Method and apparatus for determining and varying the panning speed of an image based on saliency

A method comprising:

• receiving a user input comprising at least a user-provided panning input comprising a user-provided panning speed directing a speed at which a field of view, displaying a subset of an image area, moves relative to the image area, and a panning direction directing a direction in which the field of view moves relative to the image area;
• identifying a position of one or more salient portions of the image area relative to the field of view and the panning direction;
• determining a multiplier dependent on the position of the one or more salient portions of the image area relative to the field of view and the panning direction;
• calculating a variable panning speed by which to move the field of view relative to the image area by multiplying the user-provided panning speed by the multiplier, wherein the multiplier results in a variable panning speed that is faster than the user-provided panning speed in an instance the one or more salient portions are outside of the field of view and the panning direction is in the direction toward the one or more salient portions, and the multiplier results in a variable panning speed that is slower or equal to the user-provided panning speed in an instance the one or more salient portions are inside the field of view and in a instance the one or more salient portions are outside the field of view but the panning direction is away from the one or more salient portions;
• and
• causing the field of view to move relative to the image area at the variable panning speed and in the panning direction.

A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions to:

• receive a user input comprising at least a user-provided panning input comprising a user-provided panning speed directing a speed at which a field of view, displaying a subset of an image area, moves relative to the image area, and a panning direction directing a direction in which the field of view moves relative to the image area;
• identify a position of one or more salient portions of the image area relative to the field of view and the panning direction;
• determine a multiplier dependent on the position of the one or more salient portions of the image area relative to the field of view and the panning direction;
• calculate a variable panning speed by which to move the field of view relative to the image area by multiplying the user-provided panning speed by the multiplier, wherein the multiplier results in a variable panning speed that is faster than the user-provided panning speed in an instance the one or more salient portions are outside of the field of view and the panning direction is in the direction toward the one or more salient portions, and the multiplier results in a variable panning speed that is slower or equal to the user-provided panning speed in an instance the one or more salient portions are inside the field of view and in a instance the one or more salient portions are outside the field of view but the panning direction is away from the one or more salient portions;
• and
• cause the field of view to move relative to the image area at the variable panning speed and in the panning direction.