of said image template comprises performing said image editing operation on said second image to obtain a second edited image.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said forming comprises storing said selected record of said image editing operation with said first edited image in an image file.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said forming comprises storing said selected record of said image editing operation in a storage file separate from said first edited image.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said image editing operation comprises cropping said first image.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said image editing operation comprises an operation of enhancing color characteristics of said first image.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said image editing operation comprises an operation of modifying brightness characteristics of said first image.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said image editing operation comprises an operation of modifying luminosity characteristics of said first image.

8. The method according to claim 1 being performed within a microprocessor system.

9. A method comprising:

forming an image template including a first edited image and a selected record of an image editing operation, said image editing operation being performed on a first image to produce said first edited image; and

applying said image template to a second image to perform said image editing operation on said second image to produce a second edited image.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising:

combining the first edited image and the second edited image to produce an output image to be provided to a device supplying at least the first image.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein said forming comprises storing said selected record of said image editing operation with said first edited image in an image file.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein said forming comprises storing said selected record of said image editing operation in a storage file separate from said first edited image.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein said image editing operation comprises cropping said first image.

14. The method according to claim 9 being performed within a microprocessor system.

15. A computer readable storage medium containing executable instructions, which, when executed in a processing system, cause said processing system to perform a plurality of operations comprising:

forming an image template containing a first edited image and a selected record of at least one image editing operation, said at least one image editing operation having been performed on a first image to obtain said first edited image; and

applying said image template to at least one second image and performing said at least one image editing operation on said second image to obtain a second edited image so that said first edited image and said second edited image include at least one identical image characteristic.

16. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein said processing system, when forming said image template, retrieves said selected record to determine said image editing operation performed on said first edited image combining said second edited image with said first edited image to form an output image.

17. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein said processing system, when forming said image template, combines said second edited image with said first edited image to form an output image.

18. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein said processing system, comprises combining said second edited image with said first edited image to form an output image.

19. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 18, wherein said processing system, when combining said first edited image and said second edited image, comprises transmitting said output image to a user.