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EP1420362A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Thumbnail image zooming using predetermined image sizes

Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1998-01-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2018-01-07
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Abstract

Abstract Disclosed are method and apparatus for the manipulation of thumbnail images as used in image-based browsing file management systems. Disclosed are arrangements whereby zooming in and out of thumbnail images can be performed without a continued need to decompress a true image thus providing for faster operation. Pixel interpolation and/or replication are used to generate intermediate images that are display to deliver to the user a perception of a transitory zoom yet are of sufficient detail to maintain user orientation. Aspect ratio zooming of thumbnail containment areas is also disclosed which facilitates ease of browsing. The compression of thumbnail type images using a discrete wavelet transform facilitates the fast zoom of thumbnails and their associated containment areas.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jeremy David Michael Thorp
  • 👤 Paul Quentin Scott

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 12:37
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T9/00; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/50; G06F16/54; G06T3/00; G06T3/40; G06T3/4084; H; H04; H04N; H04N19/00; H04N19/60; H04N19/63

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 35
Claim 1
Independent Claim 59 words
A method of zooming an image on a display device, said method comprising the steps of: displaying a first image at a first predetermined size; stretching or shrinking the first image to one or more predetermined image sizes; displaying at least one of said stretched or shrunken images; and displaying a second image at a second predetermined image size.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 59 words
A method of zooming an image on a display device, said method comprising the steps of: displaying a first image at a first predetermined size; stretching or shrinking the first image to one or more predetermined image sizes; displaying at least one of said stretched or shrunken images; and displaying a second image at a second predetermined image size.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said first image is stored on a memory storage means in an encoded format and the steps of displaying further includes a decoding of the first image for display.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said second image is stored on a memory storage means in an encoded format and the steps of displaying further includes a decoding of the second image for display.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
A method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the encoded format is a compressed image format.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method according to claim 4, wherein the compressed image format is a wavelet coding technique.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said wavelet coding technique comprises the SWEET method (as herein defined).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the compressed image format is achieved by a JPEG coding technique.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second image are different resolutions of a single image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein said single image is stored as a single compressed image and wherein the first and second images are extracted from the single compressed image.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said stretching or shrinking comprises adjusting the size of the first image by manipulating pixels of the first image.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 32 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein said stretching comprising mathematically manipulating values of groups of pixels to provide at least one pixel value, and replicating said at least one pixel value.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 40 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein said shrinking comprises mathematically manipulating groups of pixels to provide at least one pixel value, and assigning said one pixel value to a limited number of pixels smaller that contained in said groups.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 15 words
A method according to claim 12 wherein, said assigning comprises discarding pixels from said image.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 175 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein said image is coded into said encoded format by a method of representing a digital image to provide a coded representation, said method comprising the steps of: transforming said digital image to derive a plurality of coefficients, each coefficient represented by a predefined bit sequence; selecting a portion of said plurality of coefficients as a region; (a) scanning the significance of each bitplane of said selected region from a most significant bitplane towards a least significant bitplane and providing a first token in said coded representation for each insignificant bitplane until a significant bitplane is determined, wherein a second token is provided in said coded representation for said significant bitplane; (b) partitioning said selected region into two or more subregions having a predetermined form, and setting each of said subregions as said selected region; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) commencing from said significant bitplane until said selected region has a predetermined size, wherein said coefficients of said selected region are coded and provided in said coded representation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein said transforming step comprises applying a discrete wavelet transform to said digital image.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 15 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein said region comprises said entire plurality of coefficients.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 17 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein said portion comprises a subband of said plurality of coefficients.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein said first and second tokens comprise bit values of 0 and 1, respectively.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 12 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein said subregions are equally sized.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 11 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein said subregions are square.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein said predetermined size of said subregion is a 1 x 1 coefficient.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 28 words
A method according to claim 21, wherein said 1 x 1 coefficient is encoded by outputting bits of said corresponding bit sequence beginning with the respective significant bitplane.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein only bits of said corresponding bit sequence above a predetermined minimum bit level are output in said coded representation.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein, in step (c), steps (a) and (b) are repeated otherwise until each bitplane of said selected region has been scanned.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method according to claim 24, wherein each bitplane of said selected region above a minimum bit level has been scanned.
Claim 27
Independent Claim 116 words
A method of zooming an image on a display device, said method comprising the steps of: (a) decompressing a compressed true image to a first representation of said image at a predetermined size, and displaying said first representation; (b) if the predetermined size is smaller than a desired image size then (i) stretching the representation to a larger image size and displaying said stretched representation; and (ii) repeating step (b)(i) until said desired image size is reached; (c) if the predetermined size is larger than a desired image size then (i) shrinking the representation to a smaller image size and displaying said shrunk representation; and (ii) repeating step (c)(i) until said desired image size is reached.
Claim 28
Independent Claim 116 words
A method of zooming an image on a display device, said method comprising the steps of: (a) decompressing a compressed true image to a first representation of said image at a predetermined size, and displaying said first representation; (b) if the predetermined size is smaller than a desired image size then (i) stretching the representation to a larger image size and displaying said stretched representation; and (ii) repeating step (b)(i) until said desired image size is reached; (c) if the predetermined size is larger than a desired image size then (i) shrinking the representation to a smaller image size and displaying said shrunk representation; and (ii) repeating step (c)(i) until said desired image size is reached.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 34 words
A method according to claim 26 comprising the further step, after step (c), of: (d) decompressing the compressed true image to a further representation at a said desired size and displaying said further representation.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method according to claim 26, wherein step (d) occurs substantially simultaneously during steps (a) (b) and (c).
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 72 words
Apparatus for zooming an image for display on a display device, said apparatus comprising: means for displaying a first representation of said image at a first predetermined size means for stretching or shrinking said first representation to at least one further predetermined size; means for displaying said stretched or shrunken representation at each said further predetermined size, and means for displaying a second representation of said image at a second predetermined size.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 72 words
Apparatus for zooming an image for display on a display device, said apparatus comprising: means for displaying a first representation of said image at a first predetermined size means for stretching or shrinking said first representation to at least one further predetermined size; means for displaying said stretched or shrunken representation at each said further predetermined size, and means for displaying a second representation of said image at a second predetermined size.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 20 words
Apparatus according to claim 28, wherein means for displaying said second representation operates substantially simultaneously with the other said means.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 87 words
A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon for zooming images for display on a display device, said computer program product comprising: means for displaying a first representation of said image at a first predetermined size means for stretching or shrinking said first representation to at least one further predetermined size; means for displaying said stretched or shrunken representation at each said further predetermined size, and means for displaying a second representation of said image at a second predetermined size.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 87 words
A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon for zooming images for display on a display device, said computer program product comprising: means for displaying a first representation of said image at a first predetermined size means for stretching or shrinking said first representation to at least one further predetermined size; means for displaying said stretched or shrunken representation at each said further predetermined size, and means for displaying a second representation of said image at a second predetermined size.

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