AUTOMATED IMAGE-SELECTION SYSTEM
A computer system comprising storage for storing a plurality of digital image files, each digital image file including a digital image and metadata defining the included digital image. An input system of the computer system enables a user to select first and second dates to define a date range and to select a theme. The processor is programmed to identify digital images having both capture dates that are within the date range and image elements satisfying the theme. The digital images are sorted into distinct event groups, each distinct event group including one or more different digital images, wherein the event group can be a season of the year. The processor selects at least one digital image from each of at least two different distinct event groups which are then incorporated into a multi-image multi-event image product.
1 . A computer system for making a multi-image multi-event product, comprising:
a server computer connected to one or more remote client computers through a computer network;
storage for storing a plurality of digital image files, each digital image file including a digital image;
an input system for selecting first and second dates to define a date range, and for selecting a theme, wherein the date range and the theme are recorded in the storage;
a processor for identifying digital images having capture dates that are within the date range and having image elements satisfying the theme;
the processor for sorting the digital images into distinct event groups, each distinct event group including one or more different digital images, and for selecting at least one relevant digital image from each of at least two different distinct event groups;
a product compiler for incorporating the selected images into a multi-image multi-event product; and
means for delivering the multi-image multi-event product.
2 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the server comprises an application to be transmitted to one of the remote client computers for providing a user interface on said one of the client computers to enable a user to select the first and second dates and to select a theme on the client computer.
3 . The computer system of claim 2 , wherein the application stored on the server is partially transmitted to said one of the remote client computers where a portion of the application executes.
4 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein a season is a distinct event group.
5 . The computer system of claim 4 , further including a computer program for automatically analyzing pixels of a digital image to determine which one of a plurality of seasons is depicted by the digital image.
6 . The computer system of claim 1 , further including an association set stored therein, the association set including items selected from the group consisting of: objects, colors, textures, and shapes, wherein each of said objects, colors, textures, and shapes has one of the plurality of seasons programmably associated therewith.
7 . The computer system of claim 6 , wherein each of the digital images includes an item from the association set.
8 . The computer system of claim 6 , further including a weighted value, associated with each item, stored therein.
9 . The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the weighted value indicates a likelihood that the item in the association set matches an item detected in the digital image.
10 . The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the weighted value indicates a prevalence value, of each item detected in the digital image, in its associated season.
11 . A system for designing a multi-image multi-event product, comprising:
storage for storing a plurality of digital image files, each digital image file including a digital image and metadata defining the included digital image;
an input system including a user interface for enabling a user to select first and second dates to define a date range, and for enabling a user to select a theme, wherein the date range and the theme are recorded in the storage;
a processor for identifying digital images having both capture dates that are within the date range and image elements satisfying the theme;
the processor for sorting the digital images into distinct event groups, each distinct event group including one or more different digital images, and for selecting at least one digital image from each of at least two different distinct event groups;
a product compiler for incorporating the selected images into a multi-image multi-event product; and
means for delivering the multi-image multi-event product.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the system includes means for downloading an application for providing the user interface.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the application is partially downloaded to the system and a remaining portion resides on a server.
14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein one of a plurality of seasons is stored as a distinct event group.
15 . The system of claim 14 , further including a program for automatically analyzing pixels of a digital image to determine which one of the plurality of seasons is depicted by the digital image.
16 . The system of claim 11 , further including an association set stored in the storage, the association set including items selected from the group consisting of: objects, colors, textures, and shapes, wherein each of said objects, colors, textures, and shapes has one of the plurality of seasons logically associated therewith.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein each of the digital images depicts an item from the association set.
18 . The system of claim 16 , further including a weighted value, associated with each item, stored in the storage.
19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the weighted value indicates a likelihood that its associated item in the association set matches an item detected in the digital image.
20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the weighted value indicates a prevalence value of each item detected in the digital image for its associated season.