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US7586524B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus, method, and program for editing images

Assignee: Fujifilm Holdings Corp
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Filing: 2004-11-29
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Granted: 2009-09-08
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Expires: 2024-11-29
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Abstract

Abstract When a photo album for an event such as a wedding ceremony is generated, images to be inserted in image insertion areas in a template can be selected easily. A professional photographer photographs a bride and groom on the wedding day and obtains a plurality of images. Characteristic quantities of scenes represented by the images are calculated, and the images are classified in image groups of respective scenes. The scenes, image groups and image insertion areas of the template for album are related to each other. An event bar is displayed on an editing screen. When a desired scene button is selected, a catalog of images of an image group corresponding to the scene represented by the selected scene button, and the image insertion areas of the template are displayed on the editing screen.

Inventors

  • 👤 Takashi Tsue
  • 👤 Koichi Yamada
  • 👤 Akira Yoda

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 09:48
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/00127; H04N1/00132; G; G11; G11B; G11B27/00; G11B27/02; G11B27/031; G11B27/034; G11B27/10; G11B27/34; H04N1/00167; H04N1/00185; H04N1/00196

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 244 words
An image editing apparatus, comprising: a display unit for displaying various types of information; an input unit for receiving input for a template comprising a plurality of pages and having a plurality of image insertion areas for inserting information that indicates a predetermined event including a plurality of scenes, a plurality of images of said predetermined event, and images corresponding to respective scenes of said plurality of scenes included in said predetermined event; an image group generating unit for generating image groups by classifying said plurality of images into respective scenes of said plurality of scenes included in said predetermined event; a scene selecting unit for receiving a selection of desired scene from among said plurality of scenes; an image display control unit for generating a catalog of images classified in an image group that corresponds to said selected scene, and for displaying said catalog on said display unit; a template display control unit for displaying a page of said template having an image insertion area for inserting an image that corresponds to said selected scene on said display unit; and an image selecting unit for receiving a selection of image to be inserted into said image insertion area from said catalog; wherein said scene selecting unit displays a plurality of scene buttons, each representing each of said plurality of scenes, on the display unit, and receives a selection of scene button from among said plurality of scene buttons displayed on said display unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 244 words
An image editing apparatus, comprising: a display unit for displaying various types of information; an input unit for receiving input for a template comprising a plurality of pages and having a plurality of image insertion areas for inserting information that indicates a predetermined event including a plurality of scenes, a plurality of images of said predetermined event, and images corresponding to respective scenes of said plurality of scenes included in said predetermined event; an image group generating unit for generating image groups by classifying said plurality of images into respective scenes of said plurality of scenes included in said predetermined event; a scene selecting unit for receiving a selection of desired scene from among said plurality of scenes; an image display control unit for generating a catalog of images classified in an image group that corresponds to said selected scene, and for displaying said catalog on said display unit; a template display control unit for displaying a page of said template having an image insertion area for inserting an image that corresponds to said selected scene on said display unit; and an image selecting unit for receiving a selection of image to be inserted into said image insertion area from said catalog; wherein said scene selecting unit displays a plurality of scene buttons, each representing each of said plurality of scenes, on the display unit, and receives a selection of scene button from among said plurality of scene buttons displayed on said display unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 52 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein if the template includes a plurality of pages having a color corresponding to at least one of the plurality of scenes, the template display control unit further displays a page having the color corresponding to the selected scene on the display unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 82 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein if said plurality of scenes is the scenes representing various formal activities conducted within said predetermined event, said scene selecting unit displays a plurality of scene buttons, each representing each of said plurality of scenes, on said display unit, in the order in which said formal activities took place in said event, and for receiving a selection of scene button from among said plurality of scene buttons displayed on said display unit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the template is a template for a wedding.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 47 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising guide image display unit for displaying in each of the image insertion area or areas of the template, displayed on the display unit, a guide image for guiding the image or images to be inserted therein.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 27 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an editing unit for editing the image or images inserted in the image insertion area or areas.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 49 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the editing unit carries out at least one of processing for changing the quality of the image or images, processing for reshaping the image or images, and processing for restoring the image or images on the image or images.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the selection of desired scene is performed by an operator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 18 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the template can be edited by an operator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined event can be edited by an operator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of scenes can be edited by an operator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 33 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the input unit sends and receives various types of information including the image data to and from a file server through a network.