US 7,340,676 B2Granted

System and method for automatic layout of images in digital albums

AssigneeEastman Kodak Company

InventorsJoseph M. Geigel, Alexander C. Loui

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A system and method for automatic creation of digital image albums. A Page Creator Module utilizes a genetic engine and a layout evaluation module. The genetic engine evolves a group of images to a plurality of album pages, based on certain layout criteria. The evaluation module calculates layout criteria and compares them with user preferences. When an acceptable image/page layout has been generated, the image/page assignments are transferred to an Image Placement Module. The Image Placement Module utilizes a second genetic engine, which evolves various criteria to generate page layouts genetic structures. These structures define the location, scale, and rotation of images placed on a given page. A layout evaluation module calculates and compares these layouts with certain other preferences and page requirements. When a suitable layout has been generated, a final album output is generated, which may be displayed, printed, or otherwise transferred for subsequent utilization.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A digital image album layout system comprising:

a page creator module operable to receive a set of images, a plurality of different user album preferences, and a plurality of album preference importance values, each said album preference importance value indicating a weighting of a corresponding one of said user album preferences relative to the other said user album preferences, and to generate album preference criteria using said user album preferences and album preference importance values, said page creator module having a first genetic engine operable to execute genetic evolution calculations on a first genetic population of album criteria, said page creator module having a page evaluation module operable to test said first genetic population for fitness to said album preference criteria, said page creator module being operable to distribute said images to a plurality of album pages responsive to said testing for fitness to said album preference criteria;
an image placement module operable to receive the set of images, a plurality of different user page preferences, and a plurality of page preference importance values, each said page preference importance value indicating a weighting of a corresponding one of said user page preferences relative to the other said user page preferences, and to generate page preference criteria using said user page preferences and page preference importance values, said image placement module having a second genetic engine operable to execute genetic evolution calculations on a second genetic population of page layout criteria, said image placement module having a layout evaluation module operable to test said second genetic population for fitness to said page preference criteria, said image placement module being operable to distribute said images on respective said album pages responsive to said testing for fitness to said page preference criteria;
wherein said page creator module and said image placement module operate separately.

A system for assigning and placing a plurality of images on album pages, comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of user album preferences and a plurality of album preference importance values, said user album preferences indicating parameter values including at least one of balance, emphasis, chronology, and unity, each said album preference importance value indicating a weighting of a corresponding one of said user album preferences relative to the other said user album preferences,
means for specifying an initial set of page assignments of the images to a first genetic population;
a first genetic engine operable to evolve said first genetic population to produce a present set of image page assignments;
a page evaluation module operable to generate an album fitness function using said user album preferences and album preference importance values and to test said present set of image page assignments according to said album fitness function to determine an album score;
means for outputting said present set of image page assignments if said album score meets an album threshold value;
means for receiving a plurality of user page preferences and a plurality of page preference importance values, said user page preferences indicating parameter values including at least one of white space, overlap, rotation, spatial balance, rotational balance, border symmetry, and emphasis, each said page preference importance value indicating a weighting of a corresponding one of said user page preferences relative to the other said user page preferences,
means for specifying an initial set of placement parameters of the images to a second genetic population in accordance with said outputted set of image page assignments;
a second genetic engine operable to evolve said second genetic population to produce a present set of image placement parameters;
a layout evaluation module operable to generate a page fitness function using said user page preferences and page preference importance values and to test said present set of image placement parameters with a said page fitness function to determine a page score, and
means for outputting said image placement parameters if said page score meets a page threshold value.

7 more elements

A method of assigning and placing a plurality of images on album pages, comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of different user album preferences and a plurality of album preference importance values, each said album preference importance value indicating a weighting of a corresponding one of said user album preferences relative to the other said user album preferences,
specifying an initial set of page assignments of the images to a first genetic population;
evolving said first genetic population to produce a present set of image page assignments;
generating an album fitness function based upon said user album preferences and said album preference importance values;
testing said present set of image page assignments according to said album fitness function to determine an album score;
outputting said present set of image page assignments if said album score meets an album threshold value;
receiving a plurality of different user page preferences, and a plurality of page preference importance values, each said page preference importance value indicating a weighting of a corresponding one of said user page preferences relative to the other said user page preferences,
specifying an initial set of placement parameters of the images to a second genetic population in accordance with said outputted set of image page assignments;
evolving said second genetic population to produce a present set of image placement parameters;
generating a page fitness function based upon said user page preferences and said page preference importance values;
testing said present set of image placement parameters with a page fitness function to determine a page score;
and
outputting said image placement parameters if said page score meets a page threshold value;
wherein said evolving of said first genetic ponulation, said generating of said album fitness function, and said testing according to said album fitness function are senarate from said evolving of said second genetic population, said generating of said page fitness function, and said testing with said page fitness function.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/750,858Filed 29 Dec 2000
Published: US 2002/0122067 A15 Sep 2002
Granted: 4 Mar 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

H04N 1/387
Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof: composing, repositioning or…
G06F 16/284
Databases characterised by their database models, e.g. relational or object models: relational databases
G06F 16/58
Of still image data: retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
G06F 18/2111
Selection of the most significant subset of features: by using evolutionary computational techniques, e.g. genetic algorithms