User interface for navigating through images

• US 7,764,849 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gedye, David M., Gilman, Ian A., Astort, Alfred, Aguera y Arcas, Blaise H., Dughi, Jonathan R., Ressler, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bali; Vikkram
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENTEZARI, MICHELLE M
• Application Number:
  US11/461,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20080025646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/305
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/757 Matching configurations of points or features

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable media are presented for presenting similar images of a selected image in a user interface. One embodiment of the method can include identifying a selected first image and identifying a selected direction from the first image. Additionally, the method can include calculating a best neighbor metric for each of one or more other images to determine a best neighbor image in the selected direction. Furthermore, the method can include presenting the best neighbor image to a user in a user interface.

Claims

1. A method for presenting overlapping images of a selected image in a user interface, comprising:

identifying a selected first image;

identifying a selected direction from the first image, the selected direction determined from a list including right, left, above, below, zoom-in, and zoom-out;

calculating a best neighbor metric for each of one or more other images, wherein each selected direction has its own algorithm to determine the best neighbor metric, wherein calculating the best neighbor metric for images to the right of first image comprises;

dividing the first image vertically in half,

identifying a compared image from the one or more other images,

dividing the compared image vertically in half,

calculating a compared total by identifying the total number of keypoints the right-half of the first image and the left-half of the compared image have in common, and

subtracting the compared total from the total number of keypoints located in the right-half of the first image;

determining the best neighbor image based on the calculated best neighbor metric; and

presenting the best neighbor image.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein calculating the best neighbor metric for images to the left of the first image comprises:

dividing the first image vertically in half;

identifying a compared image from the one or more other images;

dividing the compared image vertically in half;

calculating a compared total by identifying the total number of keypoints the left-half of the first image and the right-half of the compared image have in common; and

subtracting the compared total from the total number of keypoints located in the left-half of the first image.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein calculating the best neighbor metric for images above the first image comprises:

dividing the first image horizontally in half;

identifying a compared image from the one or more other images;

dividing the compared image horizontally in half;

calculating a compared total by identifying the total number of keypoints the upper-half of the first image and the lower-half of the compared image have in common; and

subtracting the compared total from the total number of keypoints located in the upper-half of the first image.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein calculating the best neighbor metric for images below the first image comprises:

dividing the first image horizontally in half;

identifying a compared image from the one or more other images;

dividing the compared image horizontally in half;

calculating a compared total by identifying the total number of keypoints the lower-half of the first image and the upper-half of the compared image have in common; and

subtracting the compared total from the total number of keypoints located in the lower-half of the first image.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein calculating the best neighbor metric for images representing a zoomed-out version of the first image comprises:

identifying the total number of keypoints in the first image;

identifying a compared image from the one or more other images;

specifying an interior image from the compared image, the interior image being a fraction of the size of the compared image with the same center point as the compared image;

calculating a compared total by identifying the total number of keypoints the first image and the interior image have in common; and

subtracting the compared total from the total number of keypoints in the first image.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein calculating the best neighbor metric for images representing a zoomed-in version of the first image comprises:

specifying an interior image from the first image, the interior image being a fraction of the size of the first image with the same center point as the first image;

identifying the total number of keypoints in the interior image;

identifying a compared image from the one or more other images;

calculating a compared total by identifying the total number of keypoints the interior image and the compared image have in common; and

subtracting the compared total from the total number of keypoints in the interior image.

7. One or more computer-readable media having computer-usable instructions stored thereon for performing a method for presenting a plurality of images, the method comprising:

identifying a selected first image;

identifying a selected direction from the first image, the selected direction determined from a list including right, left, above, below, zoom-in, and zoom-out;

calculating a best neighbor metric for each of one or more other images to determine a best neighbor image in the selected direction, wherein each selected direction has its own algorithm to determine the best neighbor metric, wherein calculating the best neighbor metric for images above the first image comprises;

dividing the first image horizontally in half,

identifying a compared image from the one or more other images,

dividing the compared image horizontally in half,

calculating a compared total by identifying the total number of keypoints the upper-half of the first image and the lower-half of the compared image have in common, and

subtracting the compared total from the total number of keypoints located in the upper-half of the first image;

determining the best neighbor image based on the calculated best neighbor metric; and

presenting the best neighbor image.

8. The computer-readable media according to claim 7, further comprising presenting the one or more other images in a ranked order in at least one of concentric bands and a spiral of images around the first image, wherein the placement of the presented one or more other images depends a similarity metric for each of the one or more other images, and the plurality of other images that have a higher ranking within the ranked order are presented larger than images with a lower ranking.

9. The computer-readable media according to claim 7, further comprising using point zooming to zoom-in or to zoom out on any image.

10. The computer-readable media according to claim 7, further comprising examining a history stack before calculating the best neighbor metric for the selected direction.

11. The computer-readable media according to claim 10, further comprising presenting the image that was presented directly previous to the first image whenever the selected direction is a move in the opposite direction to the top item in the history stack.

12. The computer-readable media according to claim 7, further comprising presenting a best overview image, wherein the best overview image is determined by identifying an image that has at least one keypoint in common with the largest number of other images.

13. One or more computer-readable media having computer-usable instructions stored thereon for performing a method for presenting a plurality of images, the method comprising:

identifying a selected first image;

identifying a selected direction from the first image, the selected direction determined from a list including right, left, above, below, zoom-in, and zoom-out;

calculating a best neighbor metric for each of one or more other images to determine a best neighbor image in the selected direction, wherein each selected direction has its own algorithm to determine the best neighbor metric, wherein calculating the best neighbor metric for images to the left of the first image comprises;

dividing the first image vertically in half,

identifying a compared image from the one or more other images,

dividing the compared image vertically in half,

calculating a compared total by identifying the total number of keypoints the left-half of the first image and the right-half of the compared image have in common, and

subtracting the compared total from the total number of keypoints located in the left-half of the first image;

determining the best neighbor image based on the calculated best neighbor metric; and

presenting the best neighbor image.

14. The computer-readable media according to claim 13, further comprising presenting the one or more other images in a ranked order in at least one of concentric bands and a spiral of images around the first image, wherein the placement of the presented one or more other images depends a similarity metric for each of the one or more other images, and the plurality of other images that have a higher ranking within the ranked order are presented larger than images with a lower ranking.

15. The computer-readable media according to claim 13, further comprising using point zooming to zoom-in or to zoom out on any image.

16. The computer-readable media according to claim 13, further comprising examining a history stack before calculating the best neighbor metric for the selected direction.

17. The computer-readable media according to claim 16, further comprising presenting the image that was presented directly previous to the first image whenever the selected direction is a move in the opposite direction to the top item in the history stack.

18. The computer-readable media according to claim 13, further comprising presenting a best overview image, wherein the best overview image is determined by identifying an image that has at least one keypoint in common with the largest number of other images.