IP Library Granted Patent US 7,091,974
Granted Patent B2
US 7,091,974 · App. 10/306,021 · Granted Aug 15, 2006

Method for selecting and displaying a subject or interest in a still digital image

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,091,974
App. No.
10/306,021
Granted
Aug 15, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention is in the field of digital imaging. It relates to a method for determining the coordinates of a subject of interest in a digital image, so as to be able to then display this subject of interest on the screen of a terminal with low display capacity. The present invention enables, from the screen of a terminal with sufficient display capacity, at least one subject of interest in an original still digital image to be selected, and the coordinates of said subject of interest to be determined. The application of the present invention consists in preparing the display operation of subjects of interest of digital images on the screens of terminals with low display capacity.

Claims (23)

1. A method for selecting and displaying at least one subject of interest comprising less than all of the image content of an original still digital image, the original image being initially displayed on a screen of a first terminal with a sufficient display capacity to provide a relatively high definition, a selected subject of interest comprising less than all of the image content of the original image being intended to be displayed on a screen of a second terminal with a low display capacity that provides a relatively low definition, said first and second terminals respectively communicating with a server, said method comprising the steps of sequentially:

a) performing a first request for the original image from the first terminal;

b) displaying the original image on the screen of the first terminal;

c) selecting a subject of interest in the original image, when the original image is displayed on the screen of the first terminal;

d) automatically determining coordinates of the selected subject of interest, which represent a position of the selected subject of interest in the original image;

e) automatically loading in the server the original image and the coordinates of the selected subject of interest;

f) automatically saving in the server the original image and the coordinates of the selected subject of interest;

g) automatically determining pixel limits of an area of the selected subject of interest based on pixel data of the original image and the coordinates saved in the server;

h) performing a second request from the second terminal to retrieve the original image and the coordinates saved in the server, and automatically determining according to the relatively low display capacity of the second terminal an optimum format for framing the area of the selected subject of interest to obtain an optimized modified image of the selected subject of interest which can be viewed correctly on the screen of the second terminal; and

i) displaying said optimized modified image of the selected subject of interest on the screen of said second terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject of interest is selected by a point, placed approximately in a main part of said subject of interest.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject of interest is selected by a line segment, placed approximately in a main part of said subject of interest.

4. A method for selecting and displaying at least one subject of interest comprising less than all of an original still digital image, the original image being initially displayed on a screen of a first terminal with a sufficient display capacity to provide a relatively high definition, a selected subject of interest in the original image being intended to be displayed on a screen of a second terminal with a low display capacity that provides a relatively low definition, said first and second terminals respectively communicating with a server, said method comprising the steps of sequentially:

a) performing a first request for the original image from the first terminal;

b) displaying the original image on the screen of the first terminal;

c) selecting a subject of interest in the original image, when the original image is displayed on the screen of the first terminal;

d) automatically determining coordinates of the selected subject of interest, which represent a position of the selected subject of interest in the original image;

e) automatically loading in the server the original image and the coordinates, of the selected subject of interest;

f) automatically saving in the server the original image and the coordinates of the selected subject of interest;

g) performing a second request from the second terminal to retrieve the original image and the coordinates saved in the server, automatically determining pixel limits of an area of the selected subject of interest based on pixel data of the original image and the coordinates saved in the server, and automatically determining according to the relatively low display capacity of the second terminal an optimum format for framing the area of the selected subject of interest to obtain an optimized modified image of the selected subject of interest which can be viewed correctly on the screen of the second terminal; and

h) displaying said optimized modified image of the selected subject of interest on the screen of said second terminal.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the selection of the subject of interest in the original image is performed close to a barycenter of several homogenous entities of the original image, said homogenous entities forming the subject of interest of said original image, and wherein an optimized modified image comprising the several entities of the subject of interest is displayed on the screen of the terminal with low display capacity.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the selection of the subject of interest is performed by a line segment that covers at least partially each of the homogenous entities of said subject of interest.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2023
From: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES FUND 83 LLC
To: MONUMENT PEAK VENTURES, LLC
Reel/Frame 064599/0304 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2017
From: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES FUND 83 LLC
To: MONUMENT PEAK VENTURES, LLC
Reel/Frame 041941/0079 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 22, 2013
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
To: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES FUND 83 LLC
Reel/Frame 030387/0571 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Feb 1, 2013
From: CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC.; WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; EASTMAN KODAK INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL COMPANY, INC.; FAR EAST DEVELOPMENT LTD.; KODAK (NEAR EAST), INC.; KODAK AMERICAS, LTD.; KODAK PORTUGUESA LIMITED; KODAK REALTY, INC.; LASER-PACIFIC MEDIA CORPORATION; KODAK AVIATION LEASING LLC; KODAK PHILIPPINES, LTD.; NPEC INC.; FPC INC.; KODAK IMAGING NETWORK, INC.; PAKON, INC.; QUALEX INC.; CREO MANUFACTURING AMERICA LLC
Reel/Frame 029913/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2012
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY; PAKON, INC.
To: CITICORP NORTH AMERICA, INC., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 028201/0420 →