# US 2018/0025523 A1 · Picture Synthesis Method and Apparatus, Instant Communication Method, and Picture Synthesis Server > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0025523 A1 - Document ID: US20180025523A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/721,405 - Filed: 2017-09-29 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-03 - Assignees: Alibaba Group Holding Limited - Applicants: Alibaba Group Holding Limited - Inventors: Puchao FENG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025523A1 ## CPC - G06T 11/60: Creating or editing images; Combining images with text - G06T 7/11: Region-based segmentation - H04L 67/02: based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A picture synthesis method and apparatus, an instant messaging method and a picture synthesis server/device are disclosed. The method comprises: after at least two pictures to be synthesized are acquired, determining a visual center of each of the pictures to be synthesized; cutting the corresponding pictures to be synthesized in accordance with the visual center of each of the pictures to be synthesized and a first set specification; and synthesizing all of the cut pictures to be synthesized to obtain a synthesized picture. Due to full consideration of the visual center of each of the pictures to be synthesized, a visual effect of the finally obtained synthesized picture is ensured, thereby improving the user experience. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method implemented by one or more computing devices, the method comprising: obtaining a plurality of pictures to be combined; determining visual centers of the plurality of pictures to be combined; tailoring the plurality of pictures to be combined according to the visual centers of the plurality of pictures to be combined and a first set specification; and combining the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined to obtain a combined picture. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the visual centers of the plurality of pictures to be combined comprises: for each picture to be combined, dividing a respective picture to be combined into sub-pictures having a size of a second set specification; calculating respective set target identification values for the sub-pictures using a set target identification algorithm; and clustering the sub-pictures to obtain a visual center of the respective picture to be combined based on the respective set target recognition values of the sub-pictures and a clustering algorithm. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined into a picture bank. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: assigning uniform resource locators (URLs) to the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined; and storing the URLs of the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined into a distributed database. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein combining the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined to obtain the combined picture comprises: obtaining the URLs of the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined from the distributed database; obtaining the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined from the picture bank based on the URLs of the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined; and combining the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined to obtain the combined picture. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising keeping tracking of a time duration of an existence of the combined picture. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: determining whether the time duration of existence is greater than a set time period; and destroying the combined picture in response to determining that the time of existence is greater than the set time period. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein tailoring the plurality of pictures comprises one of clipping, cropping, resizing the plurality of pictures according to the visual centers of the plurality of pictures to be combined and a first set specification. ### Claim 9 An apparatus comprising: one or more processors; memory; an acquisition unit stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors to obtain a plurality of pictures to be combined; a determination unit stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors to determine visual centers of the plurality of pictures to be combined; a tailoring unit stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors to tailor the plurality of pictures to be combined according to the visual centers of the plurality of pictures to be combined and a first set specification; and a combination unit stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors to combine the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined to obtain a combined picture. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the determination unit is further configured to: divide a respective picture to be combined into sub-pictures having a size of a second set specification for each picture to be combined, calculate respective set target identification values for the sub-pictures using a set target identification algorithm, and cluster the sub-pictures to obtain a visual center of the respective picture to be combined based on the respective set target recognition values of the sub-pictures and a clustering algorithm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a first storage unit configured to store the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined into a picture bank. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: an assigning unit configured to assign uniform resource locators (URLs) to the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined; and a second storage unit configured to store the URLs of the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined into a distributed database. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the combination unit is further configured to: obtain the URLs of the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined from the distributed database, obtain the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined from the picture bank based on the URLs of the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined, and combine the plurality of tailored pictures to be combined to obtain the combined picture. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a time tracking unit configured to keep tracking of a time duration of an existence of the combined picture. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising: a detection unit configured to determine whether the time duration of existence is greater than a set time period; and a destroying unit configured to destroy the combined picture in response to determining that the time of existence is greater than the set time period. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein tailoring the plurality of pictures comprises one of clipping, cropping, resizing the plurality of pictures according to the visual centers of the plurality of pictures to be combined and a first set specification. ### Claim 17 A device comprising: one or more processors; memory; a receiving unit stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors that is configured to separately receive pictures to be combined from a plurality of clients that conduct instant communications; a determination unit stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors that is configured to determine visual centers of the pictures to be combined; a tailoring unit stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors that is configured to tailor the pictures to be combined according to the visual centers of the pictures to be combined and a first set specification; a combination unit stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors that is configured to combine the tailored pictures to be combined to obtain a combined picture. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a sending unit configured to separately send the combined picture to the plurality of clients, to cause the plurality of clients to present the combined picture. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the determination unit is further configured to: divide a respective picture to be combined into sub-pictures having a size of a second set specification for each picture to be combined, calculate respective set target identification values for the sub-pictures using a set target identification algorithm, and cluster the sub-pictures to obtain a visual center of the respective picture to be combined based on the respective set target recognition values of the sub-pictures and a clustering algorithm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein tailoring the pictures comprises one of clipping, cropping, resizing the pictures according to the visual centers of the pictures to be combined and a first set specification.