Image composing apparatus and method having enhanced design flexibility

An image composing method for composing

• a composite image from a first digital image and a second digital image, the method comprising the steps of:
• i) preparing design defining information including design attribute data selected from the group consisting of a size of the composite image, an identity of the desired first digital image, a first coordinate-definable position on a coordinate system associated with the composite image for positioning the first digital image at a first reference point, an identity of the desired second digital image, and a second coordinate-definable position on said coordinate system for positioning the second digital image at a second reference point, the first reference point and the second reference point having any desired spatial relationship to each other;
• ii) specifying at least one the design attribute data from the group of design defining information;
• and
• iii) obtaining the composite image of a desired design in accordance with said specified design defining information by incorporating the first digital image and the second digital image into the composite image at the first coordinate-definable position and second coordinate-definable position, respectively.

An image composing apparatus comprising:

• a storage device containing a first digital image having a first coordinate system;
• an image acquirer for acquiring at least one second digital image having a second coordinate system;
• a data storage region having a background coordinate system independent of the first coordinate system and the second coordinate system;
• and image composing means for composing a composite image from the first digital image and the second digital image and for importing the first digital image and the second digital image into the background storage region at corresponding coordinate-definable locations defined with reference to the background coordinate system such that the first digital image and the second digital image are positioned at a first reference point on the background coordinate system and a second reference point on the background coordinate system, respectively, the first reference point and the second reference point having any desired spatial relationship to each other.

A method of composing a composite image comprising the steps of:

• storing a first digital image having a first coordinate system in a storage device;
• acquiring a least one second digital image having a second coordinate system;
• establishing a data storage region having a background coordinate system independent of the first coordinate system and the second coordinate system;
• and
• composing a composite image from the first digital image and the second digital image and importing the first digital image and the second digital image into the background storage region at corresponding coordinate-definable locations defined with reference to the background coordinate system;
• wherein the composing step includes positioning the first digital image and the second digital image at a first reference point in the background coordinate system and a second reference point in the background coordinate system, respectively, wherein the first reference point and the second reference point have any desired spatial relationship to each other.