Method, system and computer program product for creating collages that visually resemble a particular shape or group of shapes

1. A computer-implemented method of creating a shape collage, the method comprising:

receiving a shape specification signal which specifies at least one desired shape, each desired shape having at least one shape boundary and a shape area;

receiving image data which represents a plurality of images; and

processing the signal and the data to obtain a shape collage of the images which at least partially covers and conforms to the area of the at least one desired shape so that the collage resembles the at least one desired shape, wherein the step of processing includes the steps of:

creating a tree structure of the images wherein images are represented by tree nodes, the tree nodes corresponding to sub-areas in or near the shape area;

processing the tree structure to determine locations for the images based on their position in the tree structure;

evaluating by utilizing at least one coverage predicate whether each image is to be treated as being either within or outside the shape area based on its determined location, removing or hiding at least one image that is evaluated as being outside the shape area and leaving a placeholder node at the location of the at least one removed or hidden image to preserve the tree structure; and

inserting the at least one removed or hidden image back into a portion of the area evaluated as being within the area by finding a tree node in the tree structure that is within the shape area and inserting the at least one removed or hidden image into an adjacent position in the tree structure.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising calculating the at least one coverage predicate and comparing each calculated coverage predicate with a threshold.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one desired shape is non-rectangular.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the images in the shape collage are non-overlapping.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein borders between adjacent images in the shape collage are substantially the same.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the area of the at least one desired shape is fully covered with the images.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the step of processing includes the step of cropping any images that are positioned outside the at least one desired shape to achieve a more visually defined outline of the at least one desired shape.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the images are photographic images.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the shape specification signal specifies a plurality of desired shapes.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising receiving a command signal to locate a user-specified image essentially or proximately at a desired location in the collage and processing the command signal and the shape collage to create a finished shape collage having the user-specified image essentially or proximately at the desired location to increase visual appeal of the finished shape collage to the user.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising receiving a command signal to resize a user-specified image from an initial size in the collage to a desired size and processing the command signal and the collage to create a finished shape collage having the user-specified image with the desired size to increase visual appeal of the finished shape collage to the user.

12. A system for creating a shape collage, the system comprising:

means for receiving a shape specification signal which specifies at least one desired shape, each desired shape having at least one shape boundary a shape area;

means for receiving image data which represents a plurality of images; and

at least one processor for processing the signal and the image data to obtain a shape collage of the images which at least partially covers and conforms to the area of the at least one desired shape so that the collage resembles the at least one desired shape, wherein the at least one processor creates a tree structure of the images wherein images are represented by tree nodes the tree nodes corresponding to sub-areas in or near the shape area; the at least one processor processes the tree structure to determine locations for the images based on their position in the tree structure; the at least one processor evaluates whether each image is to be treated as within or outside the shape area based on its determined location utilizing at least one coverage predicate and either removes or hides at least one image that is evaluated to be outside the shape area and leaves a placeholder node at the location of the at least one removed or hidden image to preserve the tree structure; and

the at least one processor inserts the at least one removed or hidden image into a portion of the area evaluated as being within the area by finding a tree node in the tree structure that is within the shape area and inserting the at least one removed or hidden image into an adjacent position in the tree structure.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the at least one processor calculates the at least one coverage predicate and compares each calculated coverage predicate with a threshold.

14. The system as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising means for receiving a command signal to locate a user-specified image to essentially or proximately at a desired location in the shape collage, the at least one processor processing the command signal and the shape collage to create a finished shape collage having the user-specified image essentially or proximately at the desired location to increase visual appeal of the finished shape collage to the user.

15. The system as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising means for receiving a command signal to resize a user-specified image from an initial size in the collage to a desired size, the at least one processor processing the command signal and the shape collage to create a finished shaped collage having the user-specified image with the desired size to increase visual appeal of the finished shape collage to the user.

16. A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium that stores a set of instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

receiving a shape specification signal which specifies at least one desired shape, each desired shape having at least one shape boundary a shape area;

receiving image data which represents a plurality of images; and

processing the shape specification signal and the image data to obtain a shape collage of the images which at least partially cover and conform to the area of the at least one desired shape so that the collage resembles the at least one desired shape, wherein the step of processing includes the steps of:

creating a tree structure of the images wherein images are represented by tree nodes, the tree nodes corresponding to sub-areas in or near the shape area;

processing the tree structure to determine locations for the images based on their position in the tree structure;

evaluating utilizing at least one coverage predicate whether each image is to be treated as within or outside the shape area based on its determined location, removing or hiding at least one image that is evaluated to be outside the shape area and leaving a placeholder node at the location of the at least one removed or hidden image to preserve the tree structure; and

inserting at least one removed or hidden image back into a portion of the area evaluated as being within the area by finding a tree node in the tree structure that is within the shape area and inserting the at least one removed or hidden image into an adjacent position in the tree structure.

17. The medium as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the steps further comprise calculating the at least one coverage predicate and comparing each calculated coverage predicate with a threshold.

18. The medium as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the steps further comprise receiving a command signal to locate a user-specified image essentially or proximately at a desired location in the shape collage and processing the command signal and the shape collage to create a finished shape collage having the user-specified image essentially or proximately at the desired location to increase visual appeal of the finished shape collage to the user.

19. The medium as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the steps further comprise receiving a command signal to resize a user-specified image from an initial size in the collage to a desired size and processing the command signal and the collage to create a finished shape collage having the user-specified image with the desired size to increase visual appeal of the finished shape collage to the user.