Image analysis – Image transformation or preprocessing – Combining image portions
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-18
2001-04-24
Couso, Jose L. (Department: 2621)
Image analysis
Image transformation or preprocessing
Combining image portions
C382S294000, C358S302000, C358S452000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222947
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image editing apparatus for laying out digital images in a desired form and outputting the layout result.
Electronic album systems have been proposed. These systems are designed to lay out digital images on a virtual sheet in a computer and display the resultant sheet image on a CRT or output it on a cardboard by using a color printer or the like.
In general, in such a system, images are modified and arranged manually and intuitively as in the case of photographic prints being pasted on an album cardboard. Recently, an automatic layout function of automatically modifying and arranging images has been used to facilitate such operations.
A method of avoiding uniform layouts has also been proposed. As a means for implementing an automatic layout function, many patterns in which arrangement and modification parameters and the like are set in advance, i.e., layout templates, are prepared. The operator arbitrarily selects a desired pattern from these patterns to obtain a layout reflecting the user's preference and avoid uniform layouts.
Assume that a plurality of images are to be laid out throughout a plurality of pages by using this automatic layout function. In this case, it takes time and effort to determine the images to be laid out in units of pages and manually set the template to be used for each page.
If, however, a single layout pattern is used for all the pages, an attractive layout result cannot be obtained.
In a method of randomly setting layout patterns for the respective pages, the overall arrangement of an album is excessively complicated in consideration of the delimitation of events and pages. More specifically, when, for example, 10 images associated with an event A and 14 images associated with an event B are to be continuously laid out on a plurality of pages, the 10th and 11th images are preferably laid out on different pages. In the method of randomly setting layout patterns for the respective pages, a problem is posed in this point.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above situation, and has as its object to provide an image editing apparatus such as an electronic album system in which when a plurality of images input from an image input means are to be laid out on a plurality of pages, the images to be laid out on each page can be automatically set without requiring a cumbersome operation of setting various parameters for each page, and a variety of layouts can be obtained.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image editing apparatus which can proportionally assign images to each page.
According to the present invention, there is provided an image editing apparatus for laying out a plurality of images input from image input means to a plurality of pages, comprising input means for inputting the number of images to be laid out on one page, determination means for determining images to be laid out on each page in accordance with the number input from the input means and the number of the plurality of images, and layout means for laying out the images to each page in accordance with the determination made by the determination result.
In addition, according to the present invention, there is provided an image editing apparatus for laying out a plurality of images input from image input means to a plurality of pages, comprising input means for inputting the number of images to be laid out on one page, grouping means for classifying the plurality of images into groups, determination means for determining images to be laid out on each page in accordance with the number input from the input means and the number of images in each of the groups, and layout means for laying out the images to each page in accordance with the determination made by the determination means.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is provided an image editing apparatus for laying out a plurality of images input from image input means to a plurality of pages, comprising determination means for determining images to be laid out on each page in accordance with caption information input by a user upon photographing each of the images, and layout means for laying out the images on each page in accordance with the determination made by the determination means.
Moreover, according to the present invention, there is provided an image editing apparatus for laying out a plurality of images input from image input means to a plurality of pages, comprising analysis means for analyzing each of the images, determination means for determining images to be laid out on each page in accordance with the analysis result obtained by the analysis means, and layout means for laying out the images on each page in accordance with the determination made by the determination means.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the description thereof in the following specification and the accompanying drawings.
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Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Couso Jose L.
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Patel Kanji
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