Interactive image selection method

1. A method comprising:

receiving a collection of digital images;

receiving a user selection of a digital image from the collection of digital images using a user interface;

determining a plurality of subsets of the digital images based on the received user selection, wherein each subset shares a different common category with the selected digital image; and

displaying the subsets of digital images on a soft-copy display, together with the selected digital image, wherein each of the subsets of digital images are displayed in a respective region of the soft-copy display according to their respective common category shared with the selected digital image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the common category for one of the plurality of subsets is that the digital images were captured at a similar date and time relative to the selected digital image.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the common category for one of the plurality of subsets is that the digital images were captured at a similar location relative to the selected digital image.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the common category for one of the plurality of subsets is that the digital images contain similar semantic content relative to the selected digital image.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the common category for one of the plurality of subsets is that the digital images contain the one or more of the same persons as the selected digital image.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the common category for one of the plurality of subsets is that the digital images share a common event classification with the selected digital image.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least some digital images have associated metadata, and wherein the determining the plurality of subsets of the digital images includes analyzing the associated metadata.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein some or all of the metadata associated with a particular digital image is created by applying one or more automatic analysis algorithm to the particular digital image.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determination of the plurality of subsets includes determining a strength value for each digital image, wherein the strength value is a measure of user interest for the digital image.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the digital images sharing a particular common category with the selected digital image and having strength values above a threshold strength value are included in a particular subset.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the strength value for a digital image is determined responsive to an analysis of a contrast or a sharpness of the digital image.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the strength value for a digital image is determined responsive to a measure of user interest for the digital image.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the strength value for a digital image is determined responsive to a degree of similarity between the digital image and the selected digital image.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the display of the digital images within a subset is arranged according to the strength values determined for each multimedia asset.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein digital images having a higher strength value are displayed closer to the selected digital image.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein digital images that having a higher strength value are displayed with a larger size.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected digital image is displayed in the center of a circular region, wherein the circular region is segmented into a plurality of directions, and wherein the subsets of digital images are each displayed in one of the directions.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected digital image is displayed in the center of a rectangular region, wherein the rectangular region is segmented into a plurality of rectangular sectors, and wherein the subsets of digital images are each displayed in one of the rectangular sectors.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein further including displaying one or more randomly selected digital images.

20. The method of claim 1 , further including:

receiving a second user selection of a new digital image within one of the displayed subsets of digital images using the user interface;

determining a second plurality of subsets of the digital images, wherein each subset shares a common category with the selected new digital image; and

displaying the second plurality of subsets of digital images on the soft-copy display, together with the selected new digital image.

21. A system comprising:

a memory; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to:

receive a user selection of a digital image from a collection of digital images; and

determine a plurality of subsets of the digital images based on the received user selection, wherein each subset shares a different common category with the selected digital image; and

a display coupled to the one or more processor and configured to display the subsets of digital images together with the selected digital image, wherein each of the subsets of digital images are displayed in a respective region of the display according to their respective common category shared with the selected digital image.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the common category for one of the plurality of subsets is that the digital images were captured at a similar date and time relative to the selected digital image.

23. The system of claim 21 , wherein the common category for one of the plurality of subsets is that the digital images were captured at a similar location relative to the selected digital image.

24. The system of claim 21 , wherein the common category for one of the plurality of subsets is that the digital images were contain similar semantic content relative to the selected digital image.

25. The system of claim 21 , wherein the common category for one of the plurality of subsets is that the digital images contain the one or more of the same persons as the selected digital image.

26. The system of claim 21 , wherein the common category for one of the plurality of subsets is that the digital images share a common event classification with the selected digital image.

27. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive a user selection of a digital image from a collection of digital images;

instructions to determine a plurality of subsets of the digital images based on the received user selection, wherein each subset shares a different common category with the selected digital image; and

instructions to display the subsets of digital images together with the selected digital image, wherein each of the subsets of digital images are displayed in a respective region of a display area according to their respective common category shared with the selected digital image.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27 , wherein at least some digital images have associated metadata, and wherein the determining the plurality of subsets of the digital images includes analyzing the associated metadata.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28 , wherein some or all of the metadata associated with a particular digital image is created by applying one or more automatic analysis algorithm to the particular digital image.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 28 , wherein the determination of the plurality of subsets includes determining a strength value for each digital image, wherein the strength value is a measure of user interest for the digital image.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the digital images sharing a particular common category with the selected digital image and having strength values above a threshold strength value are included in a particular subset.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the strength value for a digital image is determined responsive to an analysis of a contrast or a sharpness of the digital image.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the strength value for a digital image is determined responsive to a measure of user interest for the digital image.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 30 , wherein the strength value for a digital image is determined responsive to a degree of similarity between the digital image and the selected digital image.