Album Creation Apparatus Using Timing-Based Title Determination

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing album creation systems require significant time and labor for customers to layout images manually, and struggle to accurately convey information about main and side characters, making it difficult to create albums with appropriate designs. Additionally, these systems find it challenging to flexibly extract images for various events and main characters.

Innovation Solution

An album creating apparatus that acquires images with associated timestamps, determines titles based on image capturing times, and classifies images into albums using a method that includes specifying image capturing timing, title determination, and applying color palettes to create albums with appropriate designs and layouts that emphasize main characters and related subjects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If customers manually layout images one by one to create an album, then the album can be created with customer's direct control, but it takes a long time and requires a large amount of labor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer control over album creationVSAvoidalbum creation speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic image extraction and album creation using evaluation values and timing information, eliminating the need for customers to manually layout each image while still satisfying customer requirements through automated intelligent selection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The manual mechanical process of customers dragging and dropping images is replaced by an automated computer-based system that uses evaluation algorithms to automatically select and arrange images based on timing and importance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If customers provide image data to an album creator, then the album can be created automatically, but it is difficult for customers to accurately impart information on main characters and side characters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic album creationVSAvoidcharacter information accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary extraction of main characters and side characters from images before album creation, using evaluation values to identify and separate important subjects, thereby preserving character information accuracy without requiring customers to manually specify it

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The evaluation value system acts as an intermediary that automatically captures and processes character information from images, translating visual content into structured data that preserves main and side character distinctions without direct customer input

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If an album creator receives images from customers to create an album, then automatic album creation is possible, but it is difficult to create an album with appropriate design dependent on the persons shown on the images

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic album creation capabilityVSAvoiddesign adaptability to image content

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different evaluation criteria and design parameters to different images based on their specific content, timing, and extracted subjects, allowing each image to be processed and designed according to its local characteristics rather than using a uniform approach

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The album creation system dynamically adjusts design parameters, image selection, and layout based on extracted timing information and evaluation values, enabling the design to adapt flexibly to the specific content and context of each image

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Quantity of substance

If conventional image extraction methods are used, then images can be extracted from large amounts of data, but it is difficult to flexibly extract images for various events and main characters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of extracted imagesVSAvoidflexibility in extracting images for various events

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes extraction parameters dynamically based on timing information and evaluation values, adjusting selection criteria to flexibly extract images relevant to various events and main characters from large datasets

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9030576B2Album creating apparatus, album creating method and program therefor

Publication Date: 2015.05.12 FUJIFILM CORP

AI summary

An album creating apparatus is provided to insert a title appropriate for the timing at which the image stored in the album is captured. The album creating apparatus includes: an image acquiring section for acquiring a plurality of images in association with image capturing times; a reference time acquiring section for acquiring a reference time indicative of the time and date of a main event in an album; an image capturing timing specifying section for specifying an image capturing timing indicative of a period for the reference time acquired by the reference time acquiring section; a title determining section for determining a title to be inserted into the album; and an album creating section for creating the album by laying out the title determined.