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 38 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image groups, generated by the image group generating unit, classify said plurality of images into respective scenes by calculating one or more characteristic quantities of the images.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 24 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the characteristic quantities includes averages of red, green, and blue colors in the images.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 34 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the characteristic quantities includes at least one of lightness, saturation, hue, image composition, and a subject type of the scenes represented by the images.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 31 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein characteristic quantity distances equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold value serve to classify images into the same image group.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 30 words
The image editing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the one or more characteristic quantities are calculated by a file server separately from a photo album editing personal computer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 190 words
An image editing method, comprising the steps of: receiving input for a template comprising a plurality of pages and having a plurality of image insertion areas for inserting information that indicates a predetermined event including a plurality of scenes, a plurality of images of said predetermined event, and images corresponding to respective scenes of said plurality of scenes included in said predetermined event; generating image groups by classifying said plurality of images into respective scenes of said plurality of scenes included in said predetermined event; receiving a selection of desired scene from among said plurality of scenes; generating a catalog of images classified in an image group that corresponds to said selected scene, and displaying said catalog on a display means; displaying a page of said template having an image insertion area for inserting an image that corresponds to said selected scene on said display means; receiving a selection of image to be inserted into said image insertion area from said catalog; displaying a plurality of scene buttons, each representing each of said plurality of scenes; and receiving a selection of scene button from among said plurality of scene buttons.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 190 words
An image editing method, comprising the steps of: receiving input for a template comprising a plurality of pages and having a plurality of image insertion areas for inserting information that indicates a predetermined event including a plurality of scenes, a plurality of images of said predetermined event, and images corresponding to respective scenes of said plurality of scenes included in said predetermined event; generating image groups by classifying said plurality of images into respective scenes of said plurality of scenes included in said predetermined event; receiving a selection of desired scene from among said plurality of scenes; generating a catalog of images classified in an image group that corresponds to said selected scene, and displaying said catalog on a display means; displaying a page of said template having an image insertion area for inserting an image that corresponds to said selected scene on said display means; receiving a selection of image to be inserted into said image insertion area from said catalog; displaying a plurality of scene buttons, each representing each of said plurality of scenes; and receiving a selection of scene button from among said plurality of scene buttons.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 202 words
A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for executing an image editing method, said method comprising the steps of: receiving input for a template comprising a plurality of pages and having a plurality of image insertion areas for inserting information that indicates a predetermined event including a plurality of scenes, a plurality of images of said predetermined event, and images corresponding to respective scenes of said plurality of scenes included in said predetermined event; generating image groups by classifying said plurality of images into respective scenes of said plurality of scenes included in said predetermined event; receiving a selection of desired scene from among said plurality of scenes; generating a catalog of images classified in an image group that corresponds to said selected scene, and displaying said catalog on a display means; displaying a page of said template having an image insertion area for inserting an image that corresponds to said selected scene on said display means; receiving a selection of image to be inserted into said image insertion area from said catalog; displaying a plurality of scene buttons each representing each of said plurality of scenes; and receiving a selection of scene button from among said plurality of scene buttons.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 202 words
A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for executing an image editing method, said method comprising the steps of: receiving input for a template comprising a plurality of pages and having a plurality of image insertion areas for inserting information that indicates a predetermined event including a plurality of scenes, a plurality of images of said predetermined event, and images corresponding to respective scenes of said plurality of scenes included in said predetermined event; generating image groups by classifying said plurality of images into respective scenes of said plurality of scenes included in said predetermined event; receiving a selection of desired scene from among said plurality of scenes; generating a catalog of images classified in an image group that corresponds to said selected scene, and displaying said catalog on a display means; displaying a page of said template having an image insertion area for inserting an image that corresponds to said selected scene on said display means; receiving a selection of image to be inserted into said image insertion area from said catalog; displaying a plurality of scene buttons each representing each of said plurality of scenes; and receiving a selection of scene button from among said plurality of scene buttons.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

JPH09214868A Cited
US6396963B2 Cited
US6636648B2 Cited
US7262778B1 Cited
JP2002008050A Cited
US7054508B2 Cited
JP2003182260A Cited
US7327905B2 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2012-09-07 2013-03-09 2013-09-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2016-09-07 2017-03-09 2017-09-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2020-09-07 2021-03-09 2021-09-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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