System and Method for Image Processing using Multi-touch Gestures

• US 20130009869A1
• Filed: 09/15/2012
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gregg D. Wilensky
• Inventors: Wilensky, Gregg D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,244,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

Various embodiments of a system and methods for processing digital images using multi-touch gestures are described. A multi-touch gestural input set which comprises a plurality of touch gestures may be applied to a display of an image. The gestural input set may include different gesture types, such as mobile and stationary gestures. Each gesture type may indicate a different image processing constraint that may be applied to modify the digital image. Stationary gestures may indicate constrained regions of the image that are not subject to modification. Mobile gestures may indicate regions of the image which may be subject to modification. Characteristics of the mobile gestures, such as velocity and/or pressure, may also indicate an amount by which an image may be modified over the region indicated by the mobile gesture. Image masks, which separate foreground and background regions of an image, may also be specified by the gestural input set.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying an image on an electronic device, wherein the electronic device is configured to receive gestural inputs;

receiving, via the electronic device, a gestural input set, wherein the gestural input set comprises a plurality of gestures, wherein each one of the plurality of gestures specifies one or more respective image processing constraints for the image, wherein at least two of the plurality of gestures are of a different gesture type, and wherein each gesture type corresponds to a different respective image processing constraint;

determining the image processing constraints specified by the plurality of gestures dependent on the gesture types of the plurality of gestures; and

processing the image according to the specified image processing constraints.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified image processing constraints are determined without changing an image editing mode within a software application in which the image is displayed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the specified image processing constraints comprises:

analyzing gesture data which represents the gestural input set to determine characteristics of the gestural input set; and

identifying a gesture type for each one of the plurality of gestures dependent on the determined characteristics.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the image according to the specified image processing constraints comprises generating an image constraint mask dependent on the gesture types of the plurality of gestures.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each one of the image processing constraints specifies a region of the image, and wherein said generating the image constraint mask is dependent on the regions of the image specified by the image processing constraints.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the image constraint mask identifies both a foreground region and a background region of the image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of gestures is a stationary gesture and another one of the plurality of gestures is a mobile gesture, wherein the stationary gesture specifies a constrained region of the image that is not subject to modification and wherein the mobile gesture specifies an unconstrained region of the image that is subject to modification.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a characteristic of the mobile gesture specifies a degree of modification to be applied to the unconstrained region of the image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a touch-enabled device comprising a touch-sensitive surface, and wherein the plurality of gestures are touch gestures applied to the touch-sensitive surface of the electronic device.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions executable on a computer to implement a gesture module configured to:

display an image on an electronic device, wherein the electronic device is configured to receive gestural inputs;

receive, via the electronic device, a gestural input set, wherein the gestural input set comprises a plurality of gestures, wherein each one of the plurality of gestures specifies one or more respective image processing constraints for the image, wherein at least two of the plurality of gestures are of a different gesture type, and wherein each gesture type corresponds to a different respective image processing constraint;

determine the image processing constraints specified by the plurality of gestures dependent on the gesture types of the plurality of gestures; and

process the image according to the specified image processing constraints.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein the specified image processing constraints are determined without changing an image editing mode within a software application in which the image is displayed.

12. The medium of claim 10, wherein said determining the specified image processing constraints comprises:

analyzing gesture data which represents the gestural input set to determine characteristics of the gestural input set; and

identifying a gesture type for each one of the plurality of gestures dependent on the determined characteristics.

13. The medium of claim 10, wherein processing the image according to the specified image processing constraints comprises generating an image constraint mask dependent on the gesture types of the plurality of gestures.

14. The medium of claim 13, wherein each one of the image processing constraints specifies a region of the image, and wherein said generating the image constraint mask is dependent on the regions of the image specified by the image processing constraints.

15. The medium of claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of gestures is a stationary gesture and another one of the plurality of gestures is a mobile gesture, wherein the stationary gesture specifies a constrained region of the image that is not subject to modification and wherein the mobile gesture specifies an unconstrained region of the image that is subject to modification.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein a characteristic of the mobile gesture specifies a degree of modification to be applied to the unconstrained region of the image.

17. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory, wherein the memory comprises program instructions executable by the one or more processors to implement a gesture module configured to;

display an image on an electronic device, wherein the electronic device is configured to receive gestural inputs;

receive, via the electronic device, a gestural input set, wherein the gestural input set comprises a plurality of gestures, wherein each one of the plurality of gestures specifies one or more respective image processing constraints for the image, wherein at least two of the plurality of gestures are of a different gesture type, and wherein each gesture type corresponds to a different respective image processing constraint;

determine the image processing constraints specified by the plurality of gestures dependent on the gesture types of the plurality of gestures; and

process the image according to the specified image processing constraints.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the specified image processing constraints are determined without changing an image editing mode within a software application in which the image is displayed.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein processing the image according to the specified image processing constraints comprises generating an image constraint mask dependent on the gesture types of the plurality of gestures, wherein each one of the specified image processing constraints specifies a region of the image, and wherein said generating the image constraint mask is dependent on the regions of the image specified by the image processing constraints.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein one of the plurality of gestures is a stationary gesture and another one of the plurality of gestures is a mobile gesture, wherein the stationary gesture specifies a constrained region of the image that is not subject to modification and wherein the mobile gesture specifies an unconstrained region of the image that is subject to modification.