Systems and methods for resizing an icon

• US 8,769,435 B1
• Filed: 09/16/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Jitkoff, John Nicholas, Ainslie, Alex Neely
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kujundzic, Dino
• Application Number:
  US13/235,262
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 715/800, 715/763, 715/815, 715/838
• US Class Current: 715/838
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/04 Context-preserving transformations, e.g. by using an importance map panospheric to cylindrical image transformations G06T3/12

Abstract

Systems and methods for resizing an icon are disclosed according to various aspects of the subject technology. In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for resizing an icon is disclosed. The method comprises computing an area of the icon, comparing the computed area of the icon with a predetermined area, and resizing the icon based on the comparison such that an area of the resized icon is approximately equal to the predetermined area.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for resizing an icon, the method comprising:

determining an outer boundary of the icon;

computing a number of pixels enclosed by the outer boundary of the icon;

comparing the computed number of pixels with a predetermined number of pixels; and

resizing the icon based on the comparison such that a number of pixels in the resized icon is approximately equal to the predetermined number of pixels, wherein the resized icon is disposed within an image, the image comprising transparent pixels or white pixels surrounding the resized icon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein resizing the icon comprises increasing the icon in size when the computed number of pixels is less than the predetermined number of pixels.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein resizing the icon comprises decreasing the icon in size when the computed number of pixels is greater than the predetermined number of pixels.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the outer boundary of the icon comprises applying a convex hull algorithm to an image comprising the icon.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an image comprising the resized icon and transparent pixels or white pixels surrounding the resized icon.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the icon represents an application or a website, and the method further comprises displaying the resized icon to a user to represent the application or the website.

7. A computer-implemented method for resizing an icon, the method comprising:

blurring the icon, wherein blurring the icon comprises applying a mean filter to the icon, wherein for each pixel the mean filter averages values of pixels located within a window surrounding the each pixel and assigns an averaged value to the each pixel;

computing a number of pixels in the blurred icon;

comparing the computed number of pixels with a predetermined number of pixels; and

resizing the icon based on the comparison.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein blurring the icon comprises applying a Gaussian blurring algorithm to the icon.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein computing the number of pixels in the blurred icon comprises subtracting, from a total number of pixels in an available space for the icon, transparent pixels or white pixels surrounding the blurred icon.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein computing the number of pixels in the blurred icon comprises:

determining an outer boundary of the blurred icon; and

determining a number of pixels enclosed by the outer boundary of the blurred icon.

11. A system for resizing a plurality of icons, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

for each of the plurality of icons, performing the steps of;

determining an outer boundary of the icon;

computing an area enclosed by the outer boundary of the icon;

comparing the computed area with a predetermined area; and

resizing the icon based on the comparison such that an area of the resized icon is approximately equal to the predetermined area, wherein the resized icon is disposed within an image, the image comprising transparent pixels or white pixels surrounding the resized icon.

12. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

determining an outer boundary of an icon;

computing an area enclosed by the outer boundary of the icon;

comparing the computed area with a predetermined area;

resizing the icon;

resizing the icon based on the comparison such that an area of the resized icon is approximately equal to the predetermined area, wherein the resized icon is disposed within an image, the image comprising transparent pixels or white pixels surrounding the resized icon.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the icon represents an application or a website, and the operations further comprise displaying the resized icon to a user to represent the application or the website.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

blurring an icon, wherein blurring the icon comprises applying a mean filter to the icon, wherein for each pixel the mean filter averages values of pixels located within a window surrounding each pixel and assigns an averaged value to each pixel;

computing an area of the blurred icon;

comparing the computed area with a predetermined area; and

resizing the icon based on the comparison.

15. A computer-implemented method for analyzing an icon, comprising:

computing an area of the icon;

comparing the computed area of the icon with a predetermined area;

transmitting a message indicating that the icon is to be increased in size when the computed area of the icon is less than the predetermined area; and

reducing the icon in size when the computed area of the icon is greater than the predetermined area, wherein the resized icon is disposed within an image, the image comprising transparent pixels or white pixels surrounding the resized icon.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting the message comprises transmitting the message to a remote system via a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) or the Internet.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting the reduced-size icon to the remote system when the computed area of the icon is greater than the predetermined area.

18. A system for analyzing an icon, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving an icon from a remote system;

blurring the icon, wherein blurring the icon comprises applying a mean filter to the icon, wherein for each pixel the mean filter averages values of pixels located within a window surrounding the each pixel and assigns an averaged value to the each pixel;

computing an area of the blurred icon;

comparing the computed area of the blurred icon with a predetermined area;

determining the icon is to be resized when the area of the blurred icon differs from the predetermined area; and

transmitting a message to the remote system over a network connection when the icon is to be resized, wherein the message indicates the icon is to be resized.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the network connection is via a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) or the Internet.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein determining the icon is to be resized comprises determining that the icon is to be increased in size when the computed area of the blurred icon is less than the predetermined area, and the message indicates that the icon needs to be increased in size.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein determining the icon is to be resized comprises determining that the icon is to be decreased in size when the computed area of the blurred icon is greater than the predetermined area, and the message indicates that the icon needs to be decreased in size.

22. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

blurring an icon, wherein blurring the icon comprises applying a mean filter to the icon, wherein for each pixel the mean filter averages values of pixels located within a window surrounding the each pixel and assigns an averaged value to the each pixel;

computing a number of pixels in the blurred icon;

comparing the number of pixels in the blurred icon with a predetermined number of pixels;

determining whether the icon is to be resized based on the comparison; and

transmitting a message indicating the determination.

23. The machine-readable media of claim 22, wherein determining whether the icon is to be resized comprises determining that the icon is to be increased in size when the number of pixels in the blurred icon is less than the predetermined number of pixels, and the message indicates that the icon needs to be increased in size.

24. The machine-readable media of claim 22, wherein determining whether the icon is to be resized comprises determining that the icon is to be decreased in size when the number of pixels in the blurred icon is greater than the predetermined number of pixels, and the message indicates that the icon needs to be decreased in size.