US6587596B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method of cropping an image
Assignee: Shutterfly LLC
•
Filing: 2000-04-28
•
Granted: 2003-07-01
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Expires: 2020-04-28
Abstract
Abstract A system and method in which a user interface is presented to a user that allows the user to crop a selected image. A crop mask is displayed over the selected image. The system can generate the crop mask as a GIF image in which a portion of the crop mask corresponding to a selected portion of the image is transparent and a portion of the crop mask corresponding to a cropped portion of the image has a checkerboard pattern. By displaying the crop mask over the image, the selected portion of the image can be visually indicated. When a user changes the current selected portion of the image (for example, by actuating a control included in the user interface), a new crop mask can be generated based on the changes made by the user. The new crop mask can be displayed over the image in order to visually indicate the new selected portion of the image. The system and method can be implemented using a browser-based system such as the World Wide Web. For example, the image and the crop mask can be displayed in an HTML table cell embedded in a web page.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Haeberli
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:03
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/387; H04N1/3872; H04N1/3873; H04N1/3875; G; G06; G06T; G06T11/00; G06T11/60; H04N1/3871; G06T2207/00; G06T2207/20; G06T2207/20112; G06T2207/20132
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 53
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of cropping an image to be included in an image-based product, the method comprising: displaying the image; generating a crop mask based on cropping product attributes, the crop mask having a selected portion corresponding to a selected portion of the image and a cropped portion corresponding to a cropped portion of the image; and displaying the crop mask over the image to visually indicate the selected portion of the image.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of cropping an image to be included in an image-based product, the method comprising: displaying the image; generating a crop mask based on cropping product attributes, the crop mask having a selected portion corresponding to a selected portion of the image and a cropped portion corresponding to a cropped portion of the image; and displaying the crop mask over the image to visually indicate the selected portion of the image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving a crop command; and changing the cropping product attributes based on the crop command.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 2 , further comprising: generating a new crop mask based on the changed cropping product attributes; displaying the new crop mask over the image to visually indicate the selected portion of the image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the image is displayed as the background in an hypertext markup language table cell, and the crop mask is displayed as the foreground of the table cell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the image includes: downloading the image to a client computer; and displaying the image on the client computer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein displaying the crop mask over the image includes: downloading the crop mask to the client computer; and displaying the crop mask on the client computer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the image is formatted according to the JPEG standard.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the selected portion of the crop mask is transparent so that the selected portion of the image is visible through the crop mask.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the crop mask includes a plurality of pixels, the pixels corresponding to the selected portion of the crop mask being transparent and the pixels corresponding to the cropped portion of the crop mask creating a checkerboard pattern of transparent pixels and opaque pixels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the crop mask is a GIF image.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein receiving the crop command includes receiving the crop command from the client computer, wherein the client computer transmits the crop command when a user actuates a control displayed on the client computer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 11 , where the control is a button that allows the user to change the shape of the selected portion of the image.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the control is a button that allows the user to zoom the selected portion of the image.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the control is a button that allows the user to move the selected portion of the image.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for providing a user on a client computer an interface for cropping an image incorporated in an image-based product to identify selected and cropped portions of the image, the client computer being in communication with a server and having a display and a pointing device operatively coupled to a cursor displayed on the display, the method comprising: receiving the image from the server; displaying the image; receiving a crop mask generated by the sever based on a cropping product attribute of the image-based product, the crop mask having a selected portion corresponding to the selected portion of the image and a cropped portion corresponding to the cropped portion of the image; displaying the crop mask over the image to visually indicate the selected portion of the image; and displaying a control that, when actuated, causes a crop command to be sent to the server.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
146 words
A method for providing a user on a client computer an interface for cropping an image incorporated in an image-based product to identify selected and cropped portions of the image, the client computer being in communication with a server and having a display and a pointing device operatively coupled to a cursor displayed on the display, the method comprising: receiving the image from the server; displaying the image; receiving a crop mask generated by the sever based on a cropping product attribute of the image-based product, the crop mask having a selected portion corresponding to the selected portion of the image and a cropped portion corresponding to the cropped portion of the image; displaying the crop mask over the image to visually indicate the selected portion of the image; and displaying a control that, when actuated, causes a crop command to be sent to the server.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein the image is displayed as the background in an hypertext markup language table cell, and the crop mask is displayed as the foreground of the table cell.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein the image is formatted according to the JPEG standard.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein the selected portion of the crop mask is transparent so that the selected portion of the image is visible through the crop mask.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the crop mask includes a plurality of pixels, the pixels corresponding to the selected portion of the crop mask being transparent and the pixels corresponding to the cropped portion of the crop mask creating a checkerboard pattern of transparent pixels and opaque pixels.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein the crop mask is a GIF image.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 15 , where the control is a button that allows the user to change the shape of the selected portion of the image.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein the control is a button that allows the user to zoom the selected portion of the image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein the control is a button that allows the user to move the selected portion of the image.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of providing an interface for cropping an image, the method comprising: generating a crop mask based on cropping product attributes, the crop mask having a selected portion corresponding to a selected portion of the image and a cropped portion corresponding to a cropped portion of the image; generating data, at least a portion of which is displayable by a client computer in order to provide an interface allowing the user of the client computer to crop the image; and providing the image, the crop mask, and the data to the client computer; wherein the data includes instructions operable to cause the client computer to display the crop mask over the image to visually indicate the selected portion of the image.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of providing an interface for cropping an image, the method comprising: generating a crop mask based on cropping product attributes, the crop mask having a selected portion corresponding to a selected portion of the image and a cropped portion corresponding to a cropped portion of the image; generating data, at least a portion of which is displayable by a client computer in order to provide an interface allowing the user of the client computer to crop the image; and providing the image, the crop mask, and the data to the client computer; wherein the data includes instructions operable to cause the client computer to display the crop mask over the image to visually indicate the selected portion of the image.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 24 , further comprising: receiving a crop command from the client computer; and changing the cropping product attributes based on the crop command.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein the data include instructions operable to cause the client computer to: display a crop control; and transmit the crop command when the user actuates the crop control.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 26 , where the crop control is a button that allows the user to change the shape of the selected portion of the image.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 26 , wherein the control is a button that allows the user to zoom the selected portion of the image.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 26 , wherein the control is a button that allows the user to move the selected portion of the image.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 25 , further comprising: generating a new crop mask based on the changed cropping product attributes; and providing the new crop mask to the client computer.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 26 , wherein the client computer displays the new crop mask over the image to visually indicate the selected portion of the image.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein the data includes instruction operable to cause the client computer to: display the image as a background in an hypertext markup language table cell; and display the crop mask as the foreground of the table cell.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein the image is formatted according to the JPEG standard.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 24 , wherein the selected portion of the crop mask is transparent so that the selected portion of the image is viewable through the crop mask.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 34 , wherein the crop mask includes a plurality of pixels, the pixels corresponding to the selected portion of the crop mask being transparent and the pixels corresponding to the cropped portion of the crop mask creating a checkerboard pattern of transparent pixels and opaque pixels.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 34 , wherein the crop mask is a GIF image.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
145 words
A server in communication with a client computer, comprising: a web front end that communicates with the client computer; and server software tangibly embodied on a computer-readable medium comprising instructions operable to cause the server to: generate a crop mask based on cropping product attributes, the crop mask having a selected portion corresponding to a selected portion of the image and a cropped portion corresponding to a cropped portion of the image; generate data, at least a portion of which is displayable by a client computer in order to provide an interface allowing the user of the client computer to crop the image; and provide the image, the crop mask, and the data to the client computer; wherein the data includes instructions operable to cause the client computer to display the crop mask over the image to visually indicate the selected portion of the image.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
145 words
A server in communication with a client computer, comprising: a web front end that communicates with the client computer; and server software tangibly embodied on a computer-readable medium comprising instructions operable to cause the server to: generate a crop mask based on cropping product attributes, the crop mask having a selected portion corresponding to a selected portion of the image and a cropped portion corresponding to a cropped portion of the image; generate data, at least a portion of which is displayable by a client computer in order to provide an interface allowing the user of the client computer to crop the image; and provide the image, the crop mask, and the data to the client computer; wherein the data includes instructions operable to cause the client computer to display the crop mask over the image to visually indicate the selected portion of the image.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
37 words
The server of claim 37 , wherein the software further comprises instruction operable to cause the server to: receive a crop command from the client computer; and change the cropping product attributes based on the crop command.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
34 words
The server of claim 38 , wherein the data include instructions operable to cause the client computer to: display a crop control; and transmit the crop command when the user actuates the crop control.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
28 words
The server of claim 39 , where the crop control is a button that allows the user to change the shape of the selected portion of the image.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
24 words
The server of claim 39 , wherein the control is a button that allows the user to zoom the selected portion of the image.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
24 words
The server of claim 39 , wherein the control is a button that allows the user to move the selected portion of the image.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
40 words
The server of claim 38 , wherein the software further comprises instruction operable to cause the server to: generate a new crop mask based on the changed cropping product attributes; and provide the new crop mask to the client computer.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
27 words
The server of claim 43 , wherein the client computer displays the new crop mask over the image to visually indicate the selected portion of the image.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
43 words
The server of claim 37 , wherein the data includes instruction operable to cause the client computer to: display the image as a background in an hypertext markup language table cell; and display the crop mask as the foreground of the table cell.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
16 words
The server of claim 37 , wherein the image is formatted according to the JPEG standard.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
30 words
The server of claim 37 , wherein the selected portion of the crop mask is transparent so that the selected portion of the image is viewable through the crop mask.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
50 words
The server of claim 47 , wherein the crop mask includes a plurality of pixels, the pixels corresponding to the selected portion of the crop mask being transparent and the pixels corresponding to the cropped portion of the crop mask creating a checkerboard pattern of transparent pixels and opaque pixels.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
14 words
The server of claim 47 , wherein the crop mask is a GIF image.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-06-30 | 2006-12-30 | 2007-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-06-30 | 2010-12-30 | 2011-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-06-30 | 2014-12-30 | 2015-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |