US 9,311,756 B2Granted

Image group processing and visualization

AssigneeApple Inc.

InventorsJan Erik Solem, Yubin Kuang

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Abstract

Techniques are provided for efficiently generating 3D information from a set of digital images. Techniques are also provided for displaying groups (or clusters) of digital images using 3D information associated with the digital images. In one technique, a group of digital images are displayed as a stack of thumbnail images where the thumbnail images are aligned on a display with respect to each other based on common features identified in the digital images, camera position, and/or camera pose. In another technique, a group of digital images are organized on a display in either a 3D layout or a 2D layout based on 3D information associated with each digital image in the group. In another technique, a transition effect is generated based on projections of two digital images onto a common scene plane and blending (or cross fading) one of the 3D projections with the other of the 3D projections.

Claims27

Dependent claims

One or more machine-readable storage media including instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

identifying a plurality of digital images that includes a first image including a first image region and a first plurality of descriptors and a second image including a second image region and a second plurality of descriptors, the first image region corresponding to the second image region;
creating a first vector from the first plurality of descriptors and a second vector from the second plurality of descriptors, wherein the first plurality of descriptors and the second plurality of descriptors describe feature points of the first image region and the second image region respectively;
determining, by comparing the first vector and the second vector, whether to associate the first image with the second image, by determining whether the first vector and the second vector share at least one descriptor;
and
causing, to be displayed on a display screen, the first image and at least a first portion of the second image such that the first image region is aligned with the second image region at a feature point corresponding to the at least one descriptor and at least a second portion of the second image is obstructed by the first image.

2 more elements

A method comprising:

using a hardware processor:
identifying a plurality of digital images that includes a first image including a first image region and a first plurality of descriptors and a second image including a second image region and a second plurality of descriptors, the first image region corresponding to the second image region;
creating a first vector from the first plurality of descriptors and a second vector from the second plurality of descriptors, wherein the first plurality of descriptors and the second plurality of descriptors describe feature points of the first image region and the second image region respectively;
determining, by comparing the first vector and the second vector, whether to associate the first image with the second image, by determining whether the first vector and the second vector share at least one descriptor;
and
causing, to be displayed on a display screen, the first image and at least a first portion of the second image such that the first image region is aligned with the second image region at a feature point corresponding to the at least one descriptor and at least a second portion of the second image is obstructed by the first image.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/756,914Filed 1 Feb 2013
Published: US 2014/0218353 A17 Aug 2014
Granted: 12 Apr 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G06T 19/20
Manipulating three-dimensional [3D] models or images for computer graphics: editing of three-dimensional [3D] images, e.g. changing shapes or…
G06T 7/30
Image analysis: determination of transform parameters for the alignment of images, i.e. image registration
G06T 11/60
Two-dimensional [2D] image generation: creating or editing images; Combining images with text
G06T 15/005
Three-dimensional [3D] image rendering: general purpose rendering architectures