Masking Tool

• US 20110205401A1
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• 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: Edwards, Eric, Fisher, Clay Harvey, Jonach, Kurt, Manowitz, Neal Jacob, Tree, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,254,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/239
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4092 Image resolution transcoding, e.g. by using client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/00 Image enhancement or restoration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00392 Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00424 using a list of graphical elements, e.g. icons or icon bar
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0044 for image preview or review, e.g. to help the user position a sheet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3872 Repositioning or masking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/001 Sharing resources, e.g. processing power or memory, with a connected apparatus or enhancing the capability of the still picture apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/815 for controlling the resolution by using a single image

Abstract

A system for controlling effects performed on an image includes a digital camera having a display that displays the image. Masking tools position graphical representations on the display to define a portion of the image that is altered when the effects are subsequently applied to the image. The several masking tools may be combined to form a single masking tool.

Claims

1. A system for controlling effects performed on an image, comprising:

a digital camera having a display that displays the image; and

a plurality of masking tools to position a like plurality of graphical representations on the display to define a portion of the image that is altered when the effects are subsequently applied to the image.

2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a server implemented with a software that, when executed, performs masking according to the plurality of graphical representations on the display and then application of the effects on the image.

3. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a server to store a software application downloaded by the digital camera to perform masking and application of the effects to the image.

4. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a server that applies the effects to the image using a first resolution and the display that displays the image using a second resolution, wherein the effects applied to the displayed image using the second resolution is correspondingly performed by the server on the image using the first resolution.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the first resolution being a higher resolution than the second resolution.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of masking tools are combined to form a single masking tool.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the graphical representations are created by tracing a pattern over at least a portion of the display using a stylus.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein areas inside the graphical representations are altered when the effects are applied to the image.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein areas outside the graphical representations are altered when the effects are applied to the image.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein masking tools are further to adjust the sizes of the graphical representations on the display.

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein the graphical representations are movable relative to the image.

12. A method of masking comprising:

selecting a first masking tool to position a first graphical representation on a display of a digital camera;

positioning the first masking tool over a first masked portion of an image;

selecting a second masking tool to position a second graphical representation on the display of the digital camera;

positioning the second masking tool over a second masked portion of the image; and

subsequently applying an effect onto the image outside the masked portions.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the masking tool is translucent.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein the positioning of the masking tool includes positioning the masking tool over the masked portion of the image displayed on the digital camera, the image having a first resolution.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the applying of the effect includes applying the effect on the image having the first resolution that applies a corresponding effect on an image having the second resolution stored on a server in communication with the camera.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first resolution being a lower resolution than the second resolution.

17. A system comprising:

a server; and

a client in communication with the server, the client being adapted to edit an image stored on the server by controlling positions of a plurality of graphical representations on a display that displays the image to define a portion of the image precluded from being altered when an effect is subsequently applied to the image.

18. The system according to claim 17 further comprising a server implemented with a software that, when executed, performs masking and application of the effect on the image.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the server is loaded with the image having a first resolution level and the client being loaded with the image having a second resolution level lesser in resolution that the first resolution level, wherein the effect applied to the image having the second resolution level under control of the client causes a corresponding effect to be performed by the server on the image having the first resolution level.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein the portion of the image inside the plurality of graphical representations are precluded from being altered.