# US 9,519,978 B2 · Cursor for application of image adjustments > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,519,978 B2 - Document ID: US9519978B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/331,838 - Filed: 2014-07-15 - Published: 2014-11-06 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2009-11-11 - Assignees: Apple Inc. - Applicants: Apple Inc. - Inventors: Douglas Joseph Ahmann; Mark Lee Kawano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9519978B2 ## CPC - G06T 11/10: Texturing; Colouring; Generation of textures or colours (retouching, inpainting or scratch removal G06T5/77) - G06F 3/0481: based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance - G06T 11/60: Creating or editing images; Combining images with text - G06T 15/30: Clipping - G06F 3/04845: for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour - G06T 11/40: Filling planar surfaces by adding surface attributes, e.g. adding colours or textures - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Systems and techniques are disclosed for applying an effect to a digital image using a cursor. An effect can be applied to an image at a region under a cursor. The cursor has an outer periphery and an effect indicating periphery within the outer periphery. The outer periphery defines a maximum extent to which the effect is applied. The effect indicating periphery indicates how the effect will be applied to the image, such as providing a visual indication of a softness setting. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving an adjustment to a softness setting for a brush in a user interface, the brush being adapted to apply an effect to a digital image; displaying the softness setting in the user interface as the adjustment is received; displaying, as the adjustment is received and adjacent to the user interface, a cursor corresponding to the brush based on the adjusted softness setting, the cursor comprising: an outer periphery indicating a maximum extent of an effect to be applied with the brush, an inner periphery within the outer periphery, a size of the inner periphery based on a softness setting of the brush, and an effect indicating periphery between the outer periphery and the inner periphery, a location of the effect indicating periphery between the outer periphery and the inner periphery based on the softness of the brush; and changing a size of the effect indicating periphery relative to the outer periphery according to the received adjustment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving an adjustment to a size setting for the brush; wherein a size of the effect indicating periphery is proportional to the brush size setting and based on a softness setting; and wherein a size of the outer periphery is proportional to the brush size setting and not the softness setting. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the outer periphery is displayed at a fixed size while the size of the effect indicating periphery is changed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: moving the displayed cursor over a region of an image after receiving the adjustment; and applying an effect to the image at the region, the effect being applied at a maximum intensity within an inner area defined by the inner periphery that is located within the effect indicating periphery, and the effect being applied from the maximum intensity at the inner periphery to a minimum intensity at the outer periphery; and wherein a size of the inner periphery is further based on a brush size setting. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the effect indicating periphery is halfway between the outer periphery and the inner periphery. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inner periphery occupies an inner area within which the effect is applied at a maximum intensity, and wherein the location of the effect indicating periphery represents a fraction of the maximum intensity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a distance between the effect indicating periphery and the outer periphery indicates the softness of the effect to be applied with the brush. ### Claim 8 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving an adjustment to a softness setting for a brush in a user interface, the brush being adapted to apply an effect to a digital image; displaying the softness setting in the user interface as the adjustment is received; displaying, as the adjustment is received and adjacent to the user interface, a cursor corresponding to the brush based on the adjusted softness setting, the cursor comprising: an outer periphery indicating a maximum extent of an effect to be applied with the brush, an inner periphery within the outer periphery, a size of the inner periphery based on a softness setting of the brush, and an effect indicating periphery between the outer periphery and the inner periphery, a location of the effect indicating periphery between the outer periphery and the inner periphery based on the softness of the brush; and changing a size of the effect indicating periphery relative to the outer periphery according to the received adjustment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The medium of claim 8, the operations further comprising: receiving an adjustment to a size setting for the brush; wherein a size of the effect indicating periphery is proportional to the brush size setting and based on a softness setting; and wherein a size of the outer periphery is proportional to the brush size setting and not the softness setting. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The medium of claim 8, wherein the outer periphery is displayed at a fixed size while the size of the effect indicating periphery is changed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The medium of claim 8, the operations further comprising: moving the displayed cursor over a region of an image after receiving the adjustment; and applying an effect to the image at the region, the effect being applied at a maximum intensity within an inner area defined by the inner periphery that is located within the effect indicating periphery, and the effect being applied from the maximum intensity at the inner periphery to a minimum intensity at the outer periphery; and wherein a size of the inner periphery is further based on a brush size setting. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The medium of claim 11, wherein the effect indicating periphery is located halfway between the outer periphery and the inner periphery. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The medium of claim 8, wherein the inner periphery occupies an inner area within which the effect is applied at a maximum intensity, and wherein the location of the effect indicating periphery represents a fraction of the maximum intensity. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The medium of claim 8, wherein the location of the effect indicating periphery is halfway between the outer periphery and the inner periphery. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The medium of claim 8, wherein a distance between the effect indicating periphery and the outer periphery indicates the softness of the effect to be applied with the brush. ### Claim 16 A system comprising: one or more processors; and a computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving an adjustment to a softness setting for a brush in a user interface, the brush being adapted to apply an effect to a digital image; displaying the softness setting in the user interface as the adjustment is received; displaying, as the adjustment is received and adjacent to the user interface, a cursor corresponding to the brush based on the adjusted softness setting, the cursor comprising: an outer periphery indicating a maximum extent of an effect to be applied with the brush, an inner periphery within the outer periphery, a size of the inner periphery based on a softness setting of the brush, and an effect indicating periphery between the outer periphery and the inner periphery, a location of the effect indicating periphery between the outer periphery and the inner periphery based on the softness of the brush; and changing a size of the effect indicating periphery relative to the outer periphery according to the received adjustment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, the operations further comprising: receiving an adjustment to a size setting for the brush; wherein a size of the effect indicating periphery is proportional to the brush size setting and based on a softness setting; and wherein a size of the outer periphery is proportional to the brush size setting and not the softness setting. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the outer periphery is displayed at a fixed size while the size of the effect indicating periphery is changed. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, the operations further comprising: moving the displayed cursor over a region of an image after receiving the adjustment; and applying an effect to the image at the region, the effect being applied at a maximum intensity within an inner area defined by the inner periphery that is located within the effect indicating periphery, and the effect being applied from the maximum intensity at the inner periphery to a minimum intensity at the outer periphery; and wherein a size of the inner periphery is further based on a brush size setting. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the effect indicating periphery is located halfway between the outer periphery and the inner periphery. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the inner periphery occupies an inner area within which the effect is applied at a maximum intensity, and wherein the location of the effect indicating periphery represents a fraction of the maximum intensity. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the location of the effect indicating periphery is halfway between the outer periphery and the inner periphery.