Patent Application
20060066628
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The invention relates to the field of computer programming, and more particularly to systems and techniques for implementing image processing and other functions including grouped parametric controls, such as global color and exposure controls, which dynamically readjust constituent parameters to optimize the user's image editing activity.
The field of graphics processing applications, including image processing packages, has broadened and matured to a point where many image processing programs and tools permit a user to selectively adjust an array of image characteristics. Broadly speaking, many of those image editing tasks revolve around altering the color composition of a digital photograph or other image, or the exposure or lighting characteristics of the subject image or file. Within each category of task, commercially available programs typically offer the user a number of tools which can be activated by sliders, graphs or other interface objects. For instance, image processing packages exist which permit a user to change the relative amounts of red, green or blue (RGB) components or cyan, magenta, yellow or black (CMYK) component color in the pixels of an image, for instance by sliding those buttons to the left or right. Often the user may be presented with a preview pane in the interface depicting the image with the adjustment made, to decide if they wish to make that adjustment, or make that adjustment permanent.
However, manipulating independent sets of color, exposure or other image processing controls poses some difficulties or compromises. For one, when one control after another is independently activated, each action may involve processing which incurs floating-point rounding or other error as part of the necessary computations on pixel or other values. When a sequence of image editing operations using different tools is carried out independently, those rounding or other errors may accumulate or compounds themselves, leading to image degradation or inaccuracy. Moreover, performing a sequence of tasks to achieve a desired overall global effect on an image may require that the user learn an extensive set of skills in that particular application, remember the sequence which they have performed and be able to informally visualize the results of the next step or editing option. Users may not therefore be able to be as productive in carrying out those time-consuming manual tasks, and the results may still not conform to the user's intended editing objectives. Other problems in graphics processing and interface technology exist.
The invention overcoming these and other problems in the art relates in one regard to a system and method for controlling dynamically interactive parameters for image processing, in which image processing functions may be categorized into global tasks including color editing or correction, exposure editing or correction or other functions or tasks. In embodiments, each global task may be broken down into a hierarchy of associated tools or functions, in embodiments starting with basic or one-button correction actions and descending to advanced histograms or other editable graphs or functions. According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, the parameters involved at each level in the editing hierarchy may be adjustable, but adjustable not merely independently but instead, in a linked fashion so that adjustments made to one parameter may automatically generate adjustments to one or more other parameters to achieve improved results. By grouping some or all associated tools under their respective global tasks, the interface to the user may be simplified, made more efficient and easier to use, and likewise lead to better image editing results since compensating enhancements may be automatically be made to related parameters, transparently to the user. Rounding and other errors that result from successive editing steps may also be reduced or eliminated, and customized editable curves may be saved as settings for repeated use.
According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, and as further illustrated for example in
According to embodiments of the invention, the image editing functions presented in image processing application 108 may be grouped into a set of global image processing tasks. Those comparatively high-level modes or activities may include, for example, a first set of color correction or editing functions, a second set of exposure correction or editing functions, or other global tasks. The modal user dialogues and other tools shown in
As illustrated in
Intermediate controls 112 as illustrated may be or include, for example, a set of slider buttons or bars to adjust image parameters such as the color temperature or other characteristics of source lighting, as well as color saturation of the overall image 120. Other buttons, controls and variables for the intermediate level are possible. Advanced controls 114 as illustrated may be or include, for example, a set of slider buttons for color components such as cyan, magenta, yellow, black (CMYK), red, green, blue (RGB) or other variables. Other buttons, controls and variables for the advanced level are possible, such as a set of editable curves 116 such as color or other histograms, gamma correction curves, or other curves or functions, which may in embodiments include selectable or moveable curve lines, as shown. Further variables which may be presented at the intermediate, advanced or other levels may include for instance hue controls, red-eye controls, color bit depth controls and white-balance controls. Similarly configured hierarchical sets of controls are possible, for example, for other global image processing tasks or modes such as for exposure correction, or others as discussed below.
According to embodiments of the invention in a further regard, and as for example illustrated in
The image processing application 108 may in response to that detected color temperature value or range automatically move or adjust a source lighting slider, acting as a color temperature control, in intermediate controls 112 to the left towards the light bulb icon, to adjust the presented color temperature range of image 120 on user interface 118. Sequentially or simultaneously, the image processing application 108 may automatically adjust the color balance sliders such as controls representing cyan, magenta and yellow (CMY, black optional but not shown) components to remove a degree of red color (−10), add a degree of green color (+6) and remove a degree of blue color (−6), as shown. Other combinations and adjustments are possible, in linked or parametric fashion.
According to embodiments of the invention in a further regard, and as likewise illustrated in
It may be noted that according to embodiments of the invention in another regard, when a user elects to make manual changes to individual variables such as by sliding individual slider bars or otherwise, that automatic corresponding changes to other sliders, controls, the set of editable controls 116 or other interface elements may also be automatically presented to the user. Thus, and for example as illustrated in
According to the interactivity aspect of the invention in another regard, and as illustrated
It may be noted again, and as illustrated in
If after any automatic adjustments made in step 808 the user wishes to continue editing, in step 810 the user may elect to fine-tune the results of the automatic image adjustment, for example by operating slider bars or other tools or resources of intermediate controls 112 or otherwise to adjust relative amounts of cyan, magenta, yellow or black (CMYK) or make other adjustments or modifications. Those fine tuning adjustments may themselves include dynamically interactive adjustments between active parameters. In step 812, the user may further manipulate advanced controls 114, such as the set of editable curves 116 which may include, for example, histogram, gamma curves or other curves or functions. The manipulation of editable curves 116 may also involve automatic interaction between color parameters. Following step 812, processing may process to step 820 where editing may finish and processing may repeat, return to a prior processing point, jump to a further processing point or end.
Following step 804, in step 814 the user may likewise choose to activate a set of exposure correction resources or tools, instead of, before or after applying any color correction or editing tools or steps. In step 816, the user may select or activate an automatic or one-click type of correction option for exposure purposes, for example by activating a one-click button in basic controls 110 or otherwise. The automated exposure adjustments may in one regard be dynamically interactive. In step 818, the corrected exposure results may be fine-tuned or adjusted, for example by manipulating slider controls or other activatable objects or controls in intermediate controls 112 such as brightness or exposure tools, or otherwise. Such intermediate adjustments may be likewise dynamically interactive, depending on the tools or parameters being adjusted or controlled. In step 812, the user may likewise manipulate a set of editable curves 116, for instance within advanced tools 114, to alter exposure parameters, which parameters may similarly be dynamically interactive or linked. Processing may then proceed to step 820 where editing may finish and processing may repeat, return to a prior processing point, jump to a further processing point or end
The foregoing description of the invention is illustrative, and modifications in configuration and implementation will occur to persons skilled in the art. For instance, while the invention has generally been described in terms of a set of dynamically interactive controls implemented in an image processing application 108, in embodiments similar controls or groupings of controls may be implemented or embedded in other applications or platforms, such as video processing applications, publishing applications, integrated applications or suites, or other applications or platforms.
Similarly, while the invention has in embodiments been generally described as assimilating color editing functions and exposure editing functions as two broad classes of functionality in which parametric groupings may be vertically incorporated, in embodiments other categories or types of functions may be used. Other hardware, software or other resources described as singular may in embodiments be distributed, and similarly in embodiments resources described as distributed may be combined. The scope of the invention is accordingly intended to be limited only by the following claims.
