Systems and methods for creation and sharing of selectively animated digital photos

• US 9,704,281 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flixel Photos Inc.
• Original Assignee: Flixel Photos Inc.
• Inventors: LeBlanc, Philippe Louis, Pavlidis, Mark Harris, MacLean, Bretton James
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajnik, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/377,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20150324096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2213/00 Indexing scheme for animation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2213/08 Animation software package
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00137 Transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00148 Storage information retrieval G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00161 Viewing or previewing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00167 Processing or editing H04N1/00196 - H04N1/00201 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 : for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4728 : for selecting a Region Of Interest [ROI], e.g. for requesting a higher resolution version of a selected region
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 : for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 : comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3267 : of motion picture signals, e.g. video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3273 : Display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3278 : Transmission

Abstract

A method of generating distributable and/or shareable selectively animated images comprising the steps of: (a) opening a client computer program, implemented as client computer program loaded on a mobile device; (b) capturing or accessing a video content; (c) using a user interface of the client computer program, a user drawing a path or region on an image frame from the video content to be animated (“animated region”), wherein the client computer program generated based on the animated region a mask, wherein the mask represents the static portion of a selectively animated image, and the mask is operable to mask underlying animated regions; and (d) the client computer program initiating, at the mobile device or via a server linked to the mobile device, the composition of a series of images including user selected animated regions, by rendering an animated image based on mask and the underlying masked animated regions. A computer program is provided for implementing the steps of the method, which may consist of a mobile application. The computer program may include a server application that cooperates with the mobile application for enabling the animated image composition processes and/or distribution and sharing of the animated images. A computer system is provided that includes a mobile device implementing the mobile application and optionally a server implementing the server application.

Claims

1. A method of generating selectively animated images, the selectively animated images being at least one of distributable and shareable, the method comprising:

(a) opening a client computer program, implemented as a client computer program loaded on a mobile device;

(b) capturing or accessing video content;

(c) a user using a user interface of the client computer program to;

(i) select one or more base frames from the video content for use as one or more still images; and

(ii) draw or paint one or more paths or regions on the one or more base frames so as to select one or more animated regions, the one or more animated regions including a path or region of the one or more base frames to be animated using moving content from the video content;

(d) compiling one or more parameters related to the one or more animated regions, and also optionally one or more other parameters generated using one or more editing features or utilities of the client computer program, so as to define a set of instructions for creating selectively animated images within the one or more animated regions, based on the video content, and the client computer program initiating, at the mobile device or via a server linked to the mobile device, the composition of a series of images including user selected animated regions, by rendering one or more animated images based on the one or more base frames and selected animated regions

(e) playing the video content, while displaying in the background a transparency showing the currently selected one or more base frames;

(f) touching, by the user in a selectively animated image creation mode, selected regions of a touch screen display of the mobile device to initiate the client computer program to display a mask including the one or more base frames, as an overlay to the moving content, thereby permitting the user to touch the touch screen so as to select portions of the mask and thereby selected portions of the one or more base frames for animation; and

(g) dynamically displaying a preview of the current selectively animated images based on the portions of the one or more base frames selected for animation, upon the user ceasing touch input to the selected regions of the touch screen display of the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the client computer program displays a mask as an overlay over the one or more base frames, wherein the mask represents the region of the one or more base frames that will remain still, wherein the user draws on or paints on the mask, and thereby removes portions of the mask, and these portions are used to select the one or more animated regions.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying to the user a preview of the selective animated images by displaying the one or more base images as one or more still images, and revealing underneath the aligned portions of the moving content in the one or more animated regions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the user iteratively providing the one or more parameters for the one or more animated regions by touching selected regions of the touch screen display; and

viewing a corresponding preview, until the user provides input to the client computer program indicating completion of the selectively animated images.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the client computer program automatically analyzing the video content based on one or more parameters for determining whether the video content is suitable for creating selectively animated images.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising analyzing the video segment for shake.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising applying an image stabilization mechanism.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating from the mobile device, by operation of the client computer program, at least one of distribution and sharing of the animated image.

9. A computer system for generating selectively animated images, the selectively animated images being at least one of distributable and shareable, the computer system comprising:

(a) one or more server computers being linked to a server computer program; and

(b) at least one mobile device linked to the one more server computers, the mobile device implementing a client computer program;

wherein the server computer program and the client computer program, when executed, are configured to;

(i) presenting at the mobile device a user interface enabling a user of the mobile device to;

(A) select one or more base frames from the video content for use as one or more still image; and

(B) draw or paint one or more paths or regions on the one or more base frames so as to select one or more animated regions, the one or more animated regions including a path or region of the one or more base frames to be animated using moving content from the video content; and

(ii) compile one or more parameters related to the one or more animated regions, and also optionally one or more other parameters generated using one or more editing features or utilities of the client computer program, so as to define a set of instructions for creating selectively animated images within the one or more animated regions, based on the video content, and the client computer program initiating, at the mobile device or at the one or more server computers, the composition of a series of images including user selected animated regions, by rendering one or more animated images based on the one or more base frames and selected animated regions

(iii) play the video content, while displaying in the background a transparency showing the currently selected one or more base frames;

(iv) enable the user in a selectively animated image creation mode to touch selected regions of a touch screen display of the mobile device to initiate the client computer program to display a mask including the one or more base frames, as an overlay to the moving content, thereby permitting the user to touch the touch screen so as to select portions of the mask and thereby selected portions of the one or more base frames for animation; and

(v) dynamically display a preview of the current selectively animated images based on the portions of the one or more base frames selected for animation, upon the user ceasing touch input to the selected regions of the touch screen display of the mobile device.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the client computer program displays a mask as an overlay over the one or more base frames, wherein the mask represents the region of the one or more base frames that will remain still, wherein when executed the client computer program permits the user to draw on or paint on the mask, and thereby remove portions of the mask, and these portions are used to select the one or more animated regions.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the client computer program is configured to display to the user a preview of the selective animated images by displaying the one or more base images as one or more still images, and reveals underneath the aligned portions of the moving content in the one or more animated regions.

12. The computer system of claim 9, where the client computer program is configured to enable the user to iteratively provide the one or more parameters for the one or more animated regions by touching selected regions of the touch screen display and viewing a corresponding preview, until the user provides input to the client computer program indicating completion of the selectively animated images.

13. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the client computer program is configured to receive input from the user and, based on the input from the user, connect to the one or more servers so as to enable at least one of distribution and sharing of the selectively animated images based on one or more user preferences.