Method and system for interpreting imprecise object selection paths

1. A graphical input and display system having a user interface for selecting and arranging image object elements in a source electronic image, comprising:

user input means for selecting and creating image objects;

image input means for entering the electronic image onto a display means;

a processor, connected for receiving requests for image object selection operations and for accessing a memory structure;

program memory means comprising:

user interaction module for selecting image objects; and

image object selection module for interpreting imprecise image object selection paths, wherein interpreting imprecise image object selection paths comprises:

evaluating the temporal characteristics of said object selection gesture, wherein said object selection gesture forms a bounded region; and

evaluating the proximity of image objects to the selection gesture, comprising:

selecting those image objects falling within an outer boundary of said bounded region;

rejecting those image objects falling outside an inner boundary of said bounded region; and

splitting those image objects falling across both of said inner boundary and said outer boundary of said bounded region; and

data memory means.

2. The graphical input and display system according to claim 1 , wherein said program memory further comprises a path matching module.

3. The graphical input and display system according to claim 1 , wherein said program memory further comprises an object splitting module.

4. A method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system having user input means, image input means, a processor, a user interaction module for selecting image objects, an image object selection module for interpreting imprecise image object selection paths, and data memory means, comprising:

receiving a user input image object selection gesture;

evaluating the temporal characteristics of said object selection gesture, wherein said object selection gesture forms a bounded region; and

evaluating the proximity of image objects to the selection gesture, comprising:

selecting those image objects falling within an outer boundary of said bounded region;

rejecting those image objects falling outside an inner boundary of said bounded region; and

splitting those image objects falling across both of said inner boundary and said outer boundary of said bounded region.

5. The method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system according to claim 4 , wherein said image object selection gesture comprises a freeform path.

6. The method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system according to claim 4 , wherein said image object selection gesture comprises a rectangle drag path.

7. The method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system according to claim 4 , wherein said image object selection gesture comprises a polygonal selection path.

8. The method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system according to claim 4 , wherein evaluating carefulness along said selection gesture comprises evaluating the proximity of groups of image objects with respect to said bounded region.

9. The method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system according to claim 8 , further comprising assigning proximity category values.

10. The method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system according to claim 9 , wherein assigning said proximity category values comprises:

identifying those image objects falling within said inner boundary of said bounded region;

identifying those image objects falling outside said outer boundary of said bounded region;

identifying those image objects falling between said inner boundary and said outer boundary of said bounded region;

identifying those image objects spanning said inner boundary of said bounded region;

identifying those image objects spanning said outer boundary of said bounded region; and

identifying those image objects spanning both said inner boundary and said outer boundary of said bounded region.

11. The method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system according to claim 10 , wherein the step of evaluating the proximity of image object groups to said bounded region further comprises conducting a weighted vote of those image objects in each said image object group.

12. The method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system according to claim 11 , further comprising manipulating the image objects affected by said image object selection gesture, including selecting or rejecting image objects based on the selection or rejection of image object groups.

13. The method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system according to claim 4 , further comprising:

computing boundaries between perceptual image objects;

filtering said boundaries to retain significant boundaries; and

performing a path-matching search to identify a modified image object selection path.

14. The method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system according to claim 13 , wherein computing boundaries between said perceptual image objects comprises computing Voronoi ridges of foreground pixels.

15. The method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system according to claim 13 , wherein filtering said boundaries comprises filtering Voronoi ridges to retain geometrically significant ridges.

16. The method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system according to claim 13 , wherein performing a path-matching search comprises identifying a preferred path through significant Voronoi ridge segments to approximate the user's image object selection path.

17. The method for utilizing a user interface on a graphical input and display system according to claim 13 , further comprising manipulating said image objects, including selecting those image objects falling in the interior of said modified image object selection path.

18. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium which, when said program code is executed by said computer causes said computer to per form method steps for interpreting imprecise image object selection paths, said method steps comprising:

receiving a user input image object selection gesture;

evaluating carefulness along said selection gesture;

forming a bounded region having an inner boundary and an outer boundary with respect to said selection gesture; and

manipulating the image objects falling within or traversed by said image object selection gesture, wherein manipulating the image objects comprises:

selecting those image objects falling within said outer boundary of said bounded region;

rejecting those image objects falling outside said inner boundary of said bounded region; and

splitting those image objects falling across both of said inner boundary and said outer boundary of said bounded region.