Template generating apparatus, image layout apparatus, modified template generating apparatus, and programs therefor

• US 8,166,391 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kaneko, Yasuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): RIES, LAURIE ANNE
• Application Number:
  US11/882,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20080028298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,730 Days
• Field of Search: 715/243, 715/244, 715/245, 715/246, 715/247, 715/249, 715/253, 715/255, 345/629, 345/619
• US Class Current: 715/247
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

A template that can deal with images of various scenes is generated. Image area setting means sets image areas wherein images are inserted in a layout area of a predetermined size, and template file saving means saves information on the image areas laid out in the layout area in a template file. Attribute information adding means adds attribute information representing attributes of images to be laid out in the image areas, to information on the image areas in the template file.

Claims

1. A template generating apparatus comprising:

image area setting means for setting image areas in which images are laid out in a layout area of a predetermined size;

template file saving means for saving information of the image areas laid out in the layout area in a template file;

attribute information adding means for adding attribute information representing attributes of images to be laid out in the respective image areas to the information of the corresponding image areas in the template file, the attribute information including at least one of information regarding people who are photographed within images, information related to the compositions of images, information related to scenery photographed within images, and information related to photography conditions, wherein said attributes correspond to characteristics of said images such that an image having the characteristics that match or closely match the attribute information is automatically laid out within the corresponding image area; and

an image layout apparatus comparing characteristics extracted from images to be laid out with attribute information of image areas when laying out images into image areas of a template, and laying out the image in the case that the characteristics of the image and the attribute information match or approximate each other.

2. The template generating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the attribute information adding means comprises:

image area display means for displaying the image areas set in the layout area on a screen;

attribute information icon display means for displaying on the screen a plurality of attribute information icons used to add the attribute information representing the attributes of the images to be laid out in the respective image areas to the information of the corresponding image areas in the template file; and

first attribute information saving means for saving the attribute information corresponding to any one of the displayed attribute information icons indicated by the operator via the input receiving means while a corresponding one of the displayed image areas is selected by the operator via the input means, by relating the attribute information to the information of the selected image area in the template file.

3. The template generating apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the attribute information represents a position and a size of a photographed person'"'"'s face.

4. The template generating apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the attribute information represents image composition.

5. The template generating apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the attribute information represents the image composition by use of a vanishing point.

6. The template generating apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the attribute information represents a relationship between the images to be laid out in the respective image areas in the same layout area.

7. The template generating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the attribute information adding means comprises:

sample image storage means for storing sample images that can be laid out in the image areas in the layout area;

sample image layout means for laying out any one of the sample images in each of the image areas in the layout area;

sample-inserted image display means for displaying an image wherein the sample images have been laid out in the layout area;

confirmation means for confirming the sample images laid out in the layout area as a layout of the displayed image;

image characteristic extraction means for extracting characteristics of the respective sample images laid out in the confirmed image; and

second attribute information saving means for saving the extracted characteristics of the respective sample images as the attribute information representing the attributes of the images to be laid out in the corresponding image areas in the layout area having the sample images, by relating the attribute information to the information of the corresponding image areas in the template file.

8. The template generating apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the attribute information represents a position and a size of a photographed person'"'"'s face.

9. The template generating apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the attribute information represents image composition.

10. The template generating apparatus according to claim 9 wherein he attribute information represents the image composition by use of a vanishing point.

11. The template generating apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the attribute information represents a relationship between the images to be laid out in the respective image areas in the same layout area.

12. The template generating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the attribute information represents a position and a size of a photographed person'"'"'s face.

13. The template generating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the attribute information represents image composition.

14. The template generating apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the attribute information represents the image composition by use of a vanishing point.

15. The template generating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the attribute information represents a relationship between the images to be laid out in the respective image areas in the same layout area.

16. An image layout apparatus comprising:

template file storage means for storing the template file generated by use of the template generating apparatus of claim 1;

object image storage means for storing a plurality of object images that are laid out in the image areas in the layout area;

characteristics extraction means for extracting characteristics of the object images; and

image layout means for laying out in the image areas the object images in accordance with the attribute information added to the information of the image areas in the layout area of the template file, based on the extracted characteristics of the object images.

17. A modified template generating apparatus comprising:

layout image display means for displaying an image having the object images laid out in the layout area according to the template file by use of the image layout apparatus of claim 16;

image modification means for carrying out modification of the image areas and/or the object images laid out in the image areas in the layout area;

modified image display means for displaying on a screen the image having been modified;

modified image confirmation means for confirming the modification in the displayed image; and

modified template file saving means for saving a template file having the information of the image areas corresponding to the modified image by adding the attribute information corresponding to the object images laid out in the image areas to the information of the image areas.

18. A computer readable medium having stored therein a program that causes a computer to function as:

layout image display means for displaying an image having the object images laid out in the layout area according to the template file by use of the image layout apparatus of claim 16;

image modification means for carrying out modification of the image areas and/or the object images laid out in the image areas in the layout area;

modified image display means for displaying on a screen the image having been modified;

modified image confirmation means for confirming the modification in the displayed image; and

modified template file saving means for saving a template file having the information of the image areas corresponding to the modified image by adding the attribute information corresponding to the object images laid out in the image areas to the information of the image areas.

19. A computer readable medium having stored therein a program that causes a computer to function as:

characteristics extraction means for extracting characteristics of object images that are laid out in the image areas in the layout area and stored in object image storage means; and

image layout means for laying out in the image areas the object images in accordance with the attribute information added to the information of the image areas in the layout area of the template file generated by use of the template generating apparatus of claim 1 and stored by template file storage means, based on the extracted characteristics of the object images.

20. The template generating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said characteristics are extracted from the images by a characteristics extraction means.

21. The template generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attribute information related to a person includes information regarding at least one of a size of the face, a center position of the face, face orientation, a position, a height, and a width of a rectangular shape surrounding a plurality of faces;

attribute information related to composition includes information regarding at least one of a structural line and a position of a vanishing point; and

attribute information related to scenery and photography condition includes information regarding photography of a sunset, photography at night, photography during the daytime, photography in daylight, photography with flash, and photography in backlit conditions.

22. The template generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the characteristics of images are extracted by analyzing the image using a characteristics extraction means, and

wherein the characteristics extraction means employs a face detector to obtain information regarding the faces of people pictured in the images, employs an image classifier to obtain information related to the scenery or the photography conditions of the images, and/or obtains information related to the composition of the image based on lines extracted from the images.

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein a program that causes a computer to function as:

image area setting means for setting image areas in which images are laid out in a layout area of a predetermined size;

template file saving means for saving information of the image areas laid out in the layout area in a template file;

attribute information adding means for adding attribute information representing attributes of images to be laid out in the respective image areas to the information of the corresponding image areas in the template file, the attribute information including at least one of information regarding people who are photographed within images, information related to the compositions of images, information related to scenery photographed within images, and information related to photography conditions, wherein said attributes correspond to characteristics of said images such that an image having the characteristics that match or closely match the attribute information is automatically laid out within the corresponding image area and

an image layout apparatus for comparing characteristics extracted from images to be laid out with attribute information of image areas when laying out images into image areas of a template, and laying out the image in the case that the characteristics of the image and the attribute information match or approximate each other.