Auto stacking of time related images

• US 7,839,420 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2005
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ubillos, Randy
• Primary Examiner(s): SAMS, MICHELLE L
• Application Number:
  US11/154,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20070035551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,987 Days
• Field of Search: 715/243, 345/619, 707/749, 707/752
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85

Abstract

Digital images may be grouped based on attributes of the images. To represent this grouping, the representations of the digital images are arranged into stacks.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

storing a threshold time value;

automatically arranging a set of digital images into a plurality of stacks based on the threshold time value; and

causing display of a graphical representation of each of the plurality of stacks;

wherein automatically arranging includes;

comparing a creation date and time associated with a first digital image from a set of digital images with a creation date and time associated with a second digital image from the set of digital images to determine a first difference value that reflects a difference between the creation date and time associated with the first digital image and the creation date and time associated with the second digital image;

comparing the creation date and time associated with the second digital image with a creation date and time associated with a third digital image from the set of digital images to determine a second difference value that reflects a difference between the creation date and time associated with the second digital image and the creation date and time associated with the third digital image;

in response to determining that the first difference value is less than the threshold time value, automatically selecting the first and second digital images for inclusion within a first stack of the plurality of stacks;

in response to determining that the second difference value is greater than the threshold time value, automatically selecting the third digital image for inclusion within a second stack the plurality of stacks;

wherein the first stack does not include the third digital image;

wherein the second stack does not include either the first digital image or the second digital image;

wherein the method is performed by a computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the threshold time value in response to input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein causing display of a graphical representation of each of the plurality of stacks includes causing display of animation showing digital images in the first stack coalescing into a stack and causing display of animation showing digital images of the second stack coalescing into a stack.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to input selecting a new threshold time value,

determining that the second difference value is less than the new threshold time value; and

automatically selecting the second and third digital images for inclusion within the same stack.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to input that selects a new threshold time value,

determining that the first difference value is greater than the new threshold time value; and

automatically selecting the first and second digital images for inclusion within separate stacks of digital images.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input that drags one of the first and second stacks onto the other of the first and second stacks;

in response to receiving the input, causing display of a graphical representation of a stack that represents a combination of the first and second stacks.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a digital image in the first stack to be a pick image for the first stack; and

wherein causing display of a graphical representation of the first stack includes causing display of the pick image to represent the first stack.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting one or more additional digital images from the set of digital images for inclusion within the first stack;

selecting one or more additional images from set of digital images for inclusion within the second stack;

causing display of the graphical representations of the first and second stacks to be updated as additional digital images from the set of digital images are being selected for inclusion with the first and second stacks.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold time value is between three and five seconds inclusive.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to input, causing display of all digital images in the first stack.

11. A machine-readable volatile or non-volatile medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform:

storing a threshold time value;

automatically arranging a set of digital images into a plurality of stacks based on the threshold time value; and

causing display of a graphical representation of each of the plurality of stacks;

wherein automatically arranging includes;

comparing a creation date and time associated with a first digital image from a set of digital images with a creation date and time associated with a second digital image from the set of digital images to determine a first difference value that reflects a difference between the creation date and time associated with the first digital image and the creation date and time associated with the second digital image;

comparing the creation date and time associated with the second digital image with a creation date and time associated with a third digital image from the set of digital images to determine a second difference value that reflects a difference between the creation date and time associated with the second digital image and the creation date and time associated with the third digital image;

in response to determining that the first difference value is less than the threshold time value, automatically selecting the first and second digital images for inclusion within a first stack of the plurality of stacks;

in response to determining that the second difference value is greater than the threshold time value, automatically selecting the third digital image for inclusion within a second stack of the plurality of stacks;

wherein the first stack does not include the third digital image;

wherein the second stack does not include either the first digital image or the second digital image.

12. The machine-readable volatile or non-volatile medium of claim 11, further storing instructions for:

receiving the threshold time value in response to input.

13. The machine-readable volatile or non-volatile medium of claim 11, wherein causing display of a graphical representation of each of the first and second stacks includes causing display of animation showing digital images of the first stack coalescing into a stack and causing display of animation showing digital images of the second stack coalescing into a stack.

14. The machine-readable volatile or non-volatile medium of claim 11, further storing instructions for:

in response to input selecting a new threshold time value,

determining that the second difference value is less than the new threshold time value; and

automatically selecting the second and third digital images for inclusion within the same stack.

15. The machine-readable volatile or non-volatile medium of claim 11, further storing instructions for:

in response to input selecting a new threshold time value,

determining that the first difference value is greater than the new threshold time value; and

automatically selecting the first and second digital images for inclusion within separate stacks.

16. The machine-readable volatile or non-volatile medium of claim 11, further storing instructions for:

receiving input that drags one of the first and second stacks onto the other of the first and second stacks;

in response to receiving the input, causing display of a graphical representation of a stack that represents a combination of the first and second stacks.

17. The machine-readable volatile or non-volatile medium of claim 11, further storing instructions for:

assigning a digital image in the first stack to be a pick image for the first stack; and

wherein causing display of a graphical representation of the first stack includes causing display of the pick image to represent the first stack.

18. The machine-readable volatile or non-volatile medium of claim 11, further storing instructions for:

selecting one or more additional digital images from the set of digital images for inclusion within the first stack;

selecting one or more additional digital images from set of digital images for inclusion within the second stack;

causing display of the graphical representations of the first and second stacks to be updated as additional digital images from the set of digital images are being selected for inclusion with the first and second stacks.

19. The machine-readable volatile or non-volatile medium of claim 11, wherein the threshold time value is between three and five seconds inclusive.

20. The machine-readable volatile or non-volatile medium of claim 11, further storing instructions for:

in response to input, causing display of all digital images in the first stack.

21. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

logic encoded in one or more machine-readable volatile or non-volatile media wherein execution by the one or more processors causes;

storing a threshold time value;

automatically arranging a set of digital images into a plurality of stacks based on the threshold time value; and

causing display of a graphical representation of each of the plurality of stacks;

wherein automatically arranging includes;

comparing a creation date and time associated with a first digital image from a set of digital images with a creation date and time associated with a second digital image from the set of digital images to determine a first difference value that reflects a difference between the creation date and time associated with the first digital image and the creation date and time associated with the second digital image;

comparing the creation date and time associated with the second digital image with a creation date and time associated with a third digital image from the set of digital images to determine a second difference value that reflects a difference between the creation date and time associated with the second digital image and the creation date and time associated with the third digital image;

in response to determining that the first difference value is less than the threshold time value, automatically selecting the first and second digital images for inclusion within a first stack of the plurality of stacks;

in response to determining that the second difference value is greater than the threshold time value, automatically selecting the third digital image for inclusion within a second stack of the plurality of stacks;

wherein the first stack does not include the third digital image;

wherein the second stack does not include either the first digital image or the second digital image.

22. A computing device comprising:

a data port capable of operatively coupling to a peripheral device for receiving a set of digital images;

the computing device configured to;

store a threshold time value;

receive a set of digital images from a peripheral device operatively coupled to the data port;

automatically arrange the set of digital images into a plurality of stacks based on the threshold time value; and

cause display of a graphical representation of each of the plurality of stacks;

wherein the computing device is configured to automatically arrange the set of digital images by;

comparing a creation date and time associated with a first digital image from the set of digital images with a creation date and time associated with a second digital image from the set of digital images to determine a first difference value that reflects a difference between the creation date and time associated with the first digital image and the creation date and time associated with the second digital image;

comparing the creation date and time associated with the second digital image with a creation date and time associated with a third digital image from the set of digital images to determine a second difference value that reflects a difference between the creation date and time associated with the second digital image and the creation date and time associated with the third digital image;

in response to determining that the first difference value is less than the threshold time value, automatically selecting the first and second digital images for inclusion within a first stack of the plurality of stacks;

in response to determining that the second difference value is greater than the threshold time value, automatically selecting the third digital image for inclusion within a second stack of the plurality of stacks;

wherein the first stack does not include the third digital image;

wherein the second stack does not include either the first digital image or the second digital image.