System and method for reducing similar photos for display and product design

1. A computer-implemented method for reducing similar photos for display and product design, comprising:

sequencing the images in a chronological sequence if the images have available image times;

calculating hash values of images by a similarity distance computation module in a computer system, wherein the images includes a first image and a second image;

calculating similarity distances between the images using at least the hash values by a similarity distance computation module in the computer system, wherein the similarity distances are calculated between adjacent images in the chronological sequence;

automatically grouping the images into a burst based at least in part on the similarity distances of the images by a burst grouping module in the computer system;

automatically selecting at least one image from the burst of images, comprising:

designating the first image as a duplicate image if a similarity distance between the first image and the second image is below a duplicate threshold value;

automatically creating a photo product design using the selected image from the burst by an intelligent design creation engine in the computer system; and

automatically making a physical photo product based on the photo product design.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the images are grouped into a burst by a burst grouping module based further on image capture times and image capture locations.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the images are automatically grouped into the burst further based on image compositions, facial expressions, orientations of the faces, sizes of the faces, light exposures of the faces and persons in the image, importance of person(s) in the image, scene composition, dominant colors, color histograms, block color histograms, and cloth colors and patterns.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein at least one image is automatically selected from the burst of images based on detection of faces, faces recognized presence of faces of family and close friends, or positions and focus of the faces in the image.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

automatically selecting a product type, a product layout, or a product style for the photo product design by the intelligent design creation engine.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

automatically selecting a product type, a product layout, or a product style for the photo product design based on a user's social data by the intelligent design creation engine.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

companion images in a burst is automatically presented by the intelligent design creation engine for user selection of a different image from the burst in the photo product design or the photo display.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

automatically displaying the selected image from the burst on a device by the intelligent design creation engine.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the step of calculating similarity distances further includes calculating color densities, edge orientations, and edge densities between two images.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the step of calculating similarity distances comprises:

automatically calculating a Hamming Distance between the hash values of the two images.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the step of calculating similarity distances further includes calculating color densities, edge orientations, and edge densities between two images.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the hash values of images are calculated by a hashing method including pHash, Radial-Hash, or Wavelet-based hash.

13. A computer-implemented method for reducing similar photos for display and product design, comprising:

calculating hash values of images by a similarity distance computation module in a computer system, wherein the images includes a first image and a second image;

calculating similarity distances between the images using at least the hash values by a similarity distance computation module in the computer system;

automatically grouping the images into a burst based at least in part on the similarity distances of the images by a burst grouping module in the computer system;

automatically selecting at least one image from the burst of images, comprising:

designating the first image as a duplicate image if a similarity distance between the first image and the second image is below a duplicate threshold value,

wherein the duplicate image is discarded before the step of selecting,

automatically creating a photo product design using the selected image from the burst by an intelligent design creation engine in the computer system; and

automatically making a physical photo product based on the photo product design.

14. A computer-implemented method for reducing similar photos for display and product design, comprising:

calculating hash values of images by a similarity distance computation module in a computer system, wherein the images includes a first image and a second image;

calculating similarity distances between the images using at least the hash values by a similarity distance computation module in the computer system;

automatically grouping the images into a burst based at least in part on the similarity distances of the images by a burst grouping module in the computer system;

automatically selecting at least one image from the burst of images, comprising:

designating the first image as a duplicate image if a similarity distance between the first image and the second image is below a duplicate threshold value;

designating a first image as a new image if a similarity distance between the first image and other images in the images is above the duplicate threshold value;

automatically creating a photo product design using the selected image from the burst by an intelligent design creation engine in the computer system; and

automatically making a physical photo product based on the photo product design.