Patent US10403014B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US10403014B2
Active / In Force
US
⏱️ 9.7 years remaining
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 2016-08-03
•
Granted: 2019-09-03
•
Expires: 2036-08-03
Abstract
Abstract An image processing apparatus includes a setting unit setting the number of pieces of image data to be selected, an identifying unit identifying, based on a photographing date and time of each piece of image data of an image data group, a photographing period of the image data group, a dividing unit dividing the identified photographing period into a plurality of photographing sections, a selection unit selecting image data from an image data group corresponding to a target photographing section based on predetermined criteria, and a generation unit generating a layout image by arranging an image based on the selected image data, wherein selection of image data is repeated by setting an unselected photographing section as a next target photographing section to select a number of pieces of image data corresponding to the set number, and wherein the number of photographing sections is determined according to the set number.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroyasu Kunieda
- 👤 Masaaki Obayashi
- 👤 Yoshinori MIZOGUCHI
- 👤 Fumitaka Goto
- 👤 Masao Kato
- 👤 Maya Kurokawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 09:46
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/60; H; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/60; H04N23/61; H04N23/611; G06T1/00; G06T1/0007; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/96; H04N23/95; H04N23/951; G06V40/00; G06V40/10; G06V40/16; G06V40/179
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: at least one processor causing the image processing apparatus to act as: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of images; a deciding unit configured to decide the number of groups; a separating unit configured to separate the plurality of images into the decided number of groups; a setting unit configured to set the number of images to be selected from images included in one group among the separated groups; an identifying unit configured to identify, based on a photographing date and time of each image included in the one group, a photographing period of the one group; a dividing unit configured to divide the identified photographing period into a plurality of sections; a selection unit configured to select, based on predetermined criteria, an image from images included in a target section which is one of the divided sections; and a generation unit configured to generate a layout image by arranging the selected image, wherein section division, in which the dividing unit further divides the section including the selected image, and image selection, in which the selection unit selects an image from an image-unselected section as a next target section, are repeated until the number of images selected from the one group reaches the set number of images.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
214 words
An image processing apparatus comprising: at least one processor causing the image processing apparatus to act as: an acquisition unit configured to acquire a plurality of images; a deciding unit configured to decide the number of groups; a separating unit configured to separate the plurality of images into the decided number of groups; a setting unit configured to set the number of images to be selected from images included in one group among the separated groups; an identifying unit configured to identify, based on a photographing date and time of each image included in the one group, a photographing period of the one group; a dividing unit configured to divide the identified photographing period into a plurality of sections; a selection unit configured to select, based on predetermined criteria, an image from images included in a target section which is one of the divided sections; and a generation unit configured to generate a layout image by arranging the selected image, wherein section division, in which the dividing unit further divides the section including the selected image, and image selection, in which the selection unit selects an image from an image-unselected section as a next target section, are repeated until the number of images selected from the one group reaches the set number of images.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the number of divided sections is different between a case where the set number is a first selection number and a case where the set number is a second selection number.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the number of divided sections is varied according to the set number of images and according to whether or not an image in each of the sections exists.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dividing unit equally divides the photographing period.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the selection unit selects at least one image from an images included in one section.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
75 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the selection unit selects, from the group, at least one of a cut-out image from a moving image and an image acquired from a social networking service, and a still image, and wherein the generation unit generates a layout image including at least one of the cut-out image from the moving image and the image acquired from the social networking service, and the still image.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the setting unit sets the number of images to be selected from images included in the one group, based on the number of slots in a template used for generating the layout image, and wherein the layout image for the one group corresponds to a layout image for a double-page spread.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein every time before one layout image is generated by the generation unit, setting for the number of images to be selected from images included in one group among the separated groups by the setting unit is performed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an album is created by generating one or more layout images by the generation unit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a second setting unit configured to set a type of an image to be selected for each of the sections, wherein the selection unit selects, based on the type of image set by the second setting unit, an image from images included in each of the sections.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
41 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the second setting unit sets, for each of the sections, one of a cut-out image from a moving image, an image acquired from a social networking service, and a still image.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the dividing unit divides the photographing period after the selection unit selects one or more images from images included in the one group.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in a case where no section which has not been set as a target section exists and the number of selected images is smaller than the set number of images, the dividing unit further divides a section.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in a case where no section which has not been set as a target section exists and the number of selected images is smaller than the set number of images, the dividing unit divides one section into two photographing sections.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a third setting unit configured to set the predetermined criteria, wherein the third setting unit sets evaluation criteria for each of the sections.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the third setting unit changes the evaluation criteria for each of the sections in accordance with an image selecting order.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
69 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a determination unit configured to determine similarity between a selected first image and a selected second image which is selected prior to the first image data, wherein in a case where the determination unit determines that the first image and the second image are similar to each other, the selection unit cancels the selection of the first image.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The image processing apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the determination unit changes determination criteria in accordance with a photographing time difference between the first image and the second image.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
164 words
An image processing method comprising: acquiring a plurality of images; deciding the number of groups; separating the plurality of images into the decided number of groups; setting the number of images to be selected from images included in one group among the separated groups; identifying, based on a photographing date and time of each image included in the one group, a photographing period of the one group; dividing the identified photographing period into a plurality of sections; selecting, based on predetermined criteria, and image from images included in a target section which is one of the divided sections; and generating a layout image by arranging the selected image, wherein section division, in which the dividing unit further divides the section including the selected image, and image selection, in which the selecting, selection of an image from image unselected section as a next target section to select, are repeated until the number of images selected from the one group reaches the set number of images.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
164 words
An image processing method comprising: acquiring a plurality of images; deciding the number of groups; separating the plurality of images into the decided number of groups; setting the number of images to be selected from images included in one group among the separated groups; identifying, based on a photographing date and time of each image included in the one group, a photographing period of the one group; dividing the identified photographing period into a plurality of sections; selecting, based on predetermined criteria, and image from images included in a target section which is one of the divided sections; and generating a layout image by arranging the selected image, wherein section division, in which the dividing unit further divides the section including the selected image, and image selection, in which the selecting, selection of an image from image unselected section as a next target section to select, are repeated until the number of images selected from the one group reaches the set number of images.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPH09305784A
Cited
JP2005327249A
Cited
US20080049976A1
Cited
CN101164083A
Cited
US20090087104A1
Cited
JP2011128938A
Cited
JP2011186715A
Cited
CN102855906A
Cited
US20130004073A1
Cited
US20130336590A1
Cited
JP2014110006A
Cited
US20140223318A1
Cited
CN104049838A
Cited
JP2014192795A
Cited
JP2015114920A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2022-09-02 | 2023-03-04 | 2023-09-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2026-09-02 | 2027-03-04 | 2027-09-03 | $3760.00 | Open for Payment |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2030-09-02 | 2031-03-04 | 2031-09-03 | $7700.00 | Pending Window